When labor signs are first apparent, the expectant mother should be left alone. If she chooses a bedspread or other area of the house over the whelping box for giving birth, do not move her regardless of the mess that may result. Moving her at this time can take her out of labor and make whelping more difficult.

Prior to giving birth, a dog will assist uterine contractions by straining her abdominal muscles in an effort to force the puppies out of the birth canal. The expulsion of each puppy is preceded by a greenish, fluid-filled sac (placenta). Each puppy is attached to a placenta by an umbilical cord. In larger litters, you may not see one placenta passed immediately after every puppy. Some placentas may be retained and be expelled gradually days after all puppies are born. Most puppies are born head first, but as many as one-third may be born hindquarters first. Either position is considered normal.

An experienced mother will break the sac covering each puppy and lick it to clean it. She will also bite off the umbilical cord and eat the placenta and afterbirth. An unbroken sac could drown the puppy as it tries to breathe for the first time. Likewise, a puppy wrapped up in the umbilical cord could be strangled, so be prepared to assist the mother, if necessary. If the mother does not take the initiative, remove all covering membranes from the puppy, clean its face and remove any mucus from its mouth and nose. The umbilical cord should then be tied off with thread 1 inch from the pup’s body and cut off beyond the tie. Apply a drop of iodine or Betadine to the end of the cord to prevent infection. The remaining part of the cord will shrivel, dry up, and drop off at 2-3 days of life. Letting the mother eat most of the placentas is likely to cause loose stools, and is no medical advantage.

When each puppy begins to squirm and cry on its own, place it close to its mother so it can receive warmth and mothering and begin nursing. Once this is done, the puppy should not be disturbed. Kindle Fire

Most puppies are born at 30 to 60-minute intervals, but many variations are possible. For instance, two may be born in close succession, followed by 2-4 hours of rest. A resting stage follows each birth. At this time, milder contractions help expel remaining afterbirth in preparation for the next delivery.

After the last puppy has been delivered, the mother will appear more relaxed with no straining and will attend to her puppies. Allow her an opportunity to urinate and defecate and get some brief exercise. She may have diarrhea for a couple of days as a result of eating the placentas and afterbirth. Her vaginal discharge may appear bloody or a greenish-black color for a few days to 2 weeks, but this does not indicate a problem unless it persists beyond 4 weeks of whelping.