This page is intended for new breeders. Unlike some members of the dog fancy, I do not discourage new breeders, I simply discourage irresponsible and uneducated breeding. This information in no way ecompasses everything that there is to know about breeding and whelping. The advice and information should not substitute proper veterinarian assistance when needed. I will, however, try to provide as much of my knowledge, gained through years of experience and mistakes, as possible. I will attempt to add photos to this page as time allows, as well.
The bitch's heat cycle averages between 4 and 9 months, with 6 months being most common. She will usually show obvious physical signs such as bloody discharge, swelling of the vulva, licking the vulva, and sometimes personality and behavioral changes. When the bitch is close to ovulation, she will most often be willing to stand for the stud. if the bitch is to be artificially inseminated it is important to know when she ovulates. This can easily be determined, with an accuracy of a few days either way, by vaginal smears performed daily from about day 7 on. Progesterone levels can also be checked with a higher degree of accuracy in determining ovulation, but a higher expense as well. Some vets are experts at reading vaginal smears, and some are not. If you own a reasonably good microscope you can learn to read your own smears. (I do my own.) It is actually very simple. You will need a microscope, slides, sterile cotton swabs, and a stain (I use Wright's stain). Insert the swab about 1 to 2 inches inside the bitch's vagina, turn it 180 degrees, and remove it. Most bitches in heat will not protest this otherwise invasive procedure. Immediately roll, do not rub or slide, the swab onto the microscope slide, being careful not to destroy the sample by smearing it and distorting the cells. Allow the slide to air dry for 15 to 30 minutes or so before staining according to the directions of whatever stain you are using (I dip the slide into Wright's solution for a few seconds, then into distilled water for a few seconds and repeat with fresh distilled water. Again, allow the slide to air dry before reading. You are looking for epitheleal cells, which are the largest cells seen on the slide. These cells "cornify" just before ovulation, and revert to normal after the breeding window has closed. Usually round, with large nuclei, they have the appearance of fried eggs. As they cornify, they flatten and enlongate and curl up, more closely resembling the irregular appearance of potato chips. When the majority of the cells have cornified, it is time to breed, either naturally or by artificial insemination. Generally the bitch will be willing to stand for the male at this time, usually around day 10, but this varies.
A maiden bitch may need to be held and/or muzzled for the breeding. She should be taken to the stud, where he feels most comfortable. Allow the two to flirt a bit before getting down to business. Never leave the pair alone. If the male is unwilling to perform with you present, simply keep trying. If he will not allow me to assist or at least hold the bitch, I simply will not allow him to breed. They learn quite quickly to tolerate my presence. You may need to hold the bitch's tail against her stifle until the stud mounts, he should take over at that point. Once he penetrates keep a tight hold on the bitch, being careful not to hurt her, as she may snap and bite, or try to bolt free. It is a good idea to hold the male against the female for a few seconds to help establish a "tie". It takes only seconds for the sperm to reach their destination, so a lengthy tie is not necessary, no matter what old wive's tales you may have heard. An outside tie, when the bulbous gland on the penis swells outside of the vagina, can still produce puppies and the bitch should not be bred to another male after penetration occurs. In the case of an outside tie, simply hold the two together as long as possible. After breeding you should crate the bitch immediately, without allowing her to relieve herself first, and keep her quiet and crated for at least 2 hours or so. I do multiple breedings, once every 36 hours, until she refuses to stand, but one correctly timed breeding is all that is truly necessary. Do not allow your female to interact with any intact males other than the stud being used until after day 21 of her heat cycle. It is possible for a litter to have more than one sire, and this is undesirable under any circumstances.
It is not possible to determine pregnancy for the first few weeks. At about 28 days a vet should examine the bitch for palpation of fetuses, and if needed an ultrasound to confirm pregnancy. I do not recommend that a novice try to palpatate fetuses themselves, as it is possible to induce a miscarriage. After day 45 the bitch can be X-rayed to determine the number of puppies to expect, although this is not always 100% accurate. It is, however, more accurate at determining litter size than palpatatin or ultrasound. The bitch will be due 63 days after the first breeding, but 58 to 65 days is within the norm. She should be fed and exercised normally during the first 5 weeks of pregnancy. After that it is wise to switch her gradually to a high quality puppy food. Her rations should be slowly increased until she is eating about 30% more than usual by her due date. The last 2 weeks she may need to be fed several small meals a day as the fetuses crowd her stomach. She should have access to clean fresh water at all times during and after the pregnancy. She will consume a good deal more water than before her pregnancy, and after whelping the water consumption will more than double as she nurses her puppies. do not allow the pregnant bitch to jump, but do allow normal excersize until the last few weeks. At that point daily walks on-leash should be encouraged.
About one week before her due date bein taking her temperature rectally twice a day, in the morning before she goes out to relieve herself, and in the evening when she has been resting. After exertion her temperature will rise, so it is always best to take it when she is calm and has been resting. Normally 101-102 degrees, her temperature will be closer to 100 degrees at this time, usually a little higher in the evenings than in the mornings. when the temperature drops suddenly to below 99 degrees she is within 24 hours of labor. When that happens, give her a warm bath, dry her thoroughly, and make her comfortable in the whelping box you should have already prepared. Gather the following items, most of them are usually not needed, but it is best to be prepared: latex examination gloves, iodine, hemostats, sharp scissors, a nasal aspirator, dental floss (for tying off cords if needed), puppy formula and bpreemie bottles and nipples (sterilized), a heating pad turned on low and covered with a soft towel in a small box to be used as an incubator while mom delivers the next puppy, telephone to call the vet in a crisis, a trash bag, and lots and lots of towels and newspapers. You may want a magazine or two or a good book to read in a comfortable chair while waiting. Whelping is predictably unpredictable, and you may have mere minutes between puppies, or hours. Mom will usually stop eating or eat very little, and begin "nesting" within the 24 hours preceeding actual labor. It has happened more than once that mom seems just fine, no labor in sight, and when I leave for a few minutes and return there is a puppy in the whelping box! It is easier said than done, but do try not to leave mom unattended at this point, you may get surprised, or worse, you could end up with a puppy that has been left to suffocate in the sack by an inexperienced and frightened mama. When contractions increase in frequency or in force a puppy is imminent and you should stay by her side without exception.
Remove new deliveries from the box when mom begins contracting with the next puppy to prevent the newborn from being injured. Between puppies it is best to allow all of the babies to nurse, this ensures that they receive adequate colostrum, and stimulates contractions in the dam, speeding up the whelping process. While the dam is actively contracting and delivering a new baby, place the newborns in the incubator box you prepared earlier, with the heating pad set on low, and a towel partially covering the top. This is a good opportunity to examine and weigh each of the puppies, and list each one's sex, markings, and weight in your notebook. If the puppies are very similar you may want to paint the tip of the tail with nail polish or tie a colored string around his/her neck for identification purposes. Make a note of each puppy's individual color ID in your notebook as well.
Once all of the babies have arrived and have nursed well it's time to let mom out for a little excersize while you clean up the rather considerable mess. Disinfect the whelping box while the pups nap in their "incubator", reline the whelping box with fresh papers and be sure to provide food and water for mom. She may want to eat a hearty meal right away, but I prefer to give her small meals frequently instead. On the contrary, she may show no interest in eating and need to be tempted with beef or chicken broth, or even table scraps if necessary. It is crucial that she eats and drinks enough to keep up with the demands of nursing a litter of puppies. Try to get her onto her regular pregnancy diet within 48 hours, but allow her to decide when and how much to eat (within reason, of course!) Most nursing moms do well on self-feeding.
After the confusion and tormoil of the whelping is over, there is very little for you to do for the next three weeks. Mom should take care of everything, although you will want to keep an eye on her to make certain that all of the puppies are nursing well and that she is stimulating them to relieve themselves frequently. If not, you may have to hold a puppy on a teat to encourage nursing (remove the litter-mates first)and you may need to stimulate the puppy with a warm, damp cotton ball several times a day. Rubbing a little butter on the puppy's tummy can encourage mom to do her job, this has worked well for me in the past. If a puppy is too small or weak to nurse or bottle feed please see your vet immediately for tube feeding instructions, if done properly it can save the puppy's life. Done improperly it can rupture the stomach or fill the lungs with formula. Do not take chances, see a vet! If a puppy (or an entire litter for that matter) cannot nurse for some reason, I always attempt bottle feeding before resorting to tube feeding.
There are many things that can and do go wrong in whelping, and I will cover some of these in an upcoming article. Watch for a future article on socialization at three weeks and beyond, as well. I can be reached by email with any questions or comments that you may have on breeding, whelping, or raising Shetland Sheepdog puppies.
