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Compassionate, quality petcare since 1947

Compassionate, quality petcare since 1947

Breeding for Pet Owners: Whelping in Dogs

Why is my pregnant dog trying to hide in strange places?

During the last week of pregnancy, a dog often starts to look for a safe place for whelping (giving birth). Some pets appear confused, wanting to be with their owners while simultaneously preparing their nest.

Try to get your pet accustomed to the place where you want her to have her puppies well before whelping. Despite your good intentions, some dogs insist on having their puppies near the owner; this may be on your bed in the middle of the night.

What should I do if my dog starts whelping in my bedroom?

It will be less stressful for everyone to allow her to continue giving birth in her chosen place. Make sure you spread lots of old newspapers or bedding and, if possible, cover the carpet with a plastic sheet covered by blankets or newspaper. It is normal for fetal fluids to be colored green, and stains from these fluids can be difficult or impossible to remove.

Once your pet has finished whelping, try gently moving her and her puppies to your chosen place. If your pet insists on being near you with her puppies, allow her. A whelping or nesting box in a quiet corner of the living room is preferable to an anxious mother constantly leaving her puppies. Some dogs like the owner to be with them the whole time they are in labor. Others prefer to have their puppies in seclusion. If your pet chooses to be left alone, avoid intruding more than necessary.

How can I prepare for my dog giving birth?

Make sure you have plenty of clean blankets or towels and old newspaper on hand. Select where you would like her to have her puppies and put a suitable whelping box in that location. The whelping box should be large enough for her to move around freely, with low sides so she can see out and easily move in and out. A large cardboard box with an open top and an opening cut out of the side is ideal for smaller dogs. Ask your veterinary healthcare team for more advice on making a whelping box for your pet.

Line the bottom of the box with plenty of newspaper. There will be a large amount of fluid at the time of whelping. If sufficient layers of newspaper and cloth are in place before whelping, you can remove soiled layers with minimum interruption to the mother and her newborn puppies. Acrylic bedding is easily washed and can be used to cover the newspaper; however, plain newspaper is more absorbent, and the puppies are less likely to get hidden beneath it.

How will I know when my dog is going to start giving birth?

Some dogs stop eating during the last day of pregnancy, but not all. In most cases, a rectal temperature drops below 99°F (37.2°C) in the last 24 hours and signals impending labor. The dog will often go into a corner or a quiet room and start scratching or digging to make a bed. These signs may last up to 24 hours and are part of first-stage labor.

Second-stage labor is the delivery stage. Your dog will start to strain. If intense straining continues for more than 30 minutes without signs of a watery discharge (water breaking) or puppies, contact your veterinarian. Most dogs experience no complications with delivery. You should stay with a first-time mother or check on them frequently until all puppies have been born and their mother rests comfortably.

Should I leave my dog alone during whelping?

All dogs having puppies should be kept under surveillance until you think they have finished, just in case they get into trouble. Problems can occur whether it’s your dog’s first pregnancy or her third. 

Ensure your dog properly cares for her newborn puppies, particularly if she is still in labor. Some dogs are more concerned with straining to produce the next puppy than caring for the puppies already delivered. If that is the case, place the puppies in a small cardboard box along with a towel-wrapped bottle filled with warm (not hot) water. Cover the box with another towel to keep the puppies warm and protected until the mother finishes delivery.

How long will whelping take?

Delivery times vary. Dogs with slim heads, such as shelties, collies, and Dobermans, may complete delivery of all the puppies within two to three hours. Brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds or breeds with large, round heads such as bulldogs, Boston terriers, and Pekingese tend to have more difficult deliveries; sometimes, they will produce one or two puppies relatively quickly and then rest for a while before labor starts again.

"Contact your veterinarian if your dog has produced at least one puppy 
and does not strain again within two hours."

Contact your veterinarian if your dog has produced at least one puppy and does not strain again within two hours. If your dog has been straining continuously for a couple of hours and has not had a puppy, she requires immediate veterinary attention.

Do puppies usually come out head-first?

Puppies are usually born head-first with the forelegs extended, called an anterior presentation. Posterior presentation, in which the puppy is born with tail and hind legs emerging first, is also typical for dogs. Posterior presentation is not breech; a breech presentation is one in which the hind legs are extended forward, and the tail and bottom are presented first. 

Breech presentation is abnormal and the dog may require veterinary assistance to deliver the puppy. Some breech presentations can result in a normal delivery. Contact your veterinarian immediately if a puppy’s tail is seen hanging from the vulva or there is a lump just behind the vulvar lips and your pet is straining.

Should my dog pass afterbirth after each puppy?

Each puppy is enclosed in a sac that is part of the placenta (part of afterbirth). This sac is usually broken during the birthing process and passes through the vulva after each puppy is born. You may not notice any afterbirth, since it is normal for the female to eat it; hormones in the afterbirth help with milk production. Sometimes, a mother will have two or three puppies and then pass several afterbirths together.

It may be challenging to obtain an accurate count of the number of afterbirths, since most dogs will eat them quickly. If your dog does not pass the afterbirth, it usually disintegrates and passes out of the uterus within 24–48 hours, usually when the dog defecates. If the mother develops a bloody or smelly vaginal discharge 24–48 hours after delivery, seek veterinary help.

What happens after delivery?

In a normal delivery, a few contractions will produce the puppy. Ten to 15 minutes is reasonable. Following delivery, the mother licks and chews at the puppy and often appears to be treating it quite roughly. This behavior is normal and stimulates the puppy to start breathing. While chewing and licking, she tears the birth sac open and exposes the puppy’s mouth and nose so the puppy can breathe. If the puppy starts to whimper or cry within a minute or so after birth, all is well.

Sometimes, the placenta or afterbirth is delivered immediately after the puppy and is attached by the umbilical cord. The mother normally chews on the umbilical cord and breaks it about an inch from the puppy, consuming the placenta simultaneously. In some dogs, the mother seems over-enthusiastic and may lick and chew at the puppy until she injures it. For that reason, it is advisable to observe the mother dog as she cares for her newborn puppies, particularly if it is her first litter.

What should I do if my dog does not open the birth sac or chew the umbilical cord?

Fortunately, most puppies break the birth sac as they pass through the birth canal. However, if the puppy is born within the birth sac, it will be unable to breathe. If the mother does not break the sac, you should remove it. First-time mothers may leave a puppy still attached to the afterbirth. If this happens, you must ensure the puppy’s mouth and nostrils are clear of any afterbirth or membranes.

If the puppy is still enclosed in the sac, break it open as quickly as possible. Clean the puppy’s face and nostrils and then gently blow on its face to try to stimulate breathing. If the afterbirth is still intact, hold the umbilical cord between your finger and thumb with the puppy resting in the palm of your hand. Using scissors, cut the cord about an inch from the puppy. Stop any bleeding by applying pressure to the stump with your fingers for a few seconds. You can also tie it with clean thread.

Next, hold the puppy in a towel and gently rub it until it is dry. The puppy should start to whimper and breathe normally. The tongue should be pink. Once the puppy is breathing normally, you can offer it to the mother. If she is more interested in delivering further puppies, place the puppy in a box with a warm water bottle covered by a towel. Cover the puppy with a warm towel to keep it warm.

What happens if the puppy is visible, but my dog can’t deliver it?

If the puppy is coming headfirst, remove the fetal membranes covering the visible part of the mouth and face so it can breathe. Speed is important if the puppy is coming backward, as the puppy can suffocate.

"Speed is important if the puppy is coming backward, as the puppy can suffocate."

Regardless of whether the puppy is coming headfirst or hind first, take a clean cloth and gently grab the shoulders, hips, or legs of the puppy (not the head). Gently pull it downwards, towards the mother’s feet, to help it move through the pelvis. Pull gently and constantly, not just when the mother strains. Constant, gentle traction (pulling) on the puppy will stimulate additional contractions.

Once the puppy has been born, clear the fetal membranes from the puppy’s nose and mouth and then cut the umbilical cord. If the afterbirth is still inside the mother, do not worry. It is essential to stimulate the puppy by blowing gently down the nostrils and mouth to clear any fluids and debris. Gently rub it with a towel until it starts breathing. If you cannot dislodge the puppy easily, or it appears painful to the mother, seek veterinary help immediately.

Can puppies drown in their fetal fluids?

Newborn puppies may try to breathe while still within the fluid-filled sac, especially if labor is prolonged or they are in distress. The fluid then enters the lungs. This is an emergency. If a puppy has breathed in fetal fluids, its breathing will sound raspy and gurgled. You must remove this fluid as soon as possible.

  • Try to clear as much fluid as possible from their mouth with a soft bulb syringe.
  • Hold the puppy in the palm of your hand, wrapped in a small towel, cradling the head between your first and second fingers with his head slightly lower than his hind quarters.
  • Rub the puppy over its back and chest vigorously. Gravity will help the fluid and mucus flow out of the lungs and mouth.
  • Repeat this process several times, using the bulb syringe to remove any more fluids from the mouth or nostrils.
  • Check the color of the tongue and listen to the breathing. The tongue should change from grayish-blue to pink, if you are successful. If the tongue remains bluish, continue this process.
  • Keep going for at least 10–15 minutes. Once the puppy is breathing, place it in the warm box.
  • Swinging puppies is no longer recommended as it can cause potentially fatal brain damage and aspiration of stomach contents into the lungs.

Is it possible to keep the puppies too warm?

The puppies have been living at a temperature of 101.5°F (38.5°C), which is warm by human standards. Immediately after birth, puppies cannot control their body temperature and depend on external warmth. However, newborn puppies lack the strength to move away from a heat source and can quickly become overheated. If you are using heat lamps, monitor the temperature with a thermometer. During the first few days, keep the ambient temperature in the whelping box at around 85ºF–90ºF (29ºC–32ºC). If the mother properly cares for her puppies and the whelping room is warm, it is usually unnecessary to provide external heat. Use extreme care if you use a heat lamp; otherwise, the mother and puppies can easily become overheated.


© Copyright 2025 LifeLearn Inc. Used and/or modified with permission under license. This content written by LifeLearn Animal Health (LifeLearn Inc.) is licensed to this practice for the personal use of our clients. Any copying, printing or further distribution is prohibited without the express written consent of LifeLearn. This content does not contain all available information for any referenced medications and has not been reviewed by the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine, or Health Canada Veterinary Drugs Directorate. This content may help answer commonly asked questions, but is not a substitute for medical advice, or a proper consultation and/or clinical examination of your pet by a veterinarian. Please contact your veterinarian if you have any questions or concerns about your pet’s health. Last updated on Jul 25, 2025.