Breeding, Whelping, and Rearing Puppies

Everything you wanted to know about puppies and more

This article is Copyright 1996 by Liza Lee Miller, All rights reserved. You may download and print a copy of this file for your personal use. Further distribution must be with the explicit permission of the author.

Before breeding a bitch or even planning to breed a bitch, please consult a veterinarian. The information contained in this FAQ should in no way be construed as a substitute for veterinary care and advice. Further, you should make an effort to find a veterinarian who is familiar with canine whelping issues. Because so many people are being responsible and spaying their bitches, fewer veterinarians are comfortable with whelping puppies. Surprisingly, emergency clinic veterinarians are more likely to be familiar with whelping issues. This is no doubt because of the well-known maxim that, given a preference, dogs will whelp at 2 am when the regular vet clinics are closed. Again, please consult a veterinarian before doing any breedings. As with people, pre-natal care is important in bitches.