we added newspaper to the bottom and then tore more newspapers into long strips. as simple as this sounds, you still needed power tools (circular saw and a drill) or some good elbow grease to run the handsaw and screwdriver. that type of box still works today, and so does a wading pool or the bottom half of a dog crate (without any depressions along the inside on the floor), depending on the breed, space, location of the whelping experience, …

avoiding malnourishment of a bitch from the pre-breeding phase to parturition is vital to the health of both the bitch and her pups. veterinary nutritionists strongly believe that malnourishment of bitches before breeding and during pregnancy is a major factor in neonatal puppy mortality, which is estimated to be between 20 and 30 percent. a bitch who is pregnant or has just given birth draws upon the nutritional reserves deposited in her body before and during pregnancy. nutritional deprivation during …

you will also need to know the signs of pregnancy in dogs and how best to care for your pregnant bitch. if your dog is already on a good quality dog food and is at a healthy weight, you won’t have to make any changes to her diet for the first two-thirds of her pregnancy unless otherwise directed by your veterinarian. before you breed your dog, take her to the vet for a prenatal checkup. you should also ask your …

in domestic bitches, sexual maturity is reached between the ages of 6 and 12 months, later for some large breeds. the time between ovulation and the birth of puppies is between 59 and 65 days (63 days in a large number of cases). roughly half way (approximated 4 weeks after conception) through the pregnancy your bitch should receive a check-up from a veterinarian who will confirm pregnancy via palpation and/or urine and blood testing. a number of breeders like to …

and the dachshund has particular difficulty getting around once he puts on a little extra weight. because of these problems, it is extremely important that you learn to recognize when your dachshund might be overweight and prepare to put your pooch on a diet if necessary. start by feeling for his ribs, which should be easy to feel and only under a very thin layer of fat, much like the backs of your hands. if you have a hard time …