Accustom Your Bitch To The Whelping Box
It is a good idea to build a whelping box well in advance so the bitch has time to become accustomed to it. Unless you have already accustomed her to a whelping box, she may choose your closet or another inappropriate place for a delivery room.
An ideal whelping environment is warm, dry, quiet, draft-free, and away from all other dogs when possible. Confinement and whelping location of your bitch is relative to her breed and size.
A good whelping box is roomy and has low sides so you can easily reach in. It should also have a small shelf or roll bars running halfway up along the sides so the pups have something to crawl under to avoid getting rolled on by the bitch. Many breeders prefer to line the box with newspapers until after delivery because paper can be changed quickly when it becomes soiled. After whelping, newspapers are typically replaced with non-skid bath mats, outdoor carpeting, or something else that provides better footing for the puppies.
Suggested Whelping Supplies:
| After umbilical cord is cut , clean puppies abdomen |
How To Care For A German Shepherd In Heat
Now that you know what a heat cycle is , its time to learn how to care for your German Shepherd during her heat cycle.
Before we get started, please stick around until the end of the article.
Well also cover what to do for your male German Shepherd if hes sensing a female in heat. Your sweet little boy needs some help, too!
First and foremost, there isnt a lot of intervention needed when a healthy German Shepherd goes into heat. Not for her body at least.
Her body knows what its doing. Even if its just starting out and making a few newbie mistakes, itll get the hang of things without your help.
What you can do, however, is be an emotional support human for your dog. Its the least we can do, right?
When Does A Female Dog First Come Into Heat
Puberty or sexual maturity in the female dog usually occurs around 9 to 10 months of age. The smaller breeds tend to go into estrus or ‘heat’ earlier and some females can have their first heat cycle as early as four months of age. On the other hand, the large and giant breeds can be up to two years old before they come into heat for the first time. For many dogs, the first heat is ‘silent’ or does not have clinical signs associated with estrus. Additionally, many dogs’ first estrus cycle is unlikely to allow successful breeding, therefore the standard practice is to wait until the second or third heat cycle before breeding.
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Commit Yourself To The Puppies For Life
For breeders, responsibility doesnt end when their puppies leave with new owners. Responsible breeders make sure their puppies new families know they can turn to them with any questions or problems that arise throughout the puppies lives.
As a breeder, you will be gratified by phone calls and letters describing your puppies first teeth, birthday parties, and other milestones. Youll be thrilled to receive photos of a puppys first show win or portraits with the puppy right in the middle of a happy family. But you will also have to be ready for bad news: a family splitting up and leaving the dog homeless; a vet contacting you about an unforeseen hereditary illness; a dog you thought would be a great obedience prospect biting a young child. As a breeder, you will need to be there with advice and support for all these situations. Responsible breeders answer questions, provide resources, and assist with problems that may come up. Responsible breeders assist in re-homing or take in puppies should the need arise.
When Can German Shepherds Get Pregnant
Female German Shepherds get closer to being pregnant when they experience their first heat cycle, which varies from breed to breed. Usually, larger breeds of German Shepherds experience their first heat when they are 9 12 months old, while smaller breeds can have their first heat as early as 6 months from their birth.
During a heat cycle, your German Shepherd will be in pain, so naturally, she may not eat much or be as active as before. Since your dog will be bleeding, she may act moody or aggressive at times. During this stage, you should be gentle with your precious pet and let her be. No matter when your German Shepherd has her first heat cycle, she wont be ready to breed until she is about two years old.
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Why Should I Stop Breeding My Gsd
There are many factors that go into making the decision to stop breeding your German Shepherd. But foremost and most importantly among those reasons is your German Shepherds health.
No matter the gender of your dog, health becomes a huge risk factor for your dog and for their puppies the longer you breed them.
As your dog matures, he or she will reach a point where their sperm and ovum are no longer viable.
This means that they have stopped producing each of these as much, and the quality deteriorates over time just as it does in humans.
This means that your dogs chances of having another litter become slimmer and slimmer the more the older they become.
There are also several risk factors involved as your German Shepherd gets older.
In some cases, a mother may have a complicated pregnancy. Age factor falls under this. Meaning, as a female German Shepherd ages, she has a higher chance of having stillborn puppies and other complications of the sort.
Over time you may notice your German Shepherd developing health problems as well. Before this even begins to occur, you should be checking on the health of each litter. As your German Shepherds health deteriorates, it can affect how the puppies are carried.
If your German Shepherd has a litter on the way and is exhibiting any health problems. talk with your vet. Try to understand that this can affect not only your dog but the puppies as well.
How Long Does A Gsd Stay In Heat
Heat usually lasts between 2-4 weeks. Early in the cycle, a female dog may not be receptive to male dogs, although some are receptive through the entire cycle. It can be shorter or longer and youll know the cycle is over when all her vulva returns to its normal size and theres no more bleeding or discharge.
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Gestation Period: How Long Are Dogs Pregnant
The normal gestation period in dogs is approximately 63 days from conception, although this can vary by several days. While this might seem like a straightforward answer, conception is often hard to determine. Sperm can live for several days inside the female, and eggs can remain fertile for up to 48 hours, which means the act of mating itself is not an exact measurement of gestation. This makes it hard to predict the length of pregnancy without the assistance of a veterinarian.
Hormone measurements give a much more exact time frame for gestation. Many breeders use vaginal smears and blood tests to monitor reproductive hormones during the breeding process. This helps them determine the best time to breed their bitch, as well as the length of gestation and the potential due date.
Gestation length according to accurate hormone measurements:
- 56-58 days from the first day of diestrus
- 64-66 days from the initial rise in progesterone
- 58-72 days from the first time the bitch allowed breeding
Pregnancy in dogs is relatively short compared to humans, about 9 weeks total, and each day matters. Knowing the length of the gestation period is important for the health of the pregnant bitch and the puppies and is used to monitor nutrition and veterinary care during pregnancy.
Stages To A German Shepherds Heat Cycle
What is the heat cycle in GSD? It means when a female dog is sexually mature and ready to breed. You must know that during this heat cycle your dogs body releases more hormones with quick level drops. It is a signal to the ovaries to discharge the eggs.
Typically, a GSD will be on heat twice a year, which means it may be once in 4-6 months every year. You may observe the variation from dog to dog.
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How To Take Care Of A German Shepherd In Gestation Period
There are many ways to take care of pregnant German shepherd. Thats for sure. But it would do you best if you prepare a caretaking plan for each week during a German shepherd gestation period.
With that said, heres a look at a German shepherd pregnancy timeline and some tips on taking care of your dog during each week.
When Is A Female German Shepherd Ready And How They Mate
A Heating cycle in a German Shepherd lasts from 3 to 4 weeks. There are 4 different stages.
The first stage is the proestrus. In this stage, estrogen levels in the female begin to raise, and eggs start to mature.;
When a Female German shepherd is in the proestrus stage, males start to get attracted. You can notice a swelling in the vulva of your Female German Shepherd.
There is also some blood discharge, and it can last for 9 days.
Estrus is when a female German Shepherd is ready to be breed. Only during this period, she can get pregnant.
At this stage, the female German Shepherd will start flagging to tell the male that she is receptive.
A male German Shepherd will sniff the females vulva to see if she is receptive.;
If a Female German Shepherd is ready and receptive, she will stand still and hold her tail to the side.
This means that she is ready to mate with him.
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Never Leave The German Shepherd Outside Alone
Never make this mistake. If you leave your German Shepherd outside in the garden, you are making a mistake.
Even if you have fences and think your dog could not get out, you are wrong.
When in the heat, a lot of hormonal changes are going inside a dogs body.
If your German Shepherd is usually calm, you can expect now that she can do it.
A dog in heat will try to jump the fences or dig under them to get out and meet a male dog.
Male dogs can smell a female dog in heat from a distance of 5 miles.
Male dogs will try to escape to go and meet with the female in heat. It is a very natural behavior.
For dogs in this period, nothing is more important.
If you are leaving your German Shepherd in the garden or yard outside, make sure to supervise her.
Never leave her there alone if you want to avoid trouble.
Even the calmest and the excellent dog will behave differently in the heating period.
How To Tell If Your Dog Is Elderly
While greying of the hair and muzzle is a common way to tell if a dog is getting older, this observation couldnt be further from the truth.
Much of the reason a dogs hair starts to grey lies mostly in their genetics, and the German Shepherd is no different.
Your German Shepherd could be as young as three years old, or as old as 15 years old, when their coat begins to grey.
It is not an accurate representation of whether or not your canine is elderly.
However, there are other signs of telling whether or not your German Shepherd, or any dog for that matter, is elderly.
Good ways to tell are noticing that your German Shepherd isnt as spry and energetic as they once were.
Preferring to walk at a mid-pace instead of a run or brisk walk, and lazing around the house instead of playing.
Stiffness and slowness to stand up or lay down is another common sign.
Hazing or clouding of the eyes may also indicate that your dog is becoming elderly.
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Training Dogs To Get Pregnant
There’s no need to train your dog to get pregnant puppy love is a natural instinct! But there are certain things you should do if you’re looking to breed your dog. Just remember, taking care of a pregnant dog and newborn puppies is a daunting task and a big commitment. However, the effort will be well worth it when you welcome that sweet pack of puppers into the world!
The first thing you should do is ensure the female dog is ready to breed. A female dog can breed during her very first heat. However, most dog breeders actually wait until a female dog has gone through 3 or 4 menstruation cycles. That way, the female dog is fully physically ready to endure the taxing experience of pregnancy.;
Here are a few pointers for breeding your dog responsibly:
- Determine what you’re breeding for. Are you planning to go the purebred route? Want to breed a litter of sledding, hunting, or herding dogs? Determine the traits you’re breeding for before moving on to the next step.
- Do your homework. We can’t “pawssibly” cover everything you need to know about dog breeding in one short article, so research information on your dog’s breed and health as much and as often as you can.
- Find a suitable mate. You want to choose a male dog with the right temperament and traits. Be sure to research potential health issues or birth defects of the potential mate’s breed. Once you’ve chosen a mate, you might want to create a breeding agreement with their owner.
How to React When Your Dog is Pregnant
What Is The Number Of Puppies
For German shepherds, the number of puppies that can be born at once, or what we normally call litter size, is around 8 puppies.
Keep in mind, however, that some may give birth to only one, while very large litters can breed up to 15 puppies. Additionally, the first German shepherd pup to be born is usually a male.
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At What Age Should A Dog Stop Having Puppies
Most kennel clubs require dams of litters to not be older than 8 or 9 years old. After that age, the risk for complications during pregnancy and birth rises drastically. Even if your female gets pregnant, she could experience:
- A difficult pregnancy
- The need for an emergency c section
- A singleton litter
- Stillbirths of one, several or all pups of the litter
In addition, nursing a litter of puppies is tough even for a younger female in good shape. A female that is 10 years or older will become very weak and probably require the owner to substitute some milk because she cannot produce enough.
However, this does not mean that you should breed your female every heat cycle until she is 9 years old. Every litter is stressful for a dogs body, and for the sake of the dogs wellbeing you should not breed your female more than three times. If she has any kind of complications during pregnancy or birth during the first litter, you should not even breed her more than once.
If you start having litters from your female dog when she is 3 years old and they are back-to-back , then she will be too old to have more puppies by the time she is just 5 years old.
Many owners are too keen on breeding their dogs and producing puppies. Keep in mind that your dog is a pet first and foremost and needs your care and attention to her wellbeing. You should never put your goal of producing puppies over your dogs best interests.
What Is German Shepherd Gestation
Many people think of gestation period as a sophisticated topic far from pregnancy. However, nothing could be easier to explain.
Gestation, in its simplest form, is pregnancy of animals. While that statement is true, there are still differences between gestation and human pregnancy.
For example, they vary in the result, process, and duration. Lets first talk about the first
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Common Signs Of Pregnancy In German Shepherds
If you have yet to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian, you can always observe your German Shepherd for any signs of pregnancy. While this may not offer you an accurate answer, it can certainly help you prepare for the possibility!
Some of the most common signs of a pregnant dog include:
- Changes in appetite. Some dogs will be more hungry than usual, while others will feel nauseous and shy away from their meals.;
- Changes in behavior. Some owners note that their pregnant dogs were more clingy than usual, seemed less interested in normal activities, or were more irritable than ever before.;
- Weight gain. While this will not occur until later in pregnancy, you may eventually begin to notice your dogs growing abdomen.;
- Nesting behavior. In the last couple weeks of your dogs pregnancy, you may notice odd behavior. Your pup may shred bedding, burrow into blankets, or even hide away on their own in certain spots.;
If you notice any of the above signs in your German Shepherd, its time to visit your vet for a proper diagnosis.;