Canine Pregnancy Guide

In many ways canine pregnancy is not that different from human pregnancy, although it is somewhat shorter, averaging sixty-three days. A dog's diet, as well as their consumption of medicine needs to be monitored during pregnancy, just like a woman's should be, and you may notice changes in your dog's emotions and social behavior. She can even experience morning sickness!

Most dogs will gain 15-25% of their original body weight during pregnancy, although this does depend on the number of puppies they are carrying and some do not put on noticeable weight until the last week before whelping.

Nutritional intake needs to increase during canine pregnancy and lactation; your dog may even double the amount she eats. During lactation she will need a high protein puppy food, and you may want to gradually introduce this during the last two weeks of her pregnancy, or even earlier. If you are concerned about providing the right pregnancy diet to meet your particular dog's needs you should consult your veterinarian.

You should try to avoid nutritional supplements during canine pregnancy, even though these may seem like a good idea. Your dog will naturally produce everything her puppies need to thrive during lactation, and supplements may interfere with this process. This is particularly applicable to calcium supplements. If you use a good quality, high protein dog food, supplements will not be necessary.

A lot of canine medication is safe to use during pregnancy. If you give your dog regular preventative medication for heartworm you should continue this throughout pregnancy and lactation. Some medicines to get rid of other types of parasite, such as hookworms or roundworms, can be used but you should consult your veterinarian before administering these. It is important that your dog does get treatment for these conditions as otherwise she can pass them on to her unborn puppies.

Vaccinations should not be given during canine pregnancy. However, if possible, it is a great idea to have your dog vaccinated just before becoming pregnant as this will ensure she has a high level of antibodies to pass onto her puppies during lactation.

About halfway through her pregnancy you should take your dog to the veterinarian for a wellness check and to confirm the pregnancy. The veterinarian will be able to do this by examining the stomach, but a blood test can be done to provide a conclusive result.

You may want to have a radiograph done three weeks prior to the deliver to count the puppies. Knowing how many puppies to expect will help you to prepare for the delivery. Remember that your dog can become pregnant by more than one male during any one heat stage so you may be surprised at the number of puppies she is going to produce.

During the last three weeks of your dog's pregnancy you may want to isolate her completely from contact with other dogs. This will ensure she does not pick up the herpes virus. While this is usually harmless in adult dogs, it can trigger a miscarriage in your pregnant dog.

You may find she wants to stay close to you during this time anyway. She may dislike being left alone and will probably become more affectionate, if a little irritable. As the delivery date approaches she will start to look for a safe place to give birth, and you should give some thought to where this will be.

As with human pregnancy, it is important to remember that canine pregnancy is a natural process, and your dog has been blessed with the natural ability to carry it through. With a little extra attention to nutrition, and some protection from common diseases, this should be a stress free time for you and your dog.

Rocky's Road - The Misadventure of a Globe-Trotting Boarder Collie

Whish! Tracy swerved, nearly having to pull her car over. She was laughing to hard to drive. Whish! Plop! Jingle! Then, another Whish! Dog toys were flying past her rearview mirror like fuzzy meteors headed for earth. She was not two miles form Best Friend's Animal Sanctuary and Rocky's antics had already rendered her incapsitated. Again, jingles erupted out of the musical walrus.

Rocky has always loved his toys. Some wonder if he had them on the streets of Beirut. His handlers always picture him gathering stuffed animals from the collapsed rubble of bombed out homes. No doubt he'd pile them up, keeping them close together in pure Border Collie fashion. Soon rescuers came, but not for his playthings.

Rocky is one of hundreds of animals rescued by Beirut for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (BETA) during last falls conflict with Israel. When Betas's shelter was damaged the animals were moved. When neighbors threatened to kill them all, they moved again. This time the refugee pack came to America. The kind souls at Best Friends Animal Society evacuated the rag-tag menagerie, bringing them all to their facility outside Kanab, Utah.

At two years of age, the stunning Rocky was already better traveled than many American citizens. Now, he was on his way to Colorado. Would this finally be his forever-home? A flying tiger toy balanced off the dashboard as the Jeep Cherokee rolled up Hwy 89. From the back, Tracy's own Lebanon Rescue, a cantacourous terrier mix named Flipper, snarled his disapproval. Why had Rocky gotten the good seat?

As the Muttly Crew crossed Utah and wound up the Rocky Mountains, Tracy reflected on the past three weeks. It was her brother and his wife that were adopting Rocky. Or, so she thought. Tracy had taken the dog to obedience classes, drove him on outings, worked with him on the Best Friends agility course, etc. One of them had a natural talent for agility. It wasn't Tracy. She believed she laid the foundations of a great pet for her family. There was one flaw in the plan.

Within a Colorado day the blemish appeared. It was Tracy's family that needed intensive training, not the dog. True, Rocky was not yet perfect. He needed house training and paced and whined when left alone or shut in a room. But, why not? He was a Border Collie after all. While he has a dash of husky or ausie, Rocky's needy heart and wrestles mind are Border through and through. Tracy was aghast by her own family's lack of preparations.

Her brother had actually taken down his dog run. It was ugly. Sure, he had a dog door. It was in the box lying against the garage wall. Rocky's 'facilities?' They were a massive porch with a whopping three foot railing and almost that much dirt area for his bathroom requirements. Tracy hung her head in shame. Despite having ample acreage and money brother dearest was not prepared for his commitment. "And, he's literally a rocket-scientist," she mumbled under her breath. Lord help genetics.

"Your enclosure will not work, she told Tim, her big brother. "You need to fence part of the actual yard." Then he iced the cake. "But, I have to work tomorrow." "I thought you wear retiring," she said. He had not. Nor was he willing to add more fencing or work a trainer. We both have the same Father's eyes, Tracy silently pondered.

The next morning, Flipper snarled his disapproval at the world. Tracy went to Denver to meet her 'normal' brother, John, and Rocky was shut inside. He was shut inside his giant new home with all white carpets. Happy, happy, joy, joy, Rocky took his revenge.

As John approached the restaurant table the following morning he told Tracy, "I have some bad news." She didn't miss a beat. "Tim just called and I'm taking Rocky back to Utah with me. I'll have a large chai with soy." "Ah, you're right," John stumbled. No doubt thinking, his sister should have been the rocket scientist. Tracy pretended to be undaunted.

Inside she dreaded ten more hours in a car with Rocky and a disgruntled Flipper. She was mortified at the thought of telling Best Friends her own brother, whom she recommended, was such a wanker. Overall, however, her mind was dancing with glee.

She'd already decided Rocky could not stay with someone unwilling to prepare for him, work with him or provided him a secure home and continued training. (The mind and body of a Border Collie needs more.) Now she could play apologetic instead of condescending. Now no 'Breaking and Entering' would be on her record.

Back across the country the trio rolled. Tracy's heart broke when she returned Rocky to his run at Best Friends. She'd chosen the wrong home for him. Even the greatest sanctuary on earth is no substitute for a loving home. His rocky road will continue a little longer.

To this day Tracy, a Best Friends volunteer, still walks Rocky, bumbles through the agility course and takes him for drives. Whish! While he waits for his forever-family, he keeps his toys on her back seat.