Mating

When a bitch has her “heat�?she is ready to be bred. The breeding pair should not be littermates or too closely related as they will transmit recessive traits to the progeny. When the bitch is in heat she will emit pheromones, which will attract the dog to her and make her “attractive�?

When considering mating dogs, you should review the background of the parents and obtain as much information as possible from the breeders of the said dog. Observe the desired traits of each and their overall appearance, such as ridge, color and structure, etc, in your consideration.

Check the outer physical appearance. For example, a bitch should not be overweight or too thin. If a bitch is overweight, it will be difficult for her to conceive after a mating. Please be sure to confirm that the bitch has been wormed and that she has received full course of vaccinations.

The bitch’s reproductive cycle

A bitch usually has her first “heat�?between seven and eight months of age. The cycle lasts 18-21 days. There are three phases in the cycle.

• 1.The first phase: Before a bitch has her “heat�? she would lose most of her hair with no sign of skin disease. She would be irritated. Her vulva will be swollen for7-14 days with a clear discharge, which then becomes bloody.
• 2.The second phase: 10-14 days from the first day of a bitch’s heat, it is the best time for mating.
• 3.The third phase: 15-21 days from the first day of a bitch’s heat, the vulva will reduce in size. After mating, the rest of other conditions would disappear.

During the first and second phases of a bitch’s heat, there are three things that should be aware of.

• 1.Do not allow an undesired dog to mate with a bitch.
• 2.Do not take a bitch for a walk because there would be many dogs following her, which can turn out to be a riot.
• 3.Separate a bitch from other dogs since the first day that she has the ‘heat�?

Mating procedure

Before the mating process, the dog and bitch should set free from their leads and be given time to get to know each other. The bitch should be mated in the second phase, which is between 10-14 days from the first day of a bitch’s heat.

Mating should be done in a large area during the morning or evening, so it is not too hot and they are not tired. The bitch should then be separated from the male as she may attack him.

Several attempts around this time increase the likelihood of conception.

Pregnancy

After mating, if the bitch has conceived, she will show signs of depression, loss of appetite and may isolate herself. This may last as long as one month. After one month of pregnancy, her nipples will chance color from black to pink and her stomach will increase in size.

Properly Caring for a pregnant bitch

• A bitch should be wormed after 1 month of pregnancy.
• You should not allow the bitch to jump or perform any strenuous activities that may cause her to lose her pregnancy. Do not bathe her in cold water as it can cause a cold. Always use warm water.
• She should have an ample amount of highly nutritious and palatable food. Approximately 7- 10 days before whelping, her food amount should be increased to compensate for the growing pups in her.
• After 1-2 months of pregnancy, you should not rub or fondle the bitch’s stomach too often because it can cause an abortion.
• Most often a pregnancy lasts about 63 days, so it is easy to calculate the whelping date.

Whelping

As the whelping date approaches, there should be the following preparations.

Preparations for whelping

1. The whelping area should be ready about 1 week prior to actual whelping. This will give the bitch time to familiarize herself to it. It should be large enough for her and the newly born puppies. Approximately 4ft x 4 ft is suffice ( 120 cm x 120 cm). Always place her whelping area in a stress free environment free from excitement. You should line her area with absorbent materials such as newspaper, blankets, or rags etc.

2. You should keep antiseptic solutions, thread, heating lamps, rags and medical scissors to cut umbilical chords if necessary.

3. The temperature of the bitch should be about 101 degrees fahrenheit and will usually drop a couple degrees right before whelping. During this time she will appear very restless and uncomfortable. There will be some discharge from her vagina and her vulva will appear swollen. This usually indicates that the first puppy should be born within 24 hours.

Before whelping

4. There will be a flow of discharge released from her vagina. Her womb will contract and the first puppy should begin to come out with head and front feet first. If the pup is coming out in any position other than head first, your vet should be contacted immediately.

After whelping

5. The bitch will begin to remove the placenta and any other membranes from the pup with her teeth. If she is having difficulty removing it herself, it is important that you assist her in the process. If not, the pup can die from suffocation. This is not often needed, but does occur.

6. When a puppy is born, it is connected to its mother by the umbilical cord. The bitch usually chews off the umbilical cord by herself. If she cannot do it, you should help by tying off the cord about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from her belly. You can then cut the cord with a sterile razor or medical scissor and clean with an antiseptic wash after this. The rest of the cord will fall off by itself within a couple days.

7. When the puppy arrives, the bitch will begin to clean it vigorously by  licking it all over. The other pups may be ready or may be arriving as well, so she may need assistance in cleaning them. You do this by toweling off the puppy , making it dry ,then return it to her.

8. After all of the puppies have arrived, re line her whelping area with new and clean absorbent linings. During the first 2-3 days after the pups are born, you must make sure each pup is nursing from its mother.This is very important for proper growth and health. If any pup is having difficulty nursing, you must help it.Puppies are naturally born deaf, so they use their sense of smell to find the nipples. They do not begin to open their eyes until about 2 weeks after whelping.

9. After whelping, the bitch should be left alone to rest free of distractions. You may feed her with a high protein soft type food so she has her strength. You may then resume feeding her a normal diet..

Naming the puppies

You should name the puppies by using the positive words. Using negative expression or words can bring bad luck to the owners. Choose a name that can clearly distinguish the sex of the pup. Dogs will learn their names quickly, so repeat their name often to them The following are some names for consideration:

1. Names from plants and flowers, such as Dok-Rak (crown flower), In-Ta-Nin (Queen’s flower), Bua-Toom (young lotus), Bua-Barn (blooming lotus), Keam-Daeng (red ixora), Thap-Tim (pomegranate), Thong-U-Rai (trumpet vine), Kha-Noon (jackfruit), Noi-Nha (sugar apple), Mang-Khud (mangos teen), Ma-Lee (jasmine), Saeng-Chan (lady-love), Ngoang (rambutan), Lam-Yai (longan), Lin-Chee (lychee), Apple, etc.
2. Names about stars, such as Khlai-Chan (alike moon), Muan-Dao (alike star), Khlai-Dao(alike star), etc.
3. Names from jewels, such as Whaen (ring), Ploy (gem), Pet (diamond), Khlong-Pet (a box of diamonds), Pet-Ploy (diamond and gem), Hoa-Whaen (head of the ring), Manee-Daeng (red jewel), Go-Men (garnet), Go-Mon (the water lily), Khaew-Whaen (ring and jewel), etc.
4. Names about silver and gold, such as King-Thong (golden stick), Thoong-Ngern (a bag of silver), Thoong-Thong (a bag of gold), Keam-Ngern (silver needle), Keam-Thong (golden needle), Sai-Ngern(grain of silver), Sai-Thong (grain of gold), Chon-Ngern (silver spoon), Chon-Thong (golden spoon), etc.

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