A dog is certainly a welcome member of an adoring and caring family. Dogs often become partners for a lot of people. Getting a dog entails a lot of responsibility, especially if a dog is about to give birth.

When a mother is about to give birth, owners should not be overly protective as the dog may see it as a potentially aggressive move. This act often results in a dog bite and an animal attack. There are two things to keep in mind. A mother dog knows by instinct on what to do while giving birth, so she should do most of the work. The other thing is to be always calm so as not to startle the dog.

Here are some more tips to remember when a dog is giving birth.

Having Supplies on hand

Always have these items close by to proper facilitate in helping your dog give birth:

●       Whelping Box or a Cardboard box with the front side cut down for the dog to get in and out easily.

●       Clean Towels

●       Heating Pads

●       Blankets

●       Scissors (Sterilised)

●       Latex or Rubber Gloves

●       Dental Floss or Thread(in case you need to tie an umbilical cord)

Observe the membrane and cord

Mothers usually open the membrane on their own and let the puppies out of it. A membrane is a thin piece of plastic like material that covers an animal. Remove the membrane if a dog isn’t doing it as it only takes six minutes for a puppy to suffocate inside a membrane. If the cords are cut, use floss to tie it up.

Towels

Puppies should be rubbed with a towel to remove any excess fluid that could lower body temperature even more. Doing this will enable the puppies body to enter homoeostasis (state of normal bodily functions).

Takeaway

It’s normal for owners to be very excited once their pet dog gives birth. A lot of families see a dog as part of their family. A dog giving birth can be beautiful and at the same time scary. Always remember that a dog knows what to do when it gives birth. Let her do the work. Sometimes the interference from an owner may be a stressor or threat to her and her newborn puppies. Being calm also helps since a lot of noise can easily stress out a dog giving birth.