What to Expect - Female Dogs
Caralee Guardian Program female dogs are contracted for a total of three (3) litters. The contract is finalised once the dog’s final litter has been weaned. At the end of the contracted time, I arrange to desex the dog and transfer the registration into your name.
Breeding timeline
I usually start breeding females from their second season (generally around 16-20 months old). They then have a 12 month break (not being bred on their 3rd season).
The second pregnancy will be planned for her fourth season, and depending on the female’s health and condition, I usually plan a back-to-back breeding with the third pregnancy at her fifth season.
This timeframe can at times be impacted by other circumstances including;
🐾 Health and condition of the female as she comes into season
🐾 The number of females already pregnant or in season at that time
🐾 My own calendar and existing commitments
A Female Dog’s Season
A female dog’s season (or heat cycle) can be as different as human female menstrual cycles. It can vary from dog to dog and from season to season.
Most Labradoodles have their first heat cycle around 7 to 12 months. Very occasionally I’ve had a female not season until 16 months but, suspect that in these instances, that the signs of the first season may have been missed or were not obvious.
⏰Timing
🐾 Usually around 21 days (but sometimes a dog’s season may last 28 days).
🐾 The first nine days is leading up to the “getting ready to mate”.
🐾 The most fertile time is usually days 9-13 but males will still want to mate after this time.
🚧 Signs
🐾 Many dogs become moody, clingy or sooky.
🐾 Light blood spotting. This may get darker and more obvious after a couple of days, and will lighten in colour around day nine.
🐾 You may notice your dog licking herself more often to keep clean.
🐾 The dog’s vulva swells
🐾 Nipples may swell
🐾 If you have other dogs in your family, you may notice them paying more attention to the dog coming into season, sniffing around her rear. She may also warn them off.
Resources
The following sites contain detailed information to help you understand more about the heat cycle, mating and pregnancy.
The Pregnancy Process
✅ What you need to do
Watch for signs of her coming into season - usually from around 6-9 months (sometimes but rarely a little later) and then in 6 monthly intervals
First season
📞 Let Carol know and record it in your own calendar also. Make a note to start looking for signs five months after her first season.
Second season (usually a pregnancy)
📞 Let Carol know immediately, this is where the excitement begins.
I will need to know how long you think your dog may have been in season.
🐾 If you know that you have caught the season at the beginning (day one), then I will need to arrange to have her progesterone tested by the reproductive vet specialist at around day six or day seven.
🐾 If you are unsure how long your dog may have been in season, then I will need a progesterone test done straight away to see what her progesterone levels are.
🐾 The dog’s progesterone levels will determine when we mate her for pregnancy.
🐾 The vets will guide the process of how often and how many progesterone tests are required, but in an “ideal world” if we know when the season starts, we should see something like the following:
🗓 Day 6 – progesterone level – around 4-6
🗓 Day 8 – progesterone level – around 12-13
🗓 Day 11-13 – progesterone level – around 24-26
⚤ Mating takes place over the next three days following a high level progesterone result (see below for info on mating)
Third season (usually a rest)
📞 Let Carol know and record it in your own calendar. Make a note to start looking for signs five months after her third season.
(Very occasionally I will breed back-to-back for the second and third season but most of the time a female dog will have a break between litter 1 and litter 2. I will breed them back-to-back for litter 2 and 3. Decisions around this are always based on health of the dog, how well she handled her first pregnancy, if she has had a phantom pregnancy, her weight and other issues. I always discuss with the guardian their thoughts on timing as well. You know your dogs best.)
Fourth & Fifth seasons (usually a pregnancy)
The process for the fourth and fifth season is the same as for the second season, progesterone testing and getting prepared for mating. Refer back to second season for details.
Note - the contract is for three litters. This applies even if you miss noticing a season - we just adjust the timing of the litters according to the season she starts breeding.
Mating
The majority of matings are usually done by artificial insemination (AI) at our specialist vet Queensland Veterinary Specialists (QVS), located at Stafford.
The mating process involves the male dog’s semen being collected by the vet, tested for quality and then inserted into the female via a small non-invasive tube.
I very rarely do natural matings these days as being able to test semen provides a greater chance that the female will fall pregnant.
This process is repeated daily over 2 or sometimes 3 concurrent days, based on the vet’s recommendation.
The Vets are happy to keep non-barking dogs at the vet practice for the duration of the mating process and QVS is a 24-hour veterinary hospital so your dog is in excellent hands with the nursing staff and not left alone.
Note: If you prefer not to leave your dog at the vets during the AI process, then you will need to organise for them to be collected and returned to QVS for each mating session. Mating/collection sessions may only take 20-30 minutes, so you can wait for the procedure to be completed if you have the time. If the vets do not have time to do the mating/collection while you are there, they will ask you to leave your girl and collect him/her later that day.
Pregnancy
After the vets and the dogs 🐶❤️️🐶have played their part, fingers crossed our girl is pregnant.🤞
⏰Timing
🐾 A dog pregnancy lasts 9 weeks or 63 days.
🚧 Signs
🗓 Weeks 1-2
🐾 In general, the first two weeks there may not be any signs except her nipples may be enlarged.
🐾 Some guardians tell me their girl remains or becomes more clingy or sooky.
🗓 Weeks 3-4
🐾 If you’ve not seen it before, the sookiness may start to kick in. Give her lots of love.
🐾 Morning sickness or lack of interest in food is also common at this time.
🗓 Weeks 4-5
🐾 This is usually when I may choose to get a pregnancy ultrasound – particularly if you are not sure if she is pregnant.
🐾 My preference is to have the ultrasound done at the Kedron Vet Clinic (where she went for health testing). The ultrasound certainly gives us a confirmation of the pregnancy, and whilst they will try to determine the number of puppies, in my experience, rarely is that number correct.
🗓 Weeks 5-6
🐾 You should start noticing changes particularly around the rib cage area where she should start thickening and you may see her tummy starting to grow.
🐾 Usually you’ll see her appetite start to increase. Week six is a good week to start to give her extra food, in the last couple of weeks of her pregnancy she may not be able to fit much in!
🗓 Weeks 6-7
🐾 At day 49 she should have her last worming tablet, so puppies are not born with intestinal worms. (more on medications later)
🐾 She may start slowing down at this stage. She may not walk as far or play as much.
🗓 Week 8
🐾 The girls need to come to me one week before they are due.
🐾 This allows them to settle in at my place, and get ready for birth.
Food & Medication
Once we have confirmed your girl is pregnant, I’ll supply you with the following:
🐾 16kg bag of Royal Canin Medium Starter
🐾 Bravecto tablet for flea and tick
🐾 Two x Milbemax tablets for heart and intestinal worms.
If you are able to collect it, it will be greatly appreciated.🙏
Medications
The medication I supply is specifically for her pregnancy (Bravecto and Milbemax). It’s not an issue if you are using alternative medications at other times, but during pregnancy I’ve found these to be the best options to protect her and her puppies.
Once your female dog has been mated you must NOT give her any MEDICATIONS OR SUPPLEMENTS. This includes ear medications.
If your girl has ANY medical issues during her pregnancy, I must be informed immediately. In this circumstance, I will organise for her to see my reproductive vets specialist at QVS at Stafford.
These are the only vets that are to be consulted whilst your girl is pregnant. This will be done at my cost.
Feeding
Keep feeding her the usual amount you have been giving her but at week 6, start increasing the amount you give her.
This food is a special food Royal Canin has developed for pregnant mother dogs and their puppies.
This food is also what your girl will be fed while she is with me. Once she has had her puppies, she will also have 1-2 cups of this food mixed with 350 grams of a canned puppy food formula 3 times a day.
You can also add tinned tuna, salmon or sardines to her food and a daily chicken wing will help with extra calories.
Grooming
✂️ I offer a free groom two weeks after your dog has been mated. We do a short clip, to keep your girl comfortable and matt free during her pregnancy.
✂️ You will need to book an appointment with Mandy and bring her to Caralee for the groom.
✂️ All dogs will be groomed by Mandy or myself on arrival, the week before their due date.
✂️ At this groom they will also have a “maternity clip” (tummy and other areas shaved) This is in preparation of birth and puppies.
✂️ Prior to returning home she will have a “spa day” where she is bathed and tidied up.
Birthing (Whelping) Process
I am with my whelping girls through all stages of labour.
Some female dogs can be in labour for 2 to 3 days.
The first signs are panting and restlessness; particularly at night. Other dogs may show little signs until full labour is in progress.
First Stage of Dog Labour: Start of Contractions
During this stage the girl will act restless, travel in and out of the nesting box, pant, dig, and sometimes even vomit. This stage can last as long as 6-12 hours.
Second Stage of Dog Labour: Stronger Contractions and Birth
The second stage of labour begins with stronger, more frequent contractions that eventually lead to the birth of a puppy.
Puppies are usually born every 45-60 minutes, with 10-30 minutes of hard straining. There are times however, where there maybe 2 hours between puppies.
It isn’t unusual for some mother to take a break during the whelping process, and may not strain at all for up to four hours in between puppies.
Third Stage of Dog Labour: Afterbirth
The final stage of labour is passing the placenta. A greenish-black mass of foetal membranes (sometimes called “afterbirth”) is expelled after each puppy is born.
Complications; Cesareans; Post Birth
At times there can be problems where the pregnancy does not progress as it should. I never hesitate to get my Vets involved to check on how we should progress. I don’t do cesareans unnecessarily, but if the vet and I decide that this is the best action for mother and babies then I will always proceed with the surgical approach.
The first 48 hours is critical for all puppies after they are born.
It is essential that we watch them closely making sure that the mum is doing her job effectively and that all puppies are feeding properly.
If a puppy is struggling and requires around-the-clock care it will either go to QVS or to a vet nurse specialising in postnatal care. Unfortunately, not all puppies in these circumstances will survive, but I always make sure they are given the best chance.
Resources
The following sites contain detailed information to help you understand more about the heat cycle, mating and pregnancy.
