are often used for mating 6-8 times a year, at the age of 3-8 years - 20-30 times.

Fertilization occurs when the sperm and ovum fuse. Pregnancy in dogs is multiple and lasts approximately 62 days. Signs of pregnancy usually appear at the 2nd month. At the same time, the body weight of the dog, the volume of its abdomen increase, appetite increases, and the behavior of the animal changes.

Careful probing of the bitch's abdomen will help determine the approximate amount embryos.

Caring for a pregnant dog
During the puppy period, the dog needs to be carefully cared for. Particular attention is paid to the diet of the animal. For the normal course of pregnancy and the proper development of embryos, a balanced diet should be provided to the bitch, giving her high-quality, easily digestible feed containing a large amount of proteins, minerals and vitamins. You can add bone meal, fish oil, fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as vitamin preparations to food.

During this period, increase the amount of food, giving the dog meat and dairy products. However, we should not forget that overfeeding, as well as lack of food, adversely affects pregnancy. It is recommended to feed a puppy bitch 3 times a day.

Pregnant dogs need special care
Throughout pregnancy, the daily walking of the dog should be at least 2 hours.

This is necessary to supply the animal's body with oxygen, improve metabolism and strengthen muscles. In the second half of pregnancy, you should not allow the dog to make sudden movements.

Before childbirth, it is recommended to prepare in advance replacement bedding, sterile gauze wipes, hot water, scissors and boiled linen threads.

childbirth
Proper care during pregnancy contributes to the fact that childbirth in a dog proceeds without complications and often does not require human intervention.

The owner must first prepare the place where the dog should whelp. For this purpose, it is recommended to take a secluded, dimly lit corner where the animal will not be disturbed. The floor mat must be clean.

2-3 days before the start of the expected birth, colostrum begins to stand out from the nipples of the bitch. In this case, the body temperature of the animal decreases by 1–2 °C.

Many experts believe that animals should not be allowed to eat all the afterbirth, as this often causes indigestion.

In order to most accurately determine the term of childbirth, it is necessary to regularly measure the body temperature of the dog in the last days of pregnancy. Just before giving birth, the animal refuses food and becomes restless.

The onset of contractions, indicating a contraction of the muscles of the uterus, cause pain, which makes the dog whine, periodically changes its position of the body and moves from one place to another.

Contractions are short at first, with an interval of 15-30 minutes. Then they become longer, breaks are reduced to 2-5 minutes.

The process of opening the cervix takes an average of 3-8 hours. After the rupture of the membranes, the contractions begin to alternate with attempts, which are a contraction of the abdominal muscles.

The duration of the process of fruit output depends on the number of puppies in the litter and averages 10–24 hours. Puppies appear at different intervals. With prolonged labor, it is recommended to take the dog out for a short walk, giving it the opportunity to empty the bladder and intestines. In addition, physical activity stimulates labor.

After the appearance of the next puppy, the dog bites the umbilical cord, gnaws, and then eats the fetal membrane, licks the newborns, pushing them to the nipples.

Usually, the placenta comes out immediately after the birth of the puppy, and sometimes after 2-3 hours after the end of labor. If after this time the placenta has not come out, it is necessary to inject the dog with a drug (after consulting with the veterinarian) that causes uterine contractions.

It should not be forgotten that the retention of the placenta often leads to the development of various inflammatory processes.

If, after the birth of the puppy, the dog did not gnaw the fetal membrane, you need to carefully cut it, then tear it with your hands and tie the umbilical cord in two places at a distance of 2 and 6 cm from the puppy's abdominal wall.

After that, the umbilical cord is cut with scissors between dressings and the wound is treated with iodine. Then the puppy's body is carefully wiped with a clean cloth.

After giving birth for 24 hours, it is not recommended to disturb the dog or take newborn puppies in your hands. If a dog has a maternal instinct, it can take care of its offspring on its own.

Caring for a whelped dog
After giving birth, the dog must be protected from physical exertion. It is necessary to halve the duration of walking (especially in cold weather), as well as take appropriate preventive measures in order to prevent the occurrence of various diseases.

In the area reserved for the dog and newborn puppies, the bedding should be changed regularly, preventing it from becoming dirty.

For dogs and puppies, it is desirable to allocate a large and handy box.

Place for dogs and puppies
It is recommended to wipe the genitals and mammary glands of the dog 2 times a day with a cotton swab dipped in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

For 1-2 weeks after birth, the dog has a mucous discharge from the vagina. The norm is grayish, and then colorless discharge. If they acquire an unpleasant odor and a dark green color, you should immediately contact your veterinarian.

When feeding puppies to a dog, it is necessary to increase the amount of food given to the dog. The diet should include meat, milk and vitamin supplements.

In the case when the dog is not lactating or she refuses to feed the puppies, the owner needs to take care of their feeding. For artificial feeding, cow's milk or infant milk formulas heated to a temperature of 38-39 ° C are used. Puppies are fed from a bottle with a pacifier.

Mother's milk contains all the nutritional elements necessary for newborn puppies and therefore plays an important role in their development.

Complications during pregnancy and childbirth
Often, pregnancy and then childbirth of dogs are accompanied by various complications caused mainly by metabolic disorders, pathology of internal organs or improper care of the animal.

False pregnancy occurs after mating dogs in the absence of fertilization. Its symptoms are in many ways similar to the signs of a real pregnancy and are manifested in the excited state of the animal, an increase in the abdomen, and the appearance of milk.

A sick dog should be taken to the veterinarian immediately. In addition, milk and all dairy products must be excluded from her diet.

Often, the early stages of pregnancy in a dog are accompanied by toxicosis, the main symptoms of which are depression, general weakness, loss of appetite and vomiting. In this case, the diet of the animal needs to be adjusted.

The result of improper feeding of the dog during pregnancy, as well as insufficient motor activity, is edema, which usually forms around the mammary glands and on the hind limbs.

With such a complication, it is recommended to halve the amount of liquid in the dog's diet, do not overfeed it, walk it regularly and to massage the edematous area.

In some cases, dogs have a weakening of labor activity. Often this is caused by a large or multiple pregnancy or a weakened physical condition of the animal. The process of the appearance of the fetus is delayed due to weak contractions of the muscles of the uterus.

With such complications, you should call a veterinarian, before whose arrival you need to give the dog first aid: give the animal warm milk or water and lightly massage the abdomen.

It should be borne in mind that the use of stimulant drugs can cause irreparable harm to the dog's body. Therefore, it is not recommended to use them without the knowledge of a specialist.

The incorrect position of the fetus makes it difficult to remove it. In this case, you need to help the dog by gently pulling the puppy by the parts of the body that have appeared - the head or hind limbs. It is recommended that you discuss this situation with your veterinarian first.

It should not be forgotten that various complications during pregnancy can affect the health of newborn puppies. To prevent this from happening, the owner of the dog must follow the rules for keeping the dog. In case of any disease, you should immediately contact your veterinarian.

You need to contact a specialist immediately if:

- the absence of signs of childbirth after the onset of the term;

- contractions and attempts, not accompanied by the appearance of the fetus;

- stuck fetus in the birth canal;

- the appearance of stillborn cubs;

- weakening or termination of labor activity if the fetus remains in the uterus;

- delayed placenta after the birth of all puppies.

Growing and raising a puppy
Taking care of growing and raising a puppy, the owner must monitor its growth and development, feed and care for it accordingly. Only in this case the pet will grow up healthy, full of strength and energy.

Puppy growth and development
Development is a complex process in which, along with an increase in the body weight of an animal, the exterior, the character corresponding to a particular breed, and the physiological characteristics of the organism develop and change.

Knowledge of the basic patterns of growth and development of the dog is necessary for the proper rearing of the puppy.

Puppy growth and development подразделяют into several stages, characterized by their own characteristics. Knowledge of the rate and duration of growth, as well as the nature of changes in the proportions of