Emery Day 51
Hanging in the whelping box where she likes to nap
Last week was Week Seven - Days 42-49 – January 8th
• Your bitch will begin shedding the hair on her belly in preparation for the birth- this is totally normal and no cause for alarm! The puppies will continue to grow and develop, and now look almost completely fully formed.
• Towards the end of the seventh week, stop feeding the puppy food you have been introducing and go back to feeding her regular nutritious food- as much as she will eat. This triggers the bitch's body to begin to store calcium from the rich puppy food she has been fed until this point, an important mineral during the later stages of the pregnancy.
This wee is Week Eight - Days 49-57 – January 15th
• Your puppies could be born at any time from now onwards, so be prepared! Avoid any rough and tumble play or stimulation which might lead to the onset of early labor, as ideally your pups should spend another week in the womb. Your bitch will probably begin 'nesting' at this stage, and you may even be able to see and feel the puppies moving within her tummy when she's lying down.
• Towards the end of week eight, your bitch will start producing colostrum, the forerunner to her nutrient-rich milk, and then the milk itself. Continue to feed as much as your bitch will eat (note you do not want her fat) and prepare for the birth!
• Weight gain end of pregnancy = 2 lbs per puppy. Emery has gained nearly 10 lbs. and she still has 12 more days to go and most weight is gained in last week.
You can read more about canine pregnancy here: https://canna-pet.com/dog-pregnancy-stages-a-week-by-week-guide/
