The baby pug is groomed and cherished all day long. But time flies quickly and it’s time to take care of the continuation of the offspring. Breeding dogs is not only a huge responsibility, but also a lot of positive aspects. A dog's pregnancy is a basic stage, the course of which determines the health of future puppies and the mother.
Features of dog care and nutrition
During the puppy stage, the dog needs to be properly cared for. First of all, this applies to diet. For the correct formation and development of the fetus, the expectant mother needs to be fed high quality foods that contain the optimal ratio of proteins, vitamins and microelements. Your diet should include fruits and vegetables, fish oil, raw meat (beef, lamb), and dairy products. The frequency of feedings increases to three times a day.
When females walk in an interesting position, it is worth taking care of a long walk. It depends on the owner how long it will last. But it is recommended to walk puppyed females for at least two hours.
Due to the dog’s incorrect diet, as well as low mobility, females develop swelling in the mammary glands and on the hind legs. In such a situation, the owner should reduce the amount of water consumed, increase the time spent walking in the fresh air, and also do a tonic massage in the area of edema.
Signs of future motherhood
Even after your dog's successful date with the groom, you won't notice anything at first. During the first month of pregnancy, no special external signs of her new condition are observed, although already in the second week, active growth of the newly born puppies occurs in her stomach. The bitch's body begins to rebuild.
Care in the initial period is no different from usual. And only in the second half of pregnancy, which lasts two months, will serious changes be noticeable. You will notice that the dog:
- became less active;
- sleeps more than before;
- her need for food has increased;
- began to gain weight;
- the stomach increases;
- goes to the toilet less often;
- mammary glands enlarge.
These are signs that the number of pugs in your home will soon increase.
You don’t have to wait, but just do an ultrasound at the veterinary hospital. With the help of research you will know the exact result. An experienced doctor will be able to tell you how many puppies should be born. Keep in mind that the size of the belly is not dependent on the number of puppies in it.
Most often, a female pug gives birth to two to four babies. There are also mothers with many children who give birth to seven puppies.
Slightly pregnant
Please note that pugs may experience false pregnancies after estrus. Even if there was no mating.
However, the bitch looks and behaves like a real lady in position. The dog's belly grows, its nipples swell, and milk may even appear. She builds a nest for the puppies and simulates childbirth. If the necessary measures are not taken in time, the dog may begin to show aggression, protecting non-existent puppies.
This condition and behavior is abnormal and harmful for pugs. Therefore, if you notice similar symptoms in your “girl,” you need to contact a veterinarian. After all, a false pregnancy implies a serious hormonal imbalance. As a result, the dog may develop mastitis, endometritis, vaginitis and other diseases.
To be sure that your dog is really pregnant and not deceiving you, in the second half of the term you need to listen to her belly using a phonendoscope. If there really are babies there, then you will hear the beating of small hearts that beat much faster than the mother’s heart.
Eat well and be sure to move
In an “interesting” position, the pug bitch requires special attention to herself.
Walking during this period is mandatory. To distribute the load evenly, you need to walk three to four times during the day for half an hour.
Regular movement keeps the bitch in good physical shape and makes future births easier. After the 30th day of pregnancy, be careful not to let your dog run too much or overcome obstacles.
Limit communication with other dogs to avoid any unforeseen dangerous situations.
A pregnant pug needs to be fed three times a day. Usually her appetite does not change immediately. But as embryos grow, more food is required. It is necessary to increase the amount of calcium and vitamins in the diet.
If you use dry food, then you need to replace regular food with food for pregnant dogs, which already has all the necessary components balanced. When feeding natural food, you can increase the amount of vegetables, fruits, herbs, cottage cheese and dairy products.
It is necessary to give the bitch fish oil and special vitamin supplements, which should be purchased at specialized pharmacies.
Do not give your dog meat and fish a week before giving birth and a week after it. It can cause eclampsia (a sharp decrease in calcium in the blood) and lead to the death of the dog.
Sometimes a pregnant bitch, approximately on the 30th day after fertilization, may begin to experience toxicosis. Since your pet feels nauseous and constantly vomits, you shouldn’t walk her for too long these days. Give her some sour fruit juice. This will make the dog's condition somewhat easier. All symptoms of toxicosis usually disappear completely after five to six days.
Preparing a nest for babies
A week before the birth, the owner must take care of organizing the place where the born puppies will be kept. This should be a comfortable “corner” in all respects. Under no circumstances should you sit in a walkway or where there are drafts. A place in the corner of the room, where too much sunlight does not fall, is suitable.
In specialized stores you can purchase a ready-made maternity room - a box. But you can prepare it yourself from thick plywood. The height of the sides is approximately 20-25 cm, dimensions 80x80 cm. More accurate numbers will tell you the size of your dog.
One side of the box should be hinged for easy cleaning. The entire allocated area must be divided in half by a partition with a small recess. In one half the puppies and mother will rest, and in the other they will feed.
Growing kids will not be able to get out of such a “nest” on their own and will not crawl all over the room.
An important point is that you need to make a side on the inside of the walls of the box. A wooden strip measuring 4x4 cm will do. Secure it around the entire perimeter. Then the dog will not be able to lean closely against the walls and will not accidentally crush the puppy who is between it and the wall of the box.
You can use felt as a bedding for the bed, or a thick towel will do. In order for the dog to accept this “nest,” introduce the bitch to it about a week before giving birth, temporarily placing old bedding there that retains her scent. In the second half of the “box” place cups of water and food.
Don't leave a woman in labor alone
As birth approaches, monitor your pug's condition. If you look at the bitch from above and see that her waist has become visible, it means that the belly has dropped and childbirth is close. Very soon the dog will begin to refuse food and behave restlessly. To ensure you don't miss the onset of contractions, measure your pug's body temperature. Usually it drops from 39 degrees to 37.
Prepare the necessary items you may need:
- clean cloth napkins;
- scissors with round ends;
- water;
- brilliant green solution;
- heating pad;
- scales;
- multi-colored ribbons;
- paper and pen;
- watch;
- small box for puppies.
First, the bitch's belly should be washed with a solution of potassium permanganate, and the nipples should be lubricated with olive oil.
The onset of contractions is accompanied by heavy breathing. At this time, the mucus plug also comes out of the uterus. Several hours may pass from the beginning of this process to the birth itself. You should not leave a woman in labor alone. A dog may need help from its owner at any time.
Some are wearing a shirt and some are naked
When the bitch begins to push, this will be visible by the contraction of her abdominal muscles. During childbirth, she can sit, lie down, or take other positions that are comfortable for her. Do not interfere with the dog's chosen position. Since the process can last several hours, it is better for this to happen at an elevated location. Use a table or chair covered with oilcloth.
You should know that every newborn puppy is enclosed in two membranes where amniotic fluid is present. They can come off as the puppy passes through the birth canal if the first one ruptures.
Both can also tear, and then the puppy will “gobble up”. In this case, you need to gently shake him upside down to make him breathe. A puppy can be born “in a shirt” when both membranes remain intact.
Then you yourself must free it from them by tearing it with your finger.
A pug bitch, due to her special figure, cannot always wriggle out and bite the umbilical cord of the puppy who gave birth. You must help her by cutting the umbilical cord with sterile scissors at a distance of 2 cm from the baby’s tummy and tying it with thread. After a couple of days, the stump will dry out and fall off.
Multi-colored threads will help you figure it out
After the puppy is born and gives voice, it must be allowed to be licked by its mother. This is a necessary massage. If she doesn’t do this, then you should wipe it with a towel and put it on a heating pad in the prepared box.
When the baby has rested a little, attach it to the mother's nipple. It’s very good if he starts sucking right away.
This stimulates further contraction of the uterus and the rapid appearance of the next babies, who are born at intervals of 15 minutes to 1-2 hours.
Having noticed new contractions and attempts, you need to put the first puppy on a heating pad in a box and cover it with a diaper. Do this with each subsequent baby.
Worsening during pregnancy and childbirth
Due to pathological diseases of the parents, poor metabolism and non-compliance with the standards for caring for the puppy, many complications can arise.
icon-bell
In most cases, with multiple pregnancies in pugs, suppression of labor activity can be observed. Childbirth is extremely difficult and long. Therefore, having learned about multiple births, you should call a specialist for childbirth, who, if necessary, will prescribe stimulant drugs without harming the dog.
When does estrus in pugs begin and how long does it last?
The first estrus occurs at the age of 6–7 months, but this is not a signal of readiness for pregnancy. If mating occurs now, there is a risk of seriously injuring the pug, and the puppies may be rejected .
In the future, such an individual cannot be used to reproduce offspring. It is recommended to carry out the first mating no earlier than 15 months of age for a female and 12 months for a male.
Duration: from 20 to 22 days. In each case it is individual. Bloody discharge does not smell to humans. Their number is small, and pugs groom themselves intensively. The color of the discharge can be either light pink or scarlet. Estrus occurs twice a year, but a dog can bear puppies no more than once every 1.5–2 years. Signs of sexual heat are:
- Changes in your pug's behavior. Excessive aggressiveness or playfulness, disobedience.
- The desire to cover a large area that she can mark.
- Intensive shedding.
- Changed loop state. It swells and blood drips from it.
Fourth week (21-28 days)
A veterinarian and an experienced dog breeder can feel the fetus by palpating the abdomen. In embryos, the organs of vision develop, the muzzles take on their usual shape, and the spine becomes stronger. The fruit size is up to 1.5 centimeters in length.
In veterinary medicine, this period of pregnancy is considered the most important, since puppies are especially vulnerable to the development of abnormalities and damage. The dog must be limited in physical activity and physical activity. There is a need for nutritional correction; additional nutritional supplements are introduced into the diet.
The female's nipples become rough, and a small amount of clear fluid may be released from the vagina.
How to choose a healthy pair for a girl to breed with?
- To breed pugs, you need to worm them. For a female dog it is carried out before the onset of estrus, for a male dog - 4 times a year without fail.
- Also, before mating, pugs need to undergo blood tests.
- It is prohibited to mate pure breeds with mongrels or other breeds.
- It is necessary to monitor the weight of pets, especially for females. Excess weight can lead to pregnancy failure or complications in the future.
- Dogs with genetic disorders and diseases of the cardiovascular system should be excluded.
- Pugs with anatomical defects are also unsuitable for breeding, even if they have a pedigree.
- Dogs with serious illnesses or surgical procedures are also excluded.
- If the female has problems with the reproductive system, then they need to be eliminated before breeding.
If you are in doubt about which pair to choose for your pet, then it is best to contact your breeder; he will be able to choose a healthy partner for your dog.
Preparing a place for kids
When preparing for the birth of your pet, you need to take care of the place where she will live with the puppies after they are born. Stores sell ready-made “maternity rooms,” but you can make such a design yourself ; an empty box is suitable for these purposes. Its dimensions depend on the size of the pug. It is necessary to put a towel or soft cloth inside; felt is ideal.
In order for a pregnant dog to accept this place, it is best to introduce her to the house in advance. You can first put the bedding inside from its original place so that it has its smell, then she will accept this shelter much more willingly and calmly.
Course of pregnancy
Pugs carry puppies for 2 months.
This period is characterized by a state of lethargy and longer sleep, good appetite, weight gain, and rare urination can be considered the main signs of pregnancy.
NOTE!
However, to ensure that the result is achieved, the female’s owners should take the animal to the veterinarian for an ultrasound.
