Tulip (pre-parturition) - 46 days
Tulip's abdomen now measures approximately 33 inches. For the past couple of weeks, she has had a slight belly bulge. Despite this, Tulip remains as active as ever, playing with the rest of the pack. She particularly enjoys basking in the sunshine outdoors.
Soon, she will instinctively search our yard for a suitable birthing spot and start digging a den, which is normal canine behavior. However, we have a different plan - a clean, warm whelping box that we will introduce to her next week in our bedroom. This is
where she will give birth, sleep, and nurse her puppies.
As Tulip's approaches her whelping date, we do our best to keep her comfortable. As I mentioned, she loves having her belly rubbed, so we often spend our evenings on the sofa, gently petting her from head to toe while she watches her favorite TV shows beside us.
During the pre-natal period, a dog's sense of touch develops before birth. Unborn puppies can detect touch when the mother's abdomen is petted from the outside. This early exposure lays the foundation for puppies to be more tolerant of being handled, compared to puppies born to mothers who were not petted during pregnancy.
Stress experienced by pregnant dogs can cause the release of hormones that are detected by the developing fetuses, potentially disrupting their future growth and development. Therefore, it is crucial to provide pregnant dogs with a calm, low-stress environment.
Stay tuned …..
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