The Book of the Bitch

[magnoliaagain]

Our DDog is pregnant for the second and last time ever. She is a working lab but never worked a day of her life and instead she is a much loved family dog. We are in contact with all the owners of her last litter and although we would have loved to keep one, DH had an unexpected work relocation which meant we had to move unexpectedly and were unable to. This time we fully intend to keep one.

I love the Book of the Bitch to help through the pregnancy and whelping and early days but it seems rather outdated now. Ie recommendations of ensure your whole
Pups at 7 weeks as any later ruins their socialisation. A new version hasn't come out though. Can anyone recommend another great book for pregnancy and whelping?

Have a look at the puppy culture programme online 🙂

Thanks- will do!

Where did you get her? There’s nothing like practical, experienced knowledge if you can keep in touch with her breeder. Not all the things that can occur in pregnancy & whelping are covered in books, speaking from over forty years of showing & breeding.

The Book of the Bitch is an excellent book and as long as you realise some information may not be inline with modern day it's an excellent handbook.

Her breeder was a slightly batty woman but both parents had such a good pedigree and I had met and adored the mother (wonderful calm personality) plus my friend had had a puppy from the same sire who was fabulous so it didn't put me off- it might have though! I had to get the breeder to remove the breeding restriction when we last had pups and that was drama enough, although she did give me tips last time and it was she who recommended the Book of the Bitch. Randomly my mum had found a 1987 book on Labrador retrievers which has a breeding section within it which I found even more helpful than the Book of the Bitch last time so I wondered if there is anything more I can be doing to prep. Fingers crossed it will all be textbook this time round as well but I'm always one to carry out as much research as I can beforehand. I did sooooo much reading when I was pregnant myself and it definitely made me feel more confident with the birth and early days