is it best to work out a dog whelping date from 1st mating or the 2nd mating?

Question

i have been told by my stud dog owner to work out from first breeding and by my vet the second...wot everyones thoughts on this...

sorry forgot to say she is a staffordshire bull terrier, she is on her 55 day today(friday)goin by the first mating

Answer 1

You should count the days from the time they first mate. Any where from 58 to 67 days. Average 63 days. My dog delivered on her 60th day.

Answer 2

I've been breeding large dogs for 19 years. I've had dogs deliver anywhere from 58 days after the first breeding (my very first litter.. I guess she didn't want to make me wait!) to 67 days after the last litter (same girl, caught a bladder infection while pregnant and it slowed things down). On average all my litters have been born on day 60-61 from the first breeding... and all have been good sized litters. I do believe the size of the litter does make a difference regarding when they are born.

I would recommend getting an x-ray done on day 57 from the first breeding. This should help you with a fairly accurate count as to how many to expect and if your vet has any expertise the degree of calcification should tell the vet about how long until they are do. I had a great vet in MN who could tell me within 24 when they were due by reading the calcification of teeth buds.

Good luck!

Answer 3

I did both also like Jennifer but I counted from the first mating and then started taking her temp a few days before the first date. My breed was a large breed so they usually went the whole 63 to 65 days. Never had one whelp sooner.
OK so she a bigger dog. She will in all likelihood go the entire 63 to 65 days I'd start to take temp from day 60 on. I did am and late afternoon and early evening.

Answer 4

I usually count off the 63 days from the first mating. I have always been fairly close. Good luck to you.

Answer 5

I mark both the whelp date from the first mating and the last mating on the calendar, and start taking temps the week prior to first potential whelp date.

Answer 6

you need to go from date she was first mated and count 63 days from that date good luck( reg breeder of bichon frise )

Answer 7

I always go by the first as you don't know when the eggs were inseminated but then figure the second so if whe doesn't have you can figure form this day to thes day.