How Does a Mother Dog Give Birth? A Detailed Explanation of the Entire Whelping Process

The first step of a mother dog giving birth: the mother dog will experience labor pains and an uneasy expression due to uterine contractions. From the onset of labor pains in the mother dog to the birth of the puppies and their departure from the mother's body, the birth of each puppy takes roughly only one hour; if it exceeds one hour, a veterinarian should be contacted immediately.

When each puppy is born, it is wrapped in a thin placental membrane. At this point, the mother dog will bite and pull the puppy's umbilical cord, and lick away the membrane with her mouth so the puppy can breathe deeply, then slowly lick the adorable puppy clean. A few minutes after birth, the puppies will immediately crawl on their own to the mother dog's belly to suckle milk. When the last puppy is born, the mother dog will feel more relaxed and stretch her body out to the side, making it easier to nurse and feed all the puppies.

In addition, a special reminder: after the mother dog gives birth to the last puppy (or stops giving birth), a veterinarian should immediately be asked to examine and confirm whether any puppies have not yet been born, so as not to endanger the lives of the mother dog and the unborn puppies. If the mother dog shows any abnormalities during the birthing process, or any signs of life-threatening danger, a veterinarian should also be contacted immediately.