Dog Whelping in Yorkies

Dog whelping in yorkies can be a little taxing and stressful for both the owner and the yorkie in labor; but I hope these what-to-do steps about your whelping yorkie may help just about anyone – especially the first-time yorkie owners.

About a week before the pregnant yorkie is due to whelp, a bed should be prepared for her and she should be persuaded to use it for sleeping.

This bed may be a box of generous size, gig enough to accommodate her with room for activity. It should be high enough to permit her to stand upright, and is better for having a hinged cover.

An opening in one side will afford her ingress and egress. This box should be placed in a secluded location, away from any possible molestation by other dogs, animals, or children. Dog whelping in yorkies is a dangerous time to the health of the mother if sanitary and safety precautions are not taken.

The yorkie bitch must be made confident of her security in her box.

A few hours, or perhaps a couple of days before her whelping, the bitch will probably begin to ‘arrange’ the bedding of box’s bedding to suit herself, tearing blankets or cushions and nosing the parts into the corners.

Generally, whelping may take place at night without any assistance from the owner. The box may be opened in the morning to reveal the happy yorkie bitch nursing a litter of her complacent yorkie puppies.

But she may need some assistance in her ordeal; and, if it is recognized to be in process, it is best to give it to her.

As her tiny puppies arrive, one by one, the enveloping membranes should be removed quickly as possible, lest they suffocate. Having removed the membrane, the umbilical cord should be severed with clean scissors some three or four inches from the yorkie puppy’s belly.

The yorkie bitch should be permitted to eat the afterbirth if she so desires, and she normally does. And this is perfectly normal. If she has no assistance, she will probably remove the membrane and sever the cord with her teeth.

The only dangers are that she may delay too long, or may bite the cord too short.

It is wise to remove all the newly born yorkie puppies except one, as they arrive – placing them in a box or basket lined and covered by a woolen cloth, somewhere aside or away from the whelping bed, until all have come and the exhausted yorkie bitch’s whelping finally has ended. Dog whelping in yorkies is sure to please- as long as one has the proper equipment ready.