As a responsible (and proud) owner of a Yorkshire terrier bitch, you need to plan well and carefully in advance to select a suitable stud dog for her. It is always a good idea to worm your yorkie bitch prior to mating to minimize the chances if her passing worms onto her puppies.

Another sensible precaution regarding Yorkshire terrier pregnancy: before mating is to also have her vaccinated, so that she passes on the maximum maternal antibodies to her puppies.

The gestation period for a yorkie bitch is 63 days, but this can vary by a couple of days either way.

During this period, she requires extra care and attention. But as she becomes heavier – restrict her exercise, food intake, and exclude any strenuous games with children, if necessary.

As the day approaches, she may start to seek out a quiet, dark place where she can dig and make a ‘nest’. Do not allow her to do this. Instead, encourage her to ‘nest’ in the whelping box.

The box, which you can make yourself, should have plenty of room so that your yorkie bitch can stretch out comfortably. The sides should be high enough to contain the yorkie puppies, but low enough to allow their mother to jump out with such ease.

If she is introduced to a whelping box quite early in the pregnancy, she will be happy to use it as a ‘nest’.

As much as possible, watch her closely during the last week of pregnancy, as she may try to hide in an inaccessible place. However, the only true indication that whelping is imminent is a fall in her temperature to below 37.8 degrees Celsius/ 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Your role during the actual whelping is to stand by in case you are needed.

When the first yorkie puppy is born, the mother will tear the amniotic sac surrounding it and start to lick the newborn. Licking stimulates the yorkie puppy as well as cleans it.

Make it a note to check the yorkie puppy’s mouth is clear and, if necessary, rub its tiny chest with a fairly rough towel to help him breathe easily. The yorkie bitch will then bite through the umbilical cord and may eat the afterbirth.

This provides additional nutrients, but do not worry if she does not eat them all. It is important that you see afterbirth for every yorkie puppy she delivers, as a retained placenta can cause an infection.