My boxer is pregant and due

Question
I have a female boxer who is VERY pregnant. I took her to the vet last week and they told me she would be due 11/27-12/1. I've been watching her, cause this is her first litter and moms worry! I take her temperature at the same time every day. It has run around 100.2-100.0. I checked it yesterday (Wednesday) and it was 98.8. Therefore I think she will be in labor for the next 24hrs. Well, I slept on the couch near here birthing place, but nothing happened. What is the mucus thing you have talked about? I haven't seen anything come out of her yet. Does her water break? All she does is sleep. What signs can I look for? I have to work tomorrow (Friday) and I can't be with her if she has her puppies. I'm really worried something could go wrong or she will try to hold off having her puppies (which I think is CRAZY!). She is a very nervous dog- she has to be around me or my boyfriend. She doesn't like to be left alone. What do I do? And what do I do when she does have the puppies? What is the box I saw you talking about? Please Help!
Lori B.

Answer
Hi Lori. First of all, if you're going to use the temp method, you need to do it once in the morning, and once in the evening. The temp can drop really fast, and then rise again with you not even knowing that it happened. The mucus plug is this clearish, stringie glob that comes from her vulva. It's kind of like the plug to her uterus. When she looses that, she should go into labor within 24-48 hours. Trust me, you'll know it when you see it. Her water won't break until she's in active labor, and a puppy is being born. A lot of the time, the puppy is born still in it's sac. If a sac does break, then the puppy needs to be born fast. When labor first starts, she will pant a lot, dig like crazy, and try to nest. Active labor will usually start within 24 hours after that. And no, you're not crazy. Some dogs have been known to 'hold it in' until their owners are present. If she hasn't started any of the symptoms I've listed above, then she most likely won't have her puppies tomorrow. If you can, try to check on her at lunch time. Or, have someone you trust do it for you. I was talking about a whelping box. You can make them yourself, or buy one. I make mine. It's simple. Just use clean wood for the bottom and 3 sides. Make the forth side, the one in front, shorter than the rest so she can get in and out of comfortably. You can cover the wood with shelf paper, or paint it. I know I have a web site that describes how to make one. If you have a really large plastic tub, you can use that as well. But it has to be plenty big enough so mom can lay down and stretch out comfortably, and not lay on the pups. This gives mom a safe place to keep her puppies. Put it in a warm, draft free, out of the way place. I'll also find my whelping web sites for you. They have wonderful advice, and pictures. If I can be of anymore help, let me know! Here are those links. If I don't give you the web site for the whelping box in a day or so, holler at me again and remind me. Things are super crazy around here, and I might forget.

http://www.showdogsupersite.com/kenlclub/breedvet/feeding.html

http://www.hilltopanimalhospital.com/whelping1.htm

http://www.workingdogs.com/doc0034.htm

http://www.debbiejensen.com/