First litter at 8 yrs of age.

Question
My brother's eight year old GSD is probably expecting.  She was bred with another GSD a couple of weeks ago. She has never before been bred let alone had a litter.  She lives outside in a large fenced pen (16'x20') with the doghouse in a corner under a covered area. What kind of preparations should we make?  Although we live in the south the nights will be chilly by mid Oct. Will towels in the doghouse be enough to help her keep her babies warm? Will her age be a problem for her? How many pups are in a typical litter?  

Answer
HE CYN
BEING OUTSIDE IS A REAL PROBLEM HAVING PUPPIES AND YES HER AGE IS A HUGE FACTOR ALSO.
SHE SHOULD NOT BE HAVING PUPS IN A DOG HOUSE NOT ENOUGH ROOM, U CANNOT SEE TO HELP KEEP THEM ALIVE OR FROM HER LAYING ON ONE AND KILLING IT.
YOU MUST RID OF THE DOG HOUSE FOR NOW AND MAKE A WHELP BOX OF ABOUT 10 BY 10 AND PUT SOME LINOLEUM DOWN TO WIPE CLEAN.
AFTER SHE WHELPS U CAN PUT A BLANKET IF THE PUPS ARE HEALTHY AND STRONG AND EATING WELL FROM HER.  PUT DOWN SHREDDED PAPER DURING HER WHELPING.  HELP HER BY HAVING AN EAR SUCTION CUP FROM WAL MART, BLUE IN COLOR TO SUCK OUT THE FLUID FROM PUPS MOUTH OF EACH ONE.
BREAK THE SACS AND RUB EACH ONE HARD WITH CLEAN TOWELS TILL IT SQUEELS, THEN LAY IT AT A TEET TO EAT.  YOU MUST HAVE PLENTY OF TOWELS, LIGHTS, HEATER IF COOL TO BLOW ON THE PUPS AND DRY THEM MUCH AS U CAN WHEN BORN.  U MUST ALSO HAVE COLORED NECK BANDS, I BUY PONY TAIL ONES AT THE DOLLAR STORE AND  MARK IN A BOOK WHAT TIME PUP WAS BORN, WEIGH WITH CHEAP SCALE ALSO, SEX AND COLOR OF NECK BAND.  KEEP THE BANDS ON SO U CAN IDENIFY EACH ONE AND WHEN IT WAS BORN AND IF IT IS EATING BY WEIGHTING IT WEEKKLY OR DAILY FOR A WHILE. FIRST THREE DAYS ARE CRITICAL THAT THEY EAT AND LIVE AND U MUST SPEND ALOT OF TIME BEING THERE AND PUTTING THEM ON HER NIPPLES AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO EAT, SOME DROP OFF AND STARVE FROM NO FORCE FROM HELPING IT.
THEY CAN HAVE FROM SIX TO 14 PUPS, IF A LARGE LITTER YOU WILL BE UP AT NIGHT EVERY 4 HOURS FEEDING AND MOVING THEM ABOUT SO ALL GET ENOUGH MILK TO SURVIVE.
WHY DID U WAIT TILL SHE WAS SO OF AGE TO BREED HER FOR FIRST TIME.  SHE MIGHT KILL THE BABIES NOT KNOWING THE PAIN FROM THEM AND GETTING UPSET?  YOU HAD BEST MAKE LOTS OF ROOM, LOTS OF LIGHS AND GET READY FOR A LONG WHELP OF PUPS SO THEY ALL LIVE AND ARE NICE, SHE SHOULD OF BEEN FED PUPPY BRAND OFF FOOD FROM DAY SHE WAS BRED, SO GET HER ON IT NOW AND DURING LABOR GIVE HER A WHIPPED EGG WITH TBSP OF SUGAR FOR QUICK PICK UP, WATER ALWAYS NO FOOD TILL DONE.
IF SHE QUITS LABOR AND U FEEL MORE PUPS GET HER UP AND DRAG HER TO WALK ON LABOR OR THEY WILL BE BORN DEAD.
KEEP THE PUPS VERY WARM AND DRY, SHOULD BE DONE IN A GARAGE NOT OUTSIDE IN OCT.  I HAVE HEATED WHELP ROOMS AND LOST PUPS FROM HYPERATHERMIA.
YOUR IN FOR A LONG ORDEAL AND PLEASE STICK WITH HER SINCE U BRED HER AND SHE DID NOT ASK FOR THIS AT HER OLD AGE.  GOD BE WITH HER FOR HEAVENS SAKE AND THE PUPS WILL LIVE.  IF THEY GET STRONG U CAN BRING BACK THE DOG BOX FOR THEM ALL, BUT NOT TILL YOU KNOW THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE IT FOR IT IS TOO CROWDED TO WHELP PUPS IN A DOG BOX.
NO NO NO NO, GET HER IN A BASEMENT CORNER IN A WHELP BOX OR A GARAGE IN A WHELP BOX. U CAN BUILD ONE CHEAP AND KEEP IT VERY CLEAN AND GET PLENTY OF TOWELS AND KEEP CLEANING HER BACKEND SO THE PUPS DO NOT GET INFECTION FROM HER DISCHARGE.
BEST TO YOU ALL

WARM REGARDS
PATT
WWW.SCHREKNHAUS.COM
SEND ME SOME PICS PLEASE.