Breeding Guide?

Question
QUESTION: My two standards, Ivory and Onyx, mated back at the beginning of May. The expected date is quickly approaching and I've been scouring the internet for a poodle breeder's experience with breeding (like I have with other breeds) but cannot find anything useful specifically for poodles especially not standards. This is my and my poodle's first litter so I just want to be as well prepared as possible.

Another question, what is you opinion on Banfield, the PetSmart affiliated animal hospital?

ANSWER: Hello Rebbeka,
As to Banfield, I have not heard much negative on it.  We don't have one here in Columbia, but I have heard good things about them from other Dog people.  They are a regular Vet hospital and can take care of your dog as good as any.  

A Standard Poodle shouldn't have any problems delivering as long as the female is healthy and has no complications.  I will put up some steps that will help you when the whelping time comes.  Just read through the steps several times to get familiar with what to do, have your Vets number handy and the female will do most of the hard part.  Just be with her to comfort her and to let her know that she is ok.  

Read through my instructions several times to get it in your head and you will feel more comfortable.

There is alot more information here than you asked for, but since it sounds like you might be delivering the puppies by yourself, it will be good information to know.  
A female dog should deliver around her 63rd day after being bred.  She will give you some signs that she is getting ready.  Her nipples will start to leak a waxy substance a couple days before she delivers, she may make a nest and some dogs will even gather their toys and put them around them like puppies, and if you are comfortable taking her temperature, you can start taking it about 4 days before her deliverly date.  A dogs normal temperature is around 101.5, but when she gets ready to deliver, it will drop down to 98.0 (give or take a point).  When it does this, she will have puppies within 24 hours.
For her "nest" you can use about any area that she is comfortable with.  A Baby Play Pen works great, but so does an old box, or even put some towels or old blankets down for her in the kitchen (if you want to help her, you will need room to manuever) and top it with some newspapers (birthing is a very messy job, so use several layers of newspapers for the actual delivery and you can throw them away as they get soiled).  Introduce her to the "nest" and let her get comfortable with it, so that when the time comes she will be used to the "nest box" and will use it rather than the middle of your bed or inside your closet.
To be ready for when the puppies come, you will need some supplys to help the mother in her birthing process.  

Puppy Supply Kit:
TOWELS-you can never have enough towels.  They come in handy to dry the puppies off and to help clean up the female in between the births.
PAPER TOWELS-helps clean up the afterbirth.
DENTAL FLOSS-used to tie the umbilical cord to keep it from bleeding.
SCISSORS-used to cut the umbilical cord after you tie it off.
NAVAL IODINE-used to dip the stub of the umbilical cord in.
INFANT BULB NASAL ASPIRATOR-also known as the Nose sucker.  This is used to clear the fluid from the nose and mouth of the puppy.  Try to get the older type that has the long tube on it rather than the new type that has the plastic tip on it.  
PEN AND PAPER-if you want to take down time of birth, color, sex, and weight of puppies.
NUMBER OF YOUR VET-just to have it on hand.

Instructions when the puppies start to come.
Birthing can be a quick process once everything starts happening, so its best to prepare yourself before the actual event happens.  Read through this a couple of times to get familiar with it so you will be ready when she is.  
When the female gets close to whelping, she may be restless and may seem agitated, or she may want to get into your lap and be held or petted.  Its going to be new to her and she may not understand what is happening to her.  She may look at her belly or scratch it.  
As she gets near her time, try to get
her in or near her nest.    
You will first see the mother start to push and you should see a puppy start to come out, hopefully head first.  Don't help unless you can see the female sturggling.  She will push and the puppy may come out then go back in; just wait for the next contraction and see if the puppy comes all the way out.  When the puppy is out, tear the sac away from around the puppys face and use the nasal bulb to suck mucus from the nose and mouth.  If the placenta (afterbirth) isn't out yet don't pull it out, it should be delivered within a short time after the puppy is born.  Go ahead and tie off the umbilical cord with the dental floss close to the puppies belly.  You can then cut the cord away from the placenta.  After this is done, the mother may eat the placenta. Its ok to let her.  Its natural and actually healthy for her.  Do watch that she doesn't eat it until its off the puppy.  Some mothers will try to bite the umbilical cord themselves and they can either get it too short or can tear the puppies belly, so its best that you cut the cord for her.  
Next dry the puppy a little bit with the towel and make sure its breathing (see below if puppy isn't breathing or having trouble) then you can put the puppy down by its mother and let her lick it off some.  If it needs help getting on a teat, help it or let mom guide it to a nipple and see that it starts sucking.  
Now, watch for the next puppy.  

Sometimes the births happen fast, sometimes slow.  Be prepared and walk yourself through the process a couple of times so that you are ready when it begins.
Offer your female plenty of water during this process as it takes alot out of her.  You can also give her some canned food if she will eat it, to keep her strength up.

If your female needs to potty during the process, go ahead and let her, just watch her to make sure that she doesn't deliver a puppy while relieving herself.  If she does start to deliver, don't worry, it has happened before, so just let her deliver as normal, wait for the placenta to come out, pick the puppy and placenta up and take them inside, cut the cord then dry the puppy off and let mom lick the puppy.  
After the mother licks the puppies for awhile, put them on her teat so that they can nurse.  Watch to make sure that they are nursing ok and get a good grip on the teat.

*If a puppy isn't breathing, rub it with the towel vigorously on its chest.  Make sure that all the fluid is out of the nose and mouth.  If it doesn't start breathing after this, hold it at chest level and gently drop your arm downwards a couple of times (this will help remove any mucus that might be stuck in the puppies throat).  If you have a needle (any kind will work ie syringe needle, sewing needle, even a stick pin), gently stick the puppy in the end of his nose and keep it there for about 5-10 sec. (this helps stimulate breathing)
If this still doesn't start the puppy breathing, put your mouth over the puppys nose and mouth and give a very small breath. Repeat until puppy is breathing, or until you feel that the puppy has expired.  This sometimes happens for whatever reason, so don't blame yourself and don't feel bad.  You have other little lives that will go on.

I know that this is alot to take in, but once you go through it a couple of times in your head, you should feel more comfortable with the process.

I hope this helps you some.  If you have other questions for me, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: So, Ivory had her puppies during my 4th of July cookout yesterday. Luckily, I picked up on her earlier labor signs and kept my eye on her just in time to see her water break. She has 6 healthy, nursing puppies with 3 casualties (a stillborn, one that seemed undeveloped, and one that just never started breathing)

Now I know she does all the work now too and I need to ensure she's feed and comfortable. But my biggest question is can she be away from the puppies for periods at a time? All day today she has taken 5-15 minute breaks either going to the bathroom or greeting our company. Each time, the puppies cuddled up on top of each other and remained quiet (I assume sleeping).

I obviously do not want her to use the bathroom in the whelping box but how long is too long?

Answer
Hello again and congradulations on your 3 newest family members.  

It is totally ok for her to be away from the puppies for short times during the day.  As long as the puppies are comfortable and warm (which is why they cuddled up near each other) it is not a problem.  She needs time to relax and just be a dog for a time and going out to pee, having a pet or two or even just take a breather from being a full time mommy is fine.  It will actually make her want to return to her babies and care for them better.  She can even be out and away from them from 30 min to an hour as long as they are sleeping good, have just eaten and are warm.  

Again, congradulations and if you have other puppy questions or other questions in general, please feel free to ask me.

Kim