Female Pug

Question
I have a 16 month old girl pug and 13 year old boy the girl was in heat at 8 mth.We kept them apart to avoid her getting pregnant.It being the first time that she went into heat.She may be going into heat again,but we aren't sure if that is normal or how many times they go into heat a year.How long will she carry the pups before she gives birth?Will we need to keep the pair apart for the first week or two after birth?
Thanks
Frank

Answer
Hi Franklin,  Dogs come in heat every 6 months on average.  She should carry the pups 63 days.  Pugs are notorious for needing c-sections, so do not hesitate to take her to the vet if she has any complications as you don't want her dieing during labor.  16 months is still a little young for her to give birth.  She shouldn't be bred until she is fully grown which is 2 years old.  You should keep her away from the male anyway after giving birth because you don't want her hurting her pups because she feels he may hurt them.  She needs to be in a quiet location away from everyone to have the pups.  Again, she is still very immature and you don't want to cause anymore complications so you want her in a quiet place that she can concentrate on giving birth and caring for the pups.  Hope this helps,

Dawn