boxer pups

Question
First of all, thank you for all you do.  I am a first time breeder of my female boxer (2 years) she is actually at the breeders right now "mating".  As this is my first time breeding her, I have heard a lot of scary things lately about the actual birthing process with boxers.  I've seen births of pups and kittens before so the actual process doesn't scare me, but the things I've heard are scaring me.  I thought that the dogs do most of it.  but I've heard that too many things can go wrong.  as it's her first time, can you give me advice on what to expect.  thank you

Answer
Hi Amanda. Well, while the dog is whelping, you'll most likely need to cut the cords yourself. The way the Boxer's jaw is made, it makes it hard for her. She may try, but may accidentally rip the cord completely out of the puppy. Don't use scissors, try to use your finger nails and do a sawing motion. Go about 3 inches from the belly, afterwards, put iodine on the cord and around it on the belly. Don't let her go more than 3 hours between puppies. Most whelpings go smoothly, but be prepared just in case. If she tries to push a puppy out for more than 15 minutes, get her to the vet. Call the vet when she starts labor just in case you need him, he'll be ready. Do an x-ray after day 50 so you'll know about how many there are, and if there are any really big ones you have to watch out for. I'm going to give you a few links that will explain it, and if you have anymore questions, feel free to holler.

www.debbiejensen.com
www.geocities.com/vvvzena/BoxetBoxers.html