My pregnant staffordshire

Question
QUESTION: Hello Joyce,

i have asked you a few questions a couple of days ago concerning my staffordshire bull terrior, she is around a year & 4months old & is on her last stages of pregnancy.
She has jus been stratchin at her bed as we hav built her a new kennel -like bed for her & the pups, is this normal? she is ok now, just lying down but keeps looking at me! lol im about to go to work, is it wise to leave her on her own? as her mucus plug started to cum away a couple of days ago too..



ANSWER: Hi Hannah-Jane

The scratching is called "nesting".  Line her whelping box with newspaper, old towels or sheets.  She is trying to make the area comfortable for her pups.  

Now it's the count down time for you.

Good luck!

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

QUESTION: ok will do, thankyou!i heard that the bitch stops eating 24hrs before hand, is this true?its just that mine, 'Brandie' seems to want to eat every second of the day! she would eat the house if we let her! lol shud i watch how much i give her now?She is a very affectionate dog with me, always has been, & continued to be while has been pregnant, but of corse i cant give her my attention 24hours a day! so she has been sitting out in the garden in the sun alot today, this good?Thankyou for all your help, you have been brilliant! :)

Answer
Well I don't know about brilliant, but thank you for the kind words.

Typically a female will stop eating the day or day before whelp. If she wants to eat, let her... unless of course she's overweight.  That can cause a problem with delivery.

This close to whelping, I wouldn't leave her unattended in the garden for longer than 10 minutes at a time.  I've known females to drop their pups in yard without the owner being any wiser.