Dr. Emmanuel Fontaine, DVM
Dog Whelping Resources for Breeders
Science-backed articles to help you prepare for birth, recognize warning signs, make better decisions during whelping, and protect newborn puppies from the first minutes of life.
Keyword: DOGWHELPWhelping is not the moment to improvise. This hub brings together my best resources on canine birth management, dystocia, C-sections, intervention timing, and the transition from delivery to newborn puppy care. Every article here is available in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. Start with the essentials, then explore every resource below.
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How Do You Set Up a Whelping Box That Actually Protects Newborns?
The 5-point whelping box audit every breeder should run before a litter. Why most setups fail on system design, not equipment.
Read article →Are You Using Calcium Wrong During Dog Labor?
When calcium helps during whelping, the deadly timing mistakes, and the 45-minute rule that tells you when to call your vet.
Read article →What Does Prolonged Labor Do to the Placenta and the Puppies?
A 2026 study put a number on the cost of waiting: every hour of stalled labor raises the risk to the placenta feeding each unborn puppy. The 2-hour doubt rule and the discharge sign that mean it is time to call your vet.
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Free Guide: Newborn Puppy 48-Hour Survival Protocol
The first 48 hours decide which puppies make it. Get the printable protocol for your whelping kit, free.
Get the free guide →Latest Articles
The most recent posts on this topic, newest first.
What Does Prolonged Labor Do to the Placenta and the Puppies?
A 2026 study put a number on the cost of waiting: every hour of stalled labor raises the risk to the placenta feeding each unborn puppy. The 2-hour doubt rule and the discharge sign that mean it is time to call your vet.
Read article →Colostrum Secrets: Boosting Puppy and Kitten Immunity
Ninety percent of immune cover arrives through colostrum in the first 24 hours. The window, and the action ladder for a neonate who cannot suckle.
Read article →How Do You Set Up a Whelping Box That Actually Protects Newborns?
The 5-point whelping box audit every breeder should run before a litter. Why most setups fail on system design, not equipment.
Read article →Is Your Whelping Dam in Hidden Pain?
Most breeders miss pain during whelping. The protocol that changes outcomes for mother and puppies.
Read article →How to Spot and Manage Canine Maternal Hydrops
A rock-hard belly in late pregnancy can signal deadly hydrops. The warning signs your vet might miss before it is too late.
Read article →How to Resuscitate Newborn Puppies and Kittens
The 2025 RECOVER guidelines flip the old order: breathing support before suctioning. The 60-second assessment that decides a newborn’s outcome.
Read article →Are You Using Calcium Wrong During Dog Labor?
When calcium helps during whelping, the deadly timing mistakes, and the 45-minute rule that tells you when to call your vet.
Read article →How to Make a Whelping Box for Newborn Puppies & Kittens
How to build a whelping box that delivers the warmth, safety, and hygiene fragile newborns need, for both pups and kittens.
Read article →Tech Innovations in Birth Predictions for Dog & Cat Breeders
Modern tools that help you anticipate parturition accurately and cut the last-minute guesswork.
Read article →Whelping and Queening: Hygiene Tips for Healthier Litters
Simple hygiene strategies that keep the whelping or queening process clean, safe, and lower-risk for the litter.
Read article →More resources are being added
All resources here are published in four languages. Birth topics not yet available in every language, such as elective and repeat C-sections, are in translation and will appear here as they publish.
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Once birth is over, the next challenge begins: warmth, colostrum, daily weighing, and protecting newborn puppies through the first fragile days.
Dog Newborn Care ResourcesEvergreen resource hub. New articles are added automatically as they publish. Bookmark this page.
DR. EMMANUEL FONTAINE 