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.
Start Here
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 →Unveiling the Secrets of Dog Birth: A Risky Affair or Not?
A 2007 study of 1,614 bitches found 13.7% dystocia. The breed, weight, single puppy syndrome, and hyperfoetation risks behind difficult births.
Read article →
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 protocol →All Resources
Organized by stage of birth. Newest research first within each group.
Preparing for whelping
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 →What Should Your Pregnant Dog Weigh Each Week?
Weight tells you whether whelping goes smoothly or heads toward dystocia: the week-by-week protocol and the red flags your vet needs to see.
Read article →Dystocia and red flags
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 →C-sections
More resources are being added to this section.
Intervention timing
Is Your Whelping Dam in Hidden Pain?
Most breeders miss pain during whelping. The protocol that changes outcomes for mother and puppies.
Read article →First minutes after birth
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 →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 →Afterbirth in Dogs and Cats: Should We Step In or Stand Back?
Placentophagy in dogs and cats: the benefits, the risks, and when to step in right after birth.
Read article →More resources are being added
Every resource on this hub is published in all four languages. Birth topics that are not yet available in the full set, including elective and repeat C-sections, are in translation and will appear here as they go live.
Want better whelping decisions before the emergency happens?
Join my newsletter and get science-backed resources on breeding, whelping, newborn puppy care, and early-life health.
Join the newsletter →Next stage
Once birth is over, the next challenge begins: colostrum, milk production, nursing, maternal recovery, and early growth.
Dog Lactation Resources · coming nextEvergreen resource hub. New articles are added automatically as they publish. Bookmark this page.
DR. EMMANUEL FONTAINE 