1. Begin taking your dogs temperature at your estimated day 56 of her cycle.

2. Record it in the Am and PM ( best time is when the dog is calm).

3. Don't miss taking a temp

You will notice a huge increase in temp right before it drops. Any temp recorded lower than 98 indicates labor should began within 24 hours
If you dog goes beyond 24 hours and labor has not begin, discuss with your veterinarian.

Note* I have been recording temperatures for 20 years and have found this
to be accurate in 99% of my dogs.
Some dogs do go lower than 98.

Why should you take an record your bitches temperature.?

So you can know within 24 hours, when your dogs will go into labor.

Then you can call your boss and tell her about the headache your planning on having tomorrow.

A dogs normal Temperature is 101.5.

In the last trimester of pregnancy the pregnant bitch will have a temperature around 100. This is contributed to hormone levels.

Dogs can safely whelp their litters 58 days after conception. After 58 days the pups lungs are fully developed and they can breath on their own.

Not all thermometers are created equal. Do not use tape on the forehead thermometer or in the ear thermometers, and please don't use the under the arm pit method. If you don't know how to read a thermometer ask a pharmacists or a friend. I find the most accurate thermometers to be the glass rectal thermometer. If you feel your dog is hyper and glass can pose a danger, than use the digital thermometer. Always use the same thermometer, don't switch back and forth, or you will not get accurate readings.

Take your dogs temperature in the morning and in the evening. The best time to get an accurate reading is when your dog has been sleeping or is calm , not after a run in the yard or playtime.

How to take your dogs temperature

Began with shaking the thermometer below 98 degrees.

Stick it in a jar of clean petroleum jelly. In an emergency I have use cooking oil or spit.

Shaking it down before applying a lubricant may avoid Vaseline gobs on the walls or in your hair or Aunt Edna's picture above the fireplace.

Make you dog lay down and do not let the dog sit down and break the thermometer while it is inserted in her rectum. Hold on to the thermometer so you don't lose it. Inset the thermometer in 2 inches, rotate or spin if you fell resistance. Your goal is to take the dogs temp not a chunk of feces

Keep the thermometer in 2 minutes.

Take out and wipe it with a tissue.

Read it, and record the temperature on your chart..

There are many signs to let you know when the time is near.

1. Temperature has dropped to 98 degrees or lower.

2. Pupils will dilate.

3. She will hide in dark places.

4. Digging

5. Panting

6. She will stare at her rear end in confusion.

Soon your dog will learn what a thermometer is and will bolt the second it see's you coming.
This maybe a wonderful preventive measure to stop your dog from jumping on people.

Print out you own temp chart

How to read a thermometer