Expert: Jennifer Walker - 9/24/2011

Question
i have two boxer dogs. my bitch is due puppies any day now. i was wondering if i could leave the male dog with her or should i separate them. they go everywhere together and sleep in the bed

Answer
She will need a quiet, isolated area to whelp her puppies. A warm corner in the guest bedroom is ideal, as you'll need to be in there with her pretty much 24/7 for at least the first week to be sure the pups thrive, she doesn't step or lay on any of them, etc. A child's wading pool makes a decent whelping box for a Boxer -- lay down newspaper under an old blanket to absorb the birthing fluids. Set it up now, and let her get used to being in the box/room. She'll probably want to nest and tear things up a bit, which is fine.

You'll definitely need to keep the male dog away while she whelps, and potentially for the first few weeks, until she's comfortable letting him near the pups. She may be OK after a week, or not until the pups are mostly weaned. Different bitches are protective of their puppies for different lengths of time, so let her decide when he can see them.

Good luck!