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Three Stages of Labor

These stages help you know when it's time

Labor Stage 1

Temperature will drop somewhere around 98 degrees
Pupils will dilate
She will stare at you and want you close to her
She might refuse to leave her whelping box
She will refuse to eat. She will usually turn down breakfast the day she whelps. Even her favorite treats or snacks will get turned down.
She might look for a place to hide or seclude herself
She might begin to aggressively nest in her whelping box. She will shred items in her whelping are such as; newspapers or blankets. She will usually move her bedding by pushing it around with her nose and paws. She's trying to get the whelping area prepared. This stage may lastl hours, and it’s during this time that the cervix begins to dilate. Presumably the bitch has labor pains or discomfort from the uterine contractions during this stage. If you feel carefully feel her uterus through the abdomen, you may be able to feel its intermittent tension and relaxation
Laying on her side but can't seem to get comfortable
Mucus Discharge

Labor Stage 2

Digging
Shivering
Panting
She will frequently changing positions and appears uneasy
Staring at her rear end
Licking vulva excessively
Mild Uterine Contractions
Rolling onto her back

Labor Stage 3

Hard Uterine Contractions. This will look like an abdominal press; she may or may not make a sound, such as a groan or grunt
Extreme Shivering
Water Breaking
Usually she will appear to have an urgent need to eliminate. She may run to the door and ask to go out, or she may have a bowel movement or urinate. It appears that that the sensation of a puppy entering the birth canal is very much like that of a bowel movement
Vomiting is a normal behavior during labor, but not always apparent
Labor contractions will be observed at intervals of ten or more minutes. They usually come in waves of three or five, followed by a rest.
The bitch may sit up, lie on her side, or take a squatting position. At this time, a puppy is present in the bitch canal, and its presents, stimulates the hardest labor contractions. As the pup moves down the canal, the contractions may become stronger and are almost always more frequent.
A discharge of mucus, presumably the cervical mucous plug, will pass before the first pup. Sometimes you don’t always see this mucus, and it doesn’t matter wither you do or don’t see it.
As the pup reaches the vulva, its outer fluid-filled sac, the amniotic sac, pushes through the vulva and will usually be the first structure you will see. Sometimes the sac will rupture and the fluid will flow from the birth canal before you see any part of the puppy. This does not put the puppy in any danger.
When the puppy is presented at the vulva, the bitch normally begins to lick the area quite intensely. She will lick up the amniotic fluid; lick herself, and the puppy.
Once the puppy is delivered you will want to break open the sac, (if it hasn’t already broken), aspirate the pup’s mouth and nose with the bulb syringe. Then you will clamp and cut the cord. More directions on cutting the cord will follow.

The Delivery

As the pup reaches the vulva, its outer sac, the amniotic sac, pushes through the vulva. The amniotic sac starts as marble size, then golf ball size, and gradually enlarges depending on the size of your bitch. The sac is filled with fluid, and within a few minutes, the puppies head is visible. Sometimes the sac will rupture and the fluid will flow from the birth canal before you see any part of the puppy. This does not put the puppy in any danger.
Helping the Newborn Puppies
Once the puppy is visible, the bitch may lick her vulva, lick and chew at the placenta sac, which might even tear the placenta from the pups face. Once the puppy is delivered you will want to break open the sac, (if it hasn’t been broken).

Once the puppy is completely delivered, aspirate the pups mouth and nose, (in that order) with a pediatric bulb syringe. There will always be some fluid and mucus in the newborn puppy’s mouth and it’s important to remove it for the health and well being of the puppy.
After you have aspirated the puppy’s airway, you will clamp and cut the cord. The attached Umbilical cord runs from the placenta to the pup’s navel, it supplies the pup with rich oxygenated blood. This blood can be returned to a weak pup by squeezing along the cord, which pushes the blood back into the pup. Crimp the cord with a hemostat or wax-free dental floss about 1/2 inch from the pup’s belly. Cutting the Umbilical cord can now be done with umbilical cord scissors. Be sure to cut between hemostats and placenta, not between the hemostat and the pup. Leave the hemostat or clamp on the puppy end of the cord for a few minutes. Dip the puppy end of the cord in some iodine or disinfectant. Once you’ve aspirated the airway and cut the umbilical cord, return the pup to its mother and allow her to lick and clean the puppy.
Posterior Births
          Posterior births, (hind legs first) occur in four out of ten deliveries. Although a posterior birth increases the chances of more fluid inhaled by the pup, posterior births are very normal, and cause no need for alarm.
Breech Births
     Breech births are when you only see a tail emerge from the vulva. Breech births are a cause for concern. Most breech births are delivered by the only viewing the pups tail. Both of the hind legs are folded forward in the birth canal, tight against its body. If the puppy is not delivered within five to ten minutes, call your veterinarian.
The Placenta
          If the placenta is not attached to the pup you must try and retrieve it yourself. Look at the vulva and see if you can see part of it. With a towel grasp it and pull it out. If it sucks back into the birth canal it will delay the next pup birth, sometimes up to an hour. It’s very important to count the placentas as they are expelled. Any placentas left inside the bitch will cause an infection.
When the placenta is expelled, you can allow the mother to eat one or two placentas if she chooses. I discard the rest to reduce the chance of more vomiting or diarrhea. Eating the placenta provides nourishment for the mother. Consumption of the placenta helps promote a quicker and larger milk supply for the puppies. Some breeders believe eating the placentas also help promote more contractions for delivering the remaining puppies.