In general, it is recommended that experienced, well-equipped professional breeders handle the breeding of puppies. Caring for the pregnant dog, birthing the puppies, and raising the puppies to a level at which they can be separated from their mother is a very involved, costly and time-intensive task for which most casual dog owners are ill prepared.

Feeding Basics

• An all life stage puppy food is best.
• For feeding, select a dog food formulated for all life stages, rather than that formulated simply for the maintenance of adult dogs.
• The food should have 1600 digestible calories per pound of food and at least 22 percent protein.
• Unless the dog has a tendency to put on too much weight, give her all the food she wants.
• If she seems to be losing weight, try moistening the food or switching to a more nutritionally dense food.
• Always keep out plenty of fresh water in a clean bowl.

Adjustments During Pregnancy

• Canine pregnancies tend to last about nine weeks. For the first six or seven weeks, food intake shouldn't be that much higher than normal.
• Between weeks six and seven, the female's weight will increase. At this time, put out 25 percent more food.
• In week nine, her appetite may slip or disappear. This is often a sign that the babies will be born in the next day or two. Be sure to consult a book or expert on what behaviors or events to expect and what signs signal trouble.

Lactation

• After the puppies are born comes the most nutritionally challenging time of the dog's life: lactation. Expect her diet to steadily increase over the next 20 to 30 days as the puppies grow and nurse more.
• By the time the first month is through, the mother may be eating two to four times the amount of food she ate before pregnancy.
• Give her all she wants and encourage her to eat by moistening the food.
• In the third or fourth week, the puppies will probably start nibbling at her dish, which is a good way to introduce them to solid food.

Weaning the Puppies

Between six and eight weeks, the puppies are typically weaned. The following process is recommended to help stop milk production and make the transition as easy for the mother as possible.

• On weaning day, do not give the mother any food, only water.
• The next day, give her 1/4 of her pre-pregnancy intake; the next day, 1/2; and the next, 3/4.
• By the fifth day she should be back to her normal diet, although you may increase it for females that have lost weight during pregnancy until she gains her weight back.

Switching Foods

At the beginning of the pregnancy and after lactation stops, you may need to switch the food you are giving the mother. When you change foods, gradually mix the new food in with the old over two weeks. If you gradually increase the amount of new food and decrease the amount of old, you'll make the transition easier on your dog.