Getting ready

I reviewed my records and noted that Juliette hadn't given much warning prior to her previous whelp, but that is common with small litters (only had two pups).  I had an unexpected trip out of town last weekend, and hadn't even had time to take down the puppy pen from Bridget's litter.  The last of Bridget's pups had left on Friday.  The whelping pool typically goes in the same place as the puppy pen.  On Tuesday night, I managed to get the pen taken down and the living room cleaned up, and was planning to bring out the whelping supplies Wed AM.  Juliette ate her dinner, was hanging out in the plastic crate (a favorite prewhelping den), and doing a little nesting behavior (scratching and rooting around in the crate).   I looked her over before bedtime and noted that she had begun to lactate and her ligaments were starting to loosen.  Looked like we were on track for whelping in the next 24-48 hours.