For the sake of your own mental health, only mate your bitch if you are sure you can cope with everything she will go through.

Carrying a litter can put a huge stress on a pregnant dog. Her body will undergo some dramatic changes and she'll need lots of extra care and attention. So before mating your bitch, you will need to bear these changes in mind and decide if you are prepared to cope with them. And it's always a good idea to contact your vet or a registered breeder to discuss the pros and cons.

An expectant mother will require increasing amounts of high-quality food to nourish her and the developing litter. Proper nutrients and minerals are vital for the puppies, while the mother will require more protein than usual for nursing in the early days of rapid growth.

A high-energy food such as an 'active' or puppy formula will provide the additional calories and higher levels of other key nutrients she needs. As with the transition to any new food, moving to this high-energy formula should be done on a gradual basis, from approximately the sixth week of pregnancy.

In the later stages of her pregnancy, there will also be less room in her tummy for food, so feeding little and often is the key. Always ensure a fresh bowl of drinking water is available.

Remember also that obesity can be a dangerous problem for pregnant dogs, although pregnancy is not the time to introduce a weight-loss program. Your vet can help you choose the right nutrition plan for your pet.

Regular walking helps the expectant mother keep up her strength, but intensive training, showing or even obedience schooling is probably too stressful (and inadvertent knocks to the body could damage the unborn puppies).

By staying fit, she will be much more capable of handling the labour. Your pregnant bitch won't be particularly delicate at first, but as the pregnancy continues, walking will become increasingly tiring and uncomfortable. When that is clearly the case, reduce the duration but increase the frequency of exercise.

Your dog should not be vaccinated during pregnancy. Ideally, she will have had a series of boosters just prior to breeding. Healthy mothers pass on their immunity to puppies in the first milk they produce, so it's good to ensure antibody levels are at their peak.

Flea control and worming are especially important both during pregnancy and after the puppies are born, so seek your vet's advice.

Roundworms and hookworms can be transmitted from the pregnant mother to her unborn puppies, so take preventative measures with pregnancy-safe products.

During the final two weeks, build the mother a 'nest' where she can feel warm, comfortable and safe for the delivery. A cardboard box filled with blankets, sheets or old towels works particularly well.

Place the nest in a quiet spot where she won't be disturbed, ideally close to a heater and in a draft free spot. The ideal temperature is 25 to 30°C for the first few days, and can then be reduced to 22°C. as long as there are no draughts.