Instructions
Wait until the mother dog has thoroughly cleaned all of the puppies and you are certain that her labor and delivery is complete. A good rule of thumb is to wait at least four to six hours after the birth of the last puppy before beginning to handle the pups, however, it is advisable to wait two to three days before sexing the pups to allow the mother dog and puppies adequate time to settle.
Have someone take the mother dog for a light walk or into a separate room to eat. This is especially important in instances where it is obvious that the mother dog does not want you near her puppies. If this is the case, it may be difficult to make her leave her new babies. Be patient with her, and wait until she is comfortable leaving her young. If she is not stressed at the prospect of you handling her young, you may be able to check the sex of the babies with her remaining in the room.
Put on a pair of rubber gloves before handling the pups. Not only will this prevent them from contact with any germs you may have on your hands, but it will prevent your personal scent from transferring to the puppies. Handling the puppies bare-handed may cause the mother to clean them excessively to remove your scent which can cause hair and skin problems, or can cause her to pull at the pup's umbilical cord, resulting in an umbilical hernia.
Gently pick up the puppy and roll it onto its back to examine its belly. The umbilical cord of the puppy will be located in the middle of the stomach. On male dogs, a few inches below the umbilical cord you will be able to see the small prepuce that contains the penis. This small bump will not be present on female pups and with the exception of the umbilical cord, the belly will be smooth.
How to Tell Male & Female Dogs Apart at Birth
When your dog has puppies, one of the first things that you will want to know is what sex the new pups are. Determining the sex of a newborn puppy is easy, though it does take care and caution to ensure the mother does not become stressed and aggravated with someone handling her young offspring. Even if your dog is very comfortable with you handling her young, this task should still be performed gently and quickly to make sure mom and her puppies can get the rest they need.