Q: The average time it takes for a dog pregnancy is 63 days from the time of mating. Once you have calculated this time frame, you will be able to tell when she will give birth and make all of your plans from there. In some cases, you will know when the dog mated, such as if you are purposely mating your dog, and so you will be able to determine when the puppies should be born. However, there are some times when you don't know when the mating occurred. If this is the case, you will need to ask your veterinarian for an estimation for when the puppies should come. Remember that not all dogs are the same, so this will be different depending on the breed and characteristics of your dog. The whelping box is the place where your dog will give birth to the puppies and care for them afterward. You will need a box that is at least twice the size of your dog. The sides should be tall enough so that it can get in and out easily but the puppies cannot, so ideally they will be about 12 inches (30cm) tall. However, this can vary depending on the size of your dog. You can make the whelping box yourself or you can buy one off the Internet. Making your whelping box is good because it saves money, but commercial ones are sturdier. Some people use hard plastic kiddie pools as whelping boxes. They are typically the right size and height, and can be cleaned easily. Your dog will need peace and quiet while it is giving birth. It will also want some privacy while caring for its newborns. Pick a spot to put the whelping box where your dog can be alone. Typically, an extra bedroom or a large closet work well. Having too much activity around the whelping box can make the new mother defensive and agitated, which can make caring for her and the puppies more difficult. This bedding will need to be replaced as it gets dirty, so towels are a good choice. Put a layer that covers the entire bottom surface of the box, so that your dog is very warm and comfy. It is a good idea to put a heat pad set on 'low' underneath the towels so that the puppies can be warm when in the whelping box and feed off their mother. You will need a thermometer for taking your dog's temperature, a pair of sterilized scissors, dental floss, examination gloves, suction bulb, food and water dishes, and a scale for weighing the puppies. You should also keep a notepad handy to record times of birth and weight. Place all of these items near the whelping box, so that they are nearby when you need them. The scissors and dental floss are used for tying off the puppies' umbilical cords. In some cases, a mother dog will not be able to produce enough food to keep her puppies fed. If this is the case, you will need to feed the puppies formula. Since it's important for puppies to get nutrients right away if you discover they are undernourished, it's a good idea to have some formula on hand just in case. Formula and bottles for newborn puppies are available from online retailers and from most pet stores.
A: Determine when the puppies will be born. Get a whelping box. Put the whelping box in a calm and quiet spot. Fill the whelping box with soft, warm bedding. Get other birthing equipment ready. Purchase extra food and bottles for the puppies.

Q: Go along the prescribed route for evacuating the building. If you don't know where the nearest exit is, look for "Exit" signs as you move down the hallways. These signs will usually be in red (or green in the UK) and sometimes will be lighted. When you're in a real fire, you must check doors for heat as you come up to them. Look for smoke coming under the door, and place your hand near the door to see if it is radiating heat. If you see neither of these signs, try lightly touching the door handle to see if it is hot. In a real fire, if you find any of these signs, you must go another route. You should not use elevators during a fire drill. During a real fire, elevators are used by the firefighters to help fight the fire. Plus, elevators can be dangerous during a fire. In addition, stairways are usually pressurized, meaning they will not be as smoky as other areas. Sometimes, the people doing the drill will put up "smoke" signs in certain hallways to simulate what happens in a real fire. If you see a smoke sign, you need to find an alternative route out of the building. If that's the only way out, practice crawling low. When there's smoke, getting down low can help you see better.
A: Move to the nearest exit. Check doors for heat. Take the stairs. Watch for "smoke" signs.

Q: Line the muffin cup baking pans with 16 paper liners.
A: Preheat your oven to 350F (180C). Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Remove the pan from the stove. Stir in the sugar, eggs and vanilla with a large wooden spoon. Add the cocoa, flour, salt and baking powder, beating well after each addition.

Q: Regardless of your financial goal, saving will be a central component. Whether your objective is to purchase a house, retire early, or pay for a child's education, saving will be the key means by which you accomplish the goal. Refer to your budget for this. Look at your monthly expenses, and find areas of non-essential spending that can be cut. For example, if you eat out three times a month, or buy lunch at work everyday, focus on eating out once a month, or bringing a lunch to work. Look at your budget and decide what is a "want" and what is a "need". Look to the "wants" area for savings. Similarly, look at what you consider "needs", and ask yourself if they are truly needs. For example, your cell-phone may be a need, but you may not need a 3GB data plan, and instead can get by on 1GB. Begin by opening insured account at a reputable bank. Experts recommend the method of "paying yourself first," which means that each pay period, you commit to setting a certain amount aside for savings as part of your budget.You can make an arrangement with many banks to automatically withdraw a set amount of money from your paycheck for this purpose. Save an amount that you are comfortable with, given your needs and expenses. The amount you save can increase (or decrease) as time goes on. The important thing is to save something, even if it is just a small amount. Saving ten percent of your income is a good place to begin, but saving anything is better than nothing. Saving even a small amount in an interest-earning account (checking, savings, CD, etc.) will be beneficial because of the power of compounding. This means that the interest your money (principle) earns becomes added to the principle in time, which then earns more interest, and so oncausing the overall value of the account to grow. Practice makes perfect. By saving a set amount each month, or "paying yourself first", it will become automatic and you will learn to live without the saved money as if it wasn't there to begin with. View the saved money as an essential expense, just like rent or mortgage payments. Experts recommend setting aside enough money to cover your needs for at least three months as an emergency fund in case of job loss, major illness, etc. Keep these funds in an insured bank account so they will be both protected and easily available when you need them. You can also protect yourself against financial problems by being properly insured. If you have questions about homeowner's/renters, health, life, unemployment, disability, or car insurance, talk to your relevant agent. If there are government- or employer-based savings incentives available (such as for education or retirement), consider taking advantage of them. If your government or employer is able to contribute to these savings plans or offer other kinds of benefits (such as tax relief), it may help you get closer to your financial goals. In the United States, for example, you may have access to a 401(k) retirement account through your employer, who may also match a certain amount of your contributions and increase the value of the account. Similarly, anyone can open an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), which can have tax benefits.
A:
Find savings. Learn to make saving a habit. Build an emergency fund. Take advantage of any special savings benefits.