If your dog's pregnancy is planned, take her to the veterinarian for a check-up before breeding her. Bring her in again about 30 days into the pregnancy. If the pregnancy wasn't planned, take her to the vet as soon as you find out she's pregnant. If you plan to breed your dog, it's recommended that you wait until she's at least 24 months old. By that point she will be mature enough for any relevant medical problems to become apparent. Some dog breeds may be prone to genetic conditions like dental problems, dislocating patellas, hip dysplasia, spine problems, allergies, heart conditions, and/or behavioral problems. It's important to be aware of these conditions before breeding your dog. Unless directly instructed by your vet, you should not give your dog medications unsafe for pregnancy. You also shouldn't have her vaccinated. Your dog should have been vaccinated before she became pregnant so she can pass the antibodies on to her pups. But if not, don't vaccinate her while pregnant, as some vaccines can be harmful to developing fetuses. If using flea control, be sure to use a product that's safe for use on pregnant dogs. Do make sure that your dog is on a deworming program. An untreated mother can pass on roundworms, hookworms, or heartworms to her puppies. The average gestation period for a dog is between 58 and 68 days. Try to accurately pinpoint when conception occurred so you can anticipate labor accordingly. By 45 days into the pregnancy, your vet can use x-rays to detect the number of puppies in the litter. You may also notice nesting behavior and a tendency to want to withdraw or retreat; this is normal and to be expected. Most pregnant dogs who are not overweight should eat puppy food during the last third to the last half of pregnancy. Puppy food typically has more calories than regular adult food, which the mother will need in order to pass on nutrition to the fetuses. Do not supplement her diet with extra calcium unless instructed by your veterinarian. Milk fever, or eclampsia, is common for small breed dogs a few weeks after giving birth. It's more likely to occur if the mother receives an over-supplementation of calcium during pregnancy. The vet will be able to count the number of puppies in the litter using x-rays by 45 days into the pregnancy. If your dog is a large breed like a German shepherd or Labrador, as many as 10 puppies is common. If your dog is a small breed like a Chihuahua or Shih Tzu, 3 or 4 puppies in a litter would be plenty. If the vet can see only one or two puppies, it may pose problems at the time of birth. Fewer puppies mean the puppies will be larger and may be too big to pass through the birth canal naturally. In such cases, a planned C-section is often the best option. Though a planned C-section will be more costly, it will still be cheaper than an emergency C-section. So plan ahead. About a week before your dog is due to begin labor, set up a nesting box in a quiet, private area where she can go to give birth. Help your dog feel comfortable by setting up a cozy box in an area away from other pets. A box or kiddy pool with bedding like clean old towels or blankets works well. As soon as you know your dog's pregnant, whether it was planned or not, begin arranging for homes for the puppies. If you aren't able to find homes for all the puppies, be prepared to keep them yourself until you can find them a home. Thousands of dogs end up in over-crowded shelters because irresponsible owners breed their dogs without providing homes for the puppies. Don't be part of the problem. Prepare to live with puppies for at least 8 weeks before they leave your house for new homes. In certain states like California, it's illegal to adopt out a puppy younger than 8 weeks of age. To ensure the puppies go to good homes, have an application process and ask questions of the interested parties. It's also a good idea to charge a modest amount for each puppy. This ensures the interested parties are serious about and committed to adopting the puppy. Newborn puppies will need to eat every 2-4 hours around the clock. Have formula on hand in case a puppy has trouble nursing. You can buy puppy formula at most pet supply stores. To protect the mother and her puppies from contracting illness or disease like canine herpes, confine her away from all other dogs in the three weeks leading up to her expected delivery date. It's also highly advisable to keep the mother away from other dogs for three weeks following the delivery.

Summary: Take your dog to the veterinarian. Be careful of giving your pregnant dog medication or vaccines. Understand the normal progression of pregnancy. Discuss proper nutrition with your veterinarian. Have your veterinarian take x-rays of the puppies. Prepare a nesting area. Arrange for homes for the puppies. Buy puppy formula ahead of time. Isolate the mother three weeks before expected delivery.

Lean towards your partner to make it easier for you to unhook your leg from the back of the chair. Be firm, but not too rough. Push your chest closer to your partner while pushing your butt and back out for balance. Slowly push back on their shoulders until your feet are firmly planted in standing position and you've found your balance. Don't leave the chair like you're walking out to a business meeting. Continue to work your hips and run your hands across your body as you remove yourself from the chair. Once you're off -- stay hot and prepare for whatever happens next.

Summary: Unwrap one leg from the back of the chair, then the other. Place your hands on your partner's shoulders. Keep your butt perched in the air. Use their body to move yourself into standing position. Stay sexy.

You will need white vinegar, water, an empty spray bottle, and newspaper. It's also a good idea to ventilate the area so the smell of vinegar does not become overwhelming. Distilled water works best, as it contains the lowest amounts of contaminants and minerals. While steel wool removes dirt and grime from your windows, the vinegar removes grease and oils. Using both will leave you with sparkling, streak-free windows. Fill a spray bottle with this solution. Make sure the solution is mixed thoroughly. If you don't like the smell of vinegar, you could add a few drops of essential oil to your solution to mask the smell. If you don't have vinegar on hand, you can use lemon juice in its place. Don't dilute it, just use straight lemon juice in place of the vinegar and follow the same steps. Evenly coat the window, but don't use too much. You don't want a dripping, sloppy mess. Do this systematically: start at the top left corner and work your way to the right, then move down and work from the left to right again. Newspaper cleans glass better than paper towels, which leave streaky marks. You may want to wear gloves, as the newsprint could stain your hands. If you missed any areas, scrub them with a bit of the damp newspaper. Don't spray the solution directly onto the window, as you would likely have to clean the entire window again. If you still have streaks on your windows, mix 2 cups (470mL) of water, 14 cup (59mL) of vinegar and 12 teaspoon (2.5mL) of dish soap in a spray bottle. Spray the window and wipe it clean. This will help you catch any bits of dust or dirt left behind, and ensure your entire window area is clean. Enjoy your sparkling, streak-free windows!
Summary: Gather your materials. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water. Spray the solution onto your window. Scrub your window with newspaper. Check for streaks or marks. Wipe down the window frame and sills.