My Chihuahua IS pregnant

Question:
 :o Hello everyone.... I wanted to thank you all For your replies when I made my last post. At that time I was not sure if she was pregnant or not. SInce then she has been showings signs of pregnancy. I have not felt the puppies or anything but she has started showing some. I am going to go out and get some of the stuff that I will need to have. I am going to make her a welping box but I thought I would ask any of you if you have some ideas of how to do this and what else might need. I am assuming since there are no replies here that maybe no one knows what I am going to need. I was told to use a cardboard storage box and cut an opening for the mother to go in and out of. I am thinking I will just put her fave blanket in the box but how do I keep the male out??? I was also told to get lots of clean dry towels and some dental floss and also some sharp siccors. One question I have is when she starts to have the puppies can I take the top off the box so that I can help and encourage her or do I just sit near by and peek in once in a while. I wish I knew for sure that she is pregnant. I am like 85% sure. thanks for the help Dorrie
Answer:
 Sorry, I am not online every day - with two small kids I have to divide my time on the boards and sites I help on along with dealing with my own students. Your vet can tell for certain when she is further along in her pregnancy and the bones in the pups have calcified and will show on xray. I would NOT use a cardboard box for whelping a litter as you need something you can clean and she will not shred up. A cardboard box will get soaked with birth fluids, blood and urine. You can build a wooden box and put linoleum tile on the bottom to help facilitate cleaning, the bottom of a airline crate works great for smaller dogs (just block off the front so pups do not wriggle out of it but mom can get out). You can borrow a whelping/puppy pen from a breeder or buy one yourself (these are raised pens that have covers so the mother cannot get out if you need her to stay there), etc. Please note you HAVE TO BE IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH YOUR VET as Chis are a breed known to need medical intervention during birth (like c sections) due on part to the head size the pups can have also since the pups are often only a couple in number, they can grow larger and get stuck. Get off the boards and work with your vet - you have a higher risk whelping breed. You also need to learn how to handrear pups just incase you lose the mother or she refuses to care for the pups or you have a weak pup needing support. I also want you to read these sites as they have a LOT of good info you can apply to your girl along with that close contact with the vet: http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/whelping.html http://www.showpaps.com/breeding.htm http://www.dogbiz.com/books-dog-breeding.htm (listv of excellent books - many are through amazon.com http://www.phi-vestavia.com/whelpingmanagement.htm http://www.jimanie.com/lists/archive16.html (written by a vet)
Answer:
 Thank you so much for all your help. I will definately go to those sites that you recommended. I have been going to sites etc all alone. I have been in contact with my vet and they are aware of what is going on. My vet actually advised against getting the xray done due to the exposure to the puppies. He just told me to keep waiting and see, but to be prepared if she is. If she isn't showing signs or anything by next week he told me to bring her in and he would see what he could do to see if in fact she is preg. I do know that Chi's are a high risk breed and I have all the emergency phone numbers on a card by the phone and also one above the whelping box. I have most of the stuff that has been listed as being what I need. A friend of mine is bringing me over a stethoscope so I can listen and see if there are heart beats. Once again thank you for the info. Dorrie