Dog Pregnancy: Signs Your Dog Is Pregnant and What You Can Do To Help

The idea of an adorable litter of puppies romping around your home is exciting. But the stages before you have playful puppies—pregnancy and birth—can feel overwhelming.

There’s a lot to know about dog pregnancy.

How long are dogs pregnant? How do you prepare your home for a dog giving birth?

This guide will answer all your questions about signs of dog pregnancy, and how to help your pup prepare for her litter.

How Long Are Dogs Pregnant?

The time that a dog is pregnant is called the gestation period.

The dog gestation period can last anywhere from 57 to 72 days, with the average dog pregnancy lasting 63 days, or around two months.

The length of pregnancy is the same for all breeds and ages.

How to Care for a Pregnant Dog

The first step of caring for a pregnant dog is finding a veterinarian whose interests include dog pregnancy, whelping (labor), and neonatal (post-birth) care.

The veterinarian can work to keep your dog healthy during and after pregnancy. They will also discuss health risks to the mom and puppies and how to prevent parasites in newborn puppies.

One change to expect is for your dog to gain weight. Compared to her weight at the time of breeding or insemination, a female dog should weigh around 15% to 25% more at the time of birthing.

During the first two trimesters of pregnancy, you can feed your pregnant dog a normal adult diet. You should watch her weight and body condition, increasing food if you notice any weight loss.

After around 40 days of pregnancy, once your dog enters her last trimester, the fetuses will have the most rapid period of growth. The mom-to-be may need you to increase the number of calories you feed her by 25% to 50%.

It’s recommended that you switch a pregnant dog to a growth or puppy diet during the last trimester.

Because of the puppies growing in her abdomen, she will have trouble eating large meals.

Feed your pregnant dog multiple small meals throughout the day. Make sure to transition her slowly to the new diet over a period of seven to 10 days.

A female dog’s highest energy needs will be after she gives birth, when she is making milk for the pups.

She may need two to four times the number of calories she was eating before becoming pregnant. You should feed a diet approved for lactation/reproduction, often the same as a puppy or growth food.

Supplements are not usually recommended for a pregnant dog. Your veterinarian is your best source for knowing if your dog needs anything extra added to her diet.

Don’t give your pup any extra medication, food, or supplements unless approved by your vet.

Make sure your dog is vaccinated before becoming pregnant.

Modified live vaccines (distemper, parvo, parainfluenza) are not recommended for pregnant dogs, except in circumstances where the risk of disease is greater than the risk from vaccines (such as in some animal shelters).

You should continue to give parasite preventives during your dog’s pregnancy, but make sure to check with your veterinarian that your dog’s specific preventives are safe for a pregnant dog.

Dog Pregnancy Symptoms

Early in pregnancy, you may not be able to tell that your dog is going to have puppies. Some dogs may vomit early on in pregnancy, like morning sickness in human women.

As your dog moves further into pregnancy, you may notice:

• A swollen abdomen

• Enlarged nipples

• Nesting behaviors (dragging blankets, digging in a closet)

• Appetite changes

• Weight gain

• Behavioral changes like irritability or clinginess

How Veterinarians Diagnose Pregnancy in Dogs

A veterinarian can diagnose pregnancy in dogs in several ways, including:

• Abdominal ultrasound: This is the most reliable way to diagnose and check pregnancy. During an ultrasound, the veterinarian can see the developing embryos at around three weeks after breeding. They can watch the embryos for proper development and get an exact count of puppies to expect.

• Blood test for relaxin: Relaxin is a hormone made by the placenta (an organ that forms within the mother’s uterus that provides nutrients to the developing fetus through the umbilical cord). Relaxin can be detected around 22 to 27 days after breeding. Relaxin testing may not be correct in small or toy dog breeds, especially if they only have one or two puppies.

• Abdominal palpation: The veterinarian presses on the abdomen and can feel swellings in the uterus where the puppies have implanted. Some veterinarians can count puppies during palpation.

• Abdominal X-rays (radiographs): The bony structures of the puppies are picked up on X-ray. Abdominal X-rays be used in the last trimester of pregnancy. Commonly, abdominal X-rays are used to count the number of fetuses.

Stages of Dog Pregnancy

Before pregnancy, the dog will go into heat.

You will notice swelling of her vulva (external female genitalia) and bloody discharge from her vulva.

She may have swelling of her mammary glands and will show interest in intact (unneutered) males. If she mates with another dog or undergoes artificial insemination, she may become pregnant.

A dog pregnancy has three trimesters, each lasting three weeks.

• Weeks one to three: During the first trimester, you are unlikely to notice big changes. Some early pregnancy dogs may occasionally vomit.

• Weeks four to six: You may notice changes in appetite or abdominal swelling, especially toward the end of the second trimester.

• Weeks seven to nine: Symptoms of pregnancy are the most obvious. Your dog’s energy needs increase during the last trimester. She is preparing to give birth.

Gathering Supplies Before Birth

Pet parents will want to prepare a clean, dry, comfortable place for their dog to give birth. Place a suitable whelping box in the area you want your dog to birth in.

Ideally, the whelping box will have enough space for the mother to move around freely, as well as low sides so she can easily step in and out.

DIY options could include a large cardboard packing case with an open top and side cut out or a small kids’ swimming pool. There are commercial whelping boxes available too.

The whelping box should be lined with newspaper, sheets, or a mat.

This will help with cleanup since a large amount of fluid will be produced during whelping. With adequate lining of the whelping box, pet parents will be able to take out soiled layers without significantly disrupting the mother.

A comfortable blanket can be added to the top, but pet parents should keep in mind that this will get dirty. Puppies are also more likely to get stuck under heavy blankets than they are a newspaper or thin sheet.

3 Stages of Labor

Actual labor occurs in three stages.

• The first stage is uterine contractions and dilation (opening) of the cervix. During the first stage, you may notice your dog showing extreme nesting behavior, panting, and restlessness. This stage usually happens six to 12 hours before giving birth, but it can last up to a day and a half.

• The second stage is when your dog gives birth to a puppy. 

• The third stage is when your dog expels the placenta associated with the puppy. Typically, each puppy will have their own placenta. In dogs, stages two and three happen simultaneously, with each puppy typically followed by their own placenta.

What’s Normal During and After Birth

Because there are two uterine horns in dogs, it’s not uncommon for two puppies to be born followed by two placentas. Puppies generally come out headfirst or tail first with their legs extended straight.

If you notice a clear or white sac coming out from the vulva or a green discharge, a fetus should follow quickly. This is the amniotic sac, which is a fluid-filled sac full of amniotic fluid that surrounds each individual fetus.

It’s normal for the female dog to take up to two hours between each puppy. If you’re expecting more puppies, you should contact a veterinarian if more than two hours have passed without another puppy being born.

While some dogs may be OK with their pet parent hanging around during the birthing, it’s common for dogs to want to give birth alone. We recommend that you give your dog some space while she is birthing.

If your dog makes more progress when left alone, you can watch from afar, check in at regular intervals, or set up a whelping camera.

You should not have to help with the physical act of birthing. If a puppy looks stuck, contact your veterinarian for advice.

It’s not uncommon for mother dogs to eat their placentas. Consumption may result in diarrhea. This is a natural behavior and does not mean anything is wrong.

After your dog is done giving birth, you may notice vaginal discharge called lochia. This discharge can have a green, red, or brown hue. It gets darker and decreases over time, usually lasting around three weeks.

In some cases, discharge continues for up to two months. If you notice that the discharge has a foul odor or is increasing in amount, you should contact a veterinarian.