Your female dog is expecting little puppies, and you don’t know how best to take care of her at this time in her life? I have prepared some helpful tips for caring for a pregnant dog.
The symptoms of pregnancy in a dog are vomiting, a decrease in well-being, and an increase in quadruped abdominal circumference. The entire gestation period for a dog lasts about two months. During this time, the dog will require increased care from you. Regular check-ups with your veterinarian will be necessary to monitor the progress of your pregnancy.
What you will learn from this article:
- A dog’s pregnancy lasts about two months
- For the initial duration of your dog’s pregnancy, you may not notice that your dog is expecting puppies.
- You must take your dog for regular check-ups with the vet during pregnancy to ensure everything is okay.
Dog Pregnancy
The birth of puppies is a beautiful event. Is there anything more adorable than tiny puppies whose first moments will take place under your care? However, before the little dogs appear among us, your pet will face a difficult task: the dog’s pregnancy. Your job will be to care for the pregnant dog so that she feels safe and comfortable.
A dog pregnancy is a significant event for your four-legged friends and yours. It will require a lot of commitment from you and, above all, having the proper knowledge about caring for a pregnant dog.
That’s why I come to help. First, you have my support, and I am sure you will cope with this responsible task. After this event, your bond with your pet will become even more robust.
How to recognize a dog’s pregnancy
Let’s start from the beginning, and you probably wonder how you will know that your female dog is pregnant. Contrary to appearances, it is not as easy as it might seem. No signs of the dog becoming pregnant have been visible for a long time.
So how will you be able to tell if your pet will have puppies? A dog’s initial signs of pregnancy are very familiar to us humans. These include general weakness and vomiting. A visible lack of appetite in the pooch often accompanies this.
Around the fifth week of pregnancy, your dog’s body changes visibly—the circumference of the dog’s abdomen increases. In addition, you can notice that the mammary glands are larger. At this stage of pregnancy, the temporary lack of appetite subsides.
The dog eats a lot, definitely more than once a day. That is entirely normal because the female dog’s body needs a lot more energy when she expects the birth of small puppies.
What to do when you notice that your dog is pregnant
You may wonder what the next step should be after realizing that your female dog may be pregnant. The first thing you should do is take her to the vet.
The dog doctor will perform an ultrasound and any necessary tests to check how the dog’s pregnancy is progressing. That is very important because a quick reaction is essential in any irregularities. If the dog’s pregnancy is in any way at risk, the care of the dog will look different.
How to care for a pregnant dog
A dog who is expecting puppies will require special care from you. From now on, you are responsible not only for your quadruped but also for his future babies.
Take care of your dog’s diet
A proper diet is the basis of a dog’s health. Whether the dog’s body is supplied with the right amount of vitamins and minerals depends on his well-being, strength, and energy to act. Diet for a pregnant dog is essential.
Therefore, if you want to be sure that your dog’s menu contains everything he needs, I refer you to my entry devoted to this topic, which you will find HERE. You will learn what a healthy, wholesome dog diet should contain.
However, just composing a dog’s meal is not everything. The portions of food you give your pet during pregnancy should be more significant than before. Of course, everything is within reason. I am well aware of the saying that you eat for two during pregnancy, but giving your pregnant bitch twice as much as usual will be too much.
Make her comfortable
In the vast majority of cases, dogs have multiple pregnancies. Consequently, it can be difficult for the pet to function with such a large belly when it is close to the due date.
Therefore, you must ensure that your pregnant female dog feels entirely comfortable during this demanding period. Make sure her sleep is as adequate as possible.
For this purpose, she chose a bed she could easily lie on, despite her huge belly. For my part, I recommend the CLASSIC bed from Bowl&Bone Republic, thoroughly tested by my dog. I am sure this bed will provide your pet with the comfort it needs.
If you take your pregnant dog with you, ensure she is comfortable even when travelling. A soft blanket should be the basis of your layette. Let the material that is pleasant to the touch provide her with comfort and safety.
Dog bed |CLASSIC brown
Keep your dog calm
A dog awaiting the birth of puppies needs a lot of peace. Try to keep any stressful situations for the canine to an absolute minimum. I know that you know your pet and what he likes and doesn’t. Therefore, pay special attention to situations that could be a potential source of stress.
If you know your pet does not like new people appearing at home, limit these visits during pregnancy. Similarly, if a pregnant female dog bristles at the sight of other dogs. May it be when her life is full of peace and relaxation.
If you want to learn a little more about keeping your dog relaxed, I refer you to my post on this subject, which you can find HERE.
Veterinary check-ups
A dog’s pregnancy requires constant vet control. Of course, if you notice that anything disturbing is happening to your pet’s health, go to see the doctor. In the event of pregnancy, any delay in action may be a threat to the canine or his future puppies.
In addition to emergencies that require a quick response, you also need to remember about regular visits to the vet. During such a check-up, the doctor checks whether the pregnancy is proceeding normally and will also be able to assess the general health of the bitch. Taking care of your pet in every possible way during this time is very important.
Childbirth in a dog
The moment of birth of puppies is a significant event. You can deliver your dog independently if you feel fully able. There are no medical contraindications to it.
Of course, if you don’t feel that giving birth to your dog is something you can handle without stress, you can ask your vet for help. Usually, in such situations, the doctor comes for a home visit, so the dog does not have to stress about the journey.
The vet attends the delivery and helps to take care of the puppies in the first moments of their lives. The female dog will also need to be examined. Childbirth for a dog is a lot of effort, so it will need time to recover.
After the puppies are born, the veterinarian will check that your pup can feed his young. If the dog’s body does not allow it for various reasons, then your task will be to give puppies milk created for such little ones.
That is the moment when your dog care will require much more dedication and commitment.
Your dog is expecting puppies
The birth of small dogs is a great event and a huge responsibility for you as a guardian. If you do not leave the puppies to be brought up at your place, try finding a new home early enough.
Have you already been pregnant with your pooch? Or maybe this extraordinary time is just ahead of you? Please share your story with me in the comment below.
If you have any questions or want me to discuss a topic in the next post, share it in the comments section.
or CANADA 
PLEASE join us at