Dog Pregnancy

After careful consideration and research, you have bred your dog to a suitable male. Now it's time to look for signs of pregnancy. One of the first signs indicating she is going to have puppies is the enlargement of her nipples. This will begin about two weeks after conception, but often it takes up to a month. This is a good time to take her to the vet so he can confirm her pregnancy. The veterinarian can usually tell if she is pregnant just by feeling her belly, but a blood test will do the trick as well.

Dogs gestate their puppies for approximately 65 days. Pregnant dogs tend to act differently, due to hormones as well as the natural mothering instinct. They will slow down tremendously, becoming less active. In about her 6th week, she will need to be fed up to 50 percent more than usual, and it is important that her diet is healthy and balanced. If a dog's belly is especially large, she is probably having a large litter, and should be fed accordingly. Further, if her litter is large, she will generally only 'show' for about a week before delivering, often prematurely. Each stage of pregnancy is about 3 weeks long.

Some dogs actually experience normal 'morning sickness' with their hormonal changes. This can affect appetite. They also may hoard food or show signs of depression or irritability. These usually appear in further stages of pregnancy. The last pregnancy stage is after the dog has given birth, she can usually do this on her own, but if things don't seem to be progressing well, or she's gone over 65 days, its time to call the vet.