It’s exciting and joyous to welcome a new litter of puppies into this world, your home, and life. However, there is a lot of information you need to know if you are thinking of breeding your furry friend. Healthy puppies can be ensured by understanding the signals and time of successful whelping. You should understand your breed’s standards and your responsibilities in producing healthy puppies. You’ll also need to know how to recognize the signs of pregnancy in canines and how to best care for your expecting pet. All of your queries have been addressed in this article.

Signs of Dog Pregnancy

Change in appetite

Depending on the dog and her stage of pregnancy, a pregnant dog’s appetite might fluctuate in a variety of ways. Your pregnant dog may eat less or perhaps vomit sometimes early or midway through the pregnancy. Your dog may consume more than normal and be unhappy with her meals. The changes in your dog’s hormones cause these swings.

Discolored or enlarged nipples

Normally,  the nipples of a female dog are small in size, but during the early stages of pregnancy, her nipples swell in size. In comparison to their regular flatness, the areolas also become more rounded. Your dog’s nipples may also turn a darker red than usual, indicating increased blood flow. Her nipples may start to leak milk occasionally later in the pregnancy.

Weight gain and Swollen belly

Your dog’s abdomen will grow in size as the puppies grow older. This is one of the most obvious signs of a dog’s pregnancy, especially if your dog’s abrupt weight gain is unrelated to anything else. However, abdominal enlargement comes later in your dog’s pregnancy, so if you observe this sign along with some others, it’s time to take your female dog to the vet for professional assistance.

By the end of the pregnancy, in medium and small dog breeds, the bitches weight gain should not surpass 30% of her optimal weight, and in giant and large dog breeds, weight should not exceed 25%. Calcium supplements aren’t necessary for your bitch. It will suffice to eat high-quality meals.

Tires more easily

Your female dog can be pregnant if she’s easily weary or spends a lot of time napping. This reduction in fun or activity should be regarded carefully by dogs who are generally energetic and active. It may be difficult to detect a reduction in energy in dogs who already love sleeping all day. If that’s the case, pay attention to how soon your female dog becomes tired during a stroll or walk.

Nesting behavior

You might see your dog shredding bedding and other available materials to make a nest during the last few weeks of pregnancy. It’s advisable to keep her away from tiny children during this period because she may become irritable and reclusive. In comparison to humans, dogs have a comparatively short gestation period of 56-70 days.

In comparison to humans, dogs have a comparatively short gestation period of 56-70 days. As a result, recognizing pregnancy indicators early is critical to ensure safe and comfortable delivery. Your dog’s veterinarian can offer you all of the information and instructions you need to properly look after your pregnant female dog after a thorough examination.

Unusual behavior 

Your dog’s physique will change dramatically, and their behavior will be impacted as a result. You might notice some mood swings or changes in your female dog’s behavior. When this happens, some dogs may become too clingy and affectionate, remaining by your side and feeling sad if their people leave, whilst other dogs may become irritable and try to avoid any affection and close contact at all costs. 

She may, for example, seek her owner’s love and comfort more frequently. A pregnant dog may spend more time by your side, seeking additional attention and care. A pregnant dog, on the other hand, may suddenly prefer to be alone and not to be petted or bothered; when you will give attention to your fur baby, she may appear depressed or even irritated. These kinds of sudden changes in their behavior could indicate her pregnancy.

The most accurate way to tell if a dog is pregnant.

Palpation 

Your veterinarian can perform abdominal palpation around the 28-30-day mark if you know when she was bred. The puppies feel like small golf balls or grapes at this time in the pregnancy, depending on the dog’s size. Fluid-filled sacs encircle the fetus in these “balls.” Without the help of a veterinarian, abdominal palpation should not be done since it may harm the pups. After one month, the sacks lose their characteristic structure, therefore timing is crucial for this test.

Hormone test 

Your veterinarian can run a blood test to determine if the female dog is releasing the hormone relaxin at around 25-to-30 days of pregnancy. The test is fairly accurate because relaxin is only manufactured during pregnancy.

Ultrasound 

It’s a tremendous responsibility to breed a dog, and there’s a lot to understand about a canine pregnancy. Between 25 and 35 days of pregnancy, your veterinarian can do an ultrasound. Ultrasounds can generally identify fetal heartbeats, allowing you to determine the number of puppies your bitch is expecting

X-ray

One of the most reliable methods for determining whether or not a bitch is pregnant is to use x-rays. However, because the puppies’ skeletal systems do not show up on an x-ray until they are 55 days old or older, this is best done when they are at least 55 days old.  That X-ray will help you figure out how many puppies your pregnant dog has conceived and when she is done giving birth.

Caring for a Pregnant Dog

Proper Nutrition

Ensuring that your pregnant bitch gets adequate nutrition is one of the most critical things you can do for her. You won’t have to make any adjustments to your dog’s diet for the first two-thirds of her pregnancy if she’s already eating decent quality nutritious dog food and is a healthy weight unless your veterinarian tells you otherwise. Increasing the amount of diet can be hazardous at this point.

Veterinary experts advocate progressively increasing her food consumption as her weight rises in the latter weeks of her pregnancy until she consumes 35 to 50 percent more than usual. Large meals can cause pain, so gradually increase her intake and offer her little, regular meals.

Exercise

Some veterinarians feel that minimizing vigorous exercise during the first two weeks of pregnancy can improve embryo implantation. Normal exercise is fine after that, as long as your dog’s belly isn’t too bloated. The optimum activity for your female pregnant dog during her last trimester isn’t too rigorous. It is recommended that the mother-to-be take probably more frequent and brief walks because she needs her energy to carry the puppies and feed them.

Visits to the Vet

Take your dog to the vet for a prenatal examination before breeding her. Her vaccines should be current. Before mating, your veterinarian will likely recommend either a fecal exam to check for intestinal parasites or just having your dog dewormed using a medicine that is appropriate for your dog.

Inquire with your veterinarian about what to do if an emergency arises near the time of planned labor, and make a plan with your family and pet caregiver. Visiting the veterinarian regularly might help your  bitch stay healthy while she’s pregnant.

When your veterinarian verifies your dog’s pregnancy, they’ll check for any mechanical or anatomical issues that could hinder your dog from delivering a normal litter. This is a great time to explore whether a cesarean section or a natural birth should be considered and scheduled in advance.

General FAQs-

How to know when My dog is in heat?

You’ll be better prepared for any physical or behavioral changes that occur during your dog’s heat cycle if you’re aware of her cycle. You’ll observe different changes during each phase of her heat cycle, which may include the seven indicators listed below:

• Genital licking is excessive
• A bloody or straw-colored discharge is produced by the vulva.
• Vulva swollen
• Tail position shifts
• Increased frequency of urination
• Male dogs are welcomed.
• Increase in agitation, nervousness, or aggression 

How long do dogs stay pregnant?

Dogs typically have a gestation length of 63 days from conception, though this might vary by a few days. While this may appear to be a simple response, it is frequently difficult to identify when a puppy is conceived. Because sperm can linger for many days within a female and eggs can be viable for up to 48 hours, the act of mating isn’t a precise measurement of the gestation period. Without the help of a veterinarian, predicting the length of a pregnancy is difficult.

Is it possible for a dog to appear pregnant without actually being pregnant?

Pseudocyesis, known as Phantom pregnancy, false or pseudopregnancy, is a prevalent disorder in which physical and behavioral symptoms of pregnancy can be exhibited by an unspayed female dog. But,

there won’t be any small paws in your house anytime soon, even though they act and even appear pregnant. Regardless of whether or not your female dog was mated, she might have a false pregnancy.

After the female dog has been in heat for four to nine weeks, the problem usually becomes visible. Within one to four weeks, it should clear up naturally. Most female dogs, according to some veterinarians, will experience some phantom pregnancy symptoms following each heat cycle, though these are usually too minor to cause problems.

Unless female dogs are spayed, it is estimated that half of all female dogs will have a phantom pregnancy during their lifespan. The probability is as high as 75% in some breeds, such as Dachshunds or Beagles. If you don’t get your canine spayed before she’s next in season, she’ll likely have more phantom pregnancies in the future.

Can brother and sister dogs have puppies?

When a sister and brother dog mate and have offspring, this is referred to as inbreeding. Dogs can technically mate with any other member of their genetic family who is genetically related to them. Sibling mating, on the other hand, is a much more regular occurrence. These incestuous relationships are far more widespread than most people believe.

So, it is possible to breed sibling dogs, but it is not recommended because this is called in-breeding and poses the risk of selecting particular genes that can increase the likelihood of a variety of diseases and deformities.

How many puppies do dogs have in a year?

This occurs twice a year on average, but it varies from dog to dog. Three cycles per year may be considered normal for some female dogs. Cycles can differ in length and occur at different times. The cycle of a female dog can take some time to become regular.

Assume that from the first year of her existence until she was eight years old, a female had two litters per year. What’s going on here, exactly? A single female dog, with an average litter size of five puppies, may theoretically generate up to 70 puppies throughout her entire life.