Canine Gestation

From LoveToKnow Dogs

What can you expect during canine gestation? Quite a lot, actually. Learn more about what goes on during each week of a dog's pregnancy, and get tips on caring for your pregnant dog.

Newborn pup nursing dam

What is Canine Gestation?

Canine gestation is just the scientific term for dog pregnancy. The gestation period begins from the day your dog mates and lasts until the puppies are delivered or "whelped". Gestation lasts from 58 to 67 days on average, or about eight to nine weeks depending on your dog's size (smaller dogs typically have a little shorter pregnancy), the size of the litter and how soon fertilization occurred after the breeding took place.

Sounds simple, doesn't it? However, what's going on inside your dog's reproductive system is anything but simple, and she needs a great deal of care to ensure not only her continued health, but the health and development of her growing pups.

Canine Gestation Calendar

The week-by-week canine gestation calendar below will help you understand how the puppies are developing, as well as the outward changes your dog is going through and how you can support her.


Canine Gestation Calendar
WeekChanges
Zero to One
  • Breeding takes place.
  • Within a few days, the sperm reaches the eggs and fertilization occurs.
Two
  • The fertilized eggs make their way to the uterus for implantation.
  • You may notice behavioral changes in your dog. She may become moody or more affectionate.
Three
  • Implantation has taken place and the embryos begin to develop.
  • Your dog may begin to display mood swings, appetite changes and breast tissue development.
Four
  • Fetuses can be felt in the uterine horns around day 28, and can also be seen by ultrasound.
  • The spinal cords are developing, and the fetuses are beginning to grow facial features.
  • Your bitch's uterus will shortly fill with fluids to protect the fetuses. After this, it will be weeks until the puppies can be felt again.
  • Your dog's appetite will likely increase, so offer her more of her food.
Five
  • The fetuses develop their sex organs and begin to look like actual puppies. The leg buds lengthen and develop toes.
  • Your dog's belly will begin to look noticeably swollen as the pups take up more space.
  • With less room for full meals, it's time to begin serving smaller meals more frequently.
Six
  • Pups continue to grow and pigmentation develops. The eyes now have lids and remain sealed until approximately ten days after birth.
  • Your dog is noticeably more uncomfortable at this point. She may vomit occasionally due to the extra pressure against her stomach.
  • You may also notice clear fluid discharge from her vulva. This is normal.
Seven
  • Puppies are well-developed, and now begin attaining size in preparation for birth.
  • You may be able to see/feel the puppies' movements in your bitch's abdomen.
  • Her breasts are well developed and probably contain a bit of colostrum or "first milk".
  • Your dog is noticeably tired and may begin search for a place to whelp. Time to set up a whelping box.
Eight
  • The pups have fur and are now crowded in the uterus. You may notice a lot of activity as they get into position for the coming birth.
  • Your bitch may begin digging the bedding in the whelping box. This is natural "nesting" behavior.
  • Allow your bitch to feed freely as she is able.
Eight to Nine
  • The pups are ready for birth, and may be quite still as they rest in preparation for the marathon to come.
  • Your dog may appear uncomfortable and restless or anxious.
  • Time to begin taking rectal temperature readings 12 hours apart. Normal temperature is 100 to 101 F; a drop down near 97 F held for two consecutive readings indicates labor will begin within 24 hours.

Nutrition
  • If you're already feeding a balanced diet, there's no need for additional vitamin supplements.
  • As your dog's needs increase, simply offer her more of her current diet.
  • You can add a spoonful of cottage cheese to her evening meal to boost calcium intake in a natural way, but refrain from giving calcium pills. They are too potent and can do more harm than good during the pregnancy.

Activity Level

As you can tell from the canine gestation calendar, it's a good idea to limit any strenuous activity during the first two weeks of pregnancy to ensure implantation takes place. After this time, your dog can resume her normal activities within reason. Once her belly begins to show, it's a good idea to limit her exercise to gentle walks to keep her well toned.

Veterinary Care

An early pregnancy check up and good communication with your vet are generally all that is required to make sure the pregnancy develops as it should. Call your vet if your dog displays any behavior you deem completely unusual or if she displays signs of distress. Do not give vaccinations or worm your dog until after whelping, and only with your vet's supervision.

If you'd like to progress to the next stage, read Delivering Puppies..

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Comments

Hi Missi,

A lot of how large the female's abdomen appears is due to how the pups are positioned in the uterus. If they are a bit more "balled up", the belly could look larger. If they are stretched out, the belly may appear to be a little smaller than before. Either way, it shouldn't be a drastic difference, and as long as you don't see any signs of distress or foul discharge, things are probably going along as they should.

Hope this info sets your mind at ease, and let us know how things turn out. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

sometimes my female brittany spaniels stomch is showing larger then other days. makes me wonder what is going on. she was showing larger at 6weeks along than now at 7weeks along. is it odd that this is happening??? could you give me advice???

-- Contributed by: missi

Hi Maria, and welcome to the site.

Yes, this is normal as long as the mucus is clear and doesn't have a foul odor. You are in the home stretch. If you haven't already read it, check out Delivering Puppies. That article has a lot of good info about the actual delivery process.

Let us know how the litter turns out. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly
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