If your dog is not spayed or you are trying to breed her, you might be wondering what symptoms to look out for that would indicate a pregnancy. There are similarities and differences to human pregnancy. In contrast to humans, which are pregnant for an incredible nine months, female dogs are only typically pregnant for about 63 days.
Like humans, though, pregnant dogs go through three trimesters. Some dogs even go through morning sickness. For dogs each trimester is about 21 days long. In our article titled How Long Are Dogs Pregnant, we go into greater detail about this.
The best way to guarantee your dog safely gives birth to a litter of adorable newborn puppies is to be prepared and educated in advance about what other signs of pregnancy you should look out for.
Learn everything there is to know about the stages of dog pregnancy so you can decide when it’s time to take your dog to the vet.
Male dogs can sense when a female dog is pregnant. Male dogs can detect changes in a pregnant woman’s behavior, mannerisms, and hormone levels as well as other changes. Due to his frustration at being unable to mate with her, a male dog may exhibit anxious behavior around her.
People constantly notice minute changes in the atmosphere and various chemical reactions. But did you know your dog can do the same?.
What do you do then when your male dog discovers that your female dog is pregnant (probably before you have)?
Fun fact: dogs can also detect pregnancy in their human owners, and frequently before the woman is even aware that she is pregnant, which serves as further evidence of your dog’s ability to detect pregnancy.
Your dog can detect whether a female dog is pregnant even if it has no concept of what pregnancy is. That is so cool!
When Should I Separate an Intact Male Dog From a Pregnant Female?
When a female becomes pregnant, their pack mentality does not weaken as dogs are naturally pack animals. Unlike the belief of most pet owners that male dogs should be kept away from females during the whole duration of their pregnancy, this is only accurate during the last few weeks, when the baby is weaned. Below is a guide on female dog pregnancy stages and when you should separate them from male dogs:
First Three Weeks of Pregnancy
A female dog’s gestation lasts about nine weeks, with the first three weeks of pregnancy being when some shifts are most noticeable. Increased love and affection, swollen nipples, an increase in appetite, vaginal discharge, and a decrease in physical activity are some of the noticeable changes that occur during this time.
Additionally, due to hormonal fluctuations, your female dog may become agitated and growl or snap at her male counterpart. There is no need to separate your male dog from pregnant females if the male dog’s behavior isn’t aggressive.
Second Three Weeks of Pregnancy
For the next three weeks of her pregnancy, the growing puppies may make her more peckish, which might lead to some food guarding. As a result, she ought to be fed alone to prevent dog fights.
20 to 50 percent body weight gain, behavioral changes, clear and odorless vaginal discharge, abdominal enlargement and firmness, a sudden drop in appetite during the sixth week, and visible puppy movements in the belly are all visible changes during this stage of pregnancy. Continue playing and interacting with your male, but not for too long so that your female gets tired.
Final Weeks of Pregnancy
When a female dog is in the final stages of pregnancy, male behavior may be harmful. So, when your female dog is separated from the male, that should be the time. In the final days of the female dog’s pregnancy, the puppies will start to shift into a whelping position in the birth canal because their growth is nearly complete at this time.
She can become accustomed to the whelping area more easily and the risk of disease transmission is reduced by isolation. When the mother and young puppies are three weeks old, keep them away from other dogs. If the male is healthy and up to date on his shots, you can introduce him to the litter. If your male dog is not neutered, keep him away from the female until the puppies are weaned.
Dogs Are Highly Gifted Animals
Dogs have 40 times more brainpower devoted to smell and 60 times more smell receptors than humans. It makes them susceptible animals.
Dogs also pay close attention to their owners’ physical and emotional states. Because of this, many dogs are taught to be service animals.
According to studies, dogs can detect cancer and other infectious diseases by simply smelling someone’s breath.
When a diabetic person’s blood sugar levels are high or low, dogs can tell. People who experience seizures emit specific body odors prior to having a seizure.
Dogs are taught to whine or lick their owners’ hands to alert them.
Due to changes in the female owner’s mood and routine, a dog can also tell if she is pregnant.
The female dog owner frequently becomes aware of her pregnancy before she does. Dogs can always tell if you are significantly more fatigued or extremely nauseous.
Eventually, your dog will learn that a person is growing inside of you if the baby bump is visible.
A dog’s attitude will also change to become overly protective when its owner is pregnant.
FAQ
Does the male dog know when the female dog is pregnant?
Additionally, male dogs have the ability to detect whether a female dog is already pregnant or even experiencing a “false pregnancy.” An occurrence that is unclear but might be connected to the dynamics of wolf packs in the distant past
Why do male dogs have to stay away from pregnant dogs?
This prohibits going for walks in public while pregnant and forbids interacting with the dogs of your roommates. This is being done to stop the spread of infectious diseases, especially Canine Herpes Virus.
How do male dogs act when their owner is pregnant?
Being more affectionate than usual, following their owner around or requesting attention are just a few of the common behaviors that dogs display when their owner is pregnant. Being more watchful or protective, displaying an increased sensitivity to people and surroundings that are typically familiar
How does a male dog act when a female dog is in heat?
An intact male dog will only pay attention to a nearby female in heat if he smells her. Throughout the course of the female dog’s cycle, male dogs may stop eating, become more aggressive, mark more often, and obsess over finding the female dog in heat.