How many months should a dog be pregnant to give birth to puppies? How to take care of a dog during pregnancy

Jul 26,2025
4Min

How long does it take for a dog to give birth after pregnancy?

The average dog pregnancy cycle is about 2 months. Clinical studies have proven that the correct pregnancy cycle for dogs is generally around 60-70 days, with an average of 63 days. If it is less than 60 days, it is considered premature. Because the physical fitness of individual dogs is different, some dogs will give birth before they are 2 months old, while some dogs may give birth 2 or 3 days later.

How to take care of your dog during pregnancy?

In the early stages of pregnancy, although the mammary gland tissue and uterus of the female dog have been properly developed, there is no need to increase the dog’s energy supply. The last three weeks of a dog's pregnancy are its most important period. Overfeeding in the early stages of dog pregnancy will inevitably lead to unnecessary fat deposition in the female dog to prevent dystocia.

The most reasonable feeding method for dogs during pregnancy is to increase the weekly feeding amount by 15% from the 5th week of pregnancy. When giving birth (9th week), the female dog will eat more food than when breeding. Sixty percent.

If the dog is pregnant with many babies, it may lose its appetite in the week before delivery or 7-10 days before delivery due to the enlargement of the abdomen and the decrease in exercise. At this time, eating small amounts and frequent meals is a good idea. The purpose of scientific feeding is to prevent the female dog from becoming too obese, maintain a normal appetite and provide nutrition to meet the needs of the mother and child. About 2 days before giving birth, the female dog's nipples droop and a small amount of milk can be squeezed out.

Bitch breastfeeding time

Under normal conditions, the dog's lactation period is 45 days. Under normal circumstances, the puppy's weaning period is also about 40 days. Puppies spend the first 2 weeks after birth eating and sleeping, and usually open their eyes around 7-13 days old.

How to take care of a lactating female dog?

Give lactating female dogs highly palatable and easy-to-digest food, using small frequent meals. Ensuring adequate and uninterrupted fresh drinking water is a must, because the main component of breast milk is water. The quantity and quality of protein affects milk production, so supplement with additional high-quality foods rather than just high-fat or just high-carbohydrate foods. If the lactating female dog's diet is nutritionally balanced dog food, there is no need to supplement vitamins and minerals.

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