I’m not a dog breeder. So I’m basically going on research and what I know (or what my friend has told me). She breeds Pomeranians and German shepherds. I imagine that the pregnancy of a dog really depends on the size of the dog. A golden retriever is on the larger side of the scale and would probably be different from the pregnancy of a Yorkshire terrier.
From the gist of it, I gather that most dogs are pregnant for 63 days. Now, this does not count for any complications that may arise. Before we go any further, the only sure way to know that your girl is pregnant is to bring her down to the vet.
Every dog is unique and behaves differently during their pregnancy. However, there are a few symptoms that are more common than others. Early in the pregnancy, your Golden Retriever may usually become even more affectionate than normal. She may follow you around a lot wanting to be petted constantly. Of course there is a contrast to your dog’s individual personality; she may instead want to be left alone a bit more than normal.
Other symptoms include the nipples becoming slightly enlarged and softer than they were before. Her appetite will actually decrease, rather than increase. Your dog may have a version of morning sickness where she will actually throw up some of her food. Just like people.
This is nothing to be alarmed about, as it will go away after a couple of weeks, but then restart later in her pregnancy. Her sleep habits will probably change, as a dog will sleep more than normal.
Your dog will need special care throughout her pregnancy concerning various things such as vaccinations, de-wormings, diet, and activity level. During the middle part of her pregnancy, her appetite will come back full force. She will eat a large amount of food and sometimes will still be hungry. Dog pregnancy symptoms during the middle part of the pregnancy will not be as obvious, other than the amount of food that she is consuming. She will return to her playful self, and her behavior will be back to normal.
Some symptoms may include a larger belly at this time, but not always. If you feel her belly, it should feel a bit firmer than it used to. There are puppies in there!
Big Pup, Little Pup
Picture taken from: http://zoonarea.com/
As she gets farther along, there will be several other symptoms:
• Her appetite will decrease once again, and she will nibble on her food from time to time, but not really eat a whole meal at once.
• You may be tempted to start giving her vitamins or a special diet due to her loss of appetite. Do not do this, as you may inadvertently cause a calcium imbalance which can lead to milk fever, a very serious and fatal condition.
• She may start urinating more often and an increase in sleeping patterns will return.
• Her nipples will be quite big, and usually her belly will be growing much bigger also.
Sometimes, the dog’s belly may not even be big at all, but she is indeed carrying little pups. Before you know it, you’ll be hearing the little pitter patter of paws!
Big Pup, Little Pup
