The dog entered the period of full maturation and is ready to mate. If you want to breed puppies, then you should prepare that this will be an uneasy and responsible business. Very carefully study the rules of caring for future women in labor, carefully calculate their diet, spend more time with them. It is necessary to rearrange the schedule of walks and food of the animal, whose body will soon begin to experience significant changes. Naturally, a serious and responsible person is interested in how the dog's pregnancy lasts and how many days it takes in representatives of large or small breed. Being able to answer these questions a little, you can better prepare your pet for the most important event, get a strong and viable offspring.
How many months does pregnancy last for dogs?
Of course, any dog breeder would like to accurately calculate the timing of the appearance of puppies to the light, but too many factors influence this event, so even special "calendars" lead only approximate birth numbers. If there are no complications, everything goes well for your ward, then expect the appearance of an offspring 9 weeks after mating (on the 60th day). Completely normal babies can be born a little earlier or a little later than this period, therefore veterinarians allow considerable fluctuation of terms (56 - 72 days). Very early or too late births are undesirable, the yield of a full-fledged offspring in this case is reduced, and the death of the entire litter or maternitywoman in general may occur.
The main factors affecting the timing of pregnancy
- Young females almost always produce fewer puppies than maternity women with experience.
- If the litter is expected to be large enough, it is likely that it will be born at an earlier time. Note that in dogs the number of babies in the offspring usually increases to three or four years, and then their number begins to decrease.
- Old animals often bear puppies longer for young females.
- An important role is played not only by the age of the bitches, but also by its size. For example, mastiffs, Caucasians or danes rarely bring many kids, but they are larger, which greatly weakens females and leads to complications. The duration of pregnancy in dogs of small breeds of the day is three shorter than the average time. It is worth keeping an eye on the body temperature of the female, if it drops to 37 ° or lower, then it is very likely that we need to prepare for delivery in the next 24 hours.
- An inadequate diet can significantly prolong the period of pregnancy, the same results lead to an excess of products. If you provide the dog with optimal feeding, everything will happen in the medium term or even a little earlier. The main role is played by the conditions of detention in the second month of pregnancy.
In addition to these factors, there are other nuances that are able to shift the terms of labor in many respects - the time of the year when the mating was going on, the physical condition of the future mother, the dog's belonging to the more early ripening breeds.
The main signs of close birth in dogs
The average duration of pregnancy in dogs you can now calculate, but more accurately tell the owner this date
From the 45th day, the enlarged tummy of the females is visually perceptible, the doctor can probes the puppies directly through the abdominal wall. Milk begins to stand out in bitches from the 51st day, after that they reduce mobility, rest and eat more. Immediately before delivery, the dog becomes restless, settles down the nest, often tearing off the litter material, is preparing to become a mother.