Your dog’s pregnancy will last just over two months, beginning with fertilization in week one and ending with the labor that occurs around the ninth week. Use this dog pregnancy calendar to get a handle on the symptoms to expect, as well as when to schedule vet visits, and when to change your dog’s food and begin to limit physical activity.
Fertilization to Labor: A Look Into the 9 Weeks of Your Dog’s Pregnancy
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Week
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What’s Happening in a Dog's Pregnancy
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Week 1
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During the first week of pregnancy, your dog’s eggs are fertilized. Even this early on, your dog may experience morning sickness, and be a bit withdrawn (or, in some cases, the converse can occur, and your dog will be slightly clingy).
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Week 2
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In week two, the embryo makes its way into your dog’s uterus. Just like during the first week of pregnancy, your dog may experience morning sickness.
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Week 3
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The embryos are now attached to the wall of the uterus. Any symptoms are similar to the first two weeks of pregnancy: morning sickness or slight behavioral changes.
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Week 4
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During this week, your dog’s pregnancy starts to become detectable in tests that your vet can perform. Schedule an appointment for an ultrasound, or for your vet to palpate your dog’s abdomen -- both these tests can help determine the number of puppies that your dog is expecting. The fetus is growing and developing within your dog. There may be some discharge from your dog’s vagina, and you may also spot your dog’s nipples and breasts enlarging.
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Week 5
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Pregnancy becomes more visible in the fifth week: your dog’s abdomen will likely grow bigger, and weight will increase.
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Week 6
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Changes to the dog’s nipples -- both enlargement and darkening -- occur during the sixth week of pregnancy.
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Week 7
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Schedule an x-ray with your vet -- this will let you know how many puppies to expect. Expect your dog to shed, especially around her nipples.
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Week 8
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If she hasn’t already, your dog will probably start preparing an area for the birth. Help her out by creating a box for the birth, covered in blankets or towels, for her and the puppies to inhabit during labor and the initial days after birth.
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Week 9
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If your dog’s temperature drops slightly, that’s a sure sign that the puppies are about to be born -- take your dog’s temperature several times a day. Expect nesting behavior to increase. The puppies will be born in this ninth week!
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More on Dog and Puppy Health
Puppy Care Basics
How to Buy Puppy Supplies You'll Use
Puppy Vaccinations
This information is for informational purposes only and is not meant as a substitute for the professional advice of, or diagnosis or treatment by, your veterinarian with respect to your pet. It has, however, been verified by a licensed veterinarian for accuracy.