A bitch's pregnancy lasts 63 days on average, but each week has its milestones: when to confirm the pregnancy, when to change her food, when to count the puppies, when to get the whelping area ready. Here's the typical timeline, to adapt with your vet.
Free toolsDog pregnancy due date calculatorExpected date, whelping window and the pregnancy's steps.How long is a dog's pregnancy?
Counted from ovulation, pregnancy lasts about 63 days, with little variation. Counted from the mating, it varies more, most often between 58 and 68 days: sperm survives several days and the mating doesn't necessarily happen on the day of ovulation. A progesterone test before the mating dates ovulation and sharpens the due date a lot.
Weeks 1 and 2: fertilisation
The eggs are fertilised in the oviducts, then the embryos travel down to the uterus. Nothing shows: the bitch keeps her usual behaviour and appetite. Avoid treatments and dewormers not suited to pregnancy, and keep her normal activity.
Week 3: implantation
Around days 18–20, the embryos implant in the uterine wall. Some bitches are a little tired or eat less for a few days, others show nothing.
Week 4: the ultrasound
Time to confirm the pregnancy. Ultrasound is usually reliable from days 25–28: it shows the vesicles and heartbeats. It doesn't, however, count the puppies precisely.
Weeks 5 and 6: growth
The foetuses grow fast and the belly rounds out. The bitch's needs increase: many breeders gradually switch to puppy food or a food for pregnant bitches, richer in energy, following their vet's advice. Split her meals if she eats less at a time.
Week 7: the X-ray
The puppies' skeletons calcify. An X-ray around day 55 lets you count the puppies and spot a large puppy that could make whelping difficult. Knowing how many to expect helps you know when whelping is over.
Weeks 8 and 9: getting ready to whelp
- Around day 58, the whelping area should be ready: a clean whelping box, somewhere quiet, at the right temperature, with supplies at hand.
- The bitch looks for a place to nest, scratches, becomes restless.
- Check her rectal temperature twice a day: a drop of about 1 °C usually announces whelping within 12 to 24 hours.
The timeline at a glance
| Day (from mating) | Milestone |
|---|---|
| D18–D20 | Embryos implant |
| D25–D28 | Confirmation ultrasound |
| D35–D40 | Gradual switch to a richer food |
| D55 | X-ray to count the puppies |
| D58 | Whelping area ready, temperature checks |
| D63 | Expected whelping (window D58 to D68) |
Record the mating: Affixe foresees the whelping, places the ultrasound, X-ray and preparation in the calendar, and sends you a reminder that morning.
This guide informs; it isn't legal or veterinary advice. Texts change: check with the authorities or your vet.