Dog Pregnancy Week by Week: Signs, Tests and Care (Timeline)

A general guide. Ask your vet to confirm the pregnancy and plan her care. Last reviewed October 8, 2026.

How long are dogs pregnant?

About 63 days from ovulation. Counted from the first breeding the range is wider, 58–72 days, because a dog can be mated days before she ovulates. If your vet tracked her hormones, whelping comes 64–66 days after the LH surge. The dog pregnancy calculator turns any of these dates into a due date window.

Dog pregnancy timeline

Weeks are counted from the first breeding, so treat them as approximate.

Week	What's happening
Week 1	Mating, ovulation and fertilization. Because she can be mated days before she ovulates, the true start of the pregnancy is uncertain. There are no signs yet, so keep feeding her as usual.
Week 2	The fertilized eggs develop into embryos. Still no visible signs, and her food stays the same.
Week 3	The embryos implant in the uterus, at about 18 days according to the Merck Veterinary Manual. Some dogs eat less or vomit for a few days around this time.
Week 4	A vet may be able to feel small swellings in the uterus from about day 21, and an ultrasound is most reliable from about day 25 to 35, when heartbeats can be seen. A blood test for the hormone relaxin can confirm pregnancy from about 22–27 days.
Week 5	The usual time to confirm pregnancy by ultrasound. After about day 35, the puppies become harder to feel through the belly. Keep her food at her normal amount for now: overfeeding early in pregnancy is a common mistake.
Week 6	Her energy needs start to rise. Increase her food gradually from about this week, and switch to a puppy (growth) food if your vet recommends it. Don't give calcium supplements.
Week 7	The puppies' skeletons become visible on X-ray from about day 42–45. Her mammary glands enlarge. Set up the whelping box now and let her get used to it.
Week 8	In the last weeks her belly grows and her nipples enlarge; some dogs leak a little milk. Many owners start checking her rectal temperature once or twice a day so they notice the drop before labor.
Week 9 and birth	An X-ray after day 55 is the best way to count the puppies. Her temperature drops to about 98–100°F (36.7–37.8°C) 8–24 hours before whelping, and she may be restless, nest and refuse food. Most dogs whelp 58–72 days after the first breeding.

Day ranges for tests and X-rays are from the Merck Veterinary Manual; the feeding guidance is from Merck and VCA Animal Hospitals.

Feeding a pregnant dog

First two-thirds (to about week 6): her normal amount. Energy needs are about the same as usual.
Last third: increase gradually. Merck recommends at least 20–30% more than her usual amount, and VCA says up to about 1.5 times her normal amount by the last three weeks.
Food type: a complete puppy or growth food. Merck suggests switching at the start of pregnancy; VCA recommends it at least in the last third.
No calcium supplements: giving calcium during pregnancy can make a dangerous drop in blood calcium (eclampsia) more likely after the birth, when she is producing the most milk.

Labor and when to call the vet

In the first stage of labor she is restless, nests or hides and may refuse food; VCA says it lasts 6–12 hours on average, and Merck considers 12–24 hours normal. A clear, watery discharge is normal. In the second stage the puppies are born, usually 30–60 minutes apart.

Call your vet if: she strains hard for 20–30 minutes without a puppy; more than 2 hours pass between puppies and you think more are inside; there is green or bloody discharge before the first puppy; labor hasn't started 24 hours after her temperature dropped; her temperature is over 103°F (39.5°C); or she goes past her due date window.

False pregnancy

Many unspayed females show signs of pregnancy without being pregnant, usually four to nine weeks after a heat: nesting, a swollen belly, bigger mammary glands and even milk. Your vet can tell the difference with an ultrasound or X-rays.

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Questions people ask

How long is a dog pregnant?

About 63 days from ovulation, roughly two months. Counted from the first breeding it can be anywhere from 58 to 72 days.

When can you tell if a dog is pregnant?

A vet can sometimes feel the puppies from about day 21, an ultrasound is reliable from about day 25–35, and a relaxin blood test works from about 22–27 days. At home you usually can't tell until her belly and nipples enlarge late in pregnancy.

When do pregnant dogs start showing?

Usually in the last third of pregnancy, when her belly grows and her mammary glands enlarge.

How much more should a pregnant dog eat?

Nothing extra for the first two-thirds. From about week 6, increase gradually so that by the end she eats around 20–50% more than normal, depending on her size and litter.

How can I tell when my dog is about to give birth?

Her rectal temperature drops to about 98–100°F (36.7–37.8°C), usually 8–24 hours before whelping. She may also be restless, dig or nest, and refuse food.

How many puppies will my dog have?

An X-ray after about day 55 is the best way to count them, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual. Earlier ultrasound is used to confirm the pregnancy.

Dog pregnancy week by week