Why does the calculator give a window instead of one due date?

Because the breeding date is a poor clock. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that breeding and conception dates don’t line up closely enough to predict the whelping date accurately, so from a breeding date the honest answer is a window of 58 to 72 days. If your vet did progesterone testing and found the LH surge, the window narrows to 64 to 66 days.

How can I tell if my dog is pregnant?

Your vet can confirm it. Ultrasound works best at about 25 to 35 days, a relaxin blood test can detect pregnancy from about 22 to 27 days after breeding, and a vet may feel the swellings in the uterus from about day 21. From about day 55, an X-ray is the best way to count the puppies.

What are the signs that labor is close?

Her rectal temperature drops, below 99°F (37.2°C), usually 8 to 24 hours before whelping. In the first stage of labor she may be restless, nest, hide, refuse food, pant or tremble, and the Merck Veterinary Manual says this stage lasts 12 to 24 hours (VCA gives 6 to 12 hours on average).

When should I call the vet during whelping?

Call for strong contractions for 20 to 30 minutes with no puppy, more than two hours between puppies, green or black discharge before the first puppy, no labor more than 24 hours after her temperature drops, a fever over 103°F, or heavy bleeding. Keep your vet’s and the nearest emergency clinic’s numbers by the whelping box.

Should I change her food during pregnancy?

Not at first. The AKC says no diet change is needed for the first two-thirds of pregnancy, and that food is increased gradually in the last weeks. Ask your vet what and how much to feed her.

Interactive tool · Breeding

Dog Pregnancy Calculator: due date and timeline

Dogs are pregnant for about 63 days, but from a breeding date the normal range runs from 58 to 72 days. Enter the date for the whelping window, the milestones in between, and the signs that mean call the vet.

Pick the kind of date and enter it above for the whelping window and timeline. (The live result needs JavaScript; with it off, count 58 to 72 days from the first breeding.)

How long is a dog pregnant?

About 63 days, or nine weeks, counted from ovulation (AKC); the Merck Veterinary Manual says about 62 to 64 days. The catch is that you rarely know the day of ovulation. Counted from the first breeding, the normal range is 58 to 72 days (Merck, AKC), because breeding and conception dates don’t line up closely enough to predict whelping accurately. Counted from the LH surge that a vet finds with progesterone testing, it narrows to 64 to 66 days (Merck; the AKC gives 65 to 66).

Week-by-week milestones

Days 21–35: confirm the pregnancy. Ultrasound works best at about days 25 to 35 (Merck), a relaxin blood test can detect pregnancy from about 22 to 27 days after breeding (VCA, Merck), and a vet may feel the swellings in the uterus from about day 21 (Merck).
Days 45–50: a bigger, firmer belly. Her abdomen enlarges and firms, and her appetite often rises in these weeks (AKC). The AKC says no diet change is needed for the first two-thirds of pregnancy; food goes up gradually in the last weeks.
From about day 55: count the puppies. An X-ray taken after about day 55 is the best way to count the litter (Merck, VCA, AKC), so you know how many to expect.
Days 58–62: nesting. She may start nesting and, in the last few days, stop eating (AKC). This is the time to take her rectal temperature.

Signs labor is near

Her rectal temperature drops below 99°F (37.2°C), usually 8 to 24 hours before whelping (Merck, VCA). In the first stage of labor she may be restless, nest, hide, refuse food, vomit, pant or tremble (Merck). That stage lasts 12 to 24 hours according to Merck and the AKC, and 6 to 12 hours on average according to VCA.

When to call the vet

Strong contractions, no puppy: for 20 to 30 minutes (VCA, Cornell).
A long gap between puppies: more than 2 hours (AKC, Merck).
Green or black discharge: before the first puppy is born (VCA, Merck, AKC).
No labor after the temperature drop: more than 24 hours later (VCA, AKC).
Fever: a temperature over 103°F, 39.5°C (VCA, Cornell).
Bleeding: heavy bleeding, or fresh bleeding that lasts beyond 10 minutes (Merck, VCA).
Overdue: no signs of whelping 64 days after her last mating (AKC); Merck counts more than 70 days from a known breeding as prolonged.

The sources set some of these lines at different points (for strong contractions, Merck says more than 30 minutes and the AKC an hour), so this list uses the earliest one. When in doubt, call.

Frequently asked questions

How long is a dog pregnant?: About 63 days, or nine weeks, counted from ovulation, according to the AKC; the Merck Veterinary Manual puts it at about 62 to 64 days. Counted from the first breeding, the normal range is much wider, 58 to 72 days, because breeding and conception don’t happen on the same day.
Why does the calculator give a window instead of one due date?: Because the breeding date is a poor clock. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that breeding and conception dates don’t line up closely enough to predict the whelping date accurately, so from a breeding date the honest answer is a window of 58 to 72 days. If your vet did progesterone testing and found the LH surge, the window narrows to 64 to 66 days.
How can I tell if my dog is pregnant?: Your vet can confirm it. Ultrasound works best at about 25 to 35 days, a relaxin blood test can detect pregnancy from about 22 to 27 days after breeding, and a vet may feel the swellings in the uterus from about day 21. From about day 55, an X-ray is the best way to count the puppies.
What are the signs that labor is close?: Her rectal temperature drops, below 99°F (37.2°C), usually 8 to 24 hours before whelping. In the first stage of labor she may be restless, nest, hide, refuse food, pant or tremble, and the Merck Veterinary Manual says this stage lasts 12 to 24 hours (VCA gives 6 to 12 hours on average).
When should I call the vet during whelping?: Call for strong contractions for 20 to 30 minutes with no puppy, more than two hours between puppies, green or black discharge before the first puppy, no labor more than 24 hours after her temperature drops, a fever over 103°F, or heavy bleeding. Keep your vet’s and the nearest emergency clinic’s numbers by the whelping box.
Should I change her food during pregnancy?: Not at first. The AKC says no diet change is needed for the first two-thirds of pregnancy, and that food is increased gradually in the last weeks. Ask your vet what and how much to feed her.

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