Blog How To Tell If Your Dog Is Pregnant

How to Tell if Your Dog is Pregnant

Not having a fixed female dog can be very stressful. Although you may be very careful with your dog when she’s in heat, a pregnancy may happen the brief two minutes you become occupied elsewhere. On the other side of the spectrum you may be trying to breed and are looking to get her pregnant. No matter what the circumstance it is very difficult to tell if your dog is pregnant within the first few weeks of pregnancy.

Decrease/Increase in Appetite

A very common sign of pregnancy, a decreased appetite is one of the earliest signs if not the earliest to look for. Some females are known to have an increase in appetite early on in pregnancy as well. If she has a decreased appetite than she will make up for it later on in the pregnancy. Some dogs when pregnant will have an increase in appetite almost immediately. The most common way to recognize this is when she is standing by her bowl wanting more after she has finished her serving.

Lack of Activity

This one may be hard to identify in some dogs that aren’t already that active. If you notice she’s not as active as she was a few days ago then it could be a good indicator that she’s pregnant. A decrease in energy is normal among pregnant dogs because of the change in their hormones. Nipple Growth One of the best indications your dog is pregnant is nipple growth. The nipples of an unbred female are noticeably small. If she is pregnant than you will notice an increase in nipple growth. You will be able to feel the increase when rubbing her belly.

Change in Nipple

Color Tying in with nipple growth, the colors of the nipples will change to a more discreet pink from the light pink prior to pregnancy. The nipples closest to the hind legs are more likely to change in color.

Changes in Behavior

All dogs when pregnant will display some kind of behavioral change. Some females can be clingy while others just become more affectionate than normal. Some females may even want to be left alone. All these behavior changes are normal and will pass as the pregnancy moves on.

If your dog is experiencing any of these signs it’s best to see a vet to determine if she’s pregnant or not.