Dog pregnancy calculator: every date from breeding to whelping
Dogs are pregnant for about 63 days (anywhere from 57 to 65 is normal) — but the due date is the least useful date on the list. What you actually need to schedule: the confirmation ultrasound in its day-25–35 window, the food change at week six, the litter-count X-ray after day 55, and the whelping box before she needs it. Enter the breeding date (plan forward) or a due date (plan backward) and get all of it, exportable straight to your calendar.
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Week by week
Weeks 1–3: nothing visible; feed and exercise as normal. Relaxin — the pregnancy hormone — becomes detectable in blood around day 22–27. Weeks 4–5: the confirmation window. An ultrasound between days 25 and 35 shows heartbeats and confirms the pregnancy is viable; it's also the visit to plan diet and, for c-section-prone breeds, delivery. Week 6: begin increasing food gradually — smaller, more frequent meals, working toward about one-and-a-half times normal by the end. Weeks 8–9: the X-ray (skeletons calcify after day 55) gives the puppy count, the whelping box goes up, and twice-daily temperature checks begin — a drop below about 99°F usually means labor within 24 hours.
Breed-specific timelines
Gestation doesn't vary by breed — but litter sizes, delivery risk, and whelping prep do. Pick your breed for specifics:
- French Bulldog
- Labrador Retriever
- Golden Retriever
- German Shepherd
- Dachshund
- Poodle
- Beagle
- Rottweiler
- German Shorthaired Pointer
- Bulldog
- Cane Corso
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Yorkshire Terrier
- Australian Shepherd
- Doberman Pinscher
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi
- Miniature Schnauzer
- Boxer
- Pomeranian
- Bernese Mountain Dog
Frequently asked questions
How long are dogs pregnant?
About 63 days from breeding on average, with a normal range of 57–65 days. Gestation length does not meaningfully differ by breed — a French Bulldog and a Great Dane carry for the same two months.
When can a vet confirm my dog is pregnant?
A relaxin blood test can confirm from roughly day 22–27 after breeding, and an ultrasound between days 25–35 shows fetal heartbeats. Early negatives can be false — recheck a week later.
When should I take an X-ray to count puppies?
After day 55, when fetal skeletons have calcified. The final-week X-ray gives a reliable count so you know when whelping is finished.
When should I increase my pregnant dog's food?
Keep normal rations for the first six weeks, then increase gradually — up to about 1.5× normal by the final weeks, fed as smaller, more frequent meals.
How do I know labor is starting?
Take her temperature twice daily in the final week: a drop below about 99°F usually means labor within 24 hours. Nesting, restlessness, and refusing food are the accompanying signs.
Moving with your dog? See theHawaii move timeline calculator — the pet import chain takes four-plus months.