Easy-to-Make Dog Pregnancy Calendars

You have a few options for making your dog pregnancy calendar. You can put the information into a date book or write it on the calendar. You can also make a printout in an easy-to-update calendar-printing program such as the one that is available with Microsoft Works. Either way, knowing this information can make it much easier to understand and plan your dog's pregnancy.

0 Days. The calendar starts with the first time the dog is bred with a male dog. This may or may not result in pregnancy. It is a good idea to breed again 48 hours after the first breeding to make sure that the dog gets pregnant. This still isn't a guarantee though.

2-3 Days. Between two and three days after breeding fertilization of the eggs take place.

10-11 Days. The fertilized eggs travel down to the uterus. As they travel they become blastocytes and by day eleven they have begun to implant in the uterus. It could take a few more days depending on the number there are since they work at implanting at even distances within the uterus.

12-20 Days. During this time frame the blastocytes become embryos. They develop all of their major organs and by 20 days they look like miniature puppies.

14-15 Days. At this point the dam's nipples get larger and darker. This may or may not be noticeable.

20 Days. By 20 days the fur on the dog's belly becomes thinner.

21 Days. This is the time when most vets will check for a pregnancy. This is fairly accurate, however some vets will struggle if there is only a single puppy because it will be hard to feel.

21-28 Days. Between 21 and 28 days your dog will probably experience morning sickness. This can include decreased appetite, vomiting, and less activity.

28 Days. Many vets will want to make a visit for about this time because often times the number of puppies can be estimated from either feeling around or from an ultrasound.

30 Days. By time you reach 30 days a great number of changes will have happened. The puppies will be about the size of a walnut, you may or may not know how many your dog is expecting, your dog will have a large belly that is uncomfortable to walk around with, and her nipples will be swollen. She may also be acting like she is looking for a place to have puppies and showing odd behaviors.

30-45 Days. At this time you should be able to feel the puppies inside your dog (if she lets you touch her belly). You can feel them move and that there is a large mass of them in there, however it will be hard for you to figure out how many there are and as you approach 45 days the puppies will be crowding each other making it impossible to count them.

45 Days. By 45 days your dog's appetite will decrease. It is important that you offer her lots of small meals through out the day so she can eat a little and not get overly full.

50 Days. By 50 Days you will most likely be able to see the puppies move while they are inside their mom. This can look like rolling or other strange movements from inside the abdomen.

58 Days. By now you should be able to see milk come out of your dog's nipples if gentle pressure is applied to them.

58-68 Days. Your dog is considered full term if she has her puppies at 58 days. Before this and her puppies will be pre-mature and aren't likely to make it. The average is about 64 days, however this isn't a guarantee.

The best sign for knowing that your dog is approaching labor is her rectal temp. If you start measuring it at about 58 days you should see it rise from about 100 degrees where it is during most of pregnancy up to about 102-103. Then right before labor it will plummet to below 98.4 degrees. If your dog's temperature is below 98.4 degrees then she should have her babies with in 24 hours. Other signs that she is getting close to giving birth include shivering, panting, pacing, acting out of character, and digging at the floor. She may also go into hiding. If you are seeing these signs then you should have puppies in six to twenty-four hours.

Pregnancy is exciting and this is no less for when your dog is pregnant. Puppies always bring smiles. With that in mind, keep track of the process with your own pregnancy calendar so you know what to expect and when to expect it.