The canine’s heat cycle has just finished and everyone is back home, completely finished (and sated) with their mating games. If your pretty little doggy has been actively present on this year’s cycle, there is a big chance that she might become pregnant. What wonderful news if this will push through! For all beginners, there are a few pointers that you need to be aware of besides knowing how to determine if your missy is pregnant or not. This will help you prepare in dealing with the delicate condition of your pet. It is important that you understand that a female canine’s pregnancy should only last for nine weeks, not nine months. It is crucial that for the first five weeks, you do not change her diet. After five weeks onwards, change her food. It should consist of a diet full of nutrients. Never, under any circumstances, force her to drink any kind of supplements or vitamins. These chemically induced products can harm the pups so make sure that you do not add this to her daily diet. It is a must that she receives regular exercise. See to it that she runs every day to keep her uterine muscles strong and healthy. Now you need to determine if your dog is pregnant. Here’s how.
- The morning sickness. Three weeks after mating, you will notice your dog will completely stop eating. Even if you try to spoon feed her with food, she will not take it and will even snap at you for trying! Do not panic because this is normal. This is your dog’s version of morning sickness. She will continue this fasting for about ten days. Your dog is pregnant when you see this kind of behavior.
- Enlarged vagina. If you missed her 10-day period of morning sickness, check her vagina. You will see that it looks significantly bigger. Again, this is normal. However, if you see any kind of discharge, call your vet immediately for immediate consultation.
- Pinker and fatter. After five weeks of being pregnant, you will notice that her nipples are pinker and she has a noticeable bump on her waist making her rib cage wider. This means that the pups are growing really fast.
- Sleeping all the time. Carefully observe your dog’s sleeping behavior. If she starts to sleep all day, this is a very good indication that she is about to give birth. Monitor her very closely. Start preparing for your pet’s birth by putting towels on the floor. Do not forget to place a clean bowl of water nearby to ensure that she will be able to nourish herself immediately after her laborious condition.
It is quite easy to tell if your dog is truly pregnant or not. Just carefully follow these very simple steps and you can never go wrong! Make sure that you apply all the things that you need to do during your dog’s pregnancy. It is important that you regularly visit the vet to ensure good health. Now go out there are start examining! Good luck!