Exact Answer: 62-64 Days
If people are considering getting a dog, there is a lot of information they need to know. They should know the standard and individual guidelines for screening the health of their breed and their responsibility for raising healthy and well-adjusted puppies.
They also need to know the signs of pregnancy in dogs and know how best to care for a pregnant dog. In domestic dogs, puberty occurs in about six months or a year for both males and bitches, although for some large breeds this may be delayed up to two years, at which time the female will have her first heat cycle.
How Long Is A Dog Pregnant?
Bitches are about 62 to 64 days pregnant or about two months old, although a veterinary manual states that predicting the time of delivery can be difficult because the breeding date does not always coincide with the date of conception. Pregnancy can also vary by breed and litter.
Dr. Jerry Klein, AKC Veterinary services director, explains that during the first month of pregnancy, fertilized eggs enter the uterine horns, where they attach, according to the tests, development of fetal growth is rapid in early pregnancy and these bumps double in diameter every seven days, according to Merck
By the end of the first month, the doctors will be able to detect them. Heart rate and fetal development are accelerated until the second month when the embryos become recognizable and by the end of the second and the beginning of the third month, the pups are ready for birth.
One of the most important things that a person can do for his pregnant dog is to make sure that she is getting enough nutrients. Don’t change her diet for two-thirds of the time. First trimester unless otherwise directed by her veterinarian. In fact, increasing feed intake during this period can be harmful
When weighed If her weight rises in the last weeks of pregnancy, veterinarians recommend increasing the food intake of the bitch gradually until she starts to consume 35-50 percent more than usual. Increase her intake slowly and let her eat small portions often, as large meals can be uncomfortable.
Summary:
| Period | Time taken |
| Proestrus | 9-10 days |
| Diestrus | 14-20 days |
| Anestrus | 6 months |
Why Is A Dog Pregnant For So Long?
In dogs that did not undergo neutering, heat in the female dogs occurs approximately every six months, and the estrus cycle lasts 18 to 21 days. The female will mate the males from nine days of the cycle, and they can become pregnant at any time during the next three to eleven days.
Breeders monitor these cycles and conduct tests to determine the optimal mating time so that when the bitch becomes pregnant, the embryos begin to move through the uterine horns around the seventh day. By the 16th day, the embryo is embedded in the mucous membrane of the uterus, and by the 22nd day, the fetus begins to form.
From about 28 to 30 days, your veterinarian will be able to see the fetal heart rate using ultrasound. The eyelids begin to form in puppies around day 32, toes around day 35, claws appear around day 40, hair and skeleton appear around day 45. After day 50, the doctor can take x-rays to see the skeleton of the puppy and form an accurate figure of how much to expect in the litter.
On about day 58, the pups will be fully developed and the bitches will start looking for a home and give birth as soon as the puppies are fully developed. Labor should begin within the next three to four days.
Labor is a three-step process and must be supervised by a veterinarian or experienced person due to potential complications. The first stage of labor lasts 12 to 24 hours. At this time, contractions begin in the uterus, but external signs of contractions may not yet appear and the mother may appear restless, refuse to eat, vomit, paint graffiti, or have other signs that labor has begun.
Conclusion
Female dogs give birth in the second stage of labor, which can last up to 24 hours usually, mother dogs give birth every 30-60 minutes, but not more than two hours at a time.
It is useful to rely on your veterinarian’s x-rays to know the expected number of puppies when the second stage is over as the third stage of labor occurs with the presence of a placenta and probably coincides with the second stage and the third phase ends when the last placenta is born and ends shortly after the end of the second phase.
Hence it is advised to consult a doctor immediately after a female dog is onto her pregnancy.