Tips & Advice

How to care for pregnant dog?

Pregnancy can be a trying time for just about anybody, but pets often go unnoticed once they get pregnant. Many owners think their dog will just take care of themselves and may not even treat them much different than when they weren’t pregnant. The truth is that we can do much more to make our canine companion comfortable when they get pregnant. Just like us, going through a pregnancy is a delicate time for them and it should be taken very seriously with love and care. So, what exactly do you do when your dog gets pregnant to make them more comfortable?

Feed them more

One of the biggest things many people overlook when their dog is pregnant is that they have to give them much more food. Unlike us, dogs generally carry more than one child inside of them and they grow much more rapidly than a human baby does in the womb. Due to this, your dog is going to be much hungry if you care about the well-being of the puppies then you’re going to want to give that mother dog as much as she wants to eat. Food is extremely important to the growth of the puppies within the mother dog. There is also is no good way to measure how much food needs and you’re going to just have to work with her to learn what her specific dietary needs are going to be while she’s pregnant.

You’re also going to need to supply more water to your dog. When you’re pregnant you have to pee more and you use a lot more fluids than you would if you were just going through the regular day. Always have fresh water accessible t and inspect the bowl more. During this time you’re going to be surprised at how much water your dog can drink. You also may end up taking them out more due to this but it will be worth it in the end when you see the faces of the cute puppies. This may even be a good time to purchase a dog fountain or Some type of water bowl that supplies water as she drinks it. This way even when you’re away you know your dog is getting just what they need.

Checkups

When your dog is pregnant you’re going to need to take them in for regular check-ups to the vet. These visits can be costly and they’re going to need to do things like an ultrasound your dog. They also may recommend some vitamins that your dog need that are going to cost you a bit as well. Believe it or not, pregnancy in animals is rather expensive when you properly take care of them. The better care of the pet gets the higher the survival rate of their offspring will be. While you may not need to take your dogs as much as you would a human it still will drain your wallet. You’re going to have to make frequent plans throughout the months she’s pregnant to get her in.

No rough play

One thing you may have to do is separate the male and female dog so they won’t roughhouse. Dogs love to run around and play but when pregnant this may become more of an issue for them. This can especially be bad if the male keeps trying to mount the female. This can lead her to be extremely uncomfortable and become aggressive towards the other dog. You also may notice a change in the aggressiveness of the female when it comes to things like food sources. This is because her main goal is to take care of herself and her growing children inside of her and she will use whatever means necessary in order to do that. It may even become necessary later on to feed your dogs in different places.

On the human side of things, you’re going to want to avoid doing anything like picking up your dog from the stomach. Even if you normally do this to take them to vet visits or get them in a crate any pressure put on the stomach and actually end up harming the puppies inside. You’re going to want to move your dog around very gently no matter what the situation. You also will have to play with her less rough. If you have a bad habit of shaking it out stomach or scratching it extremely hard like most pet owners do you may want to lay off on this when she is pregnant in the later months.

Puppy Time

When you think it’s about time for the puppies come you’re going to want to set up a room to isolate your dog in. Make sure the room has plenty of blankets and comfortable spots for your dog to lay. Also, make sure there are no places your dog can crawl behind or hide the puppies at where you can’t get to them. It’s nice to be able to get to the mother dog and puppies just in case anything goes wrong in the process. You also want to pay as much food and water as you can to make sure she’s still getting the nutrition she needs while pregnant. Your dogs not going to be completely happy with this arrangement so you may want to prepare for a little bit of winning

When your dog is in labor be sure to give her plenty of space and not crowd her to see the puppies be born. Afterward, make sure that you don’t pick up or move any of the puppies because they’re still going to be rather fragile for quite a few days. Monitor your dog’s eating habits and make sure that she is well as the puppies are eating well in the first few days. Also, make sure to keep sheets and other things around the area clean for your new arrivals. Your dog may not be able to go outside of the bathroom is easily in the days before she’s about to give birth in the right afterward so be prepared for messes.

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