How long is a dog pregnant?

About 63 days from ovulation, which is remarkably constant across breeds and sizes. Counted from the first mating the range is wider, roughly 58 to 68 days, because sperm can survive several days inside the bitch and fertilisation may happen well after mating.

How do I calculate my dog's due date?

Add 63 days to the ovulation date if your vet timed it with progesterone tests, 65 days to an LH-surge date, or 63 days to the first mating date with a window of about 5 days either side. This calculator does that and adds the ultrasound, X-ray and whelping-box milestones.

When can a vet confirm a dog is pregnant?

Ultrasound works from about day 25 to 28, palpation from day 28 to 35, and a relaxin blood test from around day 25. X-rays show skeletons from day 45 and are the only reliable way to count puppies, which matters on whelping night.

What are the signs a dog is about to give birth?

Nesting, restlessness, refusing food, panting and a rectal temperature that drops below 99°F (37.2°C), usually 12 to 24 hours before labour. Call your vet if she strains for 30 minutes without producing a puppy, goes more than two hours between puppies, or shows green or black discharge before the first puppy arrives.

How should I feed a pregnant dog?

Normally until week five, then gradually switch to a puppy or growth formula and let intake rise by 25 to 50% by the end, in smaller, more frequent meals. Nursing is the hungry part: a mother with a large litter can need two to four times her normal calories.

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Dog Pregnancy Calculator

Enter the mating or ovulation date and get the due date, the likely whelping window, and a week-by-week plan with the ultrasound, X-ray and whelping-box dates already marked.

The date you know

Date That date was

Dogs can conceive up to several days after mating because sperm survive that long, which is why a mating date gives a wider window than an ovulation date.

Today

Day 0 of 63.

Expected due date

—

Pick a date to see the window.

MatingDay 0Whelping

Ultrasound from: —
X-ray count from: —
Switch to puppy food: —
Whelping box ready by: —

Week	Dates	What's happening

Not veterinary advice. Confirm the pregnancy with your vet at 3–4 weeks and book the X-ray count; knowing how many to expect is what makes whelping night safe.

Free dog-sitter & care printables Feeding a pregnant dog

From ovulation: tight

If your vet ran progesterone tests, ovulation is known to within a day or two and the due date is 63 days later, give or take two.

From mating: wider

Sperm can survive 5 to 7 days and the egg is fertile for a couple of days, so a mating date gives a 58–68 day window. Most litters land on day 62 to 64.

Confirm, then count

Ultrasound from day 25 confirms the pregnancy; an X-ray from day 45 counts the skeletons. Knowing the count is what tells you on whelping night whether she's finished.

Gestation figures follow the Merck Veterinary Manual and AKC breeding guidance. Not veterinary advice: every pregnancy should be confirmed and monitored by a vet.

Merck Veterinary Manual: breeding and reproduction of dogs

Good questions. Simple answers.

What people ask between the test and the whelping box.

Can a dog be pregnant for 70 days?

Counted from mating, yes, if ovulation came late. Counted from ovulation, anything past day 66 needs a vet check the same day; the puppies may be too large or in distress.

How many puppies will she have?

Breed size is the biggest factor: toy breeds average 2 to 4, medium breeds 5 to 7, large breeds 6 to 10. Only an X-ray after day 45 gives a real count.

What should I have ready for whelping?

A box with low sides in a warm, quiet room; clean towels; a heat source for the puppies (not the mother); a kitchen scale to weigh each puppy daily; and your vet's after-hours number written down.

Can she still have a lick mat or chews while pregnant?

Licking is a good calming outlet in the restless last weeks. Keep toppings to her normal food and skip hard chews in the final fortnight; she won't want them anyway.