Pregnancy & the Pregnant Dam

Some dogs eat fabric, stones or feces. Here is what pica and coprophagia are, what a vet will want to rule out, what we know (and don’t) about pregnancy, and how to keep a dog safe.

What’s normal versus a genuine warning sign during dog pregnancy — discharge, temperature, and behavior changes — and when to call the vet rather than wait.

The dog pregnancy timeline week by week — from fertilization and implantation through rapid fetal growth to final preparation for whelping.

Why whelping preparation should start two weeks before the due date — setting up the space, letting the bitch settle in, and finalizing practical logistics.

How ultrasound, X-ray and relaxin testing each confirm and monitor dog pregnancy differently — and when to use each for viability versus an accurate puppy count.

How to set up a whelping box and area — sizing, the pig rail safety feature, heating, bedding and location — before labor begins.

Which medications and supplements are generally avoided or recommended during dog pregnancy, and why calcium supplementation isn’t automatically a good idea.

A week-by-week guide to managing the pregnant bitch — timeline, monitoring, feeding, health and final whelping preparation.

How to adjust a pregnant dog’s exercise and daily routine at each stage — normal activity early on, scaled back from week four or five, minimal in the final three weeks.

A practical whelping preparation checklist covering the whelping space, supplies, contacts and final records to check before labor begins.

How feeding a pregnant dog should change across pregnancy — steady through the first two-thirds, then a substantial increase and food switch in the final third.

Why the mating date alone gives an unreliable due-date estimate, and why counting 63 days from confirmed ovulation is far more accurate.

A step-by-step method for estimating a dog’s due date by hand, from ovulation data or a mating date, and how to refine it as pregnancy progresses.