Question: How to tell if your dog is pregnant?

If your female dog is not spayed or "fixed" as a lot of people refer to it as, she could become pregnant. In fact, if your dog spends a lot of time outdoors you may not be aware of when she is in heat and next thing you know your dog may be pregnant. While you will need to seek care for your dog if she is pregnant, there are some signs that you can look for at home to help determine if your dog is in need of a trip to the veterinarian for an ultrasound.

There are some very common signs that your dog is pregnant and these include but are not limited to:

Your dog isn't as active as usual and when she is active, she tires very easily
Your dog's behavior has undergone some changes, including being more aggressive about her territory
Your dog doesn't want to be with people or animals as much as usual, she seems to want her own space
You�ve seen a decrease in her appetite or she just doesn't seem as interested in food as usual
As time goes on you will notice an increase in appetite as her caloric need increases
Her nipples are much larger
She is sleeping a lot and has an expanding mid-section

These are all great indicators that your dog is or may be pregnant. If your dog has just one of these symptoms she may not be pregnant, but when you put more than two or three of these symptoms together it is a good idea to get her to the vet and start preparing your home for the arrival of two to 10 pups, depending on the breed of your dog!

If your dog is digging around and appears to be trying to create a safe place for her and her pups you can be sure that her little ones are on the way. At this point your dog is likely very tired, more moody than normal, and quite hungry! If you are going to allow your dog to give birth indoors you will want to provide her with a few old blankets in a quiet area of the house, otherwise you may come home to your sofa cushions being torn apart!