1. Keep your eyes open for any changes in your dog's diet or attitude.
2. Make an appointment with your veterinarian to have an ultrasound, which can confirm pregnancy.
3. If your dog is pregnant, have an x-ray done at 6-7 weeks into the pregnancy to determine the number of puppies.
4. Prepare a whelping box so that your dog will have a safe and comfortable place to give birth.

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• by Randi

• The impetus for a woman to get a pregnancy test often comes from intuition. Unfortunately, you can't ask your dog if she feels changes occuring in her body. While official diagnosis can't be done until about a month into the pregnancy, there will be earlier noticeable symptoms that may tip you off.LovetoKnow Dogs: Signs of Dog Pregnancy

• A dog can only get pregnant during her heat or Estrus cycle, which unlike humans, only happens twice per year.LovetoKnow Dogs:Signs of Dog PregnancyThis usually begins when she is between 6 and 12 months old. However, with smaller breeds it can begin as early as 5 months, and with larger breeds it may not happen until 14 months.LovetoKnow Dogs:Signs of Dog Pregnancy This varies not only from breed to breed, but for individual dogs within the same breed.dogster:

Dog Breed Information

• Canine pregnancy usually lasts 59-66 days.dogster:

Pregnancy in Dogs - Dog Owner's Manual The very earliest symptoms can be seen about 2 weeks after conception.Associated Content: Dog Pregnancy Calenders: Marking Milestones in Canine Pregnancy These are:

1. A decrease in appetite. While later on in the pregnancy, your dog's appetite will increase greatly, in the beginning, she might seem disinterested in food.LovetoKnow Dogs:

Signs of Dog Pregnancy This is comparable to morning sickness in humans.

1. Mood swings. Wanting to be left alone or acting more affectionate is a sign of changes in hormones.DogSymptoms.org:

Pregnant Dog Symptoms

1. Enlarged nipples. Breast tissue will increase and appear swollen.DogTrainingSite.Net:

Dog Prenatal Care

• While your initial observations are important, you'll need to make an appointment with your veterinarian to confirm that your dog is indeed pregnant. This can be done around 4 weeks into the pregnancy. You have a couple of different options:

1. Abdominal Palpation - By feeling the dog's abdomen, an experienced vet can determine pregnancy.University of Missouri Extension:

G9923 Pregnancy Determination in the Bitch The uterus will feel swollen, with little lumps present, which are the fetuses. While you can do this yourself, it's better to leave it to a professional, as you could injure the puppies if you do it incorrectly.

1. Get an Ultrasound- About 3 to 4 weeks into the pregnancy, an ultrasound can be done.Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine: X-Rays vs. Ultrasound This is the easiest and most reliable way to confirm pregnancy, because it will show the fetal heartbeats. It isn't, however, a reliable way to determine how many puppies there are.
2. Blood Test- A test can be done about 3 or 4 weeks into the pregnancy to detect relaxin in the dog's blood, a hormone that is released when the egg attaches itself to the uterus.peteducation.com: Pregnancy Diagnosis and Caring for the Pregnant Dog However, if the litter is on the smaller side, the test might come back as a false negative.

• By 5 or 6 weeks into the pregnancy, the symptoms will be very pronounced. Her belly will be larger, and her nipples more swollen.associatedcontent:

Dog Pregnancy Calenders: Marking Milestones

• If you want to know how many puppies she is going to have, an x-ray is the best way to go.University of Missouri Extension:

G9923 Pregnancy Determination in the Bitch At around 42 days, the skeletons of the fetuses can be seen and counted.

• As the 63 day mark approaches, your dog will get increasingly uncomfortable and restless.associatedcontent:

Dog Pregnancy Calendars: Marking Milestones By the 6th week, clear fluid will discharge from her vagina. Lactating, or milk production, may begin.

• Nesting behavior is a common sign that delivery is near, so don't get mad if your dog starts shredding papers, blankets, or if she has no place else to go, your bed or couch.PetPlace.com:

Pregnancy in Dogs

• Providing a whelping box is a good idea. It is a safe spot for the puppies to be born in, and can be made out of cardboard or wood.Miniature-Pinscher-World.com: The Whelping Box- An Essential Part of Any Dog Pregnancy A child's swimming pool works well, because it's easy to clean.

• Here are some tips in preparing one:

1. Keep three sides of the box high for safety, but keep the front side cut lower so that your dog can exit and enter at will.
2. Build rails horizontally onto the back and sides of the box, with two to three inches between the rail and the side.Professor's house:

Whelping Box: Birthing Puppies This will give the puppies space to crawl into should the mother lay on them, and can prevent suffocation.

1. Keep the box a few inches off the ground to let warm air flow underneath.
2. Fill the box with liner and bedding that is easy to clean, and change it several times a day.The Bulldog Information Library: Preparing the Whelping Quarters Newspapers and towels work well.