Enter the mating date to get your dog's estimated due date, whelping window, and a complete week-by-week development timeline. Canine gestation is approximately 63 days from conception.
~63 Day Gestation Week-by-Week TimelineBased on average 63-day canine gestation
🩺 General estimate only. Actual gestation ranges from 58-68 days. Consult a licensed veterinarian for pregnancy monitoring and whelping support.
Enter the mating date above to generate a personalized week-by-week timeline.
Canine pregnancy (gestation) typically lasts 58-68 days from the date of ovulation, with an average of 63 days. Diagnosis is most accurate through veterinary ultrasound, which can detect heartbeats from around day 25. X-rays after day 45 can count the fetuses more reliably.
In the first three weeks, signs may be subtle or absent. Weight gain and behavioral changes typically become more apparent in weeks 4-6. By week 7-8, the abdomen will be visibly enlarged and you may be able to feel movement. The mother should be transitioned to a high-quality puppy food (or food formulated for "all life stages") during the second half of pregnancy to support the growing pups.
Signs of approaching labor include nesting behavior, restlessness, and a drop in rectal temperature to below 99°F (37.2°C), typically 12-24 hours before whelping. Have your veterinarian's emergency number ready. If a pup is stuck for more than 30 minutes, seek immediate veterinary care. See also: Cat Pregnancy Calculator.
This calculator estimates whelping dates and tracks pregnancy milestones based on the standard 63-day canine gestation period and AAHA reproductive health guidelines.
Canine gestation lasts approximately 63 days from ovulation, though the visible range is 58 to 68 days depending on when mating occurred relative to ovulation. Smaller breeds sometimes deliver a day or two early, while larger breeds may go slightly longer. Accurate dating requires knowing the breeding date or, ideally, progesterone testing to pinpoint ovulation.
Dog pregnancy divides into three trimesters of roughly 21 days each. During the first trimester, embryos implant and develop basic structures. The second trimester brings rapid fetal growth, and you may notice weight gain and appetite changes. The third trimester is when puppies gain most of their birth weight, and the mother's abdomen becomes noticeably enlarged. Nesting behavior typically begins in the final week.
Veterinarians can detect pregnancy through ultrasound as early as day 25 to 28, which also confirms heartbeats and estimates litter size. Blood tests for relaxin hormone become reliable around day 28 to 30. Abdominal radiographs after day 45 show fetal skeletons and give the most accurate puppy count. Physical signs alone are unreliable before week 4.
Maintain normal food during the first four weeks of pregnancy. From week 5 onward, gradually transition to a high-quality puppy food, which provides extra calories, protein, and calcium. By the final two weeks, the dog may need 25 to 50 percent more food than normal. Feed multiple small meals because the growing uterus limits stomach capacity.
Contact your veterinarian if your dog has been straining for more than 30 minutes without producing a puppy, if more than 2 hours pass between puppies when you know more are expected, if you see dark green discharge before the first puppy arrives, or if the mother appears lethargic or in distress. Have your vet's emergency number ready before the due date.