How to Tell If Your Dog Is Having Contractions

Pregnancy in dogs runs from 59 to 63 days, or nine weeks. Several signs indicate that a dog is ready to give birth, including a temperature drop, restlessness, digging and nesting. Sometimes in early labor, you may also see liquid if one of the sacs surrounding the puppies breaks, says The Dog Health Guide website. If these signs are present, contractions are imminent.

  1. Predicting Labor

    • To accurately predict when labor will begin, take the dog's rectal temperature three times a day for a week before her due date, recommends The Dog Breed Info Center. A dog's normal temperature is between 99.5 and 102.5. The day before she goes into labor, it will drop to around 98. Contractions should begin within 24 to 48 hours. I

    Early Signs

    • Nesting behavior precedes contractions. In nesting, the mother dog will will find her favorite spot -- the whelping box, her bed or favorite place, and dig and circle. She will want to be close to her humans, and she licks and cleans her vulva constantly. The mother dog may also have to go out to relieve herself frequently.

    Beginning of Contractions

    • The dog pants and may cry when contractions start. If you place your hand on her side, you can feel the contractions. She will push and strain as if she is having a bowel movement. Early contractions come about every 10 minutes and last around 30 seconds. Between contractions, the dog will continue to dig and circle. She may vomit just before or between contractions, according to Myra Savant Harris. If the contractions are mild and subside and the dog stops panting and nesting, she may not be ready to deliver.

    The Next Stage

    • As labor progresses, the contractions become closer. The dog will push and grunt, and as contractions strengthen and she prepares to deliver a puppy, she will lift her tail with each contraction. Stay with the dog and calmly comfort her. Just before the first puppy arrives, the dog may pass the pre-birth fluid from the sac surrounding the puppy. The sac can be seen at this point, according to The Dog Breed Info Center.

    Time for Puppies

    • When the dog is in hard labor, watch for the first puppy. If the dog experiences contractions and labor does not begin, call your vet. Some breeds deliver easily at home, but others require C-sections. Don't attempt to deliver a breech puppy or a stuck puppy unless you have a great deal of whelping experience. It is not unusual for a mother dog to rest between puppies. If you are certain that there are more puppies and the mother does not deliver after an hour, call the vet.