How Long Are Golden Retrievers Pregnant? (Gestation)

Most golden retrievers become sexually mature at six to nine months old, but breeding a female golden until it reaches two years isn’t recommended.

The owner should know how to care for a pregnant dog and when to seek veterinary help because gestation abnormalities can threaten the life of both the puppies and the dam.

Fortunately, a dog’s gestation period is significantly shorter than a woman’s, so the owners don’t have to stress for too long until the tiny fluff balls see the world.

First Pregnancy Symptoms

The first pregnancy symptoms in golden retrievers start showing by the end of the first month of gestation. The dog’s nipples begin to swell and become pinkish due to the increased blood supply on the 25th to 30th day from conception.

Often, pregnant dogs lose interest in their meals because their hormonal balance changes. In the third week of pregnancy, a dog may begin feeling nauseous, similar to how women suffer from morning nausea when carrying a child.

A dog’s abdomen enlarges during pregnancy, and her weight increases by 20%-55%. However, the speed of weight increase depends on many factors, including the puppy count and individual dog’s peculiarities.

Some dogs become bigger in the third week of pregnancy, while others only in the last weeks. A dog may also change her behavior, losing interest in playing and becoming sleepier. Some pregnant dogs become depressed or anxious.

Pregnancy Diagnosis

If you suspect that your dog is pregnant, bring her to a vet for a check-up. Vets use four methods of diagnosing pregnancy in dogs: hormone tests, palpation, X-ray, and ultrasound.

A vet can conduct a blood test to check the hormone relaxin levels. Since relaxin is only produced during pregnancy, the test is very accurate.

However, hormone tests can only be taken in the second month of pregnancy because they can show a false negative result if conducted earlier.

Palpation is the easiest way to determine that a dog is pregnant. Between the 21st and 35th days of pregnancy, a veterinarian can perform abdominal palpation to determine the presence and, often, even the number of puppies.

If palpation is performed earlier than the 21st day of pregnancy, the veterinarian is unlikely to feel anything because the embryos are too small.

After the 35th day, the sacs around embryos lose their distinct shape, and the dog’s uterus develops a floppy feel that can be mistaken for pyometra or fat.

The owner should never attempt diagnosing a dog’s pregnancy using palpation themselves because an inexperienced person can damage the embryos.

X-ray is only effective at the end of pregnancy, no earlier than on the 55th day because puppy skeletal systems don’t show up on x-ray until then.

By the 55th day, the pregnancy is often obvious without a vet’s help, but an x-ray can show the precise puppy count.

Lastly, an ultrasound is effective in detecting puppy heartbeats between the 25th and 35th day of gestation. An ultrasound can provide the owner with an estimated puppy count.

Month One

During the first week of mating, eggs are fertilized within the female dog’s uterus, and she experiences the first hormonal changes. However, the pregnancy signs are not yet apparent.

In the third week of gestation, a membrane layer forms around the puppies to protect them and provide them with nutrients. However, the embryos are still too small, and the dam doesn’t show any signs of pregnancy.

By the end of the first month, the first symptoms appear, and a vet can diagnose the pregnancy with ultrasound, palpation, or hormonal test. In other words, the first month of pregnancy typically passes unnoticed by the dog’s owner.

Month Two

In the second month of pregnancy, puppies start growing rapidly, and the dog’s belly begins to show. By day 32, puppy eyelids form, and by day 35, puppies already have visible toes, which acquire claws by day 40.

In the fifth week of pregnancy, the puppies end their embryogenesis stage and begin developing organs. During this dog pregnancy phase, the owner should provide her with a rich diet and supplements.

Many dogs become clingy and affectionate after the firth week of pregnancy. They begin to rest more and may even appear fatigued, which often worries inexperienced owners.

In the seventh week of pregnancy, puppies start growing fur and forming stronger bones. At this stage, a vet check-up is essential to spot any abnormalities in the puppy’s development and the dog’s health state.

By the end of the seventh week, a dog will begin to nest, searching for a safe place to deliver her litter. The owner should set up a comfortable nest when they notice the first signs of nesting behavior.

By day 50, puppies should be fully developed, and the dog may begin lactating. Around day 58, the puppies begin to move into the whelping position, preparing for the delivery.

Golden Retriever Pregnancy Duration

Golden retriever pregnancy duration ranges from 57 to 65 days from the moment of mating, with an average of 63 days. With planned mating, the owners can precisely calculate the expected delivery time.

Not tracking the dog pregnancy timeline isn’t a good idea because overdue pregnancy can be dangerous. Puppies may get stuck due to abnormal positioning, developmental defects, large size, or the dog’s pelvic canal shape.

Often, overdue pregnancy indicates puppy death. If a miscarriage occurs at the early stages of the pregnancy, it may go unnoticed. The dead embryo may be reabsorbed into the uterus.

In other words, the puppy’s body begins to decompose within the womb. While the process seems unsettling, it’s very common and usually doesn’t harm the dog.

However, if miscarriage happens after the 44th day of pregnancy, the puppy’s bones are too strong to be decomposed. Late miscarriages in dogs may cause stillbirth, but sometimes, the dead puppy may get stuck within the birth canal, hindering labor.

First Stage of Labor

The first stage of dog labor lasts for 12-24 hours and may not be outwardly noticeable to the owner. At this stage, contractions begin but are not yet apparent, and the cervix opens to prepare for the delivery.

The owner can notice signs of soon delivery by a sudden appetite loss, drop in body temperature of approximately eight degrees Fahrenheit, and restless behavior.

The puppies will move from the uterus into the birth canal, so the dog’s waist will become slimmer. She may be pacing, panting, shivering, digging, and otherwise behaving anxiously.

Second Stage of Labor

In the second stage of labor, the actual puppy delivery occurs. The dog begins pushing in response to contractions. The first puppy should appear within an hour from the start of pushing.

Subsequent puppies should be born faster, within 30 minutes of active pushing and intervals not exceeding three hours. For this reason, knowing the number of puppies is handy, allowing the owner to spot delivery abnormalities and seek timely veterinary help.

Third Stage of Labor

When puppies are delivered, the dog goes into the third, final stage of labor, when the placenta is delivered. A placenta should be passed immediately after every puppy’s delivery, so technically, stages two and three happen at the same time.

The labor ends when all the placentas have been delivered. The placenta is usually delivered five to 15 minutes after a puppy’s birth, but if multiple puppies are born rapidly, the dog may pass several placentas at once.

When To See a Vet

Golden retriever gestation duration may vary, but if a dog doesn’t go into labor after 63 days, she needs veterinary help. Overdue pregnancy in dogs occurs for various reasons, from stress to severe complications.

Inducing dog labor at home is not recommended, although the owner may attempt to play with the dog or offer her a comfortable nest to encourage her to start the delivery.

Depending on the cause of the issue, a vet may stimulate contractions by administering the dog medications or dextrose injections or making a C-section.

Assuming the dog goes into labor as intended, the owner should monitor the dog’s behavior from the first signs of labor to its final stage to spot abnormalities on time.

If no signs of delivery occur within 24 hours from the body temperature drop, the dog may need veterinary help.

If the delivery has started as intended, the owner should measure the time intervals between each puppy’s delivery. The dog shouldn’t require over an hour of active pushing to deliver the first puppy or 30 minutes of pushing to deliver subsequent puppies.

However, the dog may take long resting intervals of two-three hours between the puppies. If the intervals are longer, the owner should seek veterinary help because it may indicate serious complications posing a risk to the mother dog and puppies.

A significant increase in intervals between each subsequent puppy delivery is another worrying sign. The entire labor shouldn’t last over 24 hours, and the number of placentas should equal the number of puppies.

The owner should seek urgent veterinary help if they notice a foul smell or purulent discharge after whelping.

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