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My first-time dog mom is due soon. What are the labor signs?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Boxer | Female | unspayed | 2 years and 2 months old | 50 lbs

Hello.My dog is going to be a First Time Mom and should already be towards the End.I just wanted to know when to start counting the days?If its from the first time mating then today isDay60.Last time she mated was Sept12.I know some of the first signs but she hasnt showed any of them.No nesting,no bloddy discharge,she still eats,she's just clingy.Is it possible that she does not want to give birth because our 2nd dog is around?her spinal cord started showing more is it cause of her tummy weight?

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Eryn Taormina, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on November 7th, 2018

Hi there! Congratulations to Leila! You are correct as it is close to the end. The gestation period for a dog is about 63 days - give or take. It seems like you are watching out for the correct signs, like nesting behavior. I doubt the other dog is preventing her from giving birth, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to separate them during this time, so she can get comfortable and have access to her own private area. You can also start checking her rectal temperature routinely, a couple of times a day, so you will know for sure when it drops, indicating labor will start soon after. Another good idea (if you haven't already of course) is to take her to her veterinarian for an Xray. The veterinarian can estimate the number of puppies she will be having. This way, if you expect at least 10, and she only births 9, you know there is an issue. Her backbone, like you said, is most likely more visible because her body condition is changing. The puppies grow a lot from 40 days until the end, and they are using her energy to do so. She may be losing body condition (even if her weight is staying the same) because she isn't getting enough nutrition. I included a link below about how to feed a pregnant dog. I also will include one about birthing puppies that is great! It has a lot of good information so you know what else to expect aside from your current knowledge. I hope you find this answer helpful! Best of luck! https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/feeding-the-pregnant-dog https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951546

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    Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    The average 63 days of gestation is counted from the day of ovulation which you would probably not know unless a progesterone level was run. Sperm can stay viable in the female reproductive tract for several days so she may have ovulated before or after she was last bred. You should start taking a rectal temperature three times daily to establish a baseline - a decrease of one degree F indicates that labor should start within 24 hours. I would also recommend taking her to your vet as soon as possible for an x-ray to count the puppies. They might be able to determine how far along she is by looking at the puppies’ bones.

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