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Pregnancy and nursing are not only responsible for many changes in a dog's body, but for changes in her lifestyle as well. If your dog is pregnant or nursing, pay special attention to her changing nutritional needs as she carries, delivers and nurses her puppies.
If you're planning to breed your female dog, it’s important to assess her body condition well in advance of breeding. Because of the physical demands of pregnancy and nursing, a dog with less-than-ideal health can experience problems:
Be sure to feed the proper amounts of a complete and balanced diet. This will support the mother's healthy weight and body condition before breeding and help maintain her health and that of her babies throughout pregnancy and lactation.
The gestation period for dogs is nine weeks. Pregnant dogs gain weight only slightly until about the sixth week, and then gain weight rapidly.
The energy requirements of pregnant dogs are reflected in the pattern of weight gain. Pregnant dogs will need to consume 25% to 50% more than their normal food intake by the end of pregnancy, but energy requirements do not increase until about the sixth week.
The best diet for pregnant and nursing dogs is a high-quality, nutrient-dense pet food formulated for all life stages or for growth. Although puppy diets are generally recommended for pregnant or nursing dogs, large-breed puppy formulas may not be appropriate for this use due to their adjusted energy and mineral content.
Pregnant dogs lose weight after giving birth, but their nutritional needs increase dramatically. Depending on litter size, nursing dogs might need two to three times their normal food requirement to nourish their pups. Be sure your nursing mom has plenty of water so she can generate the milk volume she needs to feed the litter.
To help your nursing dog get enough nutrition, you can try several tactics:
By four to five weeks after birth, most puppies are showing an interest in their mother’s food. Gradually, the puppies will begin eating more solid food and nursing less. At the same time, the nursing mother will usually begin eating less. Most puppies are completely weaned around age 7 to 8 weeks. By this time, the mother's energy requirement is back to normal, and she should be eating her normal pre-pregnancy diet.
We asked dog owners* how many hours a day they think their adult dog sleeps. The answers averaged around 9.7 hours. Truth is, dogs normally sleep around 12-14 hours a day. (Cats sleep 12-16 hours, which is why it’s called a “catnap,” we presume.) “Normal” can depend on lots of things. Bigger breeds definitely need more z’s. Older dogs tire quicker and sleep more. Growing puppies need up to 20 hours a day. Being cute must really be tiresome.
But why do they sleep so much? We’re not going to let sleeping dogs lie; we’re getting to the answers.
Dogs spend less time in deep REM sleep, so they’re able to wake quickly and be ready to go — whether it’s responding to danger or the opening of a bag of chips. It also means they need to doze more often to make up for that lack of truly restful sleep.
In general, carnivores need more rest. “In their wild dog and wolf days, it was a hunt for food, bringing down large prey, then feasting,” says
Opens a new windowDr. Jo Gale, BVetMed CertLAS MRCVS, Senior Manager, Global Science Advocacy at Waltham Petcare Science Institute. “They’d spend a long time digesting and may not eat for a few days. There’s a tendency to conserve energy.” Just think about how you feel after eating a huge steak. Incoming meat coma. Goodbye, belt. Hello, sofa.
Yawn. When owners are out of the house, dogs often sleep simply because they’re bored. They’re not into books and haven’t quite figured out how to turn on the TV, so why not catch a few extra winks? Plus, they want to be super refreshed when you come back home in the evening.
Some dogs like to sleep longer and some dogs are just lazier than others. According to
Opens a new windowDr. Tammie King, Applied Behavior Technical Leader at Waltham Petcare Science Institute, “You might see more sleeping after intense exercise or they’ve gone to a pet sitter or boarding center due to high stimulation.” There’s usually no cause for concern unless they seem lethargic and lose interest in playing or eating, or begin listening to a lot of emo music.
Their wild days long gone, dogs have adapted their sleep schedules to match humans’ sleep schedules. Sort of. They still might get you up in the night or early morning before your alarm goes off. It’s best to exercise them in the morning and evening so they’re more tired — and have used the facilities — right before everyone else goes to sleep.
Now, the only question remaining is, what do you think your dog dreams about?
*Surveyed U.S. dog owners, age 18+
Sample Size: n=201
Fielded May 8-10, 2020
