How Long Golden Retriever Pregnant

What Is The Average Litter Size For Golden Retrievers

Golden retrievers are among the friendliest and most intelligent dog species. With an amiable personality and love for companionship, these dogs can live up to 12 years.

Golden retrievers remain sexually fertile from about a year to old age. A female golden retriever generally goes into heat when she is between 10 to 14 months old. Males typically reach full maturity between 12 to 15 months.

Whether you are unsure about how many pups the female retriever will produce;or you want to know if your pet dog is pregnant, this post will help;you. Here,;you will know about the signs and symptoms;of a pregnant retriever and;the average size of the litter.

How Long Are Golden Retrievers In Heat For

Golden Retrievers are in heat for usually between 2-4 weeks.

During the early phase of the Estrus cycle, your dog may not be receptive to male dogs. However, there are some that are receptive regardless of the phase.

The cycle can be shorter or longer depending on the individual Goldy.

The only effective way to know is when the vulva returns to its normal size and theres no discharge or bleeding.

It is important to note that there is a small window when your dog is most fertile during the heat cycle.

But, she can still get pregnant until the end of the cycle.

Are There Tests That Determine When To Mate Your Golden Retriever

If you plan on getting your Golden Retriever mated, there are two simple tests available that help determines the right age to do so.

These include:

Both of these tests can be easily performed and are readily available in the veterinary practice.

The serum progesterone test is the one that gives a good indication of the time frame for when the mating is most likely to be successful. This test is useful for females dogs with a history of unsuccessful mating.

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When Does The Heat Cycle Start For Golden Retrievers

Typically, Golden Retrievers go into heat in the spring and in the fall. The timing of the first heat cycle will largely depend on when your pup was born.

Once your Golden starts her first cycle, they will be pretty regular for her moving forward. It is important that you keep track of when she is likely to go into heat. That way you can prepare and plan accordingly to avoid unwanted pregnancy and unnecessary risks.

Although small dogs can go into heat for the first time as early as 6 months old, bigger dogs heat cycle is different. If you just study about canine heat cycles, you will likely get information that pertains to dogs other than Goldens.

Generally, Golden Retrievers will go into heat for the first time around 1-year-old. It can come as early as 9 months or as late as 15 months.

What Do I Do After The Sixth Week

After the sixth week of pregnancy, your dog should gradually increase her food intake; high energy, low fiber foods are recommended. As the fetuses increase in size, abdominal pressure increases and frequent small meals are advised. Diets containing high levels of omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid have been shown to improve the health and development of puppies and should be considered. Discuss DHA-supplemented diets for your pregnant dog with your veterinarian.

During the last three weeks of pregnancy, your dog’s food intake should increase by up to one and a half times the normal level, by feeding smaller meals more frequently.

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Tiring Your Golden Retriever Before Leaving Him

You should try to take your Golden Retriever for long walks in the morning rather than in the evening. This way your Golden will be tired out before you leave for work. Due to this activity, your Golden Retriever will spend a couple of hours sleeping as well as resting and will not be bored easily.

4. Getting Interactive Toys

To keep your dog busy in an activity while you are away, it is better to get him some interactive toys. The selection of toys depends on the taste of your dog. Some dogs love to chew toys while others like to have toyed with puzzles. Therefore, this step can buy you some time while you are away for work.

How To Take Care Of A Dog In Heat

While she is in heat, your Golden retriever will need extra attention and care. She will likely want more of your time. Its a good idea to spend the extra energy on her at this time to ensure she is happy and safe during this vulnerable time.

Ways to Care for Your Dog During Heat:

• Dont let her outside alone
• Avoid taking her to public places
• Find a good balance of exercise and rest
• Get some doggy diapers
• Use a GPS tracker
• Talk to your vet

No matter how secure you believe your yard to be, dont let your dog go outside alone while she is in heat.

Male dogs can easily dig under or jump over a fence when they feel the need. Its also best to keep her on a leash during any walks, no matter how obedient she might normally be.

Going to the dog park or the pet store isnt the best call when your golden retriever is in heat. The presence of other dogs, particularly males, will only lead to trouble. You should keep your dog at home through the 3 weeks that she is in the heat for her safety.

Every dog is different. Some get more active during their heat cycle, while others just want to lay around all day. In terms of rest and exercise, dont push your dog one way or the other. Get to know whats best for them and allow them to be comfortable.

Doggy diapers are a wonderful resource for any dog that isnt very tidy while in heat. It limits the amount of discharge that gets on bedding and carpets. You can find disposable ones and reusable ones to save your sanity.

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Signs That Your Golden Is In Heat

Below are the signs of the heat cycle and how to determine where your dog is at. Keep track of each on a calendar to help you judge when the next cycle is likely to occur.

Swollen vulva

This is not painful for your Golden and begins just a day or two before the bloody discharge of the Proestrus Stage.

Bleeding or other discharge

The discharge is one of the easiest signs that a female is in heat. It is important to watch because it will indicate when your Golden is ready to be bred. I usually wait for the bloody discharge to turn clear for a day or two and then introduce the female to the male two or three times over the next 8 to 10 days.

Abnormal mounting behavior

This sign can be tricky because some females engage in some mounting behavior regardless of what stage of the heat cycle they are in. What you are looking for is increased behavior. Maybe she will start mounting more often or in different situations.

Licking genitals

Experts think that this is your dogs efforts to keep herself clean. Sometimes I question what experts say about the reasons why animals do certain things. It seems likely that it could also be that the areas are becoming more sensitive with increased blood flow.

Nesting behavior

Remember that dogs are naturally burrowing animals. As a female is preparing for the possibility of a pregnancy, it is not uncommon to see her begin preparing a place to whelp her pups. You might see her drag toys or other important items to the nest and sleep with them.

How Much Should A Golden Retriever Eat Daily

On average, an adult Golden Retriever will eat between 2 and 3 ½ cups of food per day. However, the exact amount of food varies from one dog to the next and depends on age, activity level, weight, health problems, and quality of food.

Furthermore, neutered golden Retrievers need fewer calories compared to their unaltered counterparts, and nursing females will have to eat more to maintain their weight and produce milk for the puppies.

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When Do Golden Retrievers Calm Down And 3 Ways To Train Them To Be More Chill

The energy of your golden retriever is a large part of their charm, but sometimes it can be too much and youre left wondering; do Golden retrievers calm down? and if so, when?

Days, weeks, and months pass by and your pup dont seem to ever want to just chill. Its as if they are always cranked up to 11 and there is no off button on them.

Well, the good news is that Golden Retrievers do calm down.

So, when do golden retrievers Calm down? Golden Retrievers start to calm down when they are 2-to-3 years old when they are turning from puppies into adult dogs. They often become much calmer at the age of four, but their energy levels can still be high compared to other dog breeds.

When Golden Retrievers are puppies, they have all this pent up energy that needs to go somewhere, and it often goes everywhere. From jumping on new people to chewing everything they can reach, they always find ways to release this pent up energy.

Even more, some golden retrievers can keep this level of energy through all their lifetime. As much enduring as this is, it can take a lot to keep up with them at all times. However, there are things you can do to help your puppy chill down.

Lets talk about them more

• Find my list of recommendations here.

Signs Of A Pregnant Golden Retriever

Your female retriever will go through hormonal changes when she is pregnant similar to a woman. Some of the symptoms of being pregnant include:

• Bodily discharges

Reduced appetite is the first sign of a pregnant pooch. However, the appetite returns to normal during the middle of the pregnancy.

Once the appetite is restored and the puppies start to develop, your golden retriever will become stouter. Her belly will bloat and become large during the later period of pregnancy. Normally, you will be able to tell that your pet dog is visibly pregnant when she is 10 days into the pregnancy.

During the early stages, your pet dog will not have any interest in exercise and she will sleep a lot.

In addition, most female retrievers become affectionate and friendly during the first few weeks into pregnancy. However, you should be careful as there can be some who want to be left alone during this period.

Your female retriever will start to have discharge;about one to two months of gestation. The discharges will be either milky or clear. If the discharge is red or pink color, you need to get her checked by a veterinary immediately.

During the end of the pregnancy, you will notice some milk discharge. This is a sign that the puppies will arrive soon,;so you should be ready!

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When Does A Golden Retriever Go In Heat

Most female Golden Retrievers initially experience going into heat at the ripe age of 10-14 months. This can differ, depending on how large your Golden Retriever is; the heat cycle is continuous for the Golden Retrievers lifetimeunless they are pregnant or spayed. The heat cycles commonly occur every 9-10 months.;

Take Them To The Vet When Needed

During the pregnancy, youll be taking your dog to the vet at least once before the birth. At this appointment, the vet will be able to check for any infections or diseases, or any physical abnormalities with the puppies.;

• Your vet will be able to perform x-rays to find out how many puppies the mother is carrying.
• If the mother has any signs of illness or experiences vaginal bleeding before the birth, make sure to bring her to the vet asap.;
• Talk to your vet about getting your dog spayed after giving birth if the pregnancy was accidental.;
• Ask your vet about what to do in case of emergencies. Sometimes complications can happen with the pregnancy or birth, and its always good to know what to do in case something unexpected happens.;

Its easy to overlook symptoms of illness in a dog since they usually get better within a day, but its especially important to be vigilant during their pregnancy. Any sort of infection, injury, or disease can be life-threatening to the puppies and the mother.;

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How To Find Out Litter Size Of A Pregnant Retriever

Any ultrasound or X-ray can be performed to know the number of puppies inside a pregnant retriever. An X-ray can identify pups inside the retrievers belly only once the bones have developed. This normally occurs about 49 days into the pregnancy.

Ultrasound can also help in determining the litter size. The test is performed about 22 days of the gestation period. But the technique does not reveal the exact size of the litter. Still, this technique is less harmful to the puppies and the mom as compared to X-Rays.

You should consider waiting until the 55 days of gestation before conducting tests to confirm pregnancy. By knowing about the expected number of pups in the womb, you can better prepare for the arrival of the little retrievers.

Golden Retriever Heat Cycle Chart

At the age of 10 to 14 months, female Golden Retriever faces their first heat cycle, and on average, they often go in the heat every six months, that is 2 times a year. When Golden Retriever undergoes the heat cycle, there are 4 stages that she experiences Proestrus, Estrus, Diestrus, and Anestrus. The time duration for each of these stages differs from each other.

Below, Ive attached a Golden Retriever Heat Cycle Chart, which depicts the 4 stages of the Heat Cycle with time duration.

The time spans given in this infographics are only average values, which can vary largely among individuals!

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Know How To Contact Your Vet After Hours

Even though most births go smoothly, it will be important to know how to contact your vet after normal office hours. Just ask what your vets after-hours phone number is, and make sure they know your dogs due date . Since dogs usually give birth at night, this information is important to get prior to the event.

If, for some reason, your dog does have complications, make sure to have a car available that will fit your golden retriever. To make the process even less stressful, have a towel already set down on the floor of the car.

How Long Can A Golden Retriever Live

Most Golden Retrievers live to be between 10 and 12 years old.

Genetic factors play a large role in how long a particular canine lives.

Genetic factors likely play a role in a pets susceptibility to cancer, which can decrease their lifespan considerably.

Hip and bone problems can also factor into a dogs quality of life as they age.

Genetic factors also play a role in these disorders, though being overweight is also a big factor in Golden Retriever lifespan.

Do you have a Golden Retriever?

Let us know how old they are in the comments below!

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Your Dogs Heat Cycle During Pregnancy

Before a dog even gets pregnant, they go through;the heat cycle. This is the pre-pregnancy stage in which female dogs become receptive to mating. Its important to understand this aspect of your pups reproductive behavior.

The heat cycle lasts between 18 and 21 days. Intact;female dogs those who havent been spayed will go into heat about every six to eight months, although this can vary. The heat cycle itself is broken down into four stages:

• Proestrus is the first stage of the heat cycle and lasts for about nine days. Female dogs will start to attract males during this stage, although they will deny the males advances. The vulva swells during this period, and some bloody vaginal discharge will probably appear.
• Estrus occurs next, and might last for just a few days or between seven and 11 days. The vulva is still enlarged, and discharge will probably lessen in volume and lighten in color. Its in this stage that the female permits mating.
• Diestrus occurs around 14 days into the heat cycle. At this stage, the female will no longer allow mating all swelling and discharge ceases, and the cycle ends.
• Anestrus refers to the period of time after one heat cycle ends and the next one begins. This lasts about six months time, in most cases.

Its important to realize that your dog, assuming she hasnt been spayed, will experience the heat cycle on a recurring basis. But shell only get pregnant if she mates with a male.

What Should You Feed Your Pregnant Dog

Much like us, your pregnant dog needs high quality nutrition when shes pregnant. Often the food we feed our dogs is not doing them justice and this is especially the case when your dog is eating for more than herself. Many conventional kibbles are filled with artificial flavors, low-quality protein sources, and not enough fiber.

Interested in improving the diet of your dog? Try Wild Earths Clean Protein Dog Food For FREE!

Wild Earth is a Vet-developed food that is a high protein , folate and folic acid that helps prevent birth defects, rich in calcium and vitamin D to promote and strengthen bones and also importantly providing a high fiber source of complete nutrition.;

Our food is full of beta-glucans, a powerful digestive fiber that helps to fight off disease and increase immunity especially when your dog needs it most. It also contains superfoods like chickpeas, sweet potato, oats, and blueberries so your dog and her litter can thrive!

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