Nutritional Needs of Pregnant and Nursing Dogs

Many of us know or have experienced the demands and affects a pregnancy can place on your body. Likewise, a dog that is pregnant or nursing will experience several developmental changes throughout their entire reproduction process. These changes will affect their lifestyle to include their eating habits. When deciding to breed your beloved pet you will want to carefully plan and monitor their pre-pregnancy schedule, their pregnancy term, their nursing regimen, and finally the process of weaning their litter onto solid foods. Pre-Pregnancy Planning If you are planning to breed your female dog, it is essential to examine and assess her body and health conditions well in advance and prior to breeding. You will want to prepare your dog to ensure their body is in optimal health and able to carry a litter to term. Proper diet and regular exercise are crucial to the success of a healthy pregnancy. Breeding a female who is in poor health can cause severe and/or fatal consequences for your adult dog and her litter. Dogs with less than ideal health may not be able to withstand the physical demands of pregnancy and nursing their young. For instance, an underweight dog will likely be unable to consume enough food and nutrients to support herself and her litter. Newborn and developing puppies have several nutritional needs that are vital to their survival, which they receive through nursing. Likewise, an overweight dog may experience difficulties or have an abnormal labor due to an enlarged fetus, which in turn can be quite painful during delivery. In preparation for breeding be careful to feed your dog a complete well balance diet. This will optimized your dogs’ weight and health condition prior to breeding and increase your dogs chances of a successful pregnancy and lactation. Pregnancy A typical gestation period for dogs is nine weeks. During pregnancy dogs gain minimal weight the first six weeks of their pregnancy; however, they will gain weight rapidly in the remaining three weeks of their pregnancy. During a healthy pregnancy dogs will generally consume twenty-five to fifty percent more of than their normal food intake throughout their pregnancy; however, their energy levels do not increase until approximately the sixth week of pregnancy. Nursing Following the birth of your dogs litter you can expect your dog to lose weight; however, their nutritional needs increase dramatically. Food consumption can increase as much as two to three times their normal food requirements depending on the size of their litter. The larger the litter, the greater the demand is for milk. The nursing mother will need to produce enough milk to nourish her litter of puppies. It is extremely important that your nursing mom (dog) has plenty of water supply; this will help generate the milk volume she needs to feed her litter. Feeding your nursing mom a nutrient dense diet such as puppy food will help generate the nutrients that are essential for her nursing puppies. Supplying your nursing mom with several meals throughout the day or by offering her unlimited access to dry food throughout the day will also increase her puppies nutrimental needs. Weaning Following the birth most puppies begin to show interest in their mother’s solid dry dog food by week five. Weaning puppies will gradually begin nursing less and eating more solid foods. Likewise, your nursing mom will begin to eat less as the demand for nursing decreases. Generally, most puppies have completed the weaning process by week eight and are able to maintain a healthy diet on solid foods. Furthermore, their mother will begin to regain a normal energy level and can return to her “Pre-Pregnancy” diet. Food for the Pregnant Dog Although, puppy diets are recommended for pregnant and nursing dogs, it is also essential to feed your pregnant and nursing dog a high quality, nutrient dense food that is developed for all stages of life for your pets.