Dog pregnancy calculator

Why the due date is a window

Dogs are pregnant for about 63 days, but that is counted from ovulation, and the mating date only tells you roughly when that was. Sperm can survive for several days, and the mother may not have ovulated when she was mated. So the real range from mating is wide: PDSA gives 56 to 72 days. If you need a precise date, your vet can time ovulation with blood tests before mating.

If she was mated more than once, use the first date. The window above then covers the later matings too.

The legal side, for England

Every puppy must be microchipped and registered on a database by eight weeks old, and before it goes to a new home. As the breeder you are the first keeper, so the details start with you and the new owner updates them. The fine for not doing it is up to £500.

You need a local council licence if you breed three or more litters in any 12 months, or if you breed dogs and advertise a business of selling them. Licensed breeders must not sell puppies under eight weeks, must show them with their mother, and must not breed from a female more than once a year or more than six times in total.

Since Lucy’s Law in 2020, a puppy under six months old can only be sold by the person who bred it, not by a pet shop or dealer. Wales and Scotland have similar rules with some differences, so check your own nation’s guidance if you are outside England.

When to get help

Most dogs give birth without any trouble, and the best thing you can do is stay calm and nearby. Register with your vet before the due date and save the number of your nearest out-of-hours service, because labour does not keep office hours. The danger signs are in the timeline above: long straining with no puppy, green discharge with no puppy following, heavy bleeding, or a mother who is exhausted and has stopped trying.