Breeding / Whelping / Puppy Development

The average gestation period of a female dog will range between 58 to 68 days (roughly 8-10 weeks) before whelping.

Proestrus:

Proestrus is the start of the heat period where your dog’s body is preparing to mate and it averages about nine days, but can last 3 to 17 days. Her vulva will swell and you may notice a blood-tinged discharge. Many dogs are fastidious about messes and will clean themselves before you notice. Your dog may also hold her tail close to her body and display clingy like behavior. At this stage of the heat cycle, your dog will attract males, but she will not be receptive to them and may become aggressive if they try to mount her.

Estrus:

Estrus is the mating phase and it usually lasts around 9 days, but can be as short as 3 or as long as 21 days. During this time, blood flow will lessen and then stop, but the discharge may change to a straw color. Female dogs will attract and accept males, with ovulation occurring 2 to 3 days after mating. You may notice your dog urinating more frequently and marking spots within and outside your home to spread pheromone messages indicating her readiness to breed. If an intact male is present, your female dog is likely to present herself to him, hindquarters first, and with her tail held to the side. Please note during this phase she can and will breed with multiple males if she is left unattended if this happens DNA testing will need to be obtained on the males and the puppies to confirm parentage.

See attached calculator and calendar to obtain estimated whelping dates: http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/breeding/whelpingchartb.htm