Pugs have been known to be quite the friendly breed. They have an unwavering loyalty for their owner and possess a very lively personality. This dog breed has been in existence for centuries now and one of the most popular and loved dog breeds around the world. Pugs are friendly and safe around children, making them the perfect family pet.
Is your Pug expecting or you are simply curious to know about Pugs’ pregnancy and all that it entails, this article is right for you. In this article, we would be discussing all about Pugs’ pregnancies. Read on!
How Long Are Pugs Pregnant
On an average, Pugs are pregnant for about 9 to 10 weeks from conception to delivery. These weeks of pregnancy are divided into stages. Below are details of things to expect at every stage of your Pug’s pregnancy.
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Stage 1
About 2 weeks after conception and implantation must have taken place, the fetuses begin to develop. At this point, you will need to take your Pug to the vet for an ultrasound that would detect the heartbeats of the developing fetuses.
By this time, your Pug will begin to show symptoms of early pregnancy like protruding stomach, lethargy, loss of appetite and host of others.
Stage 2
In the 5th week of her pregnancy, her puppies begin to develop toes, fingers and eyelids. From this moment, their development speeds up drastically.
By the 6th week, the puppies’ claws develop, as well as their body form and coats. During this time, your pregnant Pug’s stomach becomes rounder, bigger and firmer, and as you must have expected, the movements in her stomach have become stronger and more defined.
Any time from now, it is highly advised that you take your pregnant Pug to the vet for an ultrasound scan to know exactly how many puppies are in your Pug’s litter. Knowing the size of the litter would help you prepare for their arrival.
As you approach the 8th week of your pug’s pregnancy, we advise that you help your Pug feel more comfortable about her delivery by making soft and comfortable beddings available for her. This is because towards the end of the 8th week, you would notice your Pug going in search of a comfortable spot to deliver her puppies.
Stage 3
At the beginning of the 9th week, the puppies begin to take position in preparation for delivery. Once this begins, your Pug’s waist gets slimmer that it usually is.
As the delivery date approaches, she goes back to skipping meals or not eating much again, she becomes agitated and restless, always pacing, moving in circles or panting. One or two days before delivery, your pregnant Pug will have a slight dip in temperature.
It is important to note that these symptoms vary in different Pugs. Your pug might only experience one of these symptoms or all of them. No two Pugs will have the exact same pregnancy symptoms.
Pregnancy Symptoms In Pugs
Just like a pregnant woman might experience physical and behavioral changes during pregnancy, female pugs will also experience physical and behavioral changes during the weeks of their pregnancies. If you own a pug or are a pug breeder, here are some of the changes to expect from your pregnant pug:
At the early stage of pregnancy, within the first 2 weeks after conception, your Pug begins to experience morning sickness, starts to skip meals and has less appetite than she used to. Even though she is not eating so much, her stomach begins to protrude. There is a daily increase in her tummy size, indicating that the puppies are growing.
From the 3rd week, the veterinary doctor can begin to feel the puppies moving in her stomach. From this moment, you would notice your Pug feeling tired many times, a clear opposite of her usual energetic, playful disposition.
As the weeks go by, her appetite not only returns, but she might seem to have gained a larger appetite and would be eating a lot more than usual, which will result in an obvious weight gain for your Pug.
More so, her body begins to prepare for nursing and you would notice this by the enlargement and reddening of her nipples.
During the 4th week of her pregnancy, you may begin to notice your Pug having clear discharge. This is a sign of progress in her pregnancy.
At the later end of your pug’s pregnancy, usually 2 weeks before delivery, your pug might become a lot calmer than she used to be, withdrawn and uninterested in socializing with other people or pets around the house.
You are likely to catch your pug asleep many times during the day, all in different areas in the house other than her bed or sleep area. She is likely to also become more cuddly, wanting more than to just lounge around the house with you.
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Do Pugs Have Problems Giving Birth?
Pugs belong to the family of Brachycephalic dog breeds, including French Bulldogs and British Bulldogs. These dogs often have difficulty at the point of delivery. This is technically as a result of their body builds.
The Brachycephalic dog breeds are small-sized dogs with large heads, squashed faces, broad shoulders, small hips and narrow pelvises. The puppies’ large heads are usually not able to fit into the mother Pug’s narrow pelvis, making it difficult to have a natural birth.
This is why most breeders opt for Caesarian Sections for their pregnant Pugs. Forcing a pug to have a natural birth could lead to severe complications.
However, C sections are not always needed. Your veterinary doctor can carry out an x-ray on your pregnant Pug to see how large the skulls of the puppies are and if they would fit through the mother Pug’s pelvis. The x-ray will also determine how many puppies she expecting to know if she can handle that much number passing through her pelvis.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How Many Times Can Pugs Get Pregnant?
Breeding your female pug in successive seasons is not very healthy for her and so is not advised. Instead, it is advised that you put a seasonal break in between breeds i.e. after breeding her, do not breed her in the next season until the following one.
This would help her body to retain its strength and ability to carry more litters. However, there is a limit to the amount of litters a pug can and should have throughout her lifespan. A female pug is not advised to have any more than 4 pregnancies all her life.
If she gets pregnant after the fourth time, she and her puppies might be in danger as the pregnancy is likely to be a complicated one.
How Many Puppies Will A Pug Have?
Technically, the amount of puppies a pug will have cannot be ascertained until an ultrasound is carried out at the final stage of her pregnancy. The number of puppies in each litter varies a lot.
In some cases, a pug can give birth to only one puppy but on an average scale, a small-sized pug can have about four to six puppies in one litter and a large-sized pug can have about nine puppies in her litter.
Can Pugs Give Birth Naturally?
The simple answer to this question is Yes, Pugs can certainly give birth naturally. If your vet has carried out the necessary scans and certified your pug fit enough to give birth to her puppies naturally, then she can have a natural birth.
However, it is important that you get her nest ready for the delivery and pay close attention to your Pug to know when she is ready to give birth.
Final Note
If you own a pregnant Pug or you are a breeder, I hope that this article has helped you have a good idea of the duration of pregnancy, pregnancy symptoms and mode of delivery for your Pug, so as to get you prepared for the arrival of the little pug pups.
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