As Golden Retriever puppies are immensely popular and adorable, you for sure cannot stay away from its charm. Thus, like most owners, you may also want to parent this dog. Furthermore, if you already have an adult dog and want to have a puppy, you should know about the best age at which an adult Golden Retriever can get pregnant.
So, at what age can a Golden Retriever get pregnant? Unlike humans, a Golden Retriever becomes sexually mature at an early age of about six months. And thus, your pal gets heat after maturity. Moreover, when your dog completes the proestrus phase of the heat cycle and enters the estrus phase, it can get pregnant within 5-12 days of the estrus phase.
Since Golden Retriever is an expensive dog, breeding this dog is a huge issue. Besides this, your pal may suffer from different health hazards after the breeding or delivery of babies. Thus, you should keep a cautious look at your pal’s health and breeding.
Undoubtedly, I will talk about the perfect age when a Golden Retriever can get pregnant in this article. And along with this, I will be disclosing some caring tips for your pregnant pet.
When Can A Golden Retriever Get Pregnant?
Generally, Golden Retrievers mature sexually at a very young age. Further, the male Golden Retrievers can breed and mate to produce a baby earlier than the females. So, you will notice that your male dog starts mounting ever since it is five months old.
However, a female Golden Retriever takes a little longer to get sexually mature.
Yet, the maturation is too early in comparison to humans. Usually, female dogs are sexually mature when they get their heat cycle. But to be pregnant, your pet needs to reach the estrus stage after completing the proestrus stage.
Moreover, a female dog is more likely to get pregnant between 5-12 days of the early estrus stage. So, your pal should be at least six months or older to produce a puppy.
But do you know what age is the best for your Golden Retriever to get pregnant?
At What Age Can Golden Retriever Get Pregnant?
The best age for a Golden Retriever to get pregnant depends on its health condition, medical history, and breed type. Furthermore, when you overlook most of the dogs, you will find almost all of them start getting their health cycle between the age of six to twelve months.
But Golden Retrievers below the age of one year aren’t mature enough to get pregnant. Besides this, the dogs that conceive at this early age are prone to health issues like:
- Ovarian cancer
- Diabetes
- Hip dysplasia
Besides this, since the reproductive organs of these breeds aren’t mature below eight months, the puppies produced are more likely to suffer from autoimmune diseases. And along with this, multiple miscarriages, unplanned C-sections, prolonged labor, etc., are also very common.
Therefore, the best age for your Golden Retriever to get pregnant is after it is two years old. Thus, most breeders wait until the completion of at least three heat cycles of a Golden Retriever before breeding it.
In addition, a Golden Retriever above the age of 2 years is more mature. Hence, there is a lesser health risk if it gets pregnant.
However, after knowing the best age for a Golden Retriever to get pregnant, don’t you want to know until when can your pal get pregnant?
How Old Is Too Old For A Golden Retriever To Get Pregnant?
Like the time to start breeding, the time to stop depends on the health issues and medical history of a Golden Retriever. Besides this, as a dog gets older, its body function starts declining. Thus, after a certain age, your pal will lack the energy or vigor to mate.
Furthermore, since a senior Golden Retriever is at a higher risk of health hazards like cancer, joint disorders, eye diseases, ear infections, heart diseases, constipation, etc., it takes more energy for your pal to mate. Besides this, the weak immune system and lesser sperm count make it quite impossible for a female dog to conceive even after mating.
Moreover, a Golden Retriever above the age of eight years has a weak reproductive system. Thus, autoimmune diseases and miscarriages are common problems when the parent is older than eight years. So, most kennel clubs also suggest avoiding breeding your pet after they are eight years old.
However, to keep your dog on the safer side, you should stop breeding your Golden Retriever after it reaches six years old.
What Are The Signs That Your Golden Retriever Is Pregnant?
Like humans, Golden Retriever also gives some prominent signs when it gets pregnant. And thus, the common sighs are:
- Colorless fluid or blood discharge from the vagina after one month of mating
- Swelling of nipples due to the increase in the base supply of the udders after one month of mating
- Loss of appetite during the middle phase of pregnancy
- Your pet has swollen abdomen with an increase in body weight by 20 to 55%. Furthermore, the baby bump of this dog is visible only after 45 to 50 days of gestation.
- Change in mood and behavior. Thus, your friendly Golden Retriever appears depressed, aggressive, and sad.
- Your Retriever starts nesting by scraping the ground or its carte box due to the motherly instinct before delivering the puppies.
So, after knowing the signs of pregnancy, don’t you want to know how long can a Golden Retriever get pregnant.
How Long Are Golden Retrievers Pregnant?
Moreover, unlike the lengthen gestational period of humans, the gestational period of a Golden Retriever is short (i.e., approximately 63 days). Due to the health condition and body structure, the pregnancy period may vary by few days.
Generally, the sperm of a male dog can live for many days in the female body before meeting with the eggs for fertilization, whereas females can remain fertile only for 48 hours. Thus, mating time isn’t the exact time for initiation of gestation.
Therefore, you need to measure the hormones of your pal to determine the exact time of gestation. Generally, most breeders use vaginal smears with blood tests monitor to depict the hormonal level in your dog. Furthermore, the relation of gestational time with hormonal level is as follows:
- 56-58 days from the first day of diestrus
- 64-66 days from the initial rise in progesterone
- 58-72 days from the first mating time
However, as the pregnancy of a Golden Retriever is shorter, each day is equally valuable for your pal. In addition, it is essential to know the length of gestation period of your pal to ensure that it gets proper nutrients in each stage.
Furthermore, you can also determine the correct health care needed for your pal at each stage by observing the gestational phase.
So, what do you think might be the stages of pregnancy in a Golden Retriever?
What Are The Stages Of Pregnancy Of A Golden Retriever?
Like humans, a Golden Retriever also has various stages of pregnancy. But since the gestational period of these breeds are comparatively small (I.e., nine weeks), pregnancy in three stages.
Besides this, due to the rapid development of the puppies, you will also observe a remarkable increase in your pal womb within a short span of two to three months. However, the stages of pregnancy of a Golden Retriever are:
First Stage Of Pregnant Golden Retriever: One Month
In this stage, the embryos travel to the uterine horns on day seven and embed in the uterine lining on day sixteen. Moreover, the fetus starts taking shape at around day 22. And as your pal’s gestation reaches 28 to 30 days, the Vet notices the heartbeat sound of puppies in ultrasound.
Besides this, some of the symptoms of a pregnant Golden Retriever in the first month are:
- Your Golden Retriever is always hungry.
- The nipples of your pet start growing larger.
- Colorless fluid discharge from the vagina
- Your Golden Retriever might become needy.
- Immobility and fatigue
- Morning sickness
Second Stage Of Pregnant Golden Retriever: Two Months
As the fetal becomes two months old in your pal’s belly, the formation of eyelids takes place on day 32, and the visible toes appear on day 35. Besides this, claws formation, skin coat, and skeleton development occurs on days 40 and 45 simultaneously.
Furthermore, to determine the delivery time, the owners use an x-ray of the pregnant dog on day 50 to determine the number of puppies in the litter. Along with this, as the due date comes closer, your pal starts nesting due to motherly instincts.
However, the signs of a pregnant Golden Retriever in the second month are:
- 20 to 50% weight gain
- Increase in appetite
- Frequent urination
- Watery and odorless vaginal discharge
- Change in behaviors
- After 45-50 days, your pal’s abdomen swells
- Appetite loss after day 45.
- Visible puppy movement on day 50
Third Stage Of Pregnant Golden Retriever: Three Month
Generally, Golden Retriever will start whelping in the third stage of pregnancy. Further, after around 58 days, the puppies inside your pal move. As a result, it leads to a whelping position in the birth canal at the last few days of your pal’s pregnancy.
And the system at the last days of pregnancy are:
- Puppies slide towards the birth canal, so trim waist.
- At around day 61 to 62, your pal stops eating
- Your pal’s body temperature drops
- Restlessness
- Panting, pacing, digging, and shivering
How Many Times Can A Golden Retriever Get Pregnant?
Since the pregnancy of a Golden Retriever solely depends on its heat cycle, these breeds can get heat twice a year. Moreover, to increase the chances of getting pregnant, your pet should mate with a healthy dog breed at the early stage of the estrus phase, after the proestrus stage.
However, after being pregnant, your pal delivers puppies after 63 gestational days. And after the completion of the gestational period, a new heat cycle starts simultaneously. Thus, your pal can get pregnant twice a year.
Further, although you can breed a Golden Retriever twice a year, you should never breed your pal too frequently because it may lead to:
- Prolonged labor
- Diabetes
- Ovarian cancer
- Multiple miscarriages
- Unplanned c-section
Thus, breeding a Golden Retriever more than eight times can result in health complications. So, don’t breed your pal after reaching the maximum range.
Moreover, do you know how to tell that your pal is pregnant?
How To Tell That Your Golden Retriever Is Pregnant?
After the development of instant pregnancy tests, the detection of pregnancy has become convenient in humans. But the only to know whether your pal is pregnant or not is to visit a Vet for animals.
Moreover, the test methods to detect pregnant Golden Retrievers are all time-sensitive. Therefore, you should give the information about breeding time or at least an estimated time frame before the Vet starts the test. However, the methods that the Vet use to detect a pregnant Golden Retriever are:
Ultrasound
Ultrasound helps to find the early stage of gestation. Usually, the Vet recommends ultrasounds for dogs between 25 to 35 days of gestation period. Apart from determining the presence of a puppy, ultrasound also detects the heartbeats of the fetus.
Besides this, ultrasounds also help to detect the cause of uterine distension and pyometra in your dog. Further, this test also helps to calculate the gestational age of the fetus.
Hormone Test
Usually, a pregnant Golden Retriever releases hormone relaxin from its placental tissues. Thus, the Vet can conduct tests to detect the presence or absence of relaxin in a Golden Retriever to know whether the pet is pregnant or not.
However, your Golden Retriever needs to wait at least 30 more days to know whether it is pregnant or not.
Palpation
Generally, palpation is the cheapest, simple, and most convenient method of detecting a pregnant Golden Retriever. Further, with the development of the fetus, the covering member surrounds them to form fluid-filled sacs.
Moreover, on day 21 and day 35 of the gestational period, you can feel the sac of your pet has a tennis ball. However, after one month, the sacs become lesser distinct, and the uterus develops a floppy feel mistaken as fat or pyometra.
X-Ray
The X-ray is the most effective way to know the number of puppies in your Golden Retriever. Moreover, after days 42 and 45, the fetal skull and spine are clearer in an x-ray. Thus, you must wait until 55 gestational days to determine the number of puppies and the best timing for cesarean.
How To Care For A Pregnant Golden Retriever?
As pregnant Golden Retrievers are vulnerable and emotionally weak, you need to care, love, and give attention to keep them happy. Besides this, proper caring of a pregnant pal promotes the functioning and development of different organs in the fetus.
Therefore, caring for your pregnant Golden Retriever is necessary. Moreover, some tips for caring for a pregnant Golden Retriever are:
Provide All Essential Nutrients
Since many puppies are growing inside the belly of your Golden Retriever, you must ensure that it is getting all the essential nutrients for fetal development. Moreover, most owners have a myth that pregnant dog needs calcium and iodine in higher amount. Thus, they increase calcium content in their dog’s meal that might cause milk fever in dogs.
Hence, you must fulfill all the nutritional requirements of your pal to ensure good health and a happier lifespan.
Don’t Forget To Vaccinate
Health complications like fleas, heartworms, parasites, etc., are common in a pregnant Golden Retriever. So, to prevent these health issues vaccinating your pal is vital.
Moreover, vaccine shots ensure the proper development of the fetus in the stomach of your pal. Thus, be sure that you vaccinated your dog. However, when you forget to give all the necessary shots to your pregnant pal, you can get the vaccinations after your dog delivers the puppies.
Exercise Is Essential.
Golden Retriever needs to perform a minimum about of physical activity to make it active and lively. Besides this, lesser intense exercise can be helpful when your pal is pregnant. So, you can include fetching, playing, walking, and jogging in the schedule for your pet.
Moreover, an inactive pet is more susceptible to joint problems, thyroid disorders, obesity, cancer, diabetes, etc. Thus, minimal physical activities keep your pet happy and lead to a healthier life.
Prepare Yourself For Birth
Your Golden Retriever might need your help cutting the umbilical cord. Besides this, these breeds are more likely to get aggressive and restless during delivery. So, your soothing voice can be a great help to keep them calm.
In addition, a puppy depends entirely on breast milk until it is eight weeks old. Thus, don’t separate the puppies from their mother before they are ten weeks old.
Be Patient Around A Pregnant Golden Retriever
Owing to the fluctuating homes, the emotions of your Golden Retriever change constantly. Moreover, you will observe restlessness, sluggishness, aggression, neediness, sadness, depression, and fatigue in your pet during pregnancy.
Furthermore, while dealing with these contrasting attributes, your dog starts biting, barking, and chewing things around it. So, be calm and patient while your pet shows this destructive behavior. Since your aggression can worsen the condition, patience is the key.
Consult With The Vet
Like humans, pregnancy is a crucial phase in the life of a Golden Retriever. Thus, it needs proper care, support, love, and attention in this phase. Therefore, consult and take help from the Vet for the healthier life of both puppies and your pal.
Furthermore, the Vet diagnoses the illness of your pet and gives medication with supplements as per requirement. Hence, you can avoid the complications of pregnancy in your pet under the guidance of a professional.
I hope all these ideas helped you take care of your pet.
Summing up, Golden Retrievers are the best family dogs. Thus, these beautiful breeds will instantly make the connection with your family and friends. Moreover, the smile of this breed is so contagious it can melt anyone in seconds.
So, breeding this dog can welcome a smaller version of these dogs with friendly, kind, and playful attributes. In addition, these playful puppies can be a great companion for your kids. Hence, this little one will help to make your house lively and happy.
Therefore, it is essential to focus on your Golden Retriever’s diet, exercising pattern, training, etc.
I hope this article was informative to you.
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