Puppies of Golden Retriever are active, energetic, and enthusiastic. Thus, they can keep your house lively and happy. So, most owners are reluctant to either own a puppy or breed their adult dogs for puppies. Do you want puppies of your pal? For this, you must know how many times can a Golden Retriever get pregnant.
So, how many times can a Golden Retriever get pregnant? Since a Golden Retriever gets pregnant on the estrus phase of the heat cycle, the number of times it gets heat plays a vital role in its pregnancy. So, as a Golden Retriever can get heat two times a year, the number of times it can get pregnant is also two.
Furthermore, within a short time, a Golden Retriever has becomes immensely popular. Besides this, its friendly attribute, beautiful skin coat, and intelligence makes it perfect for family, service works, and assistance. Apart from this, the puppies of these breeds are so adorable that they can steal everyone’s heart.
Hence, more and more owners and breeds want to breed their Golden Retriever. However, I will try to settle down some questions about Golden Retriever’s pregnancy that most owners have in mind. In addition, I will also be disclosing some ideas to care for your pregnant Golden Retriever.
So, be ready to get a clear picture of pregnancy in a Golden Retriever. And let’s begin with the age at which your pal might start breeding.
When Can A Golden Retriever Get Pregnant?
Unlike humans, Golden Retrievers become sexually matured at a very early age. Furthermore, the male gets mature much earlier than the female. Thus, you will notice mounting behavior in a male Golden Retriever as young as five months.
Moreover, a female Golden Retriever reaches sexual maturity only after it gets its first cycle. Besides this, these dogs need to complete the proestrus stage and reach the estrus stage to produce mature eggs that get fertilize to develop the puppies.
However, a female dog can breed or get pregnant only estrus stage within a short time of 5-12 days. Therefore, your Golden Retriever must be at least six months old to get pregnant.
Further, after you know when your pal can get pregnant, aren’t you curious to know the signs of pregnancy in a Golden Retriever?
What Are The Signs That A Golden Retriever Is Pregnant?
Sometimes, you might not notice the mating of your pal. Or your Golden Retriever might mate unexpectedly, which may get it pregnant. Although, vising the Vet to ensure your pet’s pregnancy is a good option. But the ultrasounds and x-rays used for testing are harmful to your dog.
Thus, you can inspect your Golden Retriever visually to determine whether it is pregnant or not. Therefore, look for the following signs when you suspect your pet might be pregnant:
Vaginal Discharge
It is a colorless liquid discharge from the female dog after about one month of intercourse.
Laziness Or Lesser Mobility
Your Golden Retriever will become sluggish, slow, and inactive due to the hormones developed during pregnancy.
Weight Gain
It is the most obvious indication that your pet is pregnant.
Change Of Appetite
Usually, you will notice your pal is eating very little or not eating at all during the first trimester. Besides this, vomiting and fluctuation in eating habits are also common during pregnancy.
Enlarged Nipples
Moreover, when your Golden Retriever is pregnant, you will notice the darkening and enlargement of your pet’s nipple.
Nesting Behavior
As a motherly instinct, your pet will start to chew and shred part of furniture to create a nestling for its unborn puppies. Thus, if you notice your pal collecting and gathering stuff like blankets, cushions, clothing, etc., then you should know that it is pregnant.
Change In Behavior
If your friendly Golden Retriever is behaving oddly nowadays, it might be a sign to indicate that it is pregnant. Further, during the large stage of pregnancy, your pet suffers from hormonal imbalance. Thus, it acts aggressive, defensive, depressed, and sad.
However, this behavior doesn’t last long. So, once your dog delivers its offspring, it will resolve into its natural state after few days.
After being familiar with the signs of pregnancy, you would want to know the number of times your Golden Retriever can get pregnant. Don’t you?
How Many Times Can A Golden Retriever Get Pregnant?
As the pregnancy of a Golden Retriever solely depends on the heat cycle, it can get pregnant two times a year like the heat cycle. Usually, your pal will have a higher chance of getting pregnant at the estrus phase in the first 5-12 days.
Besides this, the heat cycle in dogs is a continuous process that simultaneously occurs one after another. In addition, even if a pal gets pregnant during the first heat cycle of the year, it takes only about 63 days to deliver a baby. And thus, it will be ready to get pregnant after the gestational period.
However, due to health hazards, it is not advisable to breed your pal twice a year. Moreover, if your pal gets pregnant more than eight times in its lifespan, there will be higher chances that your pet might suffer health complications. Like:
- Ovarian cancer
- Pyometra
- Hip dysplasia
In addition, too frequent and too many pregnancies may result to:
- Multiple miscarriages
- Unplanned C-section
- Prolonged labor
- Birth of puppies with defects
Therefore, if you are planning to breed your pal, you must be very careful. More to this, do you know how many times does a Golden Retriever has to mate to get pregnant?
How Many Times Does A Golden Retriever Have To Mate To Get Pregnant?
Generally, the semen of a male is watery and easy to leak out of the female reproductive system. Thus, mating once can result in a pregnant Golden Retriever. But if your pet sits down or cleans herself after mating, then there will be lesser chances of her getting pregnant.
Furthermore, during the pre-heat condition, the eggs wouldn’t be mature enough, and her body temperature will be relatively low. Besides this, you will notice that your female dog is more aggressive to males mounting to her and appears unreceptive. Thus, your pet will be less likely to get pregnant in that condition.
However, to confirm fertilization, breeders prefer mating the dogs all day when the female is in heat. So, aren’t you eager about the number of puppies you will be inviting after your Golden Retriever gets pregnant?
How Many Puppies Does Golden Retriever Have?
Moreover, the number of puppies that Golden Retrievers can give birth to in each pregnancy varies according to their health conditions and fertility. Further, these breeds are more likely to give birth to about 8 to 12 puppies in a single pregnancy.
However, in general, these dog breeds can give birth to eight puppies at once. So, you will find most female Retriever giving birth to eight healthy puppies at once.
Besides this, you might probably think that a single pup in the litter is healthier and more active. But the reality is somewhat opposite of this assumption. As a Golden Retriever is a social breed, it needs to learn to share and care from an early age.
Therefore, a singleton puppy will have difficulty coping with the environment, respect other’s boundaries, and are more likely to suffer from mental issues like frustration, depression, loneliness, etc.
What Is The Best Age For A Golden Retriever To Be Pregnant?
Usually, based on the breed type and medical condition, every dog has its age perfect for getting pregnant. Moreover, when you talk about Golden Retrievers, they can get pregnant from their first heat cycle (i.e., when they get 6-12 months old).
Besides this, the male Retrievers mature sexually at a very young age of six months. Thus, they can start breeding early than females. But you should never force your Golden Retriever to mate and get pregnant.
Furthermore, good breeders wait until the completion of three to four heat cycles before deciding their pal to breed.
However, the best age for a Golden Retriever will be after it is two years old. Usually, the dogs become mature after reaching two years. Thus, there will be lesser pregnancy complications and health issues of bred puppies after this age.
How Old Is Too Old For A Golden Retriever To Get Pregnant?
The time to stop breeding your Golden Retriever depends on its medical conditions and health issues. Further, like humans, the functions of your pal start declining as it gets older. Therefore, it might suffer from various health issues like cancer, thyroid problems, eye diseases, ear infections, heart diseases, etc.
Thus, the offspring produced for older dogs are more susceptible to health issues and autoimmune diseases. Hence, most kennel clubs suggest stopping breeding your pal after it is eight years.
Besides this, the sperm count of an older dog is less. Thus, it is harder for these dogs to get pregnant. In addition, females over the age of five have weak reproductive systems. So, when Golden Retriever gets pregnant after eight eyes, problems like miscarriage, defects during birth, and autoimmune disease are more common.
However, if your Golden Retriever is older than six years, you should better not try to get them pregnant.
How Long Are Golden Retrievers Pregnant?
The gestational period of a Golden Retriever also varies according to the individual breed. Moreover, in general, a Golden Retriever takes about 63 days to give birth to its puppies.
However, you can also notice a feed day plus or minus if your Golden Retriever is due. Besides this, you will also see some peculiar signs in your pal as the due date approaches. Such as:
- Loss of appetite
- Visible movement of puppies
- Drop-in body temperature
- Restlessness and panting
- Digging and nesting
So, you should immediately take your pal to the Vet when you observe these signs in your pal. Furthermore, to breed healthy puppies, you Golden Retrievers need lots of care during the pregnancy. Do you know how to care for your pregnant pal?
How To Take Care Of Your Pregnant Golden Retriever?
Just like humans, pregnancy is a crucial stage for a Golden Retriever. Thus, to ensure the good health of the mother and proper growth of the offspring within it, you should take care of your pal.
Moreover, your pet is vulnerable and emotional imbalance during the pregnancy. So, be careful while caring for it. However, some of the caring tips for a pregnant Golden Retriever are:
Fulfill The Nutritional Requirement
Unlike humans, a Golden Retriever may not need extra calcium and iron during pregnancy. Instead, you can give your pal its regular meal but in more portions.
Furthermore, some owners feed their pregnant pal calcium-rich food. And that leads to canine diseases like milk fever. So, be careful amount this false assumption. Besides this, you should never feed your pregnant dog puppy foods because it is low in nutritional content.
Moreover, during pregnancy, your pal might not eat regularly and lose interest in food. Thus, you can consult with the Vet use supplements in this case.
Vaccinated Your Golden Retriever
Since pregnancy is a vulnerable stage, your pal might suffer from several health complications in this phase. Hence, you should give your pal safe topical medications to prevent fleas and heartworm.
Besides this, your dog needs some vaccinations to ensure the proper growth and a healthier lifespan offspring. Thus, it is essential to give all the necessary shots for your pal.
However, if you fail to vaccinate your pal during pregnancy, you can get the shots after the delivery of the puppies.
Don’t Skip Exercise.
Although, intense physical training isn’t beneficial for a pregnant Golden Retriever. Yet, you must keep it active to ensure a happier lifespan for both mother and its offspring.
Moreover, to keep your pal active, you can take them for long walks and running. Besides this, you can also conduct shorter playing sessions that include fetching, retrieving, etc., with your pregnant dog.
Prepare It For Giving Birth
While giving birth, your Golden Retriever needs some assistance like cutting the umbilical cord and helping it to calm down. Since these dogs love their owners, use a soothing and reassuring voice to make your pal feel safe and protected.
Furthermore, since puppies rely solely on breast milk for eight weeks, you should never separate from their mother until they are more than ten weeks old. Apart from feed and providing nutrients, their mother also teaches them socializing skills, and they learn to share and care for their siblings.
Handle Your Golden Retriever’s Mood Patiently
During pregnancy, your Golden Retriever’s mood might constantly fluctuate due to hormonal imbalance. Thus, you will notice sluggishness, fatigue, depression, sadness, and aggression in your pal.
However, handle all these behaviors of your pet with patience. Moreover, leave your pal when it becomes protective and starts nesting until it calms down. In this way, you strengthen your bond with your furry friend.
Seek Advice From The Vet
Your Golden Retriever might suffer from various health complications during pregnancy. Besides this, unsupervised labor can lead to lifelong health hazards in your pal and its puppies.
Therefore, you should consult with the Vet for often when your pal gets pregnant. Usually, the Vet assigns tests to diagnosis the growth of puppies and other health issues in your pal so that he can prescribe medicines accordingly.
As a result of the medication, you can promote the healthier and active lifespan of your Golden Retriever during and after pregnancy.
Moreover, I hope you will use these ideas for your pal. And don’t forget to share whether they were helpful for your pal or not.
Summing up, welcoming the cute little offspring of your beautiful Golden Retriever seems delightful. But with those little ones comes a pile of responsibilities that you need to take care of while parenting. In addition, as these breeds are expensive and high maintenance, you need to focus more on their diet and care to ensure proper growth.
Moreover, once you decide to own this needy dog breed, there is no turning back. Although, it can take up your personal space. But its contagious smile can fill your house with happiness, energy, and enthusiasm. Furthermore, every day becomes exciting when you live with these dog breeds.
Thus, be conscious while deciding for your Golden Retriever’s diet, exercises, training, and grooming ideas. Apart from this, don’t forget to capture all the memories with your pal.
I hope this article helped if you know about how and when to breed your Golden Retriever.
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