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Dog Pregnancy Due Date Calculator (Whelping Date)

Estimate when a dog will whelp from the mating date, ovulation date or LH surge — the 63-day gestation with its realistic window — plus the timeline for relaxin testing, ultrasound, X-ray puppy count, temperature monitoring and whelping-box preparation.

Date you know

That date

Last mating date (optional, for the window)

Breed size

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How it works

whelping ≈ ovulation + 63 days (± 1) = LH surge + 65 days ≈ first mating + 63 days (range 58–68)

Canine gestation is one of the most predictable in mammals when counted from ovulation — 63 days give or take one — but breeders usually know the mating date, not the ovulation date, and dog sperm can wait almost a week in the reproductive tract for the eggs to mature. That biology stretches a precise 63 days into a 58-to-68-day window after mating, which is why progesterone timing before breeding pays off twice: better conception and a known due date. The milestones follow the puppies' development: hearts beat by day 25 for ultrasound, skeletons mineralise around day 45 for an X-ray count, and progesterone collapses in the last day, producing the tell-tale temperature drop that gives a 12–24 hour warning.

Worked example

A first mating on 1 March gives an expected whelping date of 3 May (day 63) with a realistic window of 28 April to 8 May. A relaxin test could confirm the pregnancy around 23–28 March, an ultrasound from 26 March, an X-ray puppy count from 15 April, and temperature checks should start on 25 April.

Frequently asked questions

Can I tell early whether she is pregnant?

Not reliably before about day 22: a relaxin blood test from day 22–27, palpation by a vet around day 28 or ultrasound from day 25 are the earliest options. Behaviour and nipple changes are unreliable, and false pregnancy is common.

Is she overdue?

Only count "overdue" from ovulation: day 66 or later warrants a same-day vet visit. From an unknown mating relationship, day 68 is the limit — beyond that puppies are at risk from placental ageing.

Related calculators

Cat Pregnancy Due Date Calculator (Queening Date)

Estimate when a pregnant cat will give birth from the mating date — the 63–65-day feline gestation and its 58–70-day range — with the timeline for "pinking up", ultrasound, palpation, X-ray kitten count, diet changes, nesting and the signs that labour needs a vet.

Dog Heat Cycle Calculator (Fertile Window & Next Season)

Track a female dog’s heat from the first day of bleeding: proestrus, estrus, diestrus and anestrus dates, the estimated LH surge, ovulation and fertile window, breeding days for fresh or frozen semen, high-risk days if you want to avoid a litter, the due date if she conceives, the pyometra watch window and when her next heat is due by breed size.

Puppy Growth Weight Projection Calculator

Estimate a puppy’s adult weight from its current weight and age, using breed-size growth curves that show how much growing is left.

Puppy Feeding Schedule Calculator

How many meals a day and how many calories your puppy needs, from its age in months and current weight.

General veterinary guidance and rules of thumb (WSAVA / AAHA nutrition and reproduction references). Every animal differs — confirm feeding amounts, pregnancy timing and any concern with your veterinarian, especially for kittens, puppies, seniors and animals with medical conditions.