Dog labor signs
The clearest sign is her temperature: below 99 °F (37.2 °C) usually means puppies within 24 hours. She also looks for a quiet corner and scratches or digs to make a bed, and some dogs stop eating on the last day.
Signs labor is near
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Her rectal temperature drops below 99 °F (37.2 °C) — puppies usually follow within 24 hours. The app reminds you to start taking it at the start of her window.
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She goes into a corner or a quiet room and scratches or digs to make a bed.
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She stops eating during the last day — some dogs do, not all.
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These signs can last up to 24 hours: they are the first stage of labor.
The stages of labor
1.
First stage: restless, making a bed, maybe not eating. It can last up to 24 hours.
2.
Second stage: the delivery. She starts to strain, and the puppies come.
3.
Dogs with slim heads, such as shelties, collies and Dobermans, may deliver the whole litter within two to three hours.
Call your vet when
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Strong straining goes on for more than 30 minutes with no watery discharge and no puppy.
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She has had at least one puppy and does not strain again within two hours.
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She has strained on and off for a couple of hours without a puppy — she needs a vet now.
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Day 65 after breeding passes with no puppies. From a breeding early in her heat she may carry longer — your vet can tell.
Her due date
Questions
How long after her temperature drops will she have puppies?
Usually within 24 hours: a rectal temperature below 99 °F (37.2 °C) signals that labor is coming.
How long is a dog pregnant?
About 63 days from breeding, and normally 57 to 65.
Does every dog stop eating before labor?
No. Some dogs stop eating during the last day of pregnancy, but not all.
When is it an emergency?
Strong straining for more than 30 minutes with no puppy, no new straining within two hours of a puppy, or a couple of hours of straining with no puppy: call your vet.
Sources
Last checked September 30, 2026. A common guide — your vet’s plan wins.
More answers
Remembers every animal’s due date and reminds you before each job — the pregnancy check, the pen, the watch. Coming to the App Store this winter.