By week seven, the hard developmental work is done. Your dog's puppies are fully formed. What's left is growth - and a lot of preparation on your end.
The third trimester is the most physically demanding stretch for your dog, and the most preparation-intensive stretch for you. Here's what to expect and what to do.
What's Happening Inside: Weeks 7-9
Week 7 (Days 43-49)
The major organ development is complete. Puppies are now focused on gaining size and weight. Hair and skin pigmentation are developing. Your dog's belly is noticeably enlarged. She may begin showing nesting instincts - circling, digging at her bedding, and looking for a quiet place to settle. Around day 45, fetal skeletons are visible on x-ray for the first time. Puppy movement may be felt through the abdominal wall.
Week 8 (Days 50-56)
Puppies are nearly fully developed and continuing to grow. The skeleton is fully formed - this is the ideal time for a final vet visit and x-ray count. Puppy movement is visible through the abdominal wall in many dogs. Your dog is increasingly uncomfortable. She may have difficulty finding a comfortable position, need more frequent bathroom breaks, and may eat less at each meal. Her mammary glands are enlarged and producing pre-milk (colostrum).
Week 9 (Days 57-63)
Puppies can safely arrive any time from day 57. Most arrive between days 60 and 63. Your dog will be intensely focused on nesting. Energy levels will drop. Appetite may significantly decrease in the final days. Begin taking her rectal temperature twice daily from day 57.
Setting Up Your Whelping Area: Do It in Week 7
Give your dog a full week to get comfortable with her whelping space before she needs it. Pick a quiet, low-traffic area of your home, away from other dogs and noise, somewhere you can easily monitor without crowding her.
The whelping box should be large enough for your dog to lie fully outstretched and turn around comfortably, with sides high enough to contain newborn puppies but low enough for mom to step in and out easily. Line it with newspaper covered by clean, washable towels or fleece.
What to have ready:
- Clean towels - many of them, you'll use more than you expect
- Pee pads for underneath bedding
- A heat lamp or heating pad for keeping newborns warm
- Clean scissors and unwaxed dental floss for umbilical cords if needed
- A small kitchen scale for weighing puppies
- A bulb syringe for clearing airways
- Your vet's emergency after-hours number, written down and visible
If you have other dogs or young children, create a barrier. The whelping area should be off-limits to anyone except the people directly involved.
Exercise in the Third Trimester
Keep it gentle. Short, slow walks are ideal. Let her set the pace - she'll tell you when she's had enough. No running, no jumping, no rough play, and no stairs if you can help it in week 9. Fresh air and gentle movement are still good for her. Just keep it calm.
Nutrition in the Third Trimester
This is peak demand. By week 8, she may need 50% more calories than her pre-pregnancy baseline. Feed puppy food in three to four small meals per day. Keep fresh water accessible at all times.
As labor approaches in week 9, her appetite will likely decrease. Don't force her to eat. If she stops eating entirely and begins showing other pre-labor signs, delivery is close.
Predicting Labor: The Temperature Method
Starting at day 57, take your dog's rectal temperature twice a day - morning and evening. A normal canine temperature is 101-102.5 degrees F. When her temperature drops below 99 degrees F, labor is typically within 24 hours.
Write down every reading. This gives you a baseline and makes the drop easier to notice.
Other pre-labor signs to watch for:
- Refusal to eat
- Intense nesting and restlessness
- Panting and shivering
- Licking at her abdomen or vulva
- Visible muscle contractions
- Passing of the mucus plug - a clear to slightly cloudy discharge from the vulva
When to Call Your Vet
- Temperature drops but no labor begins within 24 hours
- She's been in active labor for more than 30 minutes with no puppy delivered
- More than 2-4 hours pass between puppies
- She shows signs of extreme distress, collapse, or excessive bleeding
- You have reason to believe a puppy is stuck
Have your vet's emergency number saved before week 7. Don't wait until week 9 to figure out who to call.
Make Her Comfortable
The last few weeks of pregnancy are uncomfortable. Your dog is carrying significant extra weight, her organs are compressed, and she can feel the puppies moving constantly. Give her extra grace, extra gentleness, and a good place to rest.
Our Cozy Canine Dog Bed is one of the most practical investments you can make for a pregnant dog - orthopedic support for changing bodies, a washable cover, and the kind of deep comfort she'll gravitate toward naturally in these final weeks.
Sources: AKC, VCA Animal Hospitals, PetMD, Baldivis Vet Hospital, Hazelwood Kennels, Everypaw
