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If you’re planning to have Havanese puppies, there are many things you should know before embarking on this journey. Pregnancy can be a difficult time for your little lady, but with proper care and supervision, it can be one of the most exciting moments in a pet parent’s life.
In the following sections, we’re introducing you to everything you should know about Havanese pregnancy, including how long it lasts, how many puppies you should expect, and more.
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How Long Are Havanese Pregnant For?
Dogs are not pregnant for as long as humans. Typically, a Havanese is pregnant for 58 to 68 days(about 8-9 weeks) after the conception date. The average period is 63 days, but it’s impossible to predict the exact time with accuracy, especially if you don’t know the conception day precisely.
In general, it’s best to have a vet supervise your Havanese throughout the pregnancy. If your dog is not in labor after about 68 days since conception, it’s important to take her to a vet, as it may indicate problems that threaten your pup’s and her litter’s life.
If you want to know the birth date with more accuracy, there is one method: hormone measurements. This will help you determine the potential due date, although the actual birth date may still vary slightly.
While knowing the exact day of birth is quite impossible, finding out the approximate day of pregnancy of your pooch is important for several reasons, including accurate supervision of the pregnancy and the health of your Havanese. Additionally, it is easier to plan vet care and nutritional needs, which change throughout the pregnancy.
How Many Puppies Can a Havanese Have?
There is no exact number of puppies your Havanese may have. Generally speaking, a larger dog may have more puppies than a smaller breed. The larger the dog is, the more puppies it may carry.
In general, Havanese dogs are expected to have an average of four puppies, but variations are also possible, so some dogs may have any number between one and nine.
How Old Can a Havanese Have Puppies?
In general, sexual maturity starts at 6 months old. However, your dog is not physically mature until about 1 year old, which is usually the recommended age for having puppies.
For a safe pregnancy, the dog must be fully grown. Experts suggest waiting for the female pup to have 3-4 heat cycles before getting pregnant. This is to give her time to mature and be prepared to take care of her puppies.
In addition to this, some health disorders may not show themselves until the pooch is 1-2 years old. Breeding her before this could possibly mean passing hereditary health problems to the puppies. It’s very important to make sure the prospective mother is in very good health before making this decision.
As for the oldest age, theoretically, at least, your dog can become pregnant at any age. Unlike women, female dogs can have puppies at any time throughout their life. However, the older your pooch is, the riskier it is. Late pregnancies can result in many complications and threaten the life not only of the litter but also of the mother.
It’s important to make sure your Havanese is physically healthy to carry puppies. Most specialists recommend that mothers should not be older than 7-8 years old. At this age, the risk for complications is very high. Some of these may require an emergency C-section or may lead to stillbirths, among others.
Pregnancy is very difficult even for a younger female Havanese in very good health. As your Havanese ages, she becomes weaker, needs extra care for nutrition (and even supplements), and may not be strong enough to produce milk for all puppies.
Additionally, the frequency of pregnancies may also depend on other factors. For example, a female Havanese can become pregnant at 10 years old or more, but as discussed earlier, this should be avoided for the pup’s well-being.
Also, if a female Havanese has never been pregnant before, conceiving at 10 years old or later is very unlikely. The later her first pregnancy is, the less likely she is to become pregnant again.
If your pooch doesn’t have the first litter until 6 years old, it’s best to spay her to prevent potential future pregnancies that may lead to complications and health conditions, such as ovarian cancer.
As with humans, the dog should be young and healthy to have a good pregnancy and an easy birth without complications.
How Can You Tell If Your Havanese Is Pregnant?
It may be quite difficult to tell if your Havanese is pregnant, especially in the early days. The first symptoms start a few weeks after conception, and you will notice morning sickness. Your pooch may be less active, refuse to eat, and may throw up occasionally.
If you want to check if your Havanese is pregnant, the most accurate method is a hormone test that can be done at about 25-30 days of gestation. This test measures the hormone known as relaxin, which is only produced when the female is pregnant, so the result is quite accurate.
It’s always encouraged to take your Havanese to the vet if you expect her to be pregnant. The vet will help you decide how to best help her throughout the pregnancy. At about four weeks, she should receive slightly more food, but without overfeeding her, as weight gain is detrimental to her health.
About one month after conception, the vet should be able to feel the fetuses by palpating the dog’s abdomen. After day 30, ultrasounds can be used to confirm the pregnancy.
At around day 55, the movement of the puppies can be felt, and they are usually more active when the expecting mother is resting.
After this, an x-ray can indicate the number of puppies, as their bones start to calcify. However, this method may affect your dog’s health, so you should discuss with your vet whether an x-ray should or should not be performed on your pooch.
Some other symptoms that can help you determine if your pooch is pregnant include weight gain, swollen abdomen, swollen nipples, getting tired easily, exhibiting nesting behaviors, and being more affectionate (or more irritable).
How Often Can a Havanese Get Pregnant?
Theoretically, once your puppy reaches sexual maturity at about 6 months old, she can get pregnant every single heat cycle, which typically occurs twice per year (or once every six months), until her death.
However, this does not mean that a Havanese should get pregnant every heat cycle. Each pregnancy is very stressful for the dog’s body, and you should breed your female Havanese a maximum of three times in her life. If there are any complications during any of the pregnancies, even the first one, the Havanese female should not be bred again.
While most state that three times is the maximum number of pregnancies for a Havanese, most breeders opt for a maximum of two pregnancies. This is because pregnancy puts huge stress on the dog’s body and puts her health at risk.
Summary
Caring for a pregnant Havanese is not an easy task, but can be very satisfying in the end. In general, Havanese dogs are pregnant for about two months and have an average of four puppies per litter.
Although dogs can conceive their entire life starting with the first heat cycle at around 6 months or younger, it’s recommended to wait 1-2 years, so your dog develops fully.
Experts recommend up to three pregnancies for female dogs, but one or two at most is sufficient, as pregnancies put tremendous stress on the body.
Although female dogs can conceive at any age, it’s best to consider spaying your Havanese after 6 years old, especially if she hasn’t had any puppies, to avoid putting her life at risk.
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