How Many Puppies Can a Labrador Have
Labradors are one of the most popular dogs in the world and top the list of the most intelligent breeds. If you have a pet Labrador, you'll know how friendly and obedient they are, as well as simply adorable.
If your labrador falls pregnant, it is important to prepare for the number of puppies your dog will have. Even if you don't intend to keep all the puppies, they will have to stay with their mother for at least two months; therefore, you should make sure they have ample space and have everything they need to grow and thrive. Are you wondering how many puppies can a Labrador have? OneHOWTO will give you the answer.
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What you should know before your dog gets pregnant
Before allowing your dog to get pregnant, it is important that you consider every little detail properly. Bear in mind the space, patience and financial resources needed. As outlined above, the puppies must stay with their mum for the first two months of their lives.
Puppies are hard work and you must be aware of this before getting carried away with the idea of breeding your dog. Do not forget that you are responsible for these animals. Take care of them well and make sure you find them a good home if you decide not to keep them. You need to put a lot of thought into this before going ahead with the idea. If you're thinking of selling your dog's pups or if your dog is already pregnant, you must have wondered how many puppies can a Labrador have. Or, how many dogs you'll have to take care of! Keep reading to find out.
How many puppies do Labradors normally have?
On average, Labradors usually have between 6 and 10 puppies given that they are a large breed. Of course, this is only an approximation because there are many factors that can influence the number of pups a dog might give birth to. In some rare cases the dog can have up to 14 puppies.
A Labrador's gestation period lasts between 58 and 64 days. The more puppies the dog will have, the sooner they will give birth given the shortage of food and space in the womb. In principle, it is not necessary to take the dog to the vet for the birth, but the home should be prepared so that they are warm, comfortable and provides them with some privacy to give birth and care for their young during the first hours.
You will know that the birth is drawing near when your dog: stops eating or drinking water, when they begin to gasp and wheeze, when they have a hard abdomen and when they shake or cry. The birth normally takes place around a day after these onset of these symptoms. As soon as the puppies are born, you should take into account certain factors with regards to caring for them properly. We recommend reading our article on how to care for a newborn dog for some advice.
Aspects that influence the number of puppies
An average litter contains 6 to 10 puppies; however, many factors can influence the size of the litter, which can contain less or more. The first thing to be aware of is the fact that the size of the litter can vary for the same bitch. This will depend on:
- Genetics and the size of the animal - factors which affect the number of eggs released in the womb.
- Age - after the bitch has been in heat four times, the size of the litter tends to increase.
- Your dog's diet and nutrition, as well as its general health and well-being.
- When your dog is bred. If your dog is mounted during the two most fertile days, there is a greater chance of a larger litter. On the other hand, if it is done one or two days before her most fertile days, although the male dog's sperm can survive in the female's body for up to 48 hours, less eggs are likely to be fertilized, meaning less puppies are born.
If you want to read similar articles to How Many Puppies Can a Labrador Have, we recommend you visit our Pets category.
