Does my dog know I m pregnant
Can Dogs Sense Pregnancy?
Talk with a dog lover and youll likely hear about how amazing their pet is. Talk with a pregnant dog lover and you may hear stories about their dog being more protective, loving, or otherwise showing that they know their human is pregnant. Maybe this even describes your situation.
Theres no doubt that dogs are super observant to the world around them perhaps even more observant than people realize. So if you have an acutely observant dog, you may wonder if they can sense when youre pregnant.
Medically speaking, dogs can certainly detect some pretty remarkable things. In fact, research supports the ability of trained dogs to:
Your body goes through many changes during pregnancy. So if you believe in your dogs ability to pick up on these changes, their strange behavior related to your new pregnancy status might not be in your head.
A rise in hormone levels is a normal, healthy part of pregnancy and its also necessary.
Take human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (hCG), for example. Its only produced during pregnancy, and its purpose is to nourish a newly fertilized egg.
Other hormones that increase during pregnancy include:
- human placenta lactogen, which provides your baby with nutrients and prepares the milk glands for breastfeeding
- estrogen, which contributes to a healthy pregnancy
- progesterone, which thickens the uterine lining in preparation for the implantation of an egg and helps to sustain the pregnancy throughout
- relaxin, which loosens the area around the pelvic bones in preparation for delivery
- prolactin, which prepares your breasts for lactation
- oxytocin, which helps stretch your cervix and allows your nipples to produce milk
Hormonal changes happen over the course of 9 months. During this time, its theoretically possible for these changes to cause a shift in your natural body scent, which your dog might be able to pick up on.
Its been reported that dogs can smell 1,000 to 10,000 times better than humans weve even reports of up to
Regardless of the specific (really big) numbers well leave that to the scientists to sort out, since the internet cant agree theres no question dogs have a dramatically superior sense of smell.
So while your dog might not realize youre pregnant, a change in your scent could prompt the pup to show more or different attention to you than usual.
To be abundantly clear, though, theres no proof to support this. But given a dogs keen sense of smell, its a plausible explanation.
Aside from a change in body scent, a shift in hormones brings about other changes that some canines may pick up on.
Dogs are also observant to the physical and emotional state of their owners. So depending on how long youve had your dog, they may be able to read your moods.
Think back to your last bad day. Did your dog initiate more cuddle time to cheer you up? If so, your dog might respond similarly when youre pregnant.
As the body produces hCG, morning sickness symptoms like nausea and vomiting become more common. Certainly, your dog may not be used to you throwing up!
Morning sickness could also disrupt your normal routine. You might take your morning walks a little later, or you might lie down more often. If your dog senses that you dont feel well, they may keep close to your side one of the many things that make dogs great, we think.
Fatigue and moodiness can increase as estrogen and progesterone levels rise. This can also result in fewer walks with your dog or a slower walking pace. And if youre more irritable, your dog may pick up on more reprimands.
In later stages of pregnancy, your gait may become a little more awkward and if you have a lap dog on your hands, well, it just wont be the same. Again, these are all things that can cause your dog to wonder, Whats going on here?
Although theres no evidence to support this, its certainly possible.
Hearing your babys heartbeat becomes easier as you move farther along in your pregnancy. At a certain point, its even possible to hear the babys heartbeat without using a fetal Doppler you may use a stethoscope, special earbuds, or even have your partner hear it by placing their ear to your belly.
Considering how dogs likely have a better sense of hearing and better range compared to humans, it stands to reason that they might also hear a fetal heartbeat and know somethings up. One theory is that dogs can hear four times farther away than humans, but this hasnt been scientifically proven.
If your dog senses a pregnancy, youll likely notice a change in their behavior. Dogs differ, so their reactions can, too.
Some dogs become more protective of their owners during pregnancy and will stay close by your side. As your baby bump grows, this protective drive may even increase.
But while some dogs adjust well to the change, others have a hard time. So dont be surprised if your dog becomes more rebellious or starts doing things out of character, such as urinating in the home or chewing on items. This could be because theyre not happy at some of the changes we mentioned: slower or fewer walks, less attention because youre setting up a nursery in a word, theyre jealous.
Give Fido some time theyll adjust to the change. In the meantime, give them a little extra love and reassurance when you get the chance, and plan for some pretty cute baby-and-dog photos for the gram.
Again, theres no definitive answer that your dog can sense signs of labor. But as you get closer and closer to delivery, your body will go through some 11th-hour changes that your dog might notice. And as a result, they may become extra protective and clingy, following you around the home to make sure youre OK. Many women have reported this.
For example, if you have Braxton-Hicks contractions, your dog might pick up on your discomfort and show concern. Your gait or walk might also change as the baby drops in preparation for delivery.
Also, your natural scent might change slightly right before labor, triggering a reaction from your pet. So if youre close to your due date and notice a sudden change in your dog, labor might be right around the corner but this probably isnt due to some sixth sense on their part.
Even if your dog senses a pregnancy, they dont really know what that means. They have no idea whats about to rock their world.
Theres no way to know how your dog will react to the newest family member, and it can take time for it to adjust. Here are a few tips to make the adjustment a bit easier:
- Gradually decrease the attention you give your dog especially if this is your first baby. The new baby will take much of your time and energy, and youll have less time for your dog, at least initially. And unfortunately, some dogs react negatively to this change. So if you normally give your dog a lot of attention, start decreasing this amount in preparation for the baby.
- Get your dog accustomed to hearing baby sounds. Babies cry sometimes even a lot and make other noises, which can be sensory overload for some dogs. To help your dog get used to the extra noise in the house, occasionally play a recording of a baby crying and making other sounds in the background.
- Apply the baby lotion you plan to use to a blanket. Allow your dog to sniff the blanket before the baby arrives to get it used to the babys scent.
- Train your dog not to jump on visitors, and assign a go to or calm down spot (mat or bed). This can prevent your dog from becoming overly excited when meeting baby for the first time.
- Leash your dog the first time they meet your little one just in case they get a little too excited. And you do want to introduce them, allowing your dog to investigate your new addition. Shooing your dog away will make them even more curious or more resentful.
Dogs are observant and have strong senses of hearing and smell, so theres a good chance that your four-legged friend will pick up on a pregnancy or at least know that somethings different.
Babies and dogs (or cats cat lovers, we havent forgotten you) can be an adorable mix when introduced properly. Whether your dogs behavior changes during your pregnancy or not, there are big changes in store after baby arrives. Dont be surprised if your child and dog become best friends before you know it.
Shipping
Does my dog know Im pregnant? This is a question I get asked SO often.
Does your dog know that you are actually carrying a baby in your belly? And when you come home from the hospital, do they know that the baby you bring home was the same thing that was in your stomach? I cant tell you for sure, but I would say its highly unlikely that they can connect the dots to that degree. However, dogs are highly intelligent animals, with an incredible sense of smell and can be very sensitive to change. Change in your odour, from your shift in hormones, to changes in your moods and emotions, routines, body posture and how you are feeling.
The human body really does an amazing job preparing for newborns.A pregnant womens body is changing all the time especially as they are nearing giving birth. In the last trimester, our dogs might even be able to smell the amniotic fluid and the milk production, they might also be able to hear the fetal heart beat, although there is not a lot of scientific evidence to prove this, its still pretty incredible when you think about it.
The changes our dogs detect during pregnancy and examples I noticed with my dog
Dogs detect changes in our odour.
Pregnant women are bursting with hormones. And hormones can alter the body odour of humans. Dogs have an innate ability to pick up on these changes. I mean, they dont actually know whats about to happen (i.e. a human growing inside your belly and a baby coming out in 9 months time) but they definitely know that something is going on. I could tell very early on that Cooper had sensed some changes in me. But that was also because I was incredibly unwell in my first few months so our routine had also changed significantly and Im sure my moods and my body posture were all different too.
Dogs detect body language.
As our belly grows, our body posture changes and dogs can sense this change. They can also sense if we are a little off balance. I struggled with Pelvic instability during my pregnancy with Harper, there were days it was so painful that I could hardly walk. In some respects, Cooper was great and really understanding as it impacted him and the exercise he got. I also had terrible morning sickness for the first 17 weeks of all my pregnancies and again, Coop was very understanding and patient with the decrease in walks and my energy levels. In fact, when I look back on this, the change in lifestyle was a great insight into life with kids, as daily walks and exercise routines were about to become less regular. So in a sense, it was actually preparing him for some of the changes that were about to happen.
Dogs detect our moods.
As many of you know, pregnancy can be a roller coaster of emotions.
I often hear clients say that their dog has become quite clingy or protective during their pregnancy. Maybe they are just being there for us, because they can sense all of this change and they are so in-tune in knowing that we just need a little extra comfort?! Its a nice thought and rational. In the lead up to falling pregnant with Harper, I was pretty depressed. It took us some time and we had some issues along the way. I was home a lot and Cooper was there with me all the way. Apart from my hubby, he was really the one thing that helped cheer me up during this time. I couldnt have gotten through that hard time in my life without him.
Dogs detect our pain.
Cooper knew when I was in labour (and F*$K it was painful!). As my contractions started getting more and more painful, he came up to me when I was lying on the bed and started licking my face. At the time, I thought he was doing that to help me get through it. Looking back, now that I know more about how a dog communicates, I think my pain was actually making him feel a little uneasy and stressed out. Licking can be a calming or a stress signal. How interesting is that?!
Our dogs can definitely sense change, they can see it, feel it and smell it. Whether they know exactly what it is and exactly what it means, isnt certain. However, it is so interesting and quite possible to think that our dogs are already exposed naturally to the scent of our baby prior to bringing our baby home.
Make sure to check out these great resources too if you havent already:
And if you have any other questions on this topic, please feel free to get in touch. I would love to help out in any way.
Mel xox
PS. Make sure to head to our SHOP if you havent already! Spoil yourself and your dog!!
