Below we present a step-by-step guide with the most recommended tips for optimal care of the feeding of a pregnant dog , a very special process in the life of mammals, which in a period of 63 to 67 days will require certain special care. Here we tell you the basic points that you should not lose sight of.
The first 2 weeks of a pregnant dog
After detecting your pet's pregnancy , a common mistake is to quickly change the feed for another alternative, however you should take things calmly. It is best to think about other types of needs first, such as space and attention, since the diet of a pregnant dog , at least during the first two weeks, should continue to be the usual one.
What will be important is to carry out a routine check-up with the veterinarian, as an assessment of her physical condition is important to know if she is fully capable of carrying out a healthy pregnancy. It will also be essential to know the number of puppies that come in the litter, since this will be a factor to consider when designing their most appropriate diet .
Weeks 3 and 4 of pregnancy
From the third week onwards you should start looking for a more specialized feeding alternative. If what you are looking for is to pamper and offer the best to your pet during this period, there are super premium starter feed alternatives specially designed for this phase. This type of feed is made up of natural, high-quality foods , which are in fact suitable for human consumption, although they are designed to offer a composition free of preservatives, genetically modified organisms, colorants and, in addition, it is prepared to cover all the nutrients necessary for this stage, including vitamins and minerals that will be of great contribution to your body. In this type of food, in fact, various high-quality ingredients are included such as tuna or salmon, important for their high proportion of Omega 3, which provides important advantages to strengthen the necessary contribution of fats, which will be another element to take into account. account. Normally from the third or fourth week you should start changing their diet . It is best to do it gradually, gradually increasing the proportion of the new type of feed , in a process of about a week, until you completely stop the previous diet. If you prefer, you can also opt for a puppy food. One of the main objectives of this type of feeding for a pregnant dog is to provide her with nutrients to be strong, but it is also important to begin generating breast milk. This is an important stage in the gestation process , it is also totally normal for your pet to feel nauseated and even vomit, for this reason it is best to give smaller but more frequent portions. In any case, if you consider that the mother is suffering a lot of discomfort, it would be best to have her checked by a veterinarian. At this stage, weight checks should also begin to be regular. A common problem is not detecting excess weight in our pet, because it can appear to be part of the normal pregnancy process. However, you should consult with the veterinarian about the appropriate weight , according to the breed and the number of puppies in pregnancy.
Of course, you must also consider that neither at this stage, nor at any other, is it advisable to take medications, only in case of strict medical recommendation.
Tips for weeks 5 and 6
It will not be until week 5 when the puppies begin to take in a greater volume from the mother, who will therefore also begin to need a greater amount of food . This is where the portions should begin to become more abundant. Depending on the number of puppies in pregnancy, the increase in the amount of food will also vary. For example: if there are 4 puppies, it is advisable to increase the amount of feed by 5% each week .
The growth of the puppies inside the mother is quite exhausting for their body, which is why they must eat abundantly so as not to generate some type of decompensation, neither in their nutrition nor in that of the puppies. For this reason, from the sixth week you can also begin to provide food supplements to strengthen the diet of the pregnant dog , and although this does not have to be necessary if you are already using super premium feed specially designed for this stage, it can. be an alternative if you are instead feeding your pet with puppy food, which is also another cheaper and less efficient option, but at least more advisable than continuing to feed it with the food it consumed before pregnancy.
Weeks 7 and 8 of pregnancy
Here the control will have to be more rigorous, since the definitive stage in the development of the puppies is approaching and multiple risks also arise for the mother. Therefore, the weight check should be punctual, as well as the routine check-up with the veterinarian. It is important to monitor the level of weight gain, since growth less than recommended can cause malnutrition and, as a consequence, malformations in the puppies. On the other hand, being overweight can also be lethal for the mother.
The best thing is to calculate that they are on the right track so that with the rhythm until that date, it can be concluded that they are advancing consistently so that, reaching 9 weeks, they gain between a third and a quarter of their initial weight, which which will not only be for the puppies. In fact, most of this weight will be due to the placenta. Here, a good protein intake will also be essential, which represents most of the energy that will be essential for this exhausting process that the mother will go through.
Final stage of pregnancy
If everything continues well, from the ninth week your dog will be in the final stretch of the gestation process . Because the space in your stomach is already beginning to be more limited, food portions must also be smaller, but equally frequent in order to provide you with the necessary nutrients .
If you notice that the pregnant dog begins to lose her appetite, it may be normal, as it could be an indication that the time of delivery is about to arrive. For this reason, it will be important to always keep fresh water and some food within reach, in addition to checking with your veterinarian, so that you can also be prepared for the day of delivery.
First weeks of breastfeeding
When the moment of birth arrives, which is a quite special event, and beyond the usual measures that you must take to care for the puppies, regarding the mother's diet, it will also be important to begin to increase the intake, since the needs Foods will also be very demanding for the breastfeeding process.
The mother requires not only nutrients to recover from the tiring process of gestation and birth, but she must also obtain extra nutrients to be able to offer adequate breastfeeding to the newborn puppies , which will be hungry and grow quickly, which is why During the first three weeks of life, very particular measures must be taken. In the first week you should increase the mother's usual amount of food by 50%. This measure should increase in the same proportion, that is, in the second week it should be double the amount of food you usually ate; and this rhythm should be extended at least until the third week of lactation, where the amount of milk that will need to be produced will be greater and therefore the dog should already have three times as much food available. 
For this reason, and depending on the number of puppies that have been born, you can even offer the mother free access to feed, that is, a diet as she pleases, since she has the ability to sense when she requires a greater amount. of food so that the essential breastfeeding process can continue adequately. From the third or fourth week, the puppies will be able to start eating solid food. It will also be time to reduce the amount of food for the mother, trying to do it proportionally. However, breastfeeding is recommended to extend at least for a period of 6 to 8 weeks. By taking the appropriate measures, and pampering your pet properly, you will see that it is possible to have a healthy pregnancy and breeding process . 
In any case, the constant assessment of your veterinarian, as well as assistance in case of any doubt or strange symptoms, will be essential to lead a happy pregnancy and allow this important moment in your pet's life to come to fruition. Remember that good nutrition will be the main key to giving life to healthy and strong puppies and at the same time taking care of the integrity of their mother. Other dog food articles that may interest you:
