Great Dane Pregnancy: Gestation Period, Weekly Milestones, and Care Guide

It’s puppy time! Well, not yet. You have a few weeks of gestation before it’s puppy time — 63 days to be exact. Your Great Dane is about to go through some major changes, but a lot of those changes are internal in the first few weeks. Learn everything you need to know about Great Dane pregnancy, including her weekly milestones and care guide!

Pregnancy Care for Great Danes

After conception, you should wait three to four weeks before visiting your vet for confirmation of pregnancy. Your veterinarian will then develop a care plan with you to ensure that your Great Dane is closely monitored, and you have all the information and tips you need to best care for her during this exciting time.

Already, great Danes have hefty appetites so you may wonder how you should adjust feeding when your Great Dane is carrying pups. During the first four weeks of your Great Dane‘s pregnancy, you can keep her regular feeding schedule. If you overfeed your Great Dane while she’s pregnant, this could result in obesity post-birth.

On the other hand, if you underfeed, this could detrimentally affect your Great Dane’s puppies. Monitor her weight during the first few weeks to ensure that she is not losing any weight. In week five, you want to add two more cups of food per day, splitting that between her morning feedings and evening feedings.

During week six, add two cups in the morning and two cups in the evening for a total of four extra cups of food per day. During week seven, increase it to three cups in the morning and three cups in the evening. During week eight, add four cups in the morning and four cups in the evening.

The third trimester is the most taxing for your Great Dane and it’s also the most difficult time for her to eat because her belly is already full of puppies. Feed her multiple small meals throughout the day to ensure she’s getting adequate nutrition and that she is able to eat comfortably.

Average Litter Size for Great Danes

On average, Great Danes produce a litter that includes eight to 10 puppies.

What to Expect in Week 1

During the very first week, your Great Dane’s eggs are being fertilized in her uterus. Her hormones start to shift but it’s much too early for you to notice any physical changes. It’s business as usual outwardly but the very beginning stages of pregnancy are occurring inside her body. She may be more irritable or sensitive and may even have some gastrointestinal upset, including vomiting.

What to Expect in Week 2

During the second week of your Great Dane’s pregnancy, it’s still business as usual. The embryos are safely tucked in her uterus and they’re not experiencing any significant growth yet. You can still play and groom your Great Dane the way you usually do. Just ensure that she is neither gaining nor losing weight.

What to Expect in Week 3

The third week is the novation stage, which is when the puppies begin taking nutrients from the membranes they’re secured in. Physically, you still won’t notice many changes and your Great Dane‘s activity levels should be about the same. She may display a bit more hunger, but you should continue feeding the way you normally would.

What to Expect in Week 4

By week four, your veterinarian can confirm the pregnancy. You can request an ultrasound and see the size of your Great Dane’s litter. Your vet should be able to give you the date when she will be ready to give birth. This is also a great time to determine if mom and babies are healthy or if there are any complications that need attention.

What to Expect in Week 5

By week five, the embryos are no longer embryos and move into the fetus stage. Their bodies and organs are starting to develop during this stage. This is when your Great Dane is going to get noticeably heavier. This is also the time when you start feeding her more. Make sure you’re checking in with your vet to ensure that you’re not overfeeding and that your Great Dane is only gaining the necessary weight.

What to Expect in Week 6

During week six, the puppies are developing beautifully. Their tissues are becoming more distinct and they’re even developing their claws. This is also when you notice your Great Dane gets increasingly uncomfortable. She needs lots of nutrients to keep her and her puppies healthy, including extra protein and minerals. Despite this, she may not have a strong enough appetite. Make sure that you make her meals appetizing and feed her in small quantities so that she can stomach the food.

What to Expect in Week 7

During week seven, it’s just more growth. The puppies are growing hair during this period and their bodies are getting ready to soon leave mom’s womb. Ensure your Great Dane is keeping up with her meals. Smaller meals are an effective way of helping your Great Dane remain healthy during these last few weeks.

What to Expect in Week 8

Week eight is the last week of your Great Dane’s pregnancy. She’s going to be significantly bigger, more uncomfortable, and ready to get those puppies out. She will be nesting, and you may notice some discharge from her nipples as she prepares to lactate. Keep her comfortable during this time. Have your vet conduct an x-ray to ensure everything is going well, and get ready for the next week when it’s time to deliver those puppies.

What to Expect in Week 9

By the time you reach week nine, it’s time for your Great Dane to deliver her puppies! So long as you’re prepared for the experience, you can offer your Great Dane comfort and ensure delivery is moving along nicely. There are some symptoms that you should look out for to determine if she requires emergency veterinary care (these are listed in the section below).

How to Prepare for Labor and Delivery

To help your Great Dane prepare for labor and delivery, put a whelping box together. It should be large enough for both mom and her new puppies with raised sides so that the puppies don’t fall out. However, she should be able to enter the box easily. Your veterinarian should provide you with more precise instructions depending on your Great Dane’s needs. Offer her plenty of encouragement during delivery — her body knows what it’s doing but she needs your support too.

When contractions start, puppies start emerging. There should be no more than two hours between puppies. Her instincts kick in right away and she will clean her puppies as they come out, but you may need to assist her if she is busy with one while another emerges. She may try to eat her puppies’ placentas and that’s a normal response. There should be as many placentas as there are puppies after birth — make sure to count! Any remnants in her womb could lead to serious infections.

If you notice any of the following during labor and delivery, contact your veterinarian right away:

• No placentas are coming through
• Excess blood
• 20-30 minutes of contractions with no puppies
• Foul-smelling discharge
• Malformed puppies
• Labor lasting over 12 hours
• No puppies after water breaking

How to Care For Your Great Dane Afterward

The best you can offer your Great Dane after this long, trying experience is quiet and comfort. This allows her to recover her energy and bond with her new puppies. She typically won’t be hungry for about 48 hours after birth, but you can try offering her food and see if she is open to eating. And don’t forget to give her lots of love and affection, she’s just brought new life into the world, after all!