We all know that having a child is one in a lifetime experience and that the mothers are probably the happiest in their lives at that same moment. This applies to animals as well – they are living creatures, so giving birth is very important. If you own a Yorkie and see that she is pregnant, you should be as happy as she is. And, because you are her owner, you need to do everything in your power for her to have a healthy labour and give life to beautiful puppies. As with any other pregnancy, Yorkies also need to check some boxes before they get pregnant. In this article, we’ll cover everything you may need to know about this process, what you should pay attention to and what you should do after the puppies see the light of the world.
Spaying a Yorkie
We think that this is very important to distinguish at the start of our article. If you wish that your female Yorkie has puppies soon, then you shouldn’t spay her. Spaying is a process dog owners undertake to stop female dogs from mating and having puppies. We can debate whether this is okay to do or not, but the fact is that this process is widespread, and many dog owners do this to their dogs. A female dog that is in heat can be tough to bear and may cause a lot of problems for you. On the plus side, spaying also decreases the chances of ovarian and mammary cancer, which is something you should keep in mind for the wellbeing of your dog.
It goes without saying that if your dog is spayed, it can’t have babies. On the other hand, if it isn’t spayed, then in several months, you might be welcoming a few cute puppies!
Signs of Pregnancy
Unless you paired your Yorkie while she’s in the heat to mate with another Yorkie terrier, sometimes it might be really hard to notice if your dog is pregnant or not. She might be in the heat and you let her walk around the neighborhood where she saw a beautiful male dog. One thing led to another, and in a few weeks, you might notice a more prominent belly of your Yorkie. So, the first thing you should keep in mind if you want for your Yorkie to have puppies is always to control her movement and see what she does. The best-case scenario is that you pair her with another Yorkie – this way, the breed will keep on living. But, if she mates with a dog of another kind – there’s nothing wrong with that.
Yorkies are small dogs, and it’s often hard to notice if they got pregnant or not. In the first few weeks, there isn’t a guaranteed method which you can undergo to see if she’s pregnant or not.
You can take her to the vet for an abdominal X-ray, but yet again, the X-rays won’t show you anything until later in the pregnancy. Blood tests are also an option, but they won’t be accurate until a minimum of 3 weeks has passed. You might be wondering if there is a way to confirm your Yorkie is pregnant at the start of her pregnancy. The answer is yes, and there are some clear signs which you should look for:
- She might feel a bit more tired than usual and in most cases a bit grumpy,
- Her nipples will grow in size which you’ll notice,
- She might start to collect things such as toys and other objects to create a “nest” – something many pregnant dogs do to create a comfortable place for themselves,
- She might start grooming herself way more than she used to,
- Her belly might become firmer than it was before;
Depending on the week your Yorkie pregnancy is, the signs start to get more noticeable. Between weeks 3 and 4, her belly will become larger, and that’s a clear indicator that in some time, you’ll be meeting new puppies. Later in the pregnancy, her appetite will increase, which means that she will start eating way more than she used to. This also means that she will gain some weight, and this is entirely normal – you shouldn’t worry about it.
Yorkie Puppies
What every owner wants to know is how many puppies will be born. While there isn’t a precise answer to this question, the studies have shown that average litter has a size of 4. While this isn’t an accurate number and it depends on Yorkie to Yorkie, this is an estimated average, so you shouldn’t worry if the amount of your puppies is lower or higher than that. If you want to learn more about the puppies and know how many puppies a Yorkie can have, you can read another article of ours which covers this topic.
Pregnancy
Let’s say that you confirmed that your Yorkie is pregnant. You might be thrilled, but don’t let that fool you that you aren’t facing a hard time. The whole pregnancy is often tough for your Yorkie, and you should do everything in your power to aid her. We’ll cover some of that later. But first, what’s the length of pregnancy of an average Yorkie? Many studies show that 63 days is a golden middle. It’s a number that’s real for many Yorkies. Some Yorkies may deliver even at 58 days, while some may deliver at 68 days. If it’s past 68 days, it’s time that you call your veterinarian just to see what’s going on.
During Yorkie Pregnancy
This is probably a critical part of every pregnancy. If you wish that your Yorkie delivers healthy puppies, you need to follow some simple steps to ensure that. The first step probably has to be done before any mating. You should take your Yorkie for a full blood scan to rule out any genetic disorder they can transfer to the puppies. If unfortunately, it says that your Yorkie has some genetic disease that will make the life of puppies harder, then you might want to back off from mating.
If the tests turn out negative and you proceed with mating, your Yorkie will probably get pregnant, and you should be happy about it. First thing’s first – you need to be gentle with her – not only you but everyone who has contact with her. She’s carrying puppies in her belly, and any sudden and hard movement might cause unease for her, and that’s something we want to avoid.
As the pregnancy goes by, as we said, she will start to eat way more than she used to. It’s up to you to ensure that she always has enough food and water, and if you have the possibilities to do so, you should get food of the highest quality. Intake of nutrients is vital for a dog that is pregnant, and quality meals will ensure that she gets enough of those. At the same time, you shouldn’t let her eat too much – you need to find the golden middle.
You should also make a place for her. As we said, while the dog is pregnant, she will start “nesting,” which means that she will lay down in a cozy place just to rest and relax. At the same time, you should keep an eye on the number of physical activities she has throughout the day. Of course, she mustn’t jump and tumble around, but she needs a few walks during the day. This will ensure that she gets enough exercise during these two months of pregnancy.
Also, you don’t need to add supplements such as vitamins in their meals unless your vet doesn’t say so. Self-medicating isn’t a good idea, and if you want to give something to your Yorkie, you should talk to your vet first.
Yorkie Pregnancy: Puppy Delivery
Hopefully, after a long two months, your Yorkie will deliver. This is a process of its own, and it’s best if you let a vet do the delivery. But, in some cases, the dog delivers unexpectedly, and at this point, you need to stay calm to deliver healthy puppies yourself. You should place a lot of towels/newspaper/any other fabric underneath your Yorkie where the puppies will be born. Ensure that the towels are warm. When the delivery begins, usually, the dog will do everything on its own, and the puppies will come out in an amniotic sac. It might get a bit dirty, but hey, it wasn’t clean when you were born. The puppies might come out consecutively, or there might be a pause between the two puppies, sometimes lasting even for an hour or more. The mother will most likely rip the sac of the puppies and lick them after they come out, so you should let her do her work. If everything goes smoothly, a few puppies will be joining your family!
READ ALDO: How Many Puppies Can a Yorkie Have?
Yorkie Pregnancy: Post Partum
After your Yorkie delivers, you should clean her and let her rest. She has had a rough time, and she needs all the sleep she can get. In the meantime, you can place the puppies somewhere warm and call your vet to check them out and give you instructions on what to do next. The next few weeks are crucial for the wellbeing of the pups, and you should inform yourself as much as you can on this topic. The hardest is behind you, and if you just follow the instructions of your vet, your puppies will grow healthy and strong.
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