If you’re planning for a Beagle pregnancy or are waiting for a future puppy, it can be an exciting time. But if you have an unexpected pregnant Beagle on your hands, you might be wondering just how long you have to figure everything out.
This guide will break down everything that you need to know to know about Beagle pregnancy — from mating to birth, it only takes about 2 to 2.5 months to have puppies!
How Long Are Beagles Pregnant?
While humans stay pregnant for over 9 months, puppies develop much faster. From conception to birth, it usually only takes between 58 and 72 days, according to the AKC.
So, after a Beagle breeds, you can expect puppies in 2 to 2.5 months! That’s not much time to prepare if you didn’t expect a pregnancy. Just as humans have three trimesters, dogs have three primary phases throughout their pregnancy.
During the first month, the dog might only show a few symptoms, like an increased appetite, slightly enlarged nipples, decreased physical activity, and more affectionate behavior. This early stage is all about embryo and fetus development, and by the end of the first month, an ultrasound can typically pick up a heartbeat.
During the second month of pregnancy, Beagles tend to start to look more pregnant, and they can gain 20% to 50% more of their body weight. By about day 50 of the pregnancy, you can start to notice movement in the Beagle’s belly from the puppies.
The final stage of a Beagle’s pregnancy involves getting ready to give birth. The puppies move into the birth canal, and the mother’s body temperature will drop about 12 to 24 hours before active labor.
How Long Are Beagles in Labor?
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Just like it can take a while for humans to deliver a baby once labor starts, the same is true for dogs. The first stage of labor with a dog can last between 12 to 24 hours, and during this stage, you might not even notice that your Beagle is in labor.
The next stage of labor can take anywhere from 1 to 24 hours, taking the overall labor to be between 13 and 48 hours at this point. It’s during this second stage that the puppies will arrive.
The third and final stage is the delivery of the placenta. This actually occurs simultaneously with the second stage of labor, but the Beagle is not considered to be out of labor until she passes all her puppies and the placenta.
So, altogether, you can expect a pregnant dog to be in labor anywhere from 13 to 48 hours. If she’s in active labor for more than 24 hours, you need to seek out veterinary help right away.
How Many Puppies Do Beagles Usually Have?
Beagles can have between one and 10 puppies in a single litter, though it’s typical for them to have between four to eight puppies.
While there’s no guarantee of a particular litter size, if you look at past litters from the same mother, you can generally get a decent idea of what to expect. If a mother had a large litter, it’s more likely that her next litter will also be large. The same thing is true if a mother had a previous small litter.
But that doesn’t mean that’s how it will happen. It’s perfectly possible for a Beagle to have a small or large litter the first time and then have the opposite happen the second or third time!
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How Often Does a Beagle Go Into Heat?
If you want to breed your Beagle, it’s imperative to know how often they go into heat. Regular Beagles will go into heat every 6 months. Moreover, it’s possible, though not advisable, for the Beagle to breed every 6 months.
Most experts agree that it’s necessary to give the mother cycles off for her overall health and well-being.
How to Tell If a Beagle Is Pregnant
If you think that your Beagle might be pregnant, there are four surefire ways to find out. Early signs are an increased appetite, extra affection, and enlarged nipples, but even with those, you’ll only suspect that your Beagle is pregnant.
One of the most common ways to determine if your Beagle is pregnant is through a hormone test from a vet. That said, it’s only accurate after the Beagle has been pregnant for 30 days.
You can also check for palpitation. This process simply involves feeling around the Beagle’s abdomen around 21 to 35 days after breeding. There should be small but distinct sacs where each puppy is forming.
The other two methods to determine pregnancy are similar. Most breeders opt for X-rays or ultrasounds to figure out if a dog is pregnant. Ultrasounds work around 25 to 35 days into the pregnancy, but X-rays take about 42 to 45 days to give accurate results.
Image Credit: Trevor-Reeves, Shutterstock
Final Thoughts
Whether you planned for your Beagle to get pregnant or not, new puppies coming into the world is exciting! Just ensure that the mother Beagle gets all the medical care and attention that she needs to have a healthy birth, and don’t just assume that everything will work the way that it should.
If you have any questions about your Beagle’s health or what you should do to ensure a smooth pregnancy for your Beagle, we highly recommend reaching out to a veterinarian right away.
