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My dog is having puppies. How long can she rest between them?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Labradoodle | Female | unspayed | 40 lbs

How long can a pregnant dog go between puppies? She has had 5 puppies already and I can tell that there are still more. I think the last two puppies are twins. They came out together and only had one placenta. They are both girls and are a little smaller than the rest. She had the first 5 puppies within an hour and 13 minutes. Mom is a Labrodoodle.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on October 9th, 2019

Hello. As long as she is not actively pushing / straining & seems content to care for her new family, she may just need to rest for several hours. It is also not unusual for there to be a 24 hour gap between starting labor & delivering the last puppy. I will tell you that sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between an involuting uterus ( one that is shrinking down ) & the perception that there may be still some puppies. The uterus can be quite "lumpy" at this early stage. If she remains comfortable & there is no excessive drainage ( there will be the normal greenish discharge called lochia ), then I would not be too concerned. But if you are still concerned in 3-4 hours, or she starts pushing with no deliveries after 30 minutes, do see your veterinarian for further evaluation. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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