Should my pregnant dog be crated or roam free in the backyard?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I wouldn't push the exercise (no dog parks, running with you for mile, too long chasing balls) but I would let her do light activity as much as she wants. She can run. Personally I do not think you need to cage her or chain her up. She will slow down close to delivery on her own. I hope this helps!

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Sounds like Liberty may be getting close to giving birth- I would encourage her now if possible. Dogs, when they are close to whelping, do seek out nesting areas on their own without assistance most times. She may have found underneath your deck a safe spot to give birth, but if it is cold out at all, I would try and keep her inside the house if possible. When taking her outside to potty, you may want to leash walk her out so she doesn't hide underneath the deck or other places that may be a less than ideal area for her. I hope this helps and good luck with the new pups!

Hello and thanks for your question about Belle. I would start off by recommending an examination by Belle's vet to be sure she is healthy/her pregnancy is going well, and she also may need to have some deworming done. In terms of setting things up at home, we normally recommend setting up a comfortable private area for whelping the puppies. A cage may not be best since it may be hard for you to be able to see/access the puppies if needed when she is giving birth. I have seen many people use a small child's swimming pool lined with cozy blankets as this is waterproof (floor won't get dirty) is easily cleaned, and has a high enough edge the pups can't get away but low enough mom can get in and out. Putting it in a quiet area of your house is best. You can also construct an open box yourself. You can read more about pregnant dog care at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A

If you think Negra may be going into labor it would be best to try and coax her into a whelping box that is inside so you can safely monitor her. If she is already giving birth, keeping an eye on her and then trying to move her and the puppies to a safer location after is best. If she seems very ill or severely in distress, and doesn't produce any puppies, bringing her to a vet ASAP for care is best.

I would recommend perhaps having her in a crate or maybe the laundry room/ bathroom at night? I would also consider using DAP, Or dog appeasing pheromones to help decrease her anxiety. This can be purchased at most all pet stores. I would also recommend an examination with your veterinarian to make sure there isn’t an underlying medical problem. I’m sorry Lani is so anxious, and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

She may just want to go outside because it seems more comfortable, but I agree that's not ideal. If you do not have a whelping box set up for her inside I would make sure she has a comfy spot. She may prefer to be left alone - you could partially shut to door to a room so you can still supervise her and make sure everything is going okay. If she is actively pushing for more than 30 minutes or if she goes more than 4 hours between puppies I would recommend seeing a veterinarian to make sure everything is okay.

It's perfectly fine for her to play catch and run around while she is pregnant. It would only be concerning if she is getting hurt while playing, or over-exerting herself. I hope that helps and all is well with Luna.