My pregnant dog is missing. How long do they hide to give birth?

It is possible that she is just taking care of her young for now. There are possible complication after birth like imbalance hormones, a kitten not born causing infection, or even eclampsia (low calcium). If you know where she could be hiding, I would try to find her and take food to her. If not, all you can do is wait. She will likely come out when she is ready. I am sorry that she is worrying you and I wish there was more we could do. I hope this helps and you find her soon!

It is quite common for dogs to become anorexic in the 24 hours prior to whelping. Be sure that Sweetie has a whelping box ready, or a quiet area in your home with plenty of soft towels and blankets, but keep in mind that these blankets may get ruined during delivery! In the 24 hours prior to whelping, some dogs may also become more restless and may hide or try to be alone. I hope that all goes well!

It would be best to try and find Princess ASAP as she may be lost and unable to return home. Making sure to contact your local shelter and give them any information such as microchip numbers, descriptions, etc is best. It is also a good idea to buy some KMR or puppy formula and bottles ASAP as puppies will need to be fed every few hours to stay healthy and active, and you may not get your dog back in time. Having some on hand in case you need to assist with nursing or if your dog escapes again is also a good idea.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Sasha. You should allow her to nest and birth the puppies wherever she will be safe and the most comfortable. Stage one labor (where the dog is restless and pants) can last for 12-24 hours. This phase ends when the first pup moves into the birth canal. At this point, she will begin actively delivering the puppies. I hope this information helps!

A dog in active labour should be monitored very closely, a minimum of every 30-60mins to check for any signs of distress in mother or puppies and to ensure she is feeding and cleaning them. An ultrasound exam after delivery is recommended to confirm all puppies have been born

A dog's milk can come in up to a week before giving birth, so it's not used as a sign of going in to labor. Dogs can also lose the hair on the belly in the weeks before delivery, so it is also not a sign she is going into labor. The best way to get an idea of when she will give birth is to take her temperature rectally twice a day. A dog's normal temperature is between 101-102.5F. Once it drops below 100F, she will give birth to puppies in 24 hours.

She needs to be eating something, or she will have very little energy for the whelping. Take her to the vet for xrays, then you'll know the size of the litter and will know if she's having trouble or needs a c section. While there, ask for cerenia injections for the next few days, as this is a fantastic anti-nausea drug that has all kinds of benefits. In this case, I'm hoping it will get her eating for you. If she had a dead pup last litter, that tells me she may be dealing with some uterine inertia during labor, and could benefit from calcium or oxytocin injections, but this requires your working with a reproduction veterinarian through this process. Hope that helps, and best of luck!