How Long Do Chihuahuas Stay Pregnant? (Calendar)
Whether you intentionally bred your Chihuahua or found a pregnant mother abandoned on the side of the street, one of your first questions is likely, “How long do Chihuahuas stay pregnant?”
Chihuahuas stay pregnant for an average of 63 days, although they can give a healthy birth between 58 – 68 days from conception.
Unless you were present at the time of breeding, it may be many weeks before you even know your unspayed Chihuahua is pregnant.
A Brief Run-Down of a Chihuahua’s Pregnancy
Before I talk about the stages of a Chihuahua’s pregnancy in detail, below is a chart to give you a general overview of what to expect.
| Week | Progress |
| 1 | Few signs of pregnancy except, perhaps, morning sickness |
| 2 | Embryo moves to uterus |
| 3 | Small fetuses, no signs of pregnancy except, perhaps, increased appetite and swelling mammaries |
| 4 | Ability to feel puppies moving in the stomach |
| 5 | Puppy paws and claws develop |
| 6 | Mother’s stomach is large, and she’ll need more food |
| 7 | The puppies have almost fully developed |
| 8 | Mother will begin nesting |
| 9 | Mother will give birth |
A Detailed Look at a Chihuahua’s Pregnancy
Now that you have a general understanding of the stages of a Chihuahua’s pregnancy, let’s explore them in more detail! Doing so will help you better understand the puppy’s development and how you can best support the mother.
Keep in mind that as a canine, Chihuahuas have the same gestation period as any other dog breed. Therefore, if you have experienced a different dog’s pregnancy, you can expect it to follow a similar trajectory.
Week One
Week one starts at the moment that sperm reaches your Chihuahua’s eggs. It’s unlikely that you’ll notice anything out of the ordinary here, although some Chihuahuas may experience morning sickness in extreme cases.
Week Two
Pregnancy hormones might start kicking in for your Chihuahua, as this is the period when the fertilized egg moves to the uterus. During this implantation period, your Chihuahua might become more stand-offish or want extra cuddles, so manage your behavior around them accordingly.
Week Three
Mood swings will likely become an even more frequent behavior with your Chihuahua. You’ll also notice her mammaries starting to enlarge, and she might become more hungry.
Week Four
Your veterinarian will be able to take a clear ultrasound by the first month of your Chihuahua’s pregnancy. The ultrasound will show the spinal cord, the start of facial features, and the uterine horns.
You can feel the puppies moving at this stage, but some fluid will soon move in, preventing this from occurring again until closer to pregnancy.
Week Five
It’s possible to determine the sex of the puppies at this point, given that the fetuses develop sex organs. Their legs also start to lengthen, and you can make out their paws.
The mother will need several smaller meals at this point, given that she won’t have enough room in her stomach to accommodate lots of food at once.
Week Six
Pigmentation begins to form, and the eyes have lids, which will remain closed until the puppies are about ten days old. Your Chihuahua will feel increased pressure on her stomach, which could cause her to vomit. She also might start discharging a clear fluid.
Week Seven
You’ll be able to feel the puppies moving in the Chihuahua mother’s stomach again. She might begin to release some colostrum, which is first milk, as her breasts will be more enlarged. The mother may also look for a place to whelp (give birth) and start nesting.
Week Eight
The puppies now have fur, and the mother Chihuahua will begin doing lots of digging in her whelping box. The Chihuahua puppies will have made their way close to the uterus, crowding around it and waiting for their entrance to the world.
Week Nine
The time has come! Your Chihuahua will give birth sometime during week nine, although it could be as early as the tail end of week eight. You’ll know that your Chihuahua is on the brink of giving birth when she seems anxious and restless.
It’s wise to take her temperature every 12 hours during this time, as once the temperature drops from 100 to 101 degrees Fahrenheit to 97 degrees, she’ll start giving birth within the next day.
Understanding the Heat Cycle
You may have intended your Chihuahua to get pregnant. Or, you might have arrived here scratching your head, thinking she was too young to be fertile when playing with your neighbor’s handsome pooch.
In either case, a Chihuahua has an approximately 3-week heat cycle. During this time, they go through estrus, where you’ll notice their vulva enlarges. They also might discharge blood before that discharge changes to a pinkish-red color.
Most female Chihuahuas in heat urinate more frequently, given that their urine has pheromones and hormones, which will help them attract a mate.
Preventing Pregnancy in Your Chihuahua
If you don’t want your Chihuahua to have more babies after giving birth, getting her spayed is the best thing to do.
Getting your female Chihuahua spayed has several benefits, including decreasing the chance of breast tumors and uterine infections. That said, your Chihuahua will have the greatest protection against these illnesses if you get her spayed before her first heat.
FAQs About Chihuahua Pregnancy
If you still have questions about Chihuahua pregnancies, I’ve compiled some answers to help you out.
How long do Chihuahuas stay pregnant if they mated with a larger dog?
If your Chihuahua got pregnant with a larger dog, you should take her to the vet. Your Chihuahua’s stomach has limited space, so if the puppies inherit too much of the father’s larger size, it could put them and the mother at risk during pregnancy.
Do Chihuahuas go into heat often?
Like all dogs, Chihuahuas go into heat about once every six months once they reach sexual maturity. Sexual maturity can happen as young as five months old, but the typical range is six to nine months old.
What’s the average Chihuahua litter size?
Chihuahuas usually have around four puppies per litter. In some cases, this number can reach as little as one, and in rare cases, it can be in the low double digits.
What should I feed my pregnant Chihuahua?
You should follow your veterinarian’s recommendations when choosing what to feed your pregnant Chihuahua. But generally speaking, you’ll simply need to increase the amount of high-quality dog food you’re already giving her.
Your veterinarian might also suggest incorporating puppy food into your pregnant Chihuahua’s diet as the time gets closer to when she’ll give birth.
Is it okay to exercise my pregnant Chihuahua?
Yes, exercise is good and healthy for your pregnant Chihuahua, as long as you do it in moderation. That said, it’s best to hold off on strenuous exercise until two weeks after conception to prevent issues with implantation.
So, How Long Do Chihuahuas Stay Pregnant?
Chihuahuas stay pregnant for around nine weeks, although they could have puppies as early as the end of their eighth week of pregnancy.
It’s crucial to take your Chihuahua to the vet for checkups during her pregnancy and work with your veterinarian to ensure you’re providing her sufficient nutrition to keep her and her babies healthy.
