Beagles are a hound breed, but more often than not, are now kept by people who just love them for their other characteristics. They have become one of the most popular domestic breeds in the country.
This means there’s big demand for Beagle puppies, and many owners looking to breed them. One of the first questions those new to this will want to understand better is what a Beagle pregnancy, week by week, is like. Here’s all you need to know, starting with how many days the Beagle pregnancy will be.
How long is a Beagle pregnant for? Beagles have the same gestation period as other dog breeds. Your Beagle will be pregnant for 58 to 68 days, with the average pregnancy length usually being around day 63 from the point of conceiving to the delivery.
If you do have a pregnant Beagle and don’t know to expect, please check out the following Beagle pregnancy calendar. It’s a step by step guide through the days of your Beagle’s pregnancy.
Beagle pregnancy calendar
Week 1 (days 0 to 7)
Once the female Beagle has conceived, and the owner or breeder should continue as normal in regard to things like feeding and walks. There’s no need at this point to change her routine.
You might see a little sickness though related to motion sickness. There could also be a small pinky-colored discharge coming from the Beagle, which is entirely normal and not a miscarriage.
Week 2 (days 7 to 14)
At this point in your Beagle’s pregnancy calendar, there’s so much more going on. The cells are developing, and the puppy embryos will transfer into the Beagle’s uterus.
This is the time during the French Bulldog pregnancy calendar when the cells will start to grow, and the embryos move into the uterus area.
Just like the first 7 days of your Beagle’s pregnancy, there’s no need to make any changes to her routine. You can keep her exercise and diet as it normally is.
Week 3 (days 14 to 21)
Little Beagle foetuses are now developing into shapes. They are very tiny still, possibly being about 1 centimetre long!
There is still no need to change your pregnant Beagle’s diet and exercise routines yet at this point in the pregnancy calendar. However, you might find that she’s hungrier than usual and wants to take more calories on.
Handy Hint: If you want your Beagle to get pregnant it’s key to understand their heat cycle times.
Week 4 (days 21 to 28)
Things are now starting to take shape. Your vet may even be able to feel the puppies in your Beagle’s belly with some soft, manual manipulation on the outsides of the stomach.
The tiny foetuses now look like little doggies. If scanned, it would be possible to see spinal and facial areas developing despite the fact the puppies are only 1.5 centimetres in length!
This is considered to be the most important times during the Beagle pregnancy calendar as it’s when the developing puppies are most at risk from miscarriage.
It’s essential to start changing her routine now, making sure to limit any over-exertion and intense activities. Your vet might also recommend a change in diet, with possible nutritional supplements added.
Pregnancy signs to look out for include swelling of the nipples and clear discharge; neither are unusual or a reason to be concerned.
Week 5 (days 28 to 35)
The Beagle foetuses do really look like little puppies now with paws, claws, and whiskers starting to grow through. Scans could also reveal what genders the Beagle puppies are too, as their genital areas can sometimes be seen.
Your pregnant Beagle will start to put weight on and will demand more and more food to feed the growing pups. You will need to increase her calorie intake to help the foetuses develop healthily.
If you do pay for a scan, your vet will also be able to tell you how many puppies your Beagle is expecting. On average, Beagles will have litters of 6 puppies.
Handy Hint: By week 5 in the Beagle pregnancy calendar you might be able to start feeling the puppies yourself. Here’s how you can do it.
Week 6 (days 35 to 42)
At this point during your Beagle’s pregnancy she will be starting to show, and it will be obvious that she’s expecting! In fact, many breeders report that the female Beagle visibly gets bigger with each day that passes in the pregnancy calendar.
Other things to look out for include the color of the nipples getting darker. Inside the womb there will also be changes afoot, as the Beagle puppies start to develop their own unique markings and patterns.
Her nipples will also become darker, and there will also be color changes to the growing puppies too as they start to develop their unique markings.
As for mum, she will be getting hungrier as each day of the pregnancy passes. Some breeders will start to add puppy food into her diet, and nutritional supplements if not already.
I also recommend you help your Beagle start with her nesting. This is where she finds a warm, quiet, safe, and comfortable place to give birth. It’s something that you can help her prepare for, so she is as calm as possible.
Week 7 (days 42 to 49)
Your Beagle will now have been pregnant for 42 days and could be experiencing hair loss. This is entirely natural, as is fur coming away from her belly in order to prepare for birth and feeding puppies.
You will also need to increase the mother’s food intake again as the puppies are now almost developed into the classic Beagle shape known the world over.
Calcium is very important in her diet now, as it will help to strengthen and develop the growing Beagle puppies before birth.
Handy Hint: I’ve published a guide which explains how you will know when your Beagle is pregnant.
Week 8 (days 49 to 57)
Some Beagles will give birth prematurely, despite the length of pregnancy typically being around 63 days – so this week is critical as it’s when it could happen. Be prepared just in case you get an early surprise.
The best thing you can do for your Beagle is to keep them relaxed and calm, with almost zero physical activity. If she does over-exert herself, she could give birth earlier than expected.
She will be showing nesting behavior, and you could even see signs of the puppies moving around under the surface of her belly. They will be more active than usual during this 8th week.
Week 9 (days 57 to 65)
Now is the time most Beagles will give birth. A sign she is ready will be a slowing down, quietness, and a loss of appetite.
And then the Beagle puppies will arrive!
And that’s that… and there’s going to be so much more for you to now do to help the mother. I will save that all for another blog post though; but here are some related questions.
How many puppies do Beagles have?
Beagles have 6 puppies on average, here’s what Wikipedia also says:
“The average size of a beagle litter is six puppies. When mother beagles give birth to litters of puppies, the little pups weigh just a few ounces each.”
Compare this to a dog like a rottweiler who has 8 puppies on average, and you can see why the smaller Beagle litter sizes will often be reflected in their price.
Here are some common dog breeds, and how many puppies they have on average compared to Beagles.
- Basset Hound – 5 puppies
- Bernese Mountain Dog – 8 puppies
- Boston Terrier – 4 puppies
- British Bulldog – 4 puppies
- Chihuahua – 3 puppies
- Corgi – 7 puppies
- Dachshund – 3 puppies
- French Bulldog – 3 puppies
- German Shepherd Dog – 8 puppies
- Golden Retriever – 8 puppies
- Great Dane – 8 puppies
- Labrador – 7 puppies
- Miniature Schnauzer – 4 puppies
- Poodle – 5 puppies
- Beagle – 5 puppies
- Rottweiler – 8 puppies
- Shih Tzu – 3 puppies
- Springer Spaniel – 7 puppies
- Yorkshire Terrier – 3 puppies
Conclusion
Beagles are notoriously popular which accounts for how expensive they can be. If you are thinking about breeding your own Beagle, please do reconsider if it’s a pure money-making exercise.
Many owners will breed and breed their Beagles which can take a terrible toll on their bodies and mental health.
Whilst you might think that the length of time a Beagle is pregnant for makes this look like a great way to make some regular cash on the side, do think again.
If you are on the other side of the fence and want to buy a Beagle puppy, please do your research and make sure you are buying from a reputable breeder.
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If you enjoyed this guide to how many days a Beagle will be pregnant for, you might also like these related Beagle guides:
- Here’s how much Beagles puppies should be fed
- How many times you can breed a Beagle ethically
- The real reason why Beagles have such massive ears
Image in header via https://pixabay.com/photos/beagle-hunting-dog-breeding-male-4168818/