German Shepherds are a very popular breed of dog, and that is why there are many people who want to know how many children they can have. There are many questions about this breed, such as when it has its first heat, how long the pregnancy lasts or how many babies it can have. In this post I will try to answer all the questions we have been asked about German Shepherds.
German Shepherds can have from one to twelve children, but the average is four to six. Although each case is different and this information should not be taken literally, since your dog could only have three puppies in any of her births or she could have more.
Factors that influence the number of children your dog will have
If you want your female German Shepherd to have as many babies as possible, you should know what are the factors that influence this process, which are mainly four:
- The age of the female, since she normally has the most offspring after her fourth time in heat.
- The type of food she receives, it is very important that she is well nourished and fed, not because of the number of pups, but because of her state of health and those of her puppies.
- Whether she is in good physical condition or not, it is important that her health status is good, in other words, she should be well fed, nourished and trained.
- The mating of the dog should occur in the first two fertile days of the dog, since the dog’s sperm usually lasts two days and if it is done before or after these days, even if the dog becomes pregnant, the number of puppies with all certainty, it will be less.
When is a female German Shepherd’s first heat?
The female has her first heat between six and ten months of age, and the pregnancy, if it occurs, usually lasts between seven and eight weeks. If your dog’s gestation period is less than this period, there are high chances of puppies being born prematurely. If you want to learn more about your German Shepherd’s pregnancy, we recommend reading this other article.
Therefore, it is important to monitor her pregnancy and take care of your pet in the best way so that everything goes as smoothly as possible.
How many times in a year can a German Shepherd give birth?
A female German Shepherd can give birth 2 times a year, with a period of 6 months between the first and second, although as your dog gets older, you should pay special attention to her so that she does not get pregnant more times because Births are also painful for animals and you surely don’t want your pet to have health problems.
Can a 7-year-old female German Shepherd get pregnant?
No, female German Shepherds cannot get pregnant at such an advanced age. Most dogs have their first heat between six and ten months of age, although this can vary depending on the breed.
Can puppies be born on different days?
Yes, puppies can be born on different days. The gestation of a German Shepherd dog lasts approximately 63 days, although this can also vary depending on the breed. Birth usually lasts between two and four hours, and the puppies are born with fur covering their entire body. It is important that they stay with the mother until they are fully developed, as if you don’t there could be emotional problems.
When can a German Shepherd get a female pregnant?
The German Shepherd is said to reach sexual maturity (he can impregnate a female) after 2 years from when she was born, so don’t try it before this time period.
How to care for German Shepherd puppies?
Once the puppy is born, it must be cared for for the next two weeks so that it gets used to the family and learns to obey commands. After these two weeks and not before, the puppy is ready to start training.
It is vital to keep in mind that the puppy cannot be separated from its mother until it is 3-4 weeks old, so at first it is better to barely touch them so that they do not lose their emotional bond with their mother and because they must feed well in the first weeks to avoid diseases, since they are very prone to suffer from them.
