You want to show off your new labrador retriever puppy.

He’s adorable and your friends and neighbors want to meet him.

But can you walk him the mile to a friend’s house? Is it safe to walk your puppy outside? Will your puppy have the energy to make it 1/2 a mile, 1 mile, 2 miles? How far can you walk a puppy?

Or is it time for a puppy stroller?

There’s no firm rule. But generally it depends on how many vaccinations he’s had, his age, and breed.

At What Age Can I Walk My Puppy?

Until a puppy is fully protected by his core vaccinations, he shouldn’t be walked in areas where unvaccinated dogs may have been.

He also shouldn’t be exposed to dogs that may have not been vaccinated.

Puppies usually receive a series of vaccinations starting at six to eight weeks old.  Then they’re repeated every three to four weeks old until they’re 16 weeks old.

After that age, a puppy’s considered protected. Some say wait another two weeks until the vaccinations are fully effective before taking him to places where other unknown dogs may have been.

So, until he’s at least 16 weeks old, you can still walk your puppy on your property if no unvaccinated dogs have been there. 

Always check with your vet to see what vaccinations your puppy’s received and when you can walk him.

As far as getting our puppies out and about we follow the guidelines set forth by the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior.

The Primary and Most Important time for puppy socialization is the first three months of life. During this time puppies should be exposed to as many new people, animals, stimuli and environments as can be achieved safely and without causing overstimulation manifested as excessive fear, withdrawal or avoidance behavior. For this reason, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior believes that it should be the standard of care for puppies to receive such socialization before they are fully vaccinated.

AVSAB Position Statement on Puppy Socialization

Things To Consider When Deciding How Far You Can Walk Your Puppy

There are many things to consider regarding how far you can walk your puppy, such as his breed and age. These factors include:

Your puppy’s breed or mix

Larger breed dogs may have problems with too much exercise. They grow more quickly than their smaller counterparts but mature more slowly.

Exercising a larger breed puppy too much can lead to orthopedic problems and arthritis.

Also, brachycephalic dogs with short muzzles like pugs and shih tzus have a lower tolerance for exercise because they can overheat more easily and have more difficulty breathing.

And some breeds, like working, herding, and sporting dogs have a higher exercise need even as a puppy.

So your border collie, golden retriever, labrador retriever etc. will generally need more exercise than your maltese.

Your puppy’s age

Very young puppies don’t have much endurance. They shouldn’t be walked too far.

A rule of thumb is a puppy can walk five minutes for every month of age starting at eight weeks. So a two-month-old puppy can walk about 10 minutes.

And a three-month-old can walk for 15 minutes; and a four-month-old for 20 minutes. And so forth.

Of course these are general guidelines. It’s always advisable to check with your vet regarding your puppy’s specific needs.

Important Considerations When Walking Your Puppy

In addition to how far your puppy should walk, there are many things to take into account regarding his excursions. These include:

Teaching your puppy to walk on a leash

Puppies don’t naturally walk well on a leash.

Usually they pull, chew the leash, and buck against the leash until they’re trained to walk calmly.

So it’s important to teach your puppy to walk properly on a leash so that he can get exercise and see the world.

Start with short walks with frequent breaks

Even if you have an older puppy, you don’t want to start walking him on a marathon.

It’s important to start with short walks of just a few minutes at a time. Over weeks, build his endurance.

And don’t forget to stop periodically for breaks. He may have to potty or be thirsty.

Avoid the hottest or coldest parts of the day

Young puppies can be susceptible to temperature extremes.

They may overheat and suffer from heat exhaustion, which can be deadly. 

Even when it’s too cold, they may become very uncomfortable. In cold weather, puppies may require a coat or sweater to help keep them warm.

Breeds with short muzzles such as shihs tzus or Lhasa apsos are especially susceptible to extremes of weather.

Plus, if it’s too hot or cold, the ground may damage your dog’s foot pads. And salt to melt snow can be dangerous to our dogs too.

Walk on safe footing

It’s important not to walk on surfaces that can be harmful or dangerous to your dog.

Places that are slippery can be dangerous for you and your dog to explore. Also, areas with sharp surfaces are hazardous.

Be sure that the surface isn’t too hot. This can especially occur with blacktop. 

If the walking surface is too hot for you to place your hand on, it’s too hot for your puppy to walk on. Err on the side of caution so that he doesn’t burn his pads.

Also try not to walk him on surfaces that have any chemicals, such as salt to melt snow or weed control, as some are toxic to dogs.

Walk on various safe surfaces

Get your new puppy used to walking on different surfaces that he’ll face throughout his life. It’s part of the socialization process.

Get him used to grass, pavement, and dirt trails. The more he’s exposed to in a positive way as a puppy, the better he should adapt to them as an adult.

Note From Colby: This is uber important for service dog puppies in training. If a service dog cannot walk across sand, grass, pavement, metal grates, etc without any kind of reaction, then the dog is not suitable as a working service dog.

Don’t over-exercise your pup

As was stated above, walks shouldn’t be too long, depending on the dog’s age.

A walk or two a day as well as other play should be enough.

Don’t jog or run with any puppy because their bones and joints are still developing and can easily be damaged.

Watch out for signs that your puppy is tired or lame

When on your walk–even on a short walk–make sure that you don’t walk too far.

If your puppy starts lying down, pants, or otherwise seems as if he’s walked far enough, end the walk. Remember not to go so far on other walks, as you have to take into account the portion of the walk returning home.

If at any point your puppy seems to be lame, limping or otherwise showing discomfort, end the walk. 

If your puppy shows any lameness, a vet visit is in order.

Give your puppy a few exercise sessions a day

You can break up his walk and give him two or three short walks a day.

But it’s also important that he has other types of exercise. A little fetching his favorite toys can help meet his needs. Some free running in the house or safely enclosed yard can be fun for him.

Stuffed Kongs and puzzle toys can help exercise his mind.

Remember: He needs physical exercise as well as mental stimulation. The walks provide both because, in addition to expending physical energy, he’s being mentally exercised by being exposed to new sights, sounds, smells, and experiences.

Remember to bring the essentials

Poop bags and water are important on your walks. You can bring a collapsible bowl or a water bottle with a built-in bowl so your puppy can drink. And don’t forget identification for your puppy.

Be visible!

If you’re walking at night, make sure you and your puppy can be seen. There are reflective and lighted vests, leashes, collars, and harnesses you can purchase.

Why Walk Your Puppy on a Leash?

He can get exercise other ways such as playing fetch or playing with another friendly pup.

But to be able to properly socialize your puppy, he needs to be taken to places on a leash. It’s not safe for him to run free.

And socialization involves not only having him meet friendly people and dogs but also exposing him in a positive manner to new sights, sounds, experiences, and footings.

There are many benefits to walking your dog, in addition to socialization, including:

Physical and mental exercise

Your new puppy wants to explore the world with you. 

In order to grow up to be a healthy adult, your pup requires both. New sights and sounds will stimulate him and help him grow into a well-rounded adult.

Weight control

Regular short walks will help keep your puppy fit and at the correct weight for his age and breed or mix.

Bonding time

Regular walks also provide a time for you and your puppy to bond.

You puppy will learn that fun, enjoyable things happen when you both interact.

And the walks will help provide a basis for a life-long bond with your pup.

Reduces unwanted behaviors

Exercise helps lessen destructive behaviors.

A well-exercised puppy is less likely to engage in destructive chewing, jumping, digging, and other undesirable behaviors.

Of course, the pup still requires training to understand what’s expected of him.

But the old adage that “a tired dog’s a good dog” still rings true.

Behavior reinforcement

You can use your walks to help practice your puppy’s training.

Have him perform a sit. Work with attention. 

Practicing training exercises he already knows while on his walk will help him learn to do them in everyday life, with distractions.

Lessens anxiety and stress

The socialization and real-life experiences help a dog cope better with everyday life.

Is Too Much Walking Bad For My Puppy?

There can be too much of a good thing. Even though we want our pups to get a sufficient amount of exercise, we can overdo it.

Following the above guidelines should lead to a safe amount of exercise. Also, check with your vet to be certain that you’re not overdoing it.

Too much exercise can harm them physically

Excessive exercise can negatively impact on a puppy’s musculoskeletal development. This is especially true of a puppy’s growth plates, which aren’t fully developed.

Too much walking and exercise can also lead to arthritis developing early in life.

Too much exercise can lead to severe exhaustion and limping

A puppy can get over-tired and even over-heat.

Just like when we overdo it, he may have sore muscles and may limp. A vet visit is in order if you see him limp.

Over-exercising even can lead your puppy to being more vulnerable to injuries.

Too much exercise can cause injuries to heal incorrectly

If you exercise a puppy with injuries, he may not heal correctly.

Final Thoughts

Walking your puppy has many health and socialization benefits. But it’s important that he’s had enough vaccinations before you take him to new places for walks. 

Also be sure to walk him on surfaces that won’t injure his pads and to stay visible–especially at night. And don’t overdo it.

But a walk with your new puppy can be a bonding experience. As a plus, you can show him off to your friends.

What about you guys?

How much do your walk your puppy?

Tell us about your experiences in the comment section below.

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One of the first tasks at hand after finding out we would be getting a new english cream golden retriever was trying to pick a name that everyone in the family agreed upon.

In all honesty, the process took us about a month and consisted of brainstorming, online research, discussions and the final cut.

Check out our top 10 list of male (we’re having a boy!) golden retriever dog names:

1. Charlie
2. Homer
3. Spark
4. Franklin
5. Yogi
6. Oscar
7. Branch
8. Norman
9. Yeti
10. Finnegan

I never expected that naming our golden retriever puppy, Charlie, would be so challenging.

I’ve had 4 dogs in my lifetime but they were all pound puppies or from rescues. Since all my previous dogs had been adopted, they already came with names or my parents took on the task of naming them.   

Our first family dog was a pound puppy named Cleo. She was part chow, part golden retriever. 

My parents ended up naming her Cleopatra because she had the appearance of having dark eyeliner around her eyes. She was fluffy like a chow, with the coloring of a red golden retriever and a purple tongue. 

Another one of my childhood dogs was a sweet golden retriever mix named Sienna. Her coat was an earthy orange color, hence her name, Sienna. 

She had the sweetest temperament and was a fast learner.  My parents thought she may have been trained as a therapy dog before she came to our family.

The first dog my husband and I adopted together was a rescue named George. He was a german shepherd mix and the only male in his litter.

We called him Geo, Georgie or Georgieman. He was the largest of his litter and very handsome, so George was a fitting name for him. 

Since Charlie came from a breeder, he was given a litter name. My niece was the one who actually chose the theme for the litter, the movie: Trolls World Tour.

Charlie’s given name was Branch. We thought Branch was a fun name but wanted to rename our new golden retriever pup and include our daughter in the naming process.

Below is a look at the steps we took to pick out a name for our golden retriever puppy.

Naming Your Golden Retriever Puppy

Here’s our 4-step process for choosing our most recent Golden Retriever puppy name, Charlie:

1. Brainstorming
2. Online Research
3. Family Discussion
4. The Final Cut

1. Brainstorming

The first step in picking out a name for our puppy was brainstorming. During this step, we just threw out any boy name that we could think of and wrote it down on a piece of paper.

Oddly enough, we even put down names of family pets of years past such as George and Ralph. This step took us about a week as we racked our brains for any and every name we could think of for our puppy.

2. Online Research

Now some of my readers might say, “heck with the first step,” and just move right along to online research. That’s OK, but don’t sell yourself short on what you can come up with. If you use your own brainpower, the name might have more meaning to you and your family.

Remember, your search doesn’t have to be just dog or pet names. We actually searched for baby names because we have an affinity for pets with human names.

If you are including your kids in the process, you are sure to come up with some quirky names that will have the whole family laughing. 

Additionally, once we found names we liked, we went and did a little research on the meaning of the names. This was a fun learning activity for our daughter, too. For example, who knew that the meaning of Charlie is “free man” and that it is of Old German origin?!

3. Family Discussion

Family discussion played a huge role in how we came up with our Top 10 List. This step was crucial because it gave everyone a chance to voice their opinion on which names they liked best.

Every couple of days, we would go through the list and cross off names that we agreed would not be a good fit. If we didn’t like the name, we would simply cross it off the list.

4. The Final Cut

When our list was whittled down to about 10 names we had to make a final decision. I wanted Franklin (Frankie) and my daughter wanted Spark (Sparky.) The tie breaker went to my husband and he chose Charlie.

We sometimes call him Chuck or Charlie B., which stands for Charlie Branch.  When he is in big trouble, we call him Charles, because it is a much more serious version of Charlie.

In case you couldn’t tell, I really love dogs with human names. More than that, I love a good nickname.

My Top 100+ Golden Retriever Dog Names

Here are my top 50 human style dog names with the best nicknames you’ll find.

Boy Golden Retriever Puppy Names

1. Charlie (Chuck, Charles, Chucky)
2. Norman (Norm, Normy)
3. Homer (Homie, Homes)
4. Franklin (Frankie, Frank)
5. Finnegan (Finn, Finny)
6. Oscar (Ozzie, Oz)
7. Benjamin (Ben, Benny)
8. Henry (Hank)
9. Baron (Barry, Bare)
10. Philip (Phil)
11. Stuart (Stewy)
12. Arthur (Art, Artie)
13. Morgan (Mo, Momo)
14. Asher (Ash)
15. Edward (Ed, Eddie, Ned)
16. Theodore (Ted, Teddy, Theo)
17. George (Geo, Georgie)
18. Jackson (Jack, Jackie)
19. Quincy (Quin)
20. Ralph (Ralphie, Rafa)
21. Boscoe (Boz)
22. Wilson (Will, Willy)
23. Remmington (Rem, Remi)
24. Nelson (Neli, Neil)
25. Lawrence (Larry)

Girl Golden Retriever Puppy Names

1. Cleopatra (Cleo)
2. Cecelia (Cici, Ceece)
3. Ginger (Gigi, Ginny)
4. Lucille (Lucy, Lu, Lulu)
5. Amelia (Mimi, Mia, Lia)
6. Charlotte (Char, Lottie)
7. Georgette (Georgie, Gigi, Getta)
8. Josephine (Jo, Jojo, Fifi)
9. Margaux (Marge, Margie, Mary, Maggie)
10. Lydia (Lydi)
11. Nikita (Nicki, Nick)
12. Winifred (Winnie, Freddie)
13. Isabella (Iz, Isa, Bella)
14. Michelle (Micki, Shelley)
15. Eleanor (Elle, Nora, Nelly)
16. Beatrice (Bird, Bea, Trixie, Busy B)
17. Desiree (Desi, Des, Reyrey)
18. Molly (Polly, Lolli)
19. Delilah (Lilah, Lily, Dilly, Dede)
20. Camille (Cami, Cam, Millie)
21. Phoebe (Pheebs, Fifi)
22. Lola (Lo, Lolo)
23. Rosalyn (Rosie, Rosa, Ro)
24. Dahlia (Lia, Dahl)
25. Antoinette (Toni, Nettie)

If you want your dog’s name to be memorable and meaningful, it’s important to think about your interests and passions.

Since my husband loves the 80’s, here is a list of 80’s inspired dog names that are totally awesome! 

80’s Inspired Dog Names

Radical Boy Dog Names

1. Reagan – the 40th President of the United States.
2. Screech – Is he 80’s or 90’s? Saved by the Bell – RIP Dustin Diamond.
3. Charles – He’s in Charge!
4. Calvin – read number 5
5. Hobbes – read number 4
6. Prince – Purple Rain!
7. Journey – Don’t Stop Believing!
8. Rusty – National Lampoons Vacation
9. Clark – See Above.
10. Elliot – E.T. phone home.
11. Biff – McFly your shoes untied!
12. Marty – Back to the Future!
13. Chett – Weird Science
14. Wyatt – More Weird Science
15. Ferris – It’s his day off. Got any John Huges fans here?
16. Vern – Stand by Me
17. Teddy – See Above
18. Gordie – See Above
19. Buck – Buck Rogers? Oh wait, he’s from the 25th century. Must be Uncle Buck.
20. Roman – Uncle Buck again!?
21. Lloyd – In your eyes…
22. Gizmo – Gremlins!
23. Max – We don’t need another hero! And it’s Mel Gibson not Tom Hardy.
24. Rambo – First Blood
25. Chunk – Do the truffle shuffle! 

Radical Girl Dog Names

1. Molly – Pretty in Pink
2. Madonna – The Material Girl
3. Stacy – She’s got it going on!
4. Queenie – Peavy
5. Frankie – Goes to Hollywood
6. Madison – Splash!
7. Samantha – Fox Naughty Girls Need Love Too
8. Heather – Chandler, Duke, McNamara
9. Tina – What’s Love Got to Do With It?
10. Stevie – Nicks or Wonder
11. Whitney – How will I know?
12. Sheena – Easton or a Punk Rocker?
13. Sloane – Bueller? Bueller?
14. Claire – It’s a family name.
15. Linda – I’ll be back.
16. Andy – Goonies Never Say Die
17. Sally – that girl or When Harry Met
18. Penny – Dancing or Inspector Gadget
19. Debbie – Blondie
20. Joan – I Love Rock and Roll
21. Punky – Brewster
22. Joanna – Kool and the Gang
23. Dolly – Parton
24. Trudy – Facts of Life
25. Dana – Ghostbusters

I hope these lists get you off to great start on naming your new puppy. However, if you find yourself wondering, “What if I picked the wrong name?”  Don’t worry, it’s OK to rename your new puppy. 

Is it OK to Rename My New Puppy?

So, you thought your puppy looked like a Skeeter but now that you’ve had him home for a few weeks, he’s definitely a Scooter. There’s no need to fret, according to Petfinder. Your puppy can learn his/her name in just a few days.

Here are some simple steps to help your puppy learn his/her new name:

1. Decide on the new name
2. Have treats on hand to reward your pup when he/she responds to his/her name
3. Randomly call out his/her new name and when he/she responds, give them praise and a treat.
4. Even if the puppy doesn’t respond, when you call the new name, give him/her a treat so the word is associated with a yummy treat.

Naming your new puppy shouldn’t be a tedious experience, it should be enjoyable and memorable. Taking your time during the naming process will ensure that whatever name you choose, will be special and from the heart.  

Do you have a favorite theme for dog names?

Let us know in the comments section below.

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Before Raven had her first litter of Golden Retriever puppies we weren’t totally sure if the breeding had taken. For almost the entire 9 week gestation period we were wondering: “How can you tell if your dog is pregnant without going to the vet?”

Not that we didn’t want to go to the vet, but a month after Raven was bred, to our casual eye we did not notice any changes in her physical appearance.

At the time my wife was pregnant with our first child and there were noticeable signs that she was pregnant. Then again she could also vocalize any changes she was noticing in her body while Raven could not (well I guess she could have barked at us).

So, what are some signs of dog pregnancy? Is there a way to figure out if a dog is pregnant before taking her to the vet?

Fast forward to today.

Raven has had three litters and now that we have some experience under our belt we have a better idea (or maybe just more observant) of knowing when our dog is pregnant.

Here are some of the dog pregnancy signs we noticed during Raven’s three pregnancies.

How Can You Tell If Your Dog Is Pregnant Without Going To The Vet?

First, let’s start off by asking how long are Golden Retrievers pregnant? In case you didn’t know Raven is a Golden.

We’ve been working very closely with the breeding manager at our guide dog school who has 20+ years experience breeding dogs and by my guestimation has whelped and raised hundreds if not thousands of litters.

We asked her what is the gestation period in Golden Retrievers? In other words how long will my Golden Retriever be pregnant?

Her answer: Golden Retrievers are pregnant for approximately 63 days/9 weeks from conception and that number can vary by a few days.

That’s a short period of time compared to people which on average is 40 weeks or around 280 days.

Of course puppies can and do come early. Always be prepared and have all your whelping supplies ready well in advance.

Here’s how long Raven was pregnant for her three litters:

That’s petty darn close to the 63 day gestation period mentioned above.

So, lets get back to our question.

I’m sure you’re still wondering how to tell if your dog is pregnant at home? How did we know Raven was pregnant and what dog pregnancy signs did we see leading up to Raven’s delivery?

Here’s a list of dog pregnancy signs from our experiences and the experiences of our friends and family.

A culmination of knowledge from the whelping of hundreds of litters.

11 Dog Pregnancy Signs

1. Strange Behavior
2. Lower Activity Level
3. Nipples Change
4. Changes In Appetite
5. Bigger Belly & Gaining Weight
6. Puppy Movement
7. Fur Flaring At Sides
8. Nesting Behaviors
9. Temperature Drop
10. Pacing & Panting
11. Puppies

The dog pregnancy signs can also be a sign that your dog is sick. If you are noticing any of these changes you should have your dog checked out by your vet.

Here’s a more detailed account of the different dog pregnancy signs we noticed when Raven was pregnant:

1. Strange Behavior

Some dog’s become clingy. Some dogs become depressed. Some want to be left alone. Unusual behavior runs the spectrum and could mean anything, but if it’s different from your dog’s norm then she could be displaying some early signs that she’s pregnant.

Is your dog doing something different from her norm is she exhibiting unusual behavior? This could be a sign your dog is pregnant

If being clingy was a definite dog pregnancy sign then I believe all Golden Retrievers would be showing signs of pregnancy.

Yep, Raven is a clingy Golden and loves to be around her owner. When she has been pregnant we haven’t noticed any weird behavior outside her norm.

2. Lower Activity Level

In the early stages many of our “breeding experts” have mentioned that pregnant dogs can show a decrease in activity and lower energy level.

Does your dog get exhausted more easily? Does it seem like she spending more time napping then usual? This could be a sign your dog is pregnant

With Raven’s pregnancies we never really noticed a decrease in activity level early in her pregnancy. She continued to enjoy her romps in the backyard.

However, we did notice her energy level got sapped in the third trimester presumably because of the increase in weight and from what I could tell she wasn’t as comfortable moving around.

3. Nipples Change

Our breeding manager told us to keep an eye out for an increase in the size of Raven’s nipples as well as color change. We were also told we might see a milky discharge as we got closer to the due date.

Are you noticing some changes in your dog’s nipples including increase in size and a darker color? This could be a sign your dog is pregnant.

We didn’t notice any changes in Raven’s nipples during her first pregnancy. However, in her second and third pregnancy there was a noticeable increase in the size of her nipples. We did not notice a change in color or a milky discharge.

4. Changes In Appetite

Our experts say that changing hormones can cause many different changes in a dog’s appetite. It can lead to an increase, a decrease, and even picky behaviors. Others have told us that their dogs have gotten morning sickness.

Have you noticed your dog hungrier then usual? or perhaps the opposite and she’s eating less? This could be a sign your dog is pregnant.

I feel lucky that we haven’t had to deal with morning sickness. It would be easy for us to spot a decrease in Raven’s appetite because she always acts like she’s starving even through pregnancy. Needless to say we haven’t noticed a change in Raven’s appetite.

5. Bigger Belly & Gaining Weight

I guess this one should be obvious. Experts shouldn’t have to tell you you’ll see weight gain and a bigger belly on your pregnant dog. However, it was tough to tell that Raven was pregnant as her belly barely pooched with her first litter.

Did your dog gain weight and have you noticed her belly start to pooch? This could be a sign your dog is pregnant.

By the time Raven got to her second and third litter her belly was obviously bigger several weeks before she had puppies. I’m guessing a big part of that had to do with the size of her litters.

I’m sure during all three litters Raven gained a substantial amount of weight, but we don’t have a scale at our house to check her weight. If you think your dog is pregnant it might be smart to get a scale suitable for weighing your dog to monitor any weight gain.

6. Puppy Movement

No one mentioned puppy movement as a possible sign that our dog was pregnant, but it was the first real indicator I noticed during Raven’s first pregnancy.

When you place your hand on your dog’s belly do you feel unusual movement? This could be a sign your dog is pregnant.

Raven showed very little physical changes during her first pregnancy and while I thought there were some small changes I didn’t think they were conclusive until I saw and felt little puppies moving around in her belly.

7. Fur Flaring At The Sides

It might just be a Golden thing especially if your dog doesn’t have fur that can flare. 🙂

This is something we noticed on Raven that we didn’t read about or hear from others. The last couple weeks when Raven was walking away I noticed the fur along her sides was flaring outwards.

Do you notice your dog’s fur flaring out along her sides more so then usual? This could be a sign your dog is pregnant.

In hindsight this is probably related to the increased size in her belly which caused not only her belly to pooch out, but her fur as well.

I noticed this physical change in both Raven’s second and third litters.

8. Nesting Behaviors

We were told that Raven may start to nest when it’s getting close to her delivery date. For instance, she’ll start looking for a quiet spot to rest and gathering blankets, clothes, and other items to make a comfortable spot.

Is your dog displaying nesting behavior i.e. looking for a quiet spot and gathering up items to create a nest? This could be a sign your dog is pregnant.

While I can’t totally confirm it I have noticed some nesting behavior from Raven during the last few days before her pups arrive. I say I can’t confirm because she does some nesting all the time gathering up our clothes, shoes, and other items to her sleeping areas. 🙂

9. Temperature Drop

We were advised to start checking Raven’s temperature a couple weeks before her due date. When we saw a drop in temperature she would deliver within the next 12-24 hours.

Did you notice a temperature drop in your dog? This could be a sign your dog is pregnant. Actually this could indicate your dog is about to give birth!

We did notice the temperature drop in all three of Raven’s litters. While I’m not sure of the exact numbers I do believe the puppies came within 24 hours of the temp drop.

10. Pacing & Panting

You probably already saw the early signs that your dog was pregnant before the pacing and panting begins. We were told this would be a clear indication that we were close to puppy time.

Is your dog pacing and panting? This could be a sign your dog is pregnant.

I’d guess it was probably in the 24-48 hour range pre-puppies that Raven started to seem uncomfortable, panting and pacing around the house.

11. Puppies

The number one indicator that your dog might be pregnant. She whelps a litter of puppies!

Did your dog give birth to a litter of puppies? This is a sign that your dog was pregnant.

Funny as it may sound I’ve talked to people who say they got home one day and low and behold their dog had a litter of puppies!

Wow! Now that would be an unexpected surprise.

*Most of these symptoms could also be an indication that your dog is sick. Please bring your dog to the vet if your unsure about her health.

Guys, if your dog is pregnant or you suspect your dog is pregnant I highly recommend taking her to your veterinarian.

We take Raven to our vet to make sure her pregnancy is going smoothly and to get x-rays to find out approximately how many puppies she’s going to have in her litter.

Conclusion

Now that you know your dog is pregnant? What’s next?

It’s an exciting time! Time for you to get ready for a litter of puppies.

One thing I’d highly recommend is to start looking into all the supplies you’ll need to help your dog during the whelping process.

Lucky for you we put together a whelping checklist to make sure we had everything we needed before Raven’s second litter.

You’ll also want to take a peek at our puppy weight chart PDFs so you can track your puppies weights after they are born.

If you want to see when your puppies will hit different milestones including when they open their eyes, start to walk, and sprout teeth then check out our series of posts about Raven’s first litter.

Okay guys that’ll about do it for this week. If you have any questions be sure to drop me a line in the comment section below.

Do you have any tips on how to tell if your dog is pregnant without going to the vet? What signs have you come across that indicated your dog was/is pregnant?

If you’ve whelped and raised a litter tell us about your experiences in the comment section below.

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Disclaimer: We are not veterinarians. All of the information in this article is based on our experiences. If you think your dog is having puppies then please consult a veterinarian for professional advice.

“Do you by chance have a newborn puppy weight chart? We want to make sure our litter is gaining the right amount of weight.” – A.R.

We’ve raised three Golden Retriever litters and from day 1 we start weighing the puppies. It’s uber important to track weight because if a pup is not gaining or even worse losing weight then something is probably wrong.

A couple years ago we noticed Falken from our second litter wasn’t gaining weight and ended up taking our little pup to the vet when he was only 12 days old.

The good news is Falken pulled through after getting antibiotics and fluids from our emergency vet. He did fall behind on his weight gain and ended up being one of the smaller puppies from that litter.

Let’s get back to our question:

Question: Do you have a newborn puppy weight chart?

Answer: Yes. We tracked the weight of all 24 of our puppies (3 litters) from newborn until they were 8 weeks old.

And the second part of our question: “We want to make sure our puppies are gaining the right amount of weight.”

I’m not going to share all 24 puppy weight charts, but maybe sharing the puppy weight chart for one of our litters will help answer Part II of the question.

Remember this is based on our 3 litters of Golden Retriever puppies which is a larger breed of dog. Our mama dog, Raven weighs just under 70 pounds.

Also, Raven was bred with different sires resulting in different size puppies in each litter.

If you’re raising a litter of Chihuahuas you can definitely expect smaller puppies. On the other hand if you have a litter of Great Danes you can expect bigger pups.

QUICK RECOMMENDATION: If you’re raising or about to raise a litter of puppies you might want to check out our Whelping Checklist. We list all the supplies we use to whelp our litters.

How Much Should A Newborn Golden Retriever Puppy Weigh?

I’m going to make an assumption that we’re talking about a puppy at birth.

We weighed all 24 of our Golden Retriever puppies the day they were born and there was a decent gap between our heaviest and lightest puppy.

As I noted earlier each litter had a different sire and Raven is a Golden Retriever which are a larger dog breed.

Question: How much should a newborn Golden Retriever puppy weigh?

Answer: In our first litter the average newborn puppy weighed just over 1 pound (16 ounces). However, out of 3 litters (24 puppies) our largest puppy at birth was 17 ounces and the smallest was 10.5 ounces.

At 8 weeks old our largest puppy was from the first litter at 16 pounds 5 ounces.

At 8 weeks old our smallest puppy came from the third litter at 8 pounds 8 ounces. And everything in between.

That is a huge difference! The largest is nearly twice the size of the smallest!

One thing to note: We had litters of 6, 8, and 10 puppies. The larger the litter the smaller the puppies were at birth and through their first eight weeks.

Newborn Puppy Weight Chart

This is the newborn puppy weight chart from our first litter of Golden Retriever puppies. There were 6 puppies in the litter and the puppies from litter #1 were larger then the puppies from litters #2 and #3.

Each puppy wore a different color collar represented by the header in the first row in our table. The puppy weights were measured in pounds and ounces.

Example: Day 1, Black Collar Puppy = 1:1 = 1 pound, 1 ounce

Hopefully that all makes sense.

Without further adieu:

Raven’s 1st Litter – Puppy Weight Chart

We put together 2 printable PDF documents in our Resource Library. One has the Puppy Weight Chart below in printable PDF.

You can access our Resource Library by joining our email list:

I put together a second blank Puppy Weight Chart PDF that you can print and fill out if you’re going to have a litter of puppies.

Raven’s 1st Litter (Veterans) – Puppy Weight Chart

Don’t forget if you’d like our printable Puppy Weight Chart PDFs then visit our Resource Library.

When weighing your puppies try to be as consistent as possible. If you’re not consistent with your weighings then you will notice a lot more fluctuation in your puppy weight chart.

• Weigh your puppies the same time every day.
• Weigh your puppies right after feedings. We prefer doing it this way because puppies are usually more docile and easier to weigh. Also, you’ll see a lot of fluctuation in weights if some days you weigh before feedings and some days after.

Be consistent with your weighings and it will be much easier to analyze your puppy weight chart.

How Much Weight Should A Newborn Puppy Gain Per Day?

When we have a litter of newborn puppies we weigh each puppy every day for the first 8 weeks (as you can see in the above puppy weight chart).

So, just look at the above chart and you can see how much each puppy gained each day.

As newborn puppies get older they gain more weight so there really is not simple answer to our question:

Question: “How much weight should a newborn puppy gain per day?”

Answer: During the first week our newborn puppies only gained about 1-3 ounces per day averaging about 2 ounces per day. In week 8, some days our pups gained as much as 10+ ounces in a day with an average of about 4-5 ounces per day for our bigger puppies.

The extreme fluctuations we saw with puppies gaining 10+ ounces in a day was because I wasn’t consistent when weighing the puppies. Somedays I weighed the pups before feeding and some days after.

*Of course these numbers are based on our litters of Golden Retrievers.

QUICK TIP: When it comes to your newborn puppy weight chart the most important thing is to make sure each puppy is gaining weight every day. If a puppy does not gain or loses weight one day then monitor him very closely and make sure he gains weight the next day.

Printable Puppy Weight Chart PDF

Did we mention that we put together a Printable Puppy Weight Chart PDF?

Yes, yes we did. Well, let’s go into a little more detail.

First, you have to join our email list to get access to our Resource Library. We have other printable PDFs on this page, you’ll want to go to the section labeled “Newborn Puppies”

Here’s what’s currently available in our library:

• Puppy Weight Chart PDF – this is a blank puppy weight chart that you can print and use to track your own litter.

• Puppy Weight Chart PDF: Raven’s 1st Litter – The same information from above, but in a printable PDF form just in case you’d like to print out the document.

We have the puppy weight charts for litters #2 and #3, and sometime in 2020 we’ll have weights for litter #4.

We weren’t planning on adding these charts to our resource library. They’re still written on a piece of paper, but I could transfer them to digital by updating my spreadsheets.

If you’d like us to add these puppy weight charts to our library for comparison please let me know by leaving a message in the comment section below.

Conclusion

Okay guys and gals, does that answer your questions?

Let’s Recap:

I know we all want to be sure our puppies are progressing the way they should so they grow to be healthy happy dogs.

So, take a look at the Raven’s first litter’s puppy weight chart. However, you might take the information with a grain of salt.

After experiencing Raven’s three litters I learned a few things about puppy weight charts:

• Puppy sizes vary greatly between litters even from the same mama. As we mentioned Raven had different sires and different sized litters which influenced each litter’s puppy weight charts.
• Even within a litters there’s a decent size difference between puppies. In Raven’s first litter the biggest puppy was 16 pounds 5 ounces at 8 weeks old and the smallest was 13 pounds 8 ounces.
• Be consistent when weighing your puppies. As our puppies got older I wasn’t as consistent when weighing the pups. Thus you see days of huge weight gains and the following day very little gains.
• Weigh your puppies every day and make sure they’re gaining weight. If a puppy is not gaining or losing weight then monitor him closely and consider taking him to the vet if he continues to lose weight.

That’s a wrap folks!

Have you ever cared for newborn puppies?

Do you keep a puppy weight chart when raising a litter of puppies?

Do you have any tips for weighing and tracking your puppies?

Tell us about your experiences in the comment section below.

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DISCLAIMER: Guys I’m not a veterinarian. This information is for entertainment purposes only. If you have questions about your dogs or puppies please consult with your veterinarian.