How much more should I feed a pregnant dog?

In the first five to six weeks of a roughly nine week pregnancy, puppies are still very small, and the mother's own calorie needs generally stay close to her normal pre pregnancy maintenance amount, so a large early increase is usually unnecessary.

A small, gradual increase can begin around week five as a precaution, but the bigger, more noticeable rise in appetite and need typically comes later.

From around week six through to birth, puppies grow rapidly, and the mother's calorie needs rise correspondingly, often reaching 1.3 to 1.5 times normal maintenance by the final week or two, sometimes more with a larger litter.

As the abdomen becomes more crowded with puppies late in pregnancy, some mothers eat more comfortably with smaller, more frequent meals rather than one or two large ones.

Your vet can help confirm pregnancy, estimate litter size where possible through examination or scanning, and give more specific guidance on timing and amount for the increase based on your dog's individual situation.

A good quality, complete diet suited to pregnancy and lactation, sometimes a puppy formula given its higher nutrient density, is commonly recommended for this period rather than a standard adult maintenance food.