Dog Whelping

Top 10 German Shepherd Labor Signs

german shepherd labor signs

Summary: So your german shepherd is nearing the end of her pregnancy. You’re anxiously wondering what the labor signs are for a german shepherd. Now is a great time to understand the Top 10 German Shepherd Labor Signs which we cover in this article.

What are the Top 10 German Shepherd Labor Signs?

  1. Within a day or so before whelping puppies, the pregnant German Shepherd will generally stop eating.
  2. The nesting process usually will begin with her scratching incessantly at the bottom of the whelping area.
  3. Your german shepherd may try to hide in dark places like under a bed or below your deck in your backyard. Dogs like quiet and safe places for whelping. If this happens, try to move them back to their whelping box so you can monitor the puppy delivery and final stages of labor.
  4. Contractions are usually painful and confusing for a german shepherd. Sometimes you may here a yelp or a whine when she is experiencing contractions.
  5. 2 weeks before the german shepherd’s due date, check her temperature each day and when it drops below 100 degrees you should be having puppies within 24 hours.
  6. A german shepherd will be restless and usually scratching trying to find a suitable place to have her puppies.
  7. She’ll frequently need to be taken outside. This will help her not to have to leave her puppies to potty during whelping.
  8. Diarrhea
  9. Vomiting
  10. The breaking of the water bag. Many people never notice this with their german shepherd in labor.



German Shepherd Labor Signs Summary

Occasionally, there are no symptoms at all preceding a german shepherd in labor. That is why it is so important to know when your pregnant german shepherd was bred. You can use our German Shepherd Pregnancy Calculator to determine the approximate puppy whelping date. We hope being aware of the Top 10 German Shepherd Labor Signs will help you have a successful birthing experience with your dog and puppies. Best of luck! We hope it all turns out well!

If you are reading this article well in advance of the due date for your german shepherd, we have several product suggestions from Amazon we would recommend for helping the whelping process go smoothly. A great whelping box alternative would be the Iris Plastic 4-Panel Dog Pen (for smaller breed dogs of course). You can easily place an EZwhelp Washable Whelping Pad in the bottom of the area due to its size. If you get a larger pen, then make sure to size the whelping pad appropriately. The pad fits the IRIS 4-panel pen closely. It also will keep the puppies contained in a smaller area. A Stethoscope is also a very nice addition to a german shepherd breeders collection, along with an Electronic Baby Scale for monitoring puppy development (the Salter scale from Amazon is the one we’d recommend for its price and ability to accurately read even with movement. Also, the contoured edges will keep your puppies contained as they develop), Forceps, and a Pet-Temp Instant Ear Thermometer. This thermometer can take a german shepherd’s temperature within one second! A dog breeder necessity!

German Shepherd Breeders – Get Listed in our Breeder Directory

If you are a German Shepherd breeder with a website, get listed in our German Shepherd Breeders Directory.