Can Dogs Sense Conception?

Pregnancy is one of the biggest events in life. You would likely be rushing to share the news with your family and friends as soon as you discovered you were expecting. However, even before your social circle finds out, it is possible that your doggo already knows that you are pregnant. 

In fact, women today are more receptive to the notion that their pet pooch can sense conception. You’re already aware some of your dog’s senses are stronger than yours. So, can they even sense you have conceived? Let’s find out.

Try as we may, we cannot completely comprehend how a dog’s senses work. One thing you would know is that your dog is aware of the changes in their environment. Hence, the hormonal changes occurring in your body due to your pregnancy as well as in your behavior don’t go unnoticed. Your dog will pick up on the signals and react to the change in his or her own way. 

You will notice some changes in your dog’s behavior that correspond to your feelings at any given time. Women who are stressed out about the upcoming change in their lives might have to deal with increasingly anxious pets. Your dog will become protective towards you, and might even start acting affectionately. Get used to cuddling and canoodling with doggo once they sense you have conceived. 

Do note that the behavior your dog displays depends on their personality as well. If your dog feels uncomfortable with the situation, they may start barking up a storm, or doing other things to get your attention. A common occurrence is the dog chewing or ruining items that you bring home for the baby.

Women have held the belief that their dog can sense conception before anyone finds out for a long time. In fact, some women feel their dog knows about their pregnancy before they themselves discover it.  

The way women deal with pregnancy varies from region to region, and culture to culture. Regardless of your lifestyle or location, you can expect your dog to be able to sense conception, as soon as you are pregnant. 

Moreover, the signs of pregnancy among women are fairly universal, including hormonal changes in addition to changes around the home. These signs are fairly standard, and almost every woman goes through them. This has been the case for centuries now.

Over the years, dogs, and pets in general, have become an integral part of the household. As a result, pet dogs are now more adept at sensing changes taking place across the home. The interesting part is their ability to sense the vulnerability of the pregnant woman and act protectively towards her. Today, you will come across a number of stories where women observed their dogs being able to sense conception, and adapt their behavior accordingly.

Dogs have stronger senses than humans. This is particularly true for their sense of smell, which is thousands of times more developed than yours. Hence, your dog is likely to pick up on the scent of the hormones that come to the fore when you get pregnant. 

Scientifically, there are two main ways in which your dog can sense your conception:

Physical Changes

Dogs notice the physical changes that pregnancy brings along. Over the course of your pregnancy, you will undergo numerous changes in your body shape, as the size of your belly expands. Your dog will observe these changes. Moreover, if the fetus moves around while your dog is cuddling with you, you can expect them to act startled, or downright shocked.

Hormonal Changes

As mentioned, your dog can pick up the scent of the hormones that result in a change in your scent. Your dog might get aggressive upon smelling the scent, or they might display overt signs of affection, becoming protective towards you.

Thankfully, dogs are generally positive in their behavior towards women after sensing conception. As mentioned, your dog might become more affectionate and protective towards you. However, the opposite can also happen. Your dog might react negatively towards this development, even being downright spiteful in some cases. You need to understand that your dog cannot deal with the emotions that pregnancy can cause the way your friends and family can. So you need to deal with the situation accordingly. 

Luckily for you, there are some simple measures you can take to train your dog to behave themself after sensing conception. You can start by ensuring that your dog receives plenty of love and attention. A major reason why dogs react poorly to conception is if they feel ignored or left out. For instance, don’t shoo away doggo when they want to cuddle.

This process also includes caring for your dog the way you did before you got pregnant. You should feed your dog, bathe them, take them out for walks, and play with them according to your usual routine. Any major changes around the home, or in your routine can make your dog react negatively.

Moreover, you should also restart obedience training. You need to be sure your dog is responsive to your commands and will listen to you, especially after your baby is here.