Can Dogs Tell When Their Owners are Pregnant?

Almost soon as I found out I was pregnant, I noticed that my border collie was acting strangely. Normally stubborn and a little ill-behaved, she began folding to my every whim and obeying every command instantly. And, when I took her out, she was unusually defensive of me. If a stranger came too close, she bared her teeth and growled. I had to carefully retrain her to get her to chill out. Of course, I wondered: can a dog know that her owner is pregnant? It turns out that, yes, they can!

According to animal behaviorist Nancy Gipps, no study has ever evaluated just how much dogs know about pregnancy, so most evidence is fairly anecdotal. There's no reason to believe that dogs can completely understand that the owner has a fetus inside her that will soon be born and start screaming and pooping. But the fact remains that dogs are highly attuned to their owners and quickly notice changes in their owners' smell, health, and behavior.

Even people, who don't have noses as sensitive as dogs', can often tell that pregnant women smell different. Hormonal changes cause moms to produce more oil and sebum in their skin, and pregnant women experience more and different vaginal discharge (which a human shouldn't be able to smell, but which a dog can smell easily). Right before delivery, many moms develop a strong, sweet odor that encourages a baby to nurse. Of course a dog will pick up on these changes.

Another factor that influences how much dogs know about pregnancy has to do with the way they respond to changes in their owners' behavior. Perhaps, now that you're expecting a baby, you're going for fewer walks with your dog, spending more time in bed, or even hanging out by the toilet expecting another wave of nausea. Dogs pay close attention to their masters and will be attentive and concerned about the changes they see.

The jury's still out on just how much dogs can understand. When you return home with a "pup" of your own, your dog might have been expecting it all along, and might be utterly shocked by this new creature. There's not really a way to know for sure whether your pooch understands that you're growing a baby. Until and unless we find a way to really get inside dogs' minds, we'll have to settle for the knowledge that dogs can definitely sense pregnancy, but may not be entirely aware of what it is.