Every dog reacts differently to their pregnant owner, some become protective, others more aloof, and others may even seem apathetic. One thing for sure is your dog notices a difference. Dogs are creatures of habit, trained and comforted by routine.
Some dogs become more protective of their owners during pregnancy and will stay close by your side. As your baby bump grows, this protective drive may even increase. But while some dogs adjust well to the change, others have a hard time.
The short answer is: Yes! Many moms have shared that their dogs seemed to know they were pregnant before they did. Dogs can certainly pick up on the changes in smell from your pregnancy hormones. They can tell something is changing, even if they don't understand that it is because of a baby.
Dog avoiding you since your pregnancy
One way your dog may be reacting to your pregnancy is by avoiding you. This may be due to the fact that they're not sure how to react to the changes or your behaviour so they decide to stay away until they feel more comfortable with this new pattern.
Your dog can detect pregnancy from as early as the first month. It's because pregnancy hormones begin working your body early. Even at week 2, you already have hormones flooding your body. These hormones change your scent, and your dog smells it.
Dr. Werber believes dogs can also smell the hormonal changes going on in a woman's body at that time. Canines may not understand that this new scent of your skin and breath is caused by a developing baby, but they will know that something is different with you—which might cause them to be more curious or attentive.
A mother's body chemistry and hormones alter during pregnancy, which can also cause her unique scent (an odor her dog knows intimately) to change. And it doesn't stop at sniffing out pregnancy; there's even some evidence that dogs can detect when a person has cancer or is about to have a seizure.
In addition to the heightened sense of smell, your dog's ultrasonic hearing also helps it detect the presence of a fetus. This enables them to even hear the baby crying in the womb, even though the mother cannot! Some breeds of dogs are more adept at sensing even the first few weeks of pregnancy than others.
Dogs can sniff out changes in their owner's body chemistry — such as a rise in hormone levels during pregnancy. They may also pick up on changes in their mom's mood or mobility, which can lead them to become more protective.
Just like an older sibling might experience jealousy with the arrival of a new baby in the house - dogs can experience that same emotion of envy as well, especially if they feel like they have to compete for your attention.
“Pet aversion in pregnancy is a common problem. Most commonly it's the smell of the pets, especially in the first trimester. From the smell of the dog, cat, hamster, or even fish water, that heightened sense of smell you get in early pregnancy can really put a dampener on your relationship with your once beloved pet.”
Other signs your pup can sense a baby in your belly might include them just showing much more interest in your belly. They might sniff around it, lick it, or paw at it when they sense the changes in your womb. Most of the time, these behaviors are temporary.