How Many Puppies Does a Chihuahua Normally Have?

How Many Puppies Do Most Chihuahuas Have?

How many puppies does a Chihuahua normally have?

A short answer to this question is two to five, although litters of 15 are not unheard of, they are rare.

One of the most critical factors that affect a Chihuahua’s litter size is the parents’ size.

Knowing what to expect of a litter size will help everything go much more smoothly for your dog.

Size Matters Where These Dogs Are Concerned

The average litter size for Chihuahuas is between two and five puppies. Some litters may have a single puppy, while others may have as many as ten puppies.

The Chihuahua’s physical size is the most significant impact on its litter size.

According to the American Kennel Club, the smaller the dog, the smaller the litter size will be. Despite being known to occur, larger litters are rare.

Chis that give birth to bigger litters are often cross-bred. A cross-bred dog will inherit traits from both breeds, including litter size.

Litter Sizes for Most Chihuahuas

In most cases, when a Chihuahua conceives, you can expect her to give birth to five puppies at the most.

An average litter size will range from two to five, depending on different factors. The dog’s age, health, and quality of their nutrition will all play a role.

Understanding more about each of these factors will help you know what to expect.

Your Dog’s Age Matters

Litter sizes often depend on your Chihuahua’s age.

In most cases, a dog’s first two litters tend to be the smallest, with third and fourth litters usually larger.

After five years, it is a good idea to consider retiring your female from breeding and giving birth to puppies after this age increases the risk of serious complications.

When dogs are bred for the first time after five, they are likely to always have smaller litters.

In these circumstances, litters consisting of single puppies are quite likely.

A female bred at a later age will do best only producing a few litters overall for her health, as well as the health of her puppies.

The age of the male also makes a difference. For example, a male under one and a half years old is less likely to have sufficient sperm quality for a viable litter.

After a dog has turned five, he is less likely to have an adequate sperm count. A poor sperm count may reduce the chances of a successful pregnancy using that male.

A Chihuahua may come into heat as early as six months old.

However, for optimum safety and litter quality, these dogs should be bred at least on their second or third heat.

When bred during this period, females are at their prime for fertility. During this time, your female will have the best chances of healthy pregnancies.

How Many Puppies Does a Chihuahua Normally Have?

Health and Litter Sizes

A pregnant Chihuahua that is going to have a litter needs to be healthy.

Taking your dog for regular wellness exams will help confirm that she is in good health for breeding.

These visits will include not only a physical checkup but also bloodwork, urinalysis, and a fecal exam to help rule out problems that could interfere with your dog’s breeding ability.

Poor breeding practices, especially inbreeding, can also affect both litter size and health.

Females that will have litters should come from lines that have a history of good health.

The puppies that come from healthy parents are also more likely to remain in good overall health and, if bred, produce healthy offspring.

Because of their smaller size, Chihuahuas are susceptible to ending up overweight, primarily if their owners do not provide them with sufficient exercise.

Obesity can impact the size of a litter that a Chihuahua has.

When an obese female conceives, her puppies are also less likely to have optimal health, and there are likely to be fewer conceived.

Nutrition Can Play a Role

A Chihuahua that will conceive and give birth to a healthy litter needs to have a healthy diet, both before and after conceiving her puppies.

Using food specifically geared towards Chihuahuas’ needs will help provide the optimal nutrition that these dogs need.

Food for pregnant and nursing mothers will help keep a mother and her babies healthy.

Although high-protein diets are popular for some larger, working breeds, these may not be the best for a Chi that is an expectant mother.

Too much protein in a mother dog’s diet can impact the litter size.

It would be best to use guidance from your veterinarian to determine how much protein is appropriate in your female’s diet for overall health.

You also want to be cautious about the use of extra supplements. In some cases, supplements can trigger spontaneous abortions.

Your veterinarian can provide guidance about whether supplements are necessary in your dog’s case and how much of the supplement they require.

You will be able to avoid potential fetal loss with caution.

What About Artificial Insemination?

Some people choose to have their Chihuahuas conceive via artificial insemination.

Although artificial insemination is not a standard method for conception, there are chances that this method can also impact litters’ size.

Your dog’s age, health, and breeding history, as well as the age and health of the sire, play an impact.

Before seeking artificial insemination, find out about the costs.

You don’t want to go to this expense to experience disappointment if all does not go as planned.

Find out about the male’s breeding success to see if your efforts are worth it.

What About “Teacup” Chihuahuas?

Teacup Chihuahuas, which are the smaller dogs weighing two to four pounds, are the most likely to have the smallest litters.

One to three puppies are typical for these smaller dogs.

Owners need to know that the American Kennel Club and Chihuahua Club of America do not give special recognition to “teacups.”

Anyone who has a female Chi that falls within this size range will need to be careful when they are breeding their dog.

“Teacup” females should be bred to males slightly smaller than they are to avoid conceiving puppies too big to deliver safely.

A small female unable to safely deliver naturally may require a C-section, which is expensive and may impact her future ability to have puppies safely.

The Best Way to Know

Regular follow-ups with your veterinarian are essential when you think your Chihuahua is pregnant.

Your vet will have the best idea of how many puppies your dog is carrying about 45 days after conception.

At this point, vets can see how many puppies are in the womb using imaging, as well as feel the puppies.

In addition to knowing the Chihuahua litter size, another advantage of veterinary visits during your dog’s pregnancy is learning how to identify any potential problems.

A puppy that dies in the womb or that is exceptionally large could end up causing issues for the dam.

When your vet is aware of any problems going on, they can take the necessary steps to keep the mother and puppies safe.

Final Thoughts

Although most Chihuahuas have small litters that can include anywhere from one to five puppies, several factors may ultimately impact the litter size.

Keeping up-to-date with follow-ups at your vet will help you spot and take care of any problems.

When you have a realistic idea of what to expect from your dog’s litter size, you can have greater assurance of everything going smoothly.