To perform CPR on a dog, you deliver 30 chest compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths, repeating this cycle without stopping until the dog breathes on its own or you reach a veterinary clinic. The technique varies depending on your dog’s size and body shape, but the core rhythm is the same: compress the chest at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute, about two per second.
CPR for dogs follows the same ABC logic as human CPR (airway, breathing, circulation), but the mechanics are different. Knowing the steps before an emergency matters, because you’ll have very little time to think.
Check for Breathing and a Pulse First
Before starting compressions, take about 10 seconds to confirm your dog actually needs CPR. Look at the chest for movement and hold the back of your hand near the nostrils to feel for airflow. If the dog is unconscious but still breathing, CPR is not appropriate and could cause harm.
Next, check for a heartbeat. The best place to find a pulse on a dog is on the inside of the rear leg, near the top where the leg meets the body. This is the femoral pulse. Press your fingers gently into the inner thigh and feel for a rhythmic beat. If the dog has a pulse but is not breathing, you only need to perform rescue breathing (covered below), not chest compressions. If there is no pulse and no breathing, begin full CPR immediately.
Hand Placement by Body Type
Where you place your hands depends on your dog’s build. Getting this wrong means your compressions won’t effectively pump blood, so take a moment to position correctly.
- Deep-chested dogs (greyhounds, Dobermans, German shepherds): Place the heel of one hand over the widest part of the chest, with your other hand stacked on top. The dog should be lying on its side.
- Barrel-chested dogs (bulldogs, pugs, basset hounds): Roll the dog onto its back. Place one hand over the widest part of the breastbone with your other hand on top, similar to how you’d perform CPR on a person.
- Small dogs and cats (under about 22 pounds): Place the heel of one hand directly over the heart, which sits on the left side of the chest just behind the elbow. Your other hand goes on top. For very small dogs and puppies, you can wrap both hands around the chest and compress with your thumbs, a technique called circumferential compression.
For medium-sized dogs that don’t clearly fit one category, default to lying on the side with hands over the widest part of the ribcage.
How to Perform Chest Compressions
With the dog positioned and your hands placed correctly, lock your elbows straight and compress the chest using your body weight, not just arm strength. Push down about one-third to one-half the width of the chest. For a medium-sized dog, that’s roughly 1.5 to 2 inches deep. For a large dog, you may need to compress 2 to 3 inches.
Aim for 100 to 120 compressions per minute. A helpful mental trick: compress to the beat of “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees, which runs at about 104 beats per minute. Let the chest fully recoil between each compression. If you don’t allow the chest to spring back completely, the heart won’t refill with blood and the compressions lose their effectiveness.
When compressing a small dog with one hand, use your other hand along the spine to stabilize the body so the dog doesn’t slide or shift on the surface.
How to Give Rescue Breaths
After every 30 compressions, pause briefly to deliver 2 rescue breaths. The technique is mouth-to-snout, not mouth-to-mouth.
Close the dog’s mouth and hold it shut with your hand wrapped around the muzzle. Extend the neck slightly to straighten the airway. Place your mouth over both nostrils, forming a seal, and blow gently until you see the chest rise. Don’t blow forcefully, especially on small dogs, as you can damage the lungs. Each breath should be just enough to produce a visible chest rise. Deliver the second breath, then immediately return to compressions.
If the chest doesn’t rise, reposition the head and neck and try again. A common problem is air leaking from the sides of your mouth or through lips that aren’t fully sealed around the nostrils. On dogs with very short snouts (like pugs or boxers), you may need to cover both the nose and mouth with your mouth to get an adequate seal.
The Full CPR Cycle
The complete cycle is straightforward: 30 compressions, 2 breaths, repeat. Run this cycle continuously for 2 full minutes before pausing to reassess. During that reassessment, take no more than 10 seconds to check for a pulse and spontaneous breathing. If there’s still no pulse, resume CPR for another 2-minute cycle.
Speed matters more than perfection. The biggest mistake people make is pausing too long between compressions and breaths, or stopping to recheck too frequently. Every second without compressions means the brain and organs are losing oxygen. Keep interruptions as brief as possible.
If two people are available, one should handle compressions while the other delivers breaths. Switch roles every 2 minutes to prevent fatigue, because effective compressions are physically exhausting and the quality drops quickly when you’re tired.
Getting to a Vet During CPR
Dog CPR is a bridge, not a cure. It keeps blood and oxygen circulating until professional help is available, but the chances of full recovery without veterinary intervention are low. Your goal is to keep CPR going while someone else drives you to the nearest emergency veterinary clinic, or to carry the dog to your car while minimizing pauses in compressions.
If you’re alone, perform CPR for 2 minutes, then transport the dog as quickly as possible, resuming compressions whenever the vehicle is stopped or if someone else can take over driving. Call the emergency vet while en route so they’re prepared when you arrive.
When CPR Is and Isn’t Appropriate
CPR is only for dogs in cardiac or respiratory arrest, meaning no heartbeat, no breathing, and unconsciousness. It is not appropriate for a dog that is choking but still conscious (use abdominal thrusts instead), a dog that is breathing but unresponsive (monitor and transport), or a dog that has been dead for an extended period and has gone stiff or cold.
If you’ve been performing CPR for 20 minutes with no response and no access to veterinary care, the likelihood of recovery is extremely low. This is a difficult reality, but continuing indefinitely is unlikely to change the outcome. In a clinical setting with medications and monitoring equipment, veterinary teams may continue longer, but bystander CPR has practical limits.
Practicing Before an Emergency
Reading about CPR is useful, but muscle memory matters when adrenaline is high. The American Red Cross offers pet first aid courses that include hands-on CPR practice with mannequins. Some veterinary clinics run similar workshops. Practicing the hand positions, compression depth, and breathing technique even once makes it far more likely you’ll perform them correctly under pressure. Familiarize yourself with where your dog’s femoral pulse is located while they’re healthy and relaxed, so you’re not searching for it for the first time during a crisis.