Yes, licking is a common sign of early labor in dogs. A pregnant dog that begins repeatedly licking her vulva, often with more intensity and frequency than her normal grooming, is typically responding to physical changes happening as her body prepares to deliver puppies. This licking usually appears alongside other behavioral shifts like restlessness, nesting, and loss of appetite in the hours before active contractions begin.
Why Dogs Lick During Early Labor
As labor approaches, a dog’s body undergoes a cascade of hormonal changes. Progesterone, which has been keeping the pregnancy stable for weeks, drops sharply. At the same time, oxytocin levels rise. Oxytocin is the hormone that triggers uterine contractions, but it also drives maternal behaviors like nesting and self-grooming. Research published in the journal Animals confirms that oxytocin plays a direct role in prompting behaviors such as licking, nest building, and reluctance to leave the nesting area across mammalian species.
On a physical level, the vulva swells and softens as the cervix begins to dilate. There may be a clear or slightly mucus-like discharge. Your dog can feel these changes and will instinctively lick the area in response. This is different from the occasional grooming she may have done throughout pregnancy. Labor-related licking tends to be more focused, more frequent, and often happens in bursts between bouts of pacing or circling.
Other Signs That Accompany Licking
Licking alone doesn’t confirm labor is imminent, but when it shows up with several other behaviors, you can be fairly confident things are progressing. The first stage of labor, before any visible pushing, typically includes:
- Restlessness and pacing: Your dog may move from room to room, unable to settle in one spot.
- Nesting: Scratching at bedding, digging in corners, or rearranging blankets to create a whelping area.
- Loss of appetite: Many dogs refuse food in the 12 to 24 hours before delivery.
- Shivering or panting: These can look alarming, but mild trembling and heavy breathing are normal responses to the hormonal shifts and early contractions.
- Clinginess or withdrawal: Some dogs want to be near their owner constantly, while others seek out a quiet, dark space to be alone.
This first stage can last anywhere from 6 to 12 hours in most dogs, though first-time mothers sometimes take longer. During this entire period, the cervix is dilating but you won’t see active pushing yet.
Using Temperature to Confirm Timing
If you’re watching for licking and other behavioral cues, a rectal temperature reading can give you a more objective signal. A dog’s normal temperature sits between 100 and 102.5°F. Within 24 hours of labor starting, that temperature temporarily drops below 99°F. According to Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, this dip typically lasts about eight hours before the temperature climbs back up and active labor begins.
Taking your dog’s temperature twice a day during the last week of pregnancy (around day 58 onward) helps you catch this drop. Once you see a reading below 99°F and your dog is licking, nesting, and restless, puppies are very likely on the way within the next day.
Licking During and After Delivery
The licking doesn’t stop once puppies start arriving. It actually intensifies and takes on a new purpose. As each puppy is born, the mother will lick the newborn’s head and mouth to break apart the fetal membranes and clear the airways. This vigorous licking stimulates the puppy’s first breaths. She’ll also lick each puppy’s body to dry it, promote circulation, and encourage movement.
Between puppies, she’ll continue licking herself to clean up fluids and manage the discharge that comes with each delivery. This is entirely normal and an important part of the process. A mother dog that does not lick her puppies after birth may need help. You can gently rub the puppy with a clean towel to mimic the stimulation if the mother seems disinterested or exhausted.
When Licking Signals a Problem
Most pre-labor licking is completely normal, but a few situations call for closer attention. If your dog is licking her vulva excessively and you notice a dark green or black discharge before the first puppy has been born, that can indicate placental separation without delivery, which means a puppy may be in distress. A foul-smelling discharge at any point is also concerning and may point to infection.
Persistent, frantic licking combined with visible straining for more than 30 minutes without producing a puppy suggests she may be having difficulty delivering. Similarly, if more than two hours pass between puppies while she continues to show signs of active labor (straining, heavy panting, intense licking), something may be blocking the next delivery.
Context matters too. If your dog is licking her vulva well before her expected due date (dogs typically carry for about 63 days), the behavior could signal a vaginal infection or irritation rather than labor. Excessive licking without any other labor signs, such as nesting or appetite changes, is worth monitoring but doesn’t necessarily mean puppies are coming.