How Many Puppies Do Standard Poodles Have In A Litter?

Dog owners and breeders are concerned about standard poodle litter size. So it’s good to find out how many puppies standard poodles have.

As a poodle expert, I have seen many poodle owners breeding their desirable traits. Following a lot of research and interviews with reputable breeders, I found that standard poodles could have from twenty to thirty puppies in their lifetime. 

While most dog owners are curious about litter sizes, setting your breeding standards is critical.

How Do You Breed Standard Poodles?

The average litter size of a Standard Poodle ranges between three to seven puppies. Although it’s rare for this breed to produce less than three puppies, it sometimes happens during the first pregnancy. 

It would help if you were a responsible breeder to get a handful and healthy litter.

Known to be loyal, adorable, and intelligent, Standard poodles are suitable for large and small households as they make great athletic dogs. 

These dogs have a life expectancy of about 12-15 years, and the time frame depends on some factors like good health and routine exercise.

Unlike miniature poodles, Standard Poodles are pretty large, and they are among the most giant recognized breeds. While choosing parents, be sure to select ones that meet the American Kennel Club (AKC) standards.

It is essential to take all the safety precautions while breeding standard poodles. Always note that each pregnancy wears poodles down.

Therefore, it would be best to breed female standard poodles three times.

Poodle breeders use various methods. Some breed their standard poodles on each heat period, while others breed twice in a row. 

Whichever way you choose, it is essential to stop breeding your poodle once they are past nine years old.

Standard Poodle Pregnancy Overview

Standard poodles are likely to go into heat once or twice each year. Regular heat lasts three to four weeks. Poodles can only conceive puppies after 12 days, as the first 12 days of heat are not fertile.

Based on your breeding goals, you should be able to find a suitable mate for your standard poodle. If you want a pure-bred poodle litter, you must choose a healthy poodle as the sire.

On the contrary, you might be looking forward to having a doodle litter. This will call for choosing a sire from either a schnauzer, a Bernese Mountain Dog, a Golden Retriever, or an Old English Sheepdog.

Pregnancy Signs

To determine whether your standard poodle is pregnant, you should consider an Ultrasound after 30 days. 

Alternatively, you may observe the following pregnancy signs:

• The poodle will act moderately lethargic
• The poodle’s stomach will enlarge
• Nesting behavior may begin.
• An increase in appetite
• Presence of a minor to moderate clear discharge
• The mammary glands will enlarge, and the nipples will be more visible, even for the inverted ones.

Once you realize that your poodle is pregnant, you should introduce moderate exercise that should carry on throughout the pregnancy. 

Regular exercise will allow the standard poodle to maintain muscle mass and keep their body fit in preparation for labor.

Since the poodle’s appetite is likely to increase, you should focus on offering them a well-balanced, healthy diet. 

You should not give the dog extra supplements unless the vet advises.

Like many breeds, standard poodles’ pregnancies last for 63 days on average. However, the pregnancy can last from 59 to 65 days which is still expected. 

For this reason, it is vital to start at least labor preparations one week before the due date.

Labor Stages

There are three labor stages that standard poodles undergo.

Stage 1: The cervix dilates, and contractions begin during the first stage of labor. During this stage, you are likely to observe the following:

• Restlessness
• Pacing
• Vomiting
• Whining and Shivering.

Stage 2: Standard poodles are likely to give birth during this stage. Puppies are born one at a time, each being pushed out 5-60 minutes apart.

Stage 3: This is the stage through which the uterus contracts fully and extracts the placenta and any remains of blood and fluid.

Ensure that all the puppies have been pushed out and observe them closely to ensure they do not have any trouble suckling.

Factors Affecting the Standard Poodle Litter Size

While it is impossible to know the exact number of puppies a standard poodle can have, you can always work towards achieving a handful of litter. There are quite a several factors that determine the litter size of a standard poodle.

Age

As a standard poodle gets older, the litter size gets smaller. A mother’s health tends to deteriorate as she passes the prime breeding year.

Therefore, younger doodles are more productive and will yield larger litters.

Health

If the standard poodle is sick before pregnancy, they tend to have fewer puppies. Breeders should ensure that poodles get a healthy diet and plenty of exercise. Healthy doodles yield more puppies.

Sire’s Health and Age

The siring male should be in their prime breeding years as well. Old sires have a decreased sperm count; hence they are not as productive as younger ones. 

Ideally, a good sire should be at least two years old and under five years old.

Healthy sires are more productive as they have a higher sperm count. Health issues may even lead to infertility.

Number of Births

The first pregnancies yield small litters. A standard poodle will likely have more puppies during the third and fourth pregnancies.

Key Takeaways

• The average litter size of a standard poodle ranges from three to seven puppies. Unlike miniature poodles, standard poodles are large breed dogs. For this reason, their litter size is more significant.
• The litter size of a standard poodle is almost impossible to predict as many factors, including unexpected circumstances, can influence it.
• Like humans, age and health are vital factors when breeding standard poodles. Healthy poodles tend to yield a larger litter.
• Moderate regular exercise throughout pregnancy keeps your standard poodle fit in preparation for labor.