Dogs Get Protective if They Smell Their Owner is Pregnant, Says NYC Veterinarian

According to a veterinarian from New York City, dogs become protective if they smell that their owner is pregnant.

There is a widespread belief that dogs can detect pregnancy.

Some dog owners claimed they even notice behavioral changes in their puppies before they are even aware they are pregnant.

Dogs Smell Pregnancy

Although the theory has no concrete scientific support, Dr. Camille Alander, NYC's Bond Vet veterinarian, said it is encouraging for the notion that dogs can detect drops in blood sugar and cancer, and can assist in the search for the missing.

She claimed that because of dogs' extraordinary sense of smell and the hormonal changes brought on by pregnancy, it is not impossible that they could detect the condition.

According to Alander, people have reported that when their dog started acting differently, they understood exactly that they were pregnant.

Nevertheless, she advises against relying solely on a pet dog's cues in place of a pregnancy test.

A popular pet food company also agrees.

According to Pedigree, dogs have a remarkable sense of smell that allows them to distinguish between 30,000 and 100,000 different aromas and recognize even the smallest odor change.

During pregnancy, a mother's body chemistry as well as hormones change, which may also cause her distinctive scent-which her dog is very familiar with-to change.

Dog Behavior Towards Pregnant Owner

Many people report that their dogs become more clingy or protective, according to Alander.

She said clients have confirmed that after pregnancy, their pet dog would become challenging to walk.

For some, the dogs would try to attack almost every other dog that passed by in a sitting environment, which is the location of the majority of Bond Vet's clinics.

Alander also gave the example of a dog that would accompany its owner to the bathroom each morning and wait by the door until the owner was finished.

She described the behavior changes as mostly subtle things that owners would likely notice because they are familiar with their pets.

However, other people might not notice them as changes.

According to Healthline, while some dogs easily adapt to change, others struggle.

Some dogs become more disobedient or start acting strangely, like urinating inside the house or chewing on things.

This might be a result of some changes they don't like, like shorter or slower walks or less attention while the owners set up a nursery for the baby.

In other words, a dog owner's pet might feel envious.

Cats and Pregnant Owners

Although cats have a keen sense of smell, just like dogs, they are not as frequently used in cadaver detection and other activities, according to Alander, because they are more difficult to train.

But she added that it wasn't impossible given that some of her clients had shared with her that their cats demanded to sleep on their bellies every night as soon as they became pregnant.

Change in cat behavior won't be as obvious, Alander said, even though they might be capable of recognizing pregnancy.

This is because of their usual demeanor, USA Today reported.