Guide: how many puppies in a litter
How Many Puppies in a Litter? Averages by Dog Size
How many puppies in a litter? The average is about five. A study of more than 10,000 litters across 224 breeds found a mean of 5.4 puppies, ranging from 3.5 in miniature breeds to 7.1 in giant breeds. The size of the breed is the strongest factor, followed by the age of the mother and the method of mating.
How many puppies in a litter, by size of dog
The best data come from the Norwegian Kennel Club, which recorded 10,810 litters over two years (Borge and colleagues).
| Group | Average puppies per litter |
|---|---|
| All breeds together | 5.4 |
| Miniature breeds | 3.5 |
| Giant breeds | 7.1 |
In short, bigger mothers have bigger litters. A toy-sized dam may have two or three puppies, while a large retriever may have eight or more.
What affects litter size
According to the same study:
- Breed size matters most.
- The mother’s age matters too. Older dams have fewer puppies, and the drop is steeper in large breeds.
- The method of mating has an effect. Natural matings and artificial insemination gave different averages.
- Season and the number of earlier litters made no difference.
How many puppies are in a Havapoo or Goldendoodle litter?
Our dams are small, so our litters are small. For example, when we announced a micro Goldendoodle litter from a mini Goldendoodle dam and a Toy Poodle sire, we estimated three to five puppies. Havanese dams fall in the same small-breed range.
Standard Goldendoodles from full-size parents usually have larger litters, in line with the study’s figures for bigger breeds.
How vets count puppies before birth
An ultrasound at around four weeks confirms a pregnancy, but it is not reliable for counting. An X-ray late in pregnancy, after about day 55, shows the skeletons, so the vet can count them.
Knowing the number matters on the day of birth, because it tells the breeder when labor has finished. See how long dogs are pregnant.
Why the number of puppies in a litter matters to buyers
- Availability. A litter of three may be spoken for before it is born.
- Pick order. Deposits usually decide who chooses first. See how a puppy deposit works.
- Estimates change. Until the X-ray, any number is a guess, so a place on a list is not always a puppy.
We list the estimated litter size, the dates and the price with each announcement. See upcoming litters.
Very small and very large litters
A single puppy misses the rough-and-tumble lessons of littermates, so a careful breeder arranges extra play and handling for it. A very large litter needs close watching to be sure every puppy is feeding and gaining weight.
Either way, ask how the litter was managed. Our guide to puppy development stages explains what puppies learn from each other.
Related guides
- Puppy Development Stages: Week by Week From Birth to 12 Weeks
- How to Pick a Puppy From a Litter: What to Look For
- Coefficient of Inbreeding (COI) in Dogs: What Buyers Should Know
- Weaning Puppies: When It Starts and How It Works
- Hybrid Vigor in Dogs: Are Mixed Breeds Really Healthier?
See all our puppy guides, read about our health testing, or meet our Havapoo puppies for sale and Goldendoodle puppies for sale.
Sources
- Borge KS, Tønnessen R, Nødtvedt A, Indrebø A. Theriogenology, 2011. Litter size at birth in purebred dogs: a retrospective study of 224 breeds. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- American Kennel Club. The Reproductive Cycle in Dogs: From Breeding to Birthing. akc.org
Sources were checked on October 7, 2026.
Planning ahead for a puppy?
We raise every litter inside our family home in Eagle Mountain, Utah. See who is available now, or check which litters are planned.