How long does it take a dog to give birth?

A dog’s labor generally takes about 2-10 hours, depending on the number of fetuses. After the water breaks and clear straining appears, the first puppy usually arrives in about 1-2 hours; if two hours pass with no delivery, dystocia is likely. If the dog seems weak during labor, the owner can give it some energy to recover strength, but if one puppy is delivered and the next does not come for a long time, take it to a vet immediately.