The puppy's nose knows

We've noticed that our pup Maggie has been acting a little differently since we got pregnant. She's still likes to rough-house with Brad, but has been extra gentle with Jill.

Naturally, we assumed that Maggie knew about the upcoming arrival. We thought we were kidding, until Brad found this article online.

The question is, "Can pets sense pregnancy?"

Yes. We don't have scientific proof that pets sense their owners' pregnancies, but I've seen plenty of examples of this in my ten years as an animal trainer.

Your pets probably don't understand that in nine months there will be a new baby joining your family, but dogs and cats do detect differences in your mood, posture, behavior, and body chemistry that clue them in to the enormous change you're going through.
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It's common for dogs to go on alert and become overprotective of their expecting owner from the very beginning of her pregnancy. I've worked with dogs that growled, barked, or blocked doors with their bodies to prevent other family members — even the husband — from coming into the same room as the mom-to-be!

Other dogs will treat their pregnant owner with more attention and care than usual. One woman I worked with had a difficult pregnancy and ended up on bedrest. Her dog refused to leave her side, and had to be forcefully pushed outside to go to the bathroom.