I know there are some people whose females don't look visibly pregnant at all, and then pop out some surprise puppies - and equally there are probably girls who clearly look pregnant really early...

But at what point did you first look at your female and - due to abdomen-enlargement only, not other signs - conclude that she was definitely and incontrovertibly(!) going to have puppies?  If you've had lots of litters, what is the average?

We are at 5 weeks/Day 35 tomorrow and I THINK she MAY be starting to lose her tuck-up or waist a bit - but it's more something I can feel rather than see, at the moment.  But there's no way I'd glance at her quickly and think she was pregnant.  And I did think I would definitely know, by now(!).  So I'm just wondering...

I usually do the scan at around 30 days, and I can neither see nor feel at that time anything to make me feel the least bit sure that she is pregnant.  I go by the development of the nipples, which, by that time have made significant changes (larger and darker in color).  It is, however, always amazing to me how soon (or so it seems to me) after the scan it is that I can then see and feel (especially feel) the change in the tummy.  Which is why I often finding myself asking:  Why do the scan?  Wait one more week, and I bet you are going to be laughing as you feel (and see) that tummy growing! You will be amazed at the rate of growth of the puppies in the last few weeks of pregnancy.  It's like an explosion!

Ace, I'm looking forward - I think it's about to happen.  (I hope.)

7 weeks in a maiden and 6 in a bitch that ahs had pups before and never before 5 1/2 weeks with a large litter, and a stranger would not notice.

Ah, that's reassuring, thanks!  I'm pretty sure we are ok, as the nipples are getting frighteningly big(!) and her vulva has stayed larger than usual....and we've had some opaque discharge since Day 21. 

Around week 7 for a maiden large bred bitch.