exercise for bitch (pregnant)

[nasha67]

If Amber is expecting i have read its 20 days till she goes to vets to find out. Trouble is she is really flighty jumping about all over when out with the other dogs. will i have to just walk her seperatly on lead or is it ok for her to be off with them running about.

[bluegirl]

I took mine out in the early stages and was prepared to keep them walking for as long as they wanted. I let them off lead but was careful if I saw other dogs and always recalled them and put them back on the lead so they didn't mix or get into trouble. The only thing I did at home was stop them jumping on furniture or going upstairs. Penny stopped walking on our normal walk at 5 weeks because she slowed right down as soon as she started to spread out. In the end she only managed 100m max and that was because carrying a large litter was a real effort. She also gave birth at 8 weeks exactly. Phoebe despite carrying large litter (both had 11 pups / litter) was younger when she became pregnant and wanted to do normal length walks for slightly longer but again by 7 weeks she was so slow she did little trips to the field in front of our house.
For me it was more about keeping them more isolated from other dogs within the first 5 weeks rather than stopping them walking their usual distance.

[nasha67]

exellent thanks very much for the help

[kalami]

Out of interest why do you keep dogs isolated?

[Mazame]

I let bitches do what they want when they are pregnant. They know when there are something they are not able to do anymore. They are not ill, they are just pregnant. 

[bluegirl]

The first 5 weeks are when things can go wrong, the pups are developing and as with humans any infections knocking around may cause deformities in pups if mother is subjected to them, so for that reason and the fact I do not want another dog potentially starting a fight with my dog who I must assume could be pregnant if mated which again may lead to miscarriage then I prefer to keep them separated from an non family dog.

[bluegirl]

I let bitches do what they want when they are pregnant. They know when there are something they are not able to do anymore. They are not ill, they are just pregnant. 

I also agree with you.

[Mazame]

The first 5 weeks are when things can go wrong, the pups are developing and as with humans any infections knocking around may cause deformities in pups if mother is subjected to them, so for that reason and the fact I do not want another dog potentially starting a fight with my dog who I must assume could be pregnant if mated which again may lead to miscarriage then I prefer to keep them separated from an non family dog.

My bitches leave in a vet school, a place where you find all the possible diseases of the country with lots of different dogs. And I don't keep them at home, they go on having a walk everywhere they want. I only pay attention not to give them any medication in the 2 first weeks til the nidification. When the puppies are born, everyone can come to see them but with serious hygiene measures. And I don't have any major problem.

We have the chance to own an easy breed to deal with regarding reproduction, it must stay like that. Don't be stressed. 

[bluegirl]

I'm not stressed  , we just do things differently . I understand the need to keep a pregnant bitch exercised and will do so in public areas I am just more protective of pregnant bitches as there is a real chance problems can occur, being cautious doesn't mean I'm stressed just means I'm more careful that I would usually be.

 Again following the birth of pups I feel there is a need to be just as cautious, it is easy for a pup to pick up an infection so I will take precautions to minimise infection risk. I feel 3 wks onwards is more acceptable for me to allow strangers to see pups and again I would only feel happy allowing them to handle them if they use the antibacterial hand rub.

 From 4 weeks onwards I feel the risk is now minimal but again I don't stress about it, I'm not a stressy person but having a nursing background has made me a more cautious person.

You may feel breeding with cockers is easy but I beg to differ having only had a few litters I have experienced uterine torsion (so rare most breeders will never experience it, thankfully) which resulted in a bitch with a belly full of dead pups and a very poorly dam, tiny pups who needed 24 hr care and a mother who had no milk following a litter of 11 pups, perhaps also our personal experiences have lead us down different paths.

[nasha67]

i dont isolate the dogs they go everywhere together dont know where that came from

[Mazame]

I only work with breeders and has to manage mortality and other health problems in puppies everyday, I spend my days explaining breeders how important hygiene is in a group of dogs and how weak the puppies are. Because in about 9/10 cases of mortality in puppies, hygiene is the central problem. And I am a stressy person with my dogs in particular.

I feel 3 wks onwards is more acceptable for me to allow strangers to see pups and again I would only feel happy allowing them to handle them if they use the antibacterial hand rub.

From 4 weeks onwards I feel the risk is now minimal but again I don't stress about it, I'm not a stressy person but having a nursing background has made me a more cautious person.

It is rather the contrary : just after the birth, the puppies recieve a large quantity of antibodies from the mother via the colostrum. When the puppy grows, the antibodies are consumed by the pathogens of the environment and diluted because of its higher volume. Therefore it is less and less protected but too many antibodies are present to vaccinate efficiently (that's what we call in French the "critical period"). So the puppies have much less antibodies at the age of 5 weeks than at the age of 1 week for example and you should pay more attention around the weaning.

The antibacterial hand rub is useful if hands are washed prior to its use. Antibacterial products and other disinfectants don't work properly if the surface they are supposed to disinfect is not clean. It is the same with the floor and the puppy box.

[Mazame]

Regarding the easy breed to reproduce, I wanted to compare the cocker to breeds such as English bulldogs which need insemination, C-section and important care for the puppies. I don't know the statistics in UK but in France it is very rare to meet a breeder whose bulldogs don't need inseminations or C-sections because they are able to mate and whelp by themselves. I know there was a big controversy in UK 2 years ago and standards were changed but this breed is a good example of the deleterious effect of selection (and dog shows).

I have a pregnant bitch at home at the moment and she has a luteal deficiency whereas it is not a common problem in the breed. It is rather a German sheperd's one.