My bitch tied about 1 week ago.
This will be our first litter (yes, health checked & registered aswell as doing well in the ring)
Now i have a few questions, which the books never seem to answer, or give very mixed answers too!

My question is, how soon can you tell if the bitch is pregnant? 
-When will she start to get 'bigger'?
-And when should i start reducing her exercise accordingly? (None of the books mention this!!)

I know there is a scan she can have done in about 1 month, which we shall book for her to have, but just wanted to know if there are any tale-tale signs that could possibly be spotted before this? i.e - Will i see significant weight increase? 

Thank you :-)

We are in the same position, our girl is 30/28 days and her tummy is definitely bigger! This has only happened over the last week. Hopefully she will be scanned this week.
As regards excercise, I think you will notice when she is tiring quicker.

You can tell earlier with a 2nd litter. At around 5-6 weeks you should notice her teats changing, plus she will be gaining weight. Also she will have not resumed to her normal size behind, this area usually remains swollen.

Depends on the bitch. Some show a temperament change immediately after mating -I've had a couple like that. I've had one that showed basically no physical changes until 7 weeks, but most start to show at 6 weeks. Before a scan or vet check I've never felt 100 % certain though as I alwyas wonder whether I have imagined the behavioural changes!

I agree with Marianne that you can get bitches that actually have no physical changes until the last minute almost!  Daft though it probably sounds to some, I always have a good look at the actual colour of a girls nipples prior to mating.  By day 21 they take on a different hue, even when there isn't any apparent change in size.

And those that are determined to keep me guessing until the last minute, usually have a deffinite widening of the ribcage by week 6.  And often, with one of my breeds, they don't drop down until the last week.  Another similarity to Marianne is the temperament changes often quite early on, mine tend to get quite clingy with me, and quite grumpy with the rest of the gang.

Daft though it probably sounds to some, I always have a good look at the actual colour of a girls nipples prior to mating.

Here I have to admit I have been known to take close up photos of the teats at time of mating so I have something to compare to later..........!

> Here I have to admit I have been known to take close up photos of the teats at time of mating

And, naturally, there are those dog folk who are just bonkers!   :-)  :-)  :-) 

My girl is 32 days now and she was scanned on friday, she has about 12 pups growing but before the scan i was pretty sure she was having pups about week before that, its her first litter but her tits have been erect and larger for a good 10 days and the swelling from her back end shell we say never shrunk.

As for walking her you will know when its time for her to slow down,
my girl was at a show today but i have decided that will be her last one. i was hoping to take her to blackpool next weekend but i think she now needs to stay at home, she did well today but the sparkle was going so settee it is.  

Would the change of colour in the teats occur in a phantom?

my girl has just been scanned and has at least 10 pups which is a large litter for the breed . scanner has said said she may be 1 or 2 out in a large litter so maybe up to 12. At the moment she has not put on any weight, no development of her teats. Her Lady bits don't swell much in season and don't look big now.  No behaviour changes that I have noticed.I didn't think she was pregnant hence the  scan!

> Would the change of colour in the teats occur in a phantom?

Now that's an interesting question!  I only ever do a nipple study when I am having a bitch mated.  I've obviously had bitches with phantoms, but never thought to check that one out.

I look forward to seeing if anyone can answer that one.

> mine tend to get quite clingy with me, and quite grumpy with the rest of the gang.

mine too, my last girl would follow me around, and she was really dominant over her sister who she is inseperable from normally, that was very early on before any physical changes at all.