We have a 4 year old bitch, a gundog breed that is working-type bred which may make her more highly-strung... she would be 3 weeks in-whelp and has completely gone off her food.  She's never been one to carry much weight anyway but always eats well until now!  We gave her the benefit of the doubt to start with - morning sickness perhaps although I've not had the problem with other bitches.

It is her 2nd litter and she was fine first time round.  She is currently still on her usual complete food before going onto puppy.  We will of course just feed her whatever we can get down her if need be but wondered if anyone else has had a bitch behave like this?

Our bitch is just 7 weeks and has been doing this for past week, she will only eat what an d when she wants, i am so worried she is not eating enough, she is on royal canin puppy and has been since she came on heat, only food she goes mad for is . . . . Carrot!

o yes my ess was like that ....she looked so thin when she had her pups ,but didnt take long for her put it on once she had them :)

Yes I've had a bitch that I thought was eating virtually nothing for weeks, and I was really worried.  She whelped normally and didn't look particularly skinny after.  She did, however, eat like a horse once she had whelped.

It sounds to me like she might be suffering with morning sickness. My bitch went right off her food for about a week at between 3 - 4 weeks pregnant.

One tip could be to put some warm water into her dry food, this releases the meat juices and makes it smell much more appetising. Also, I was advised to give my bitch raw green tripe (the sort you buy in frozen blocks). She absoloutley loved it, and ate it right through the pregnancy. My mentor/advisor stressed that pregnant bitches crave raw meat. Also boiled eggs is a good one (with the shell still on). What's most important is that she gets excellent quality food at this time.

Might be worth a try...

My girl has been eating a little more today, a good amount of royal canin and some chicken, i love watching her eat

Yes, my bitch is the same - it's one of her signs of being pregnant and like your's she doesn't carry any weight so it's a worry.  I generally tempt her with some goats or sheep milk (sheep milk is cheaper as it comes in a big bag from a farm shop) which she drinks even if she wont eat.  She's now feeding 9 pups so needs everything, she has lots of milk and orijin food plus cooked chicken and fish.  She usually eats about 5 or 6 am,meals through the day, then finishes with dinner about midnight!  I didn't worry second pregnancy as she picked up eating towards the end and at least she had something from the milk for the few weeks she didn't eat.  She's not overly thin now which is great.

Thank you all for your replies.  It's been a bit of a worrying time knowing what to do with her!  She has currently decided that all she wants to eat is chicken wings (frozen to raw of course) and we think she is sulking as my husband has cut down how much he is working her due to her weight..  viscious circle! 

We're hoping that a combination of short walks, chicken wings and time will get her through this phase and she'll pick up before the pups are born.  She is a funny one.

lol i had a ess just like that ,she still didnt eat till pups were about 1week old and then she eat anything and everything ,after 3weeks she was over weight lol but feed her pups lovely and was a great mummy :) good luck