Would it be inadvisable to breed a bitch who is a fussy eater. She is maintained on Royal Canin which she sometimes leaves. Her weight is ok but during her seasons she drops weight (her apetite goes right down). I am worried this would not be a good start to a healthy whelping. She is not easily tempted by any of the usual tasty foods, e.g. cooked chicken, sardines etc, & won't touch puppy milks / goats milk.

i found that once shes mated they change anyway ,ive had a girl like this and has gone to eat so much ,and ive had a girl that isnt fussy but wondnt eat after she had her pups ,so its a guessing game has to what they will do!. x

H bjmcsmMatthewi, my foundation bitch was also a very poor/picky eater prior to having her first litter, but after having her litter, and realising that if she wasn't quick, the pups would scoff it all,  she soon cottoned on LOL. After that, l never had a problem with her eating, in fact, she became positively greedy. Mind you, during her pregnancy, she was an absolute nightmare to feed. It cost a fortune. My butcher had never been so happy as he was during those 9 weeks, nay, not 9 weeks, but the following 6 weeks after as well LOL. This is another reason why one should have a bit of spare cash behind you, before mating a bitch. It really did cost an awful lot to feed her as she would just NOT eat dog food - only meat from the butchers/supermarket.

The reason I bred from my Kizi early was because of this.  She whelped 7 weeks after her second birthday and it sorted the appetite issue.

She ate well throughout rearing the pups and until she next came in season, when she became picky again, but never as bad as before, and ate well which she never did before) at other times.

> and ive had a girl that isnt fussy but wondnt eat after she had her pups ,so its a guessing game has to what they will do!

Ditto! My girl is like a pig at a trough normally and, in fact, didn't go off her food at all, until the night before she whelped. Now, though, she is incredibly fussy and tries to bury food in bedding (hers and mine, bless her!), so we're keeping her going on what she will take. So just maybe your girl will sort herself out when she has a litter.

Thanks for all the replies. She's in season now & really off, will hardly eat at all & looking thinner every day. I 'm not sure I'll be brave enough to risk a litter when the time comes, though that was the plan. Still undecided...

No plans for this season anyway, so no rush...