Hi All.

Another question, sorry!

(I have been doing mountains of reading honest)

Just spoke to a breeder today of toy breeds and we got onto the subject of food amounts.

I always thought you had to gradually up the amount of food as the pregnancy progresses, now the person I spoke to said she never ups the food amount as it can make the pups bigger and therefor harder to deliver. But after the pups are born the bitch can eat as much as she likes.

My pregnant bitch is raw fed and currently on 100g of food a day, split into 3 meals. Now as this is our first litter this has made me worry a bit. I dont want to over feed her and so cause her trouble when she whelps. Her current body condition is very good, I can feel her ribs but cant see them same with her spine a bit. She is very noticably pregnant but still actively playing and running around with my others, she is sleeping more tho.

What would you do?

x

i always up the amont of food for the last 2weeks if my girls were eating say 400g aday she would get upto 600g by the time pups are due, never had problems with them whelping they then eat as much as they want once pups are born ,my girl was eating not much sort of 900g aday of her soaked food plus mince cheese eggs and 4 trays of Nature diet she looked great then she stoped eating and went onto ND trays ,mince eggs, cheese but looks great now and pups only 6plus weeks
xxxx

I'm no expert but I was told to have just a slight increase towards the end of pregnancy, splitting into 2 meals as I usually only feed once, and changing over to puppy food. It's more that you don't want a fat unfit bitch than the size of the whelps I think. Once they are born you start increasing more.

she never ups the food amount as it can make the pups bigger and therefor harder to deliver. But after the pups are born the bitch can eat as much as she likes
I do exactly the same.  I don't what huge puppies for the bitch to struggle to whelp.  I give normal food plus a small handful in the morning to settle their tummy.  After the pups are born then the bitch can have as much of the best food that she wants - she has pups to feed. :)

Thanks or the replies. I certainly dont want an unfit bitch!

I think Im ginna keep doing what im doing for now and just go by her condition, if she starts looking thin ( if thats even possible!) Ill increase her food if not i'll leave it be till shes whelped.

Because I feed her raw I cant really do puppy food, but Ill feed her as much as she likes of her normal diet when pups appear.

thanks again x

As a breeder of toys, I would not want to feel my bitches ribs towards the end of pregnancy.  These tiny breeds look like Belsen victims after whelping, if you let them get too thin.  I increase for the last 2-3 weeks, change to puppy food, and they get 4 meals a day.

So I guess you are going to get differing replies, dependent on what people breed.

We up the amount of food towards the end of the pregnancy (but it is a large breed), however it not raised by a silly amount usually only half a bowl extra at the end of the day, then the bitch given as much as she likes once whelped.

> I would not want to feel my bitches ribs towards the end of pregnancy.

When i say i can feel her ribs I dont mean they are prominent, shes by no means skinny. I mean if i run the flat of my fingers along her sides I can just feel them. At 6 1/2 pregnant she weighs nearly 7lbs!! If I feel shes needing more food I will certainly give her what she needs.

I like to keep my dogs lean so as not to put unnecessary (sp) pressure on their joints.

Thanks for your reply JeanSW, its good to know another toy breeder x