What is the best way to get a bitch's undercarriage to tighten up after a litter please?

Well I think this is quite variable.
My girl that had a litter in February (10) is a light bodies type and has come together very well and I plan to start showing her again. Ist show next month with her daughter. Now her Mum is a heavier type altogether and I have never shown her again after she had puppies. Her Mum was also back to normal seemingly in a flash and again I could start showing her again.
I'm sure that sensible diet and good regular exercise are the key in most of them but I also think how heavy they carried puppies has a lot to do with it. Mine that I have never shown again carried a litter of 15 to term (14 survived) and is also a bit of a lazy tyke and loved her food LOL and her body shape has never recovered. She enjoys life here in retirement though.

Gradual weaning is the best way, rather than a sudden stop to feeding. I find by 12 weeks the bitch is looking almost normal again - depending on the size of the litter of course. Feeding 10 or more would take a bit longer to recover from.

Yes it does vary. Exercise and not getting too fat are key points. My latest I started showing again after 16 weeks. Her pups are now 20 weeks and she's had 1 BB and 2 RBB since coming out again. I had been too optimistic however and kept her home from the first 2 shows I had entered her for -her teats were just too saggy then and coat not properly back. Ended up waiting an extra 3 weeks. She had 7 pups.

I've had others take MUCH longer to get back in the ring. 5-6 months. Dare say it's easier for breeds where long fur will hide the teats. :)

This can depend so much from breed to breed & bitch to bitch.

My first bitch on her first litter(7) went back really well & could(I didnt) have been shown when the pups were 8 weeks. She was slower on her 2nd litter(5) by about 2 weeks. My most recent mum took longish but as she wasnt good bodily. I didnt take alot of notice as I hadnt any intention of getting her back in the ring by a certain time & had to concentrate on getting home for 6 dog pups.

None of my 'mum's' have had huge signs of having a litter & go back really neatly, with no long & saggy teats like some can have, which I have to say, for me, does ruin the overall picture in the show ring. Mind you I cant say as I have seen any of my breed with bad undercarriage in the ring.

Let her wean her puppies at her pace, and then plenty of exercise and keep up more nutritious food until the new coat comes in after the post partum moult.

A lot of repair needs to occur after the litter so I keep rations higher than maintenance probably for a couple of months after pups leave.

I have never had saggy undercarriages on any of mine by the time they are showing again (which most often isn't until 5 - 6 months after the litter.

I think a decent interval between litters is also key, as seeing those puppy farm bitches with sagging undercarriages is horrid.

>Dare say it's easier for breeds where long fur will hide the teats. :-)

Nah, ;) as they are pretty bald until 5 months after a litter and really not back in full coat until pups are ready to show.

If it wasn't for the lack of coat I could usually show most of mine 3 - 4 months after a litter re body condition, especially after a first litter, the lazier ones perhaps can take longer to be in firm muscle.