Hi all,

Need some experienced breeders input, there is a team heat for Obreedience in 2 weeks, and I feel there is no medical reason why my bitch should not take part in it. She will be just under 3 weeks post mating, so the foetuses will not be implanting until the following week. The heat consists of a very short piece of team heelwork, about 1 minute or so, plus each dog does one individual exercise, mine would be either 'stop on recall' or 'send to bed'. So hardly a major physical effort. She is a happy dog who very much enjoys car journeys and going into the ring to compete, so I do not feel this would stress her in the slightest.

Thanks!

I have known pregnant dogs continue to be shown (conformation) but for me, regardless of any stress/travelling etc.etc. I'd be more concerned about the risk of picking up some infection doing the rounds, than anything else.  When we did our litters, we curtailed any showing or going where there were multiple dogs around.   And that meant all our hounds, not just pregnant mum.

For me, the well being of my hounds always comes first.

ps   I know, first hand, of somebody with a pregnant bitch who took another of her hounds to a social occasion.... and brought Kennel Cough back to the house.   She lost a number of the newly born puppies after mum had picked this up.

Yes, I would scratch her from the Pre-Beginner stakes, just do the team heat, and she isn't interested in other dogs so although of course they would be around, she wouldn't be in close contact with them. She is vaccinated against KC.

I would never take a pregnant dog to a show, too many chances of infection regardless of vaccinations.

By then you won't even know if she is pregnant or not, and so she should be treated like normal the way I see it.

I used to say that my Ripley won BOB at Crufts twice, the first time being before she was even born as her mum was pregnant with her when SHE won. So her breeder did it. But of course it's up to everyone to make their own minds up.

I treat my dogs as normal after mating, but generally don't show them except once a few days after the season ended.

If this isn't going to be a long or stressful event, then I'd take her if she would be happy to go.

> She is vaccinated against KC.

I only mentioned KC as an example of what she 'might' pick up.   And in any case, even being vaccinated against this, the viral kind of KC mutates, like the human flu, so although if she was infected she should throw it off easier, she still could be quite sick.   And that's just those diseases that can be vaccinated against.   There are always odd bugs doing the rounds amongst the dog population.

But whether or not you enter her IF pregnant, is totally your decision.

but a mated bitch can pick up something just as easily on her normal walks, and of course you can bring infection home.

"but a mated bitch can pick up something just as easily on her normal walks, and of course you can bring infection home."

If this needs a reply - of course this might happen, but I'd suggest it stands more chance of happening (chance!) when at a gathering of a number of dogs. 

Are pregnant bitches more likely to pick up infection than pregnant humans? The thought of not leaving the house for nine months twice prior to my children being born would have driven me mad. I remember being placed at an obedience show 6 weeks before my daughter was born. She is the one who is dog mad and competes in agility with hers now. Think she was born with the knack of dog training.

It's the question of the bitch needing to wee on the ground where lots of other dogs have walked or weed, which hopefully humans don't tend to do that gives the slight increased risk. However I feel it's important for the dog to keep to it's usual routine and have a healthy active lifestyle within reason.

A repro vet said to me around day 17 post mating is critical in allowing the fetuses implant, any form of stress can lead to this not occurring and thus no pregnancy.
I for one wouldn't take my bitch anywhere but normal walks in the places she normally goes or shall I say in low volume dog areas.
It's not worth the risk of another dog upsetting her or if they aren't well and it being passed onto her.
Why risk her unborn puppies if she's taken for one small show? Depends on what's more important to me. If you've had a bitch miss before which I think you have I wouldn't be risking anything.