Hi All,

What stage in pregnancy would you expect a bitch to gain weight? My bitch is quite a lean bitch but a large breed and is 3wks (we hope) just wondered with her being lean if she should start to "show" earlier?

Thanks Guys

So difficult to predict as they are all different, just like humans, some show very early, others much later.
I know a FCR who didn't look pregnant @ 8 weeks ~ but had been scanned for at least 9 / 10 pups ;)
everyone who saw her said she wasn't carrying a large litter & 2 or 3 pups may be in there, sure enough out popped 11 healthy pups all of good birth weights. :D
I've seen other bitches at 4/5 weeks in whelp who are very obviously pregnant.
I'd say typically @ 5 weeks a bitch would usually start to change her abdomen shape ~ and 6 weeks would be average for a bitch to start to gain weight (slightly!) & look in whelp.

Obviously different breeds can vary a lot.

good luck.

The ribcage generally broadens in the first trimester of pregnancy to allow the lungs to expand to take in the extra oxygen needed, and that can be quite noticeable.  Also, it is often quite noticeable that her vulva doesn't return to the pre-season size (this is more noticeable in maiden bitches).  That is often all you can expect to see in the first 3 weeks.  At 3 weeks they generally get a slight sticky watery white discharge, but these things probably won't be very easy to see on a long-coated breed.