Hi everyone.

My 2 year and 2 month old bitch was mated last May 7, a total of 3 times spread on alternating days. Right now she's 20 days after her 1st mating. This will be my first time and I'm working closely and being mentored by my veterinarian, who has helped me with my dogs since they were born, and has been visiting my home every month for more than 2 years now.

A week after mating, her appetite dramatically increased. She's a girl who has always been difficult to feed, very typical GSD picky. She's always bidding her time before she eats, and prefers to eat only when people are around her.

However, a week after her mating--around the time when her thinning heat discharge was almost gone--her appetite increased. She finishes her bowl 3 minutes upon putting down the food during meal times. She's even beat my certified foodie Golden Retriever.

She seems rounder now, more barrel shaped, despite being just under 3 weeks. I haven't added to her 3 cups of Petcurean Go Natural Chicken. I'm waiting for the loss of appetite and nausea since she's beginning week 3 in 2 days, if she is indeed pregnant.

I know it may be early to tell  but are these behaviors leaning towards a pregnancy? My vet will be doing palpations next week, as part of my dog maintenance regimen of monthly check-ups.

Note that she didn't conceive the first time she was mated. But I attribute that to the stud who was a bit older despite being a consistent sieger winner. Now, she was mated with a 2 year-old import GSD and consistent show winner overseas.

My girls appetites pick up just before their seasons and drastically during the first few weeks after mating, then around 4 weeks almost disappear.  To be honest at around 3 weeks there really isn't anything to see so I wouldn't expect any noticeable changes yet.  I've also only ever had one girl that had nausea, so it doesn't always happen.

> My girls appetites pick up just before their seasons and drastically during the first few weeks after mating, then around 4 weeks almost disappear.  To be honest at around 3 weeks there really isn't anything to see so I wouldn't expect any noticeable changes yet.  I've also only ever had one girl that had nausea, so it doesn't always happen.

Hi SharonM,

Thanks. Well yeah, mine had her normal appetite before her season. Then when her heat came on, almost in sync with day 1 of vaginal bleeding, she'd only finish half her bowl. Then the days that followed, she ate very little as she went to her season. Then the week after mating, her appetite returned. Then the week after that, her appetite has been the biggest I've ever seen in her.

Hoping for puppies. My vet and I would be pleased :)

My girl was having a phantom 4 seasons she was mated and acted starving, the only time I did get her pregnant she wasn't overly hungry till the last 2 weeks but the pups were either stillborn or partly decomposed, decided to call it a day with her after that.

> My girl was having a phantom 4 seasons she was mated and acted starving, the only time I did get her pregnant she wasn't overly hungry till the last 2 weeks but the pups were either stillborn or partly decomposed, decided to call it a day with her after that.

Hmmm. Does your vet have an theories on why she has trouble both conceiving and carrying puppies?

She ovulated very early, it took till the 3rd attempt[3 different outside studs] to find this out, last year I got her checked over by fit and fertile and my own stud so I could mate her over a prelonged period at home,day 39 scan confirmed at least 3 live pups, I could still hear heart beats up to 3 days before her labour and movement the night before, I tried really hard to revive the stillborn as I knew it hadn't happened days before, she looked perfect, just like her sire when he was born, 9ozs in weight and delivered very easily despite the size of the pup but it wasn't meant to be,I was heart broken after thinking I'd finally got pups from her after 3.5yrs of trying.

The vet said the placenta must have seperated prematurely, not something I could have prevented or been aware of as the placenta follows each pup so you don't know how recently it has parted company from the uterus.

I am now waiting for my new girl to reach her 3rd season later this year to have her first litter, hopefully more straight forward, she isn't directly related to the girl mentioned above.