Trialing - Page 1

Trialing with a pregnant bitch.... can you, should you? Things to be careful of?
I am considering a breeding, but there is a trial I want to enter that would be about 28 days post breeding.
--Mary

I would first ask what type trial and what activities??  What month and what is the likely temperatures during the trial?  Might have to pull the female if conditions are harsh but that can always happen regardless.  Most of the gestation action happens after 42 days so it should be OK at 28 days as the fetuses are marble sized at that stage.  The possibility of birth defects starts to increase around week 4 and after week 4 some resources say to limit exercise.  I usually do not treat my females any different as far as food or exercise until the 6th week and/or during the last 3 weeks and they start to show their pregnancy.  The hormones that cause muscles and connective tissues to relax and stretch during birth probably increase the risk of weight bearing limbs being injured slightly at first (no weight gain) and then more so later in the pregnancy as weight gain and maximum hormone levels and elasticity are reached.  For females with less than stellar hips and elbows or past injuries to the limbs this would be a big concern on my part as injury or re-injury risks would rise.  Nothing is certain and it depends on past pregnancies (difficult or easy), overall health and condition of the bitch, and what type exercise and conditioning program you had in mind if you did not trial.  Good nutrition and exercise will benefit the bitch regardless of trialing.  For a young female in good condition I could not see any problems other than possible injuries. Also depends on how important the litter is and how much it costs or means to you.  For an older female that has had 5 litters already and this is the last litter before retirement probably not worth the risks.  The risks as I see them would be what happens if the female is injured during training or trialing and needs surgery, antibiotics, etc that could injure the developing fetuses.  I doubt that I would breed a female knowing she needed to be in top physical condition for a competition later than 3 weeks into gestation.

It is a young female, healthy, trim and never bred before. Some have said no due to the chance of contracting something.... but women don't get locked up for 4-5 months... and there are also risks there (ie chicken pox).
If she is "pudgy," will a judge dismiss?

At 4 weeks there should be no weight gain in a bitch due to being pregnant.  The fetal puppies are the size of marbles (1/2 inch or less in diameter) and she will not show weight gain until around 42 days.  Like I said the only wild card is any vaccinations or meds she might need while pregnant due to being in competition .. ie if she needs vaccination records for the competition and she needs something updated or if she is injured and needs surgery or medications.  Of course her probability of being injured is much higher in practice than in competition and she could be injured even if you don't trial her.  I don't think you can tell for sure she is pregnant until after the third week using hormone levels.  My only other concern would be that if the temperatures are high and the female becomes overly stressed or overly heat fatigued she could miscarry. The risk is small but real.

Trial is not a verb.
 

Neither is Google

As a rule of thumb, I never take pg bitches anywhere around strange dogs from day one until whelping.

I'm with Blitzen. Just to be on the safe side.
My expecting female is still training at home for a couple more weeks.
Then maybe a little tracking and that's
it. Best of luck to you. Take care

Thanks for the input. Have decided not to breed this time around.