Running prenant bitch

[513Moogie]

How long do you continue running a pregnant bitch? I've been beagling since I was a pup and have a 22 month old bitch with pups that is the result of 50 yrs. of breeding. She's 26 days along so the pups should be attached to the uterus. She's ready to go when I take her out and I let her run for about 1.5hrs. She sleeps more then usual and her appetite is fair to good. I have stopped all preventive meds.
I did a search [ running pregnant bitch] that was inconclusive.
I've had males for the past 20yrs. and females prior to that. Most of my litters were in the spring and I was taking care of a family then.

[Shady Grove Beagles]

I've seen guys running bitches that are big and heavy with pups.
I've even seen guys running visibly pregnant females at some trials.
Someone tell me please,what are you trying to prove/accomplish by doing this?
To my way of thinking,folks breed their females because they want a litter of pups.Yes?
So why would you do anything to jeopardize the successful gestation,whelping and raising of that litter?
I'm sure there are many opinions regarding this but I don't run my pregnant bitches past 5 weeks[35 days] or about the time they begin to show.
As always JMHO.

[BCBeagles]

I think if ran properly, that is the key, then it is fine to run them well into the pregnancy. If they are kept in good shape will pregnant I, personally, feel it benefits them greatly in the birthing process. These are my opinions.....

It has also been shown in studies with rats that when a mother rat was "conditioned", or worked on training and trials in research that the babies of that rat were shown to have thicker brain cortexes...does this mean they are going to be "better", no...but it has shown to give a more advanced starting point at early ages. I was pointed this out by reading an article of a bird dog kennel...he swore by it.

I don't think it hurts, you just have to know what your dog can handle and exercise good judgement.....again....my opinions.

[fatboy]

Jim I agree with you, Years ago I ran a female till two days before she had pups. Have not done it since, but she did fine. A female that is conditioned will probably do better with a difficult labor. My female slowed down while running, only ran her for about an hour at a time towards the end. Heard of fox hounds laying down while running to give birth. On the other extreme my first female I ever tried to raise a litter out of I went and laid her up, fed her a high protein diet, all she wanted. When she had pups she had two, one dead one alive, then went to the vet for a csection for two more that were stuck and dead. Got one pup out of four alive. Too much food and too little exercise. I now don't run a female the last week of pregnancy. And watch the food given.

[Aubrey Holcombe]

Mr. fatboy. well said !!

I am not as old as some of your old farts, but I been around for awhile, only 76. and Mr 513 moogie. Just watch this Heat !!

I have also read many things, about running them when breed and the pups, come here lost easy to start,, I start Many many pups for the last few years since I retired from J & J, back in the 80's , I been Blessed with some real good Starting pens, catch many wild rabbits and my pups are all running at 4 to 5 months old !!

Might good post and i think it just up to the weather and good common sense, short run in this time of year,, Don't over heat them..

Keep looking Up~!
D.R.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>>

[513Moogie]

Years ago I hunted a bitch when she was showing pups and she got tired and had to lay down for a spell on the walk back. I told the vet that and he was not happy. This bitch started when she was 4 months 20 days. I bred her to the one male I have left from the days of my youth and I've been keeping my fingers crossed and thanking the Lord. Always have great dogs from my line. We'll see how she handles a few runs a week and I'll keep you all updated on her progress. Thanks for your response.

[Newt]

On the other extreme my first female I ever tried to raise a litter out of I went and laid her up, fed her a high protein diet, all she wanted. When she had pups she had two, one dead one alive, then went to the vet for a csection for two more that were stuck and dead. Got one pup out of four alive. Too much food and too little exercise. I now don't run a female the last week of pregnancy. And watch the food given.

Fatboy, you can't make a graph with one example. One example is only an incident.

I've always tried to monitor their feed and give pregnant bitches exercise to improve their chance of a successful litter.
Like Daddy Rabbit, I've raised many litters over the last forty five years and had a few C-Sections. I attribute it to genetics. Almost every bitch that have owned that had trouble whelping had a close relative from "Show Beagles.
I sold a bitch to a friend who only runs his dogs two months out of the year, January and February. The bitch was accidentally bred the last week of hunting season. He took her home put her in a cage and his son fed her all that she would eat every day until she gave birth. She was so fat I don't understand how she cared for the whelping process. She gave birth to twelve healthy pups.
I've seen a bitch that gave birth during the Trial.
I usually run mine the first month with the pack. After that I run them solo up until the belly is really sagging then I quit running them.
What ever works
I was from a family of eight children, all delivered by a Midwife. My Mom told me stories about her out milking cows the morning that she went into labor for her fourth. She gave birth four more times and then lived to age ninety four.

[sammiller03]

I think of it this way. does a coyote lay around for two months and wait on someone to bring them food..NO.. I know a domestic dog and a coyote are two totally different creatures but I believe it helps keep the muscles strong in the birthing process. I also don't allow them to fat extra fat on them causing the pups to be large and hard to deliver. I solo the female so she has no pressure and allow her to move at her own pace until her tits start to drop then its plenty of yard time from there on out. just how things are done here. not saying its wrong or right.

Sam

[fatboy]

Newt, I think part of the problem with the over fed female was the fact she only had 4 pups. These pups were bigger than normal, one especially big. I think if this female had a large litter the pups would not have been so big, like the example you gave of twelve pups. Thanks for bringing up another factor of litter size, and genetics. Some times I don't look at all the factors involved. I guess if I knew a female would have a large litter of pups I would feed a little more than if she was only going to have one or two.

[Swampman]

I run them until 1 to 2 weeks of their due date.
They don't run nearly as hard or long that last week or two but I know it helps them when whelping if they're in shape.
I also believe it puts hunt in the pups if the female is kept run-up during pregnancy.
I have a 5 week old litter of 7 pups at home right now, this has been working for me for over 25 years.

Sam makes a good point with yotes.

Good luck with whatever you decide and your future pups.

[Jazz Beagle]

I was told years ago that running a pregnant female will "imprint" the pups. I don't know if it's true or not but I can tell you the guy who told me always raised pups that started easy.

[Newt]

I was told years ago that running a pregnant female will "imprint" the pups. I don't know if it's true or not but I can tell you the guy who told me always raised pups that started easy.

How will it imprint the pups.
Did he indicate, if you only let your pregnant bitch run rabbits, the pups will only run rabbits.

[Jazz Beagle]

His theory was the pups would run the game they were suppose to run (the scent was in their blood) and that they would hark to dogs quicker. Maybe there's something to it, maybe not.

[513Moogie]

Well she's 39 days along and I ran her last night in the wonderful rainy conditions. She didn't take long to sound off with that high pitched long howl that sounds like a dog in trouble and with the scent holding down It wasn't long until you could just barely hear her if you strained your ear. I let her run about an hour and when she returned she looked pretty content. Her stomach is showing but not to bad yet, just an even sway from front to rear. I feed her twice a day and today she took a pig ear away from the fox terrier because she wasn't eating it fast enough because it doesn't have enough teeth. Happy to see the weather break my heart goes out to the people that have had to much rain.

[513Moogie]

17 more days and she's hungry all the time now. Still feeding twice a day and frequent snacks of leftover meats and hardboiled eggs. She has been hunting bugs in the yard and likes the crickets. Ran well in the rain two nights ago but returned quickly when the downpour became very heavy. Lets out an occasional cry when she has a bad pain from the womb.
I'll be supplementing her with calcium tablets on a daily basis as soon as she delivers. A previous vet recommended this based on a beagles size and the amount of calcium pulled from their body. Anybody want to comment on the use of supplements whether necessary or not?