# Getting a female in shape after nursing pups?



## Mari Steward

I hope that some of the working and conformation experts can weigh in on this topic. I have seen other breeds like pitts, GSD, etc get back into shape fairly quickly after breeding. I issues is I do not like to see bit$hes with long teets after she has nursed her pups and the pups or gone. How do you get that bit$h's teets to go back tight so that she can be shown or worked. I have been told by a pittbull breeder that after two weeks he stops his bit$h from nursing and then puts her on a exercise regime. At that point he feeds the pups a high quality mix of food. I was told by a presa canario breeder that he did not let the mother nurse the pups moore than 3 weeks or sometimes less so that he could get his bit$h back into working shape. What is your opinion?


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## Selena van Leeuwen

I let the bitch nurse as long as she wants (usually till 4.5-5 wks, last litter 2 pups was till 6 wks), the pups are raw (by)fed from about 3.5 wks.
After mum stops nursing teets get up, after the milk productions stopped. Usually a couple of days, milk will break down by mums body, she will poop some more. After 1.5-2 wks she get, beside her normal excercise, sometimes some extra (running, bicycling). Usually she's pretty back in shape by the time the pups are about 12-14 wks.

If you want her in working of show shape after 4/5/6 wks after pups are born, don't breed. She had a rough time, carrying puppies, delivering them and nurse them. Give her to recover on a natural way...respect your female!!!!!!


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## Mari Steward

Selena van Leeuwen said:


> I let the bitch nurse as long as she wants (usually till 4.5-5 wks, last litter 2 pups was till 6 wks), the pups are raw (by)fed from about 3.5 wks.
> After mum stops nursing teets get up, after the milk productions stopped. Usually a couple of days, milk will break down by mums body, she will poop some more. After 1.5-2 wks she get, beside her normal excercise, sometimes some extra (running, bicycling). Usually she's pretty back in shape by the time the pups are about 12-14 wks.
> 
> If you want her in working of show shape after 4/5/6 wks after pups are born, don't breed. She had a rough time, carrying puppies, delivering them and nurse them. Give her to recover on a natural way...respect your female!!!!!!


Thanks Selena, I just wanted to get some good information from people who know. I thought that 2 or 3 weeks was too short but I thought that I would ask someone else. I received info from someone else on aother forum that stated he stops nursing at 4 weeks and then 3 months later his bit$h is back in the ring.


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## Kadi Thingvall

I let my girls nurse their pups as long as they want, actually I usually have to force weaning or else they would still be letting the pups get an occasional drink at 8 weeks and even older. With my last litter Kira was so torn up that at 6 weeks I said "enough" and pretty much weaned the pup so she could heal up, but I haven't had a litter damage their mom like Kira was before, she was beyond to tolerant.

Each female is different in how fast they tighten up after a litter, and if they tighten up 100% or always have some signs of having had a litter. Kind of like in humans LOL I work my females while pregnant, just keeping an eye on how big they are in relation to what they are doing. IE an 8 week pregnant female who looks like she's going to pop isn't going to be doing any palisades. After the pups are born, they usually want to stay with them full time for the first week, but after that they start wanting some "alone time". Which can include running around the yard, a little fetch, etc. As the pups get older, the amount of time mom spends away from them increases based on what mom wants, this helps her retain her overall condition throughout the raising of the pups. 

I don't see why mom can't work even if she is still a little "saggy", I usually start taking mom and pups out to training with me when they are about 5 weeks old, and they love getting back to work. But I wouldn't expect them to be in high level competition condition either. Some are, some aren't, if they are "bonus prize" but I'm not going to push it.

One thing I do think helps them spring back into shape nicely is regular pup feedings. Some people will have the mom feed the pups just a couple times a day once the pups are 4 or 5 weeks old. I actually think this leads to a female who is more saggy, as she fills up will milk during the day and her skin/tissues get very tight and stretched before she feeds the pups. If they are allowed to eat on and off throughout the day, she won't bag up as much, things won't stretch as much, and there won't be as much to tighten back up after the litter is gone.


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## Selena van Leeuwen

My experience: first 2 wks the female hardly want to get out of sight from puppies, I have to force them to take them out to pee & poop, and they go right back if they did their business. First 2/3 wks they hardly want anybody near puppies, Dick and I are allowed for a short time. they want some alone time if puppies get older, feeding is getting less if the puppies are byfed with raw.


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