Gundogs protecting body condition during lactation and weaning

Only extreme exercise is more energy demanding than lactation. The right nutritional support is incredibly important as the dam will sacrifice her own body condition to continue producing an adequate quantity of nutrient rich milk for her pups.  Helping mum retain condition is something we as a breeder strive for.  Here we offer a quick summary of practical tips to help during lactation and offer advice on how to feed mum during the weaning process.

Practical Feeding Tips during lactation:
1. Feed a diet which is highly digestible and both nutrient and energy dense.
2. Provide adequate calories to help prevent weight loss.
3. Provide clean fresh water in multiple, easy to access to locations.
4. During peak lactation feed two to four times her maintenance energy requirements.
5. Provide free choice feeding or several meals per day (e.g. 4-6) during peak lactation – even when a high quality super premium diet is fed the quantities can exceed the capacity of the gastrointestinal tract.
6. Slowly reduce the dam’s intake after the sixth week of lactation in parallel with the reduced suckling of the puppies.
7. When the puppies are between 3  and 4 weeks old and become interested in food we recommend you should supply mum's food on a high surface; out of the puppies’ reach.  This is especially important for large/giant breeds as mum's diet will be too energy dense for the large breed puppies.  Excess energy for large/giant breed puppies maximises growth rate which compromises skeletal development.  Large/giant breed pups need a reduced energy puppy diet to control growth rate such.

To help reduce body condition losses during lactation:
Week 1 - Feed 1.5 to 2 times maintenance energy needs
Week 2 - Feed 2 times maintenance
Weeks 3 to 5 - Feed 2.5 to 4 times maintenance (peak lactation)
Week 6 - Slowly begin reducing the dam’s energy intake here as the puppies will begin eating solid food and so the amount of milk consumed will decrease.

Feeding mum when weaning:
Pups usually begin eating solid food as early as 3-4 weeks of age, typically increasing around the fifth week.  By the time they are 6-7 weeks old they will be consuming mostly solid food.  If milk production is allowed to continue at a high level during this stage there is a high chance of the dam developing mastitis.  Provided the dam is in good condition all food should be withheld from mum on the first day of weaning - when the puppies are completely separated from her.  After this the daily feeding ration can be gradually introduced at 25%, 50%, 75% and finally 100% of her maintenance level.
As a general guide it is normal for the bitch to lose some weight during lactation but this should not exceed 10% of her normal bodyweight.  Proper feeding throughout pregnancy and lactation will help ensure minimum weight is lost, even with larger litters.   

The repletion period: This is the period when the dam’s body regains stores of nutrients lost in during gestation and lactation. Continuing to feed the nutrient and energy dense food for at least 3 week post weaning will support optimal nutrient repletion.