best way to dry bitch up

[houndsman]

need advice on drying her up need a schedule how many hours per day to gradually dry her up when to remove very worried about mastitis

[oakhill]

I will take her out in the mornings and put her back at night with the pups. Then I will take her out in the mornings and put her back at night for a bit then take her out. Will check her in the morning and if she looks stressed will put her back for a bit. Do this for a couple of days and then put her in for a bit once a day and then everyother day until she looks like she is drying up.

[yankeerebelkennels]

ONCE the pups are weaned:
Soy Isoflavons - available at any walmart or walgreens, in the Natural supplements section.
Label I use is Spring Valley - one a day for a week, then a week off, back on three days then off for three days. Should be good to go otherwise then back on if needed for another three days. Drys up the girl to a pristine pre-nursing state.

[Doc S]

Here is my protocol:
3 Weeks...Remove bitch an hour am and pm while the pups waller in their gruel
4 Weeks...Remove bitch 2 hours three times per day while pups actually eat some gruel
5 Weeks...Remove bitch all day, but then in at night
6 Weeks...Put bitch with pups 2-3 hours with pups am and pm, otherwise keep seperate
7 Weeks...Put bitch with pups 30 minutes am and pm, and then totally isolate.

I usually put the bitch back on maintenance diet and start putting her on the exerciser daily at the 5th week depending upon how well she held condition.
Doc S

[LR Patch]

What age do you start your pups eating food?On the day mine turn 3 weeks I soak a handful of Iams puppy food(this is the best I've ever fed
and I've tried them all)in hot water,I mix in 1 big spoon of bacon grease
let it soak till it's mush,add just a little more water to make it soupy.My pups always eat it that first time.I do this till they are 4 1/2 weeks old
at this time I remove the bitch durning the day and put her back at nite.
At 5 weeks I remove her all day and nite except for 3 hours or so in the evening,by then the pups are eating the puppy food dry and the bitch
is over those sharp puppy teeth.At 6 weeks they get their 1st shot and I keep putting the bitch in for 3 hours for 3 days after the shot.At this time
I completely remove her and kennel her by herself.The 1st 24 hours she by herself with hold food and water,the 2nd 24 hours feed her a handful
of feed and small amount of water while you watch her.On the 3rd day
you will see she's thats she has dryed up considerably. Now go back to her regular maintance feeding by the 5th day she's ready to run.This regament has worked well for me.I've used this mythod for over 20 years.

[Doc S]

Randy,
I would use the bacon grease with extreme caution. Dogs have a difficult time digesting pork fat, and it can induce pancreatitis. Have never seen the problem with pups, but have seen it many times with older dogs. If I want to supplement fat I usually use corn or vegetable oil.
Doc S