preparing

Question
Hi Renee..
my name is Dawn and i plan on breeding my boxers in the future..my bitch is 23 months old, and i would like for her to gain a little weight before she becomes preganent.  She weighs approx 53 pds, but looks thin to me...i feed her Innova dry and put in some canned Merrick, I also use a suppliment from Solid Gold..she still hasnt gained any weight...do you have any tips?  and also when i do decide to breed her what should i give her...folic acid? or calicum?  any tips would be appreciated..
Thanks
Dawn

Answer
Hi Dawn! How thin are we talking about? Can you see all of her ribs, her hip bones? If you can only see the last two or three ribs, then she's in good shape. You don't want her to gain too much weight, a little thin going into pregnancy is much better than being overweight. Boxers can have trouble with whelping, so you want to make sure they get plenty of exercise and stay fit during pregnancy. You can give her some Nutrical, this will pack on the pounds. Be careful with it, don't want her to put on too much. You can give folic acid, but I wouldn't give calcium. If you're feeding a good food, then you shouldn't have to add anything to it. Sometimes, too much supplements can be harmful. If I can help with anything else, let me know! P.S. If you haven't wormed her in a while, I'd do it before she's bred.:-)