Bellies

[Peanut]

Lacy has been HOME now for six months. She started out from a BYB and I know she had atleast 4 litters in her first 5 years. She did come to me over weight, 25 lbs per Vet, but a clean bill of health other than that. I'm slowly getting that down, I can atleast feel her back bone now and sorta, her ribs.

But the saggy belly, too many puppies thing, is there anything to get rid of that? I personally could care less, but I feel bad for her. She has just started to try and lay on her back in the last month or so, which I think is AWSOME. But The Law Of Gravity just ain't gonna let it happen, her belly rolls to one side and she goes right along with it.

I do find it comical, but she seems frusterated with it and will give up on laying on her back after a few trys.

 

[nowhavethreebears]

Well, I'm certainly no expert but I would think that just as with human females, it would depend on how badly the muscles have been stretched away from the skeletal structure and the fascia.
Some general conditioning such as swimming will help firm her up all over....Getting her weight and body fat percentage down where it should be will help too.
But some things just can't be reversed. If she has had many litters, especially starting at a young age, she will never get her girlish figure back. But you can help her with her general body toning and conditioning, by gently building up her muscle tone all over.
At her age though slow and easy is the key.

 

[Sound Bay Newfs]

Getting her weight down will be the best you can do. Exercise will help tone up her belly muscles too. If she rolls when she moves, then she still has weight to lose.

 

[Jeannie]

You shouldn't be able to feel the spine. I've always been told if you feel the spine the dog is too thin.

 

[R Taft]

Swimming is great and won't do any harm and most newfs love it.
We also use a long ladder on the ground when we want dogs to exercise and tone any of the body muscles. We use it to tone the hindquarter and front, so i suppose it might help the middle . We lay the ladder on the ground and work the dogs over the rungs...they have to lift their legs and the action helps toning. Good luck Ronnie