Pregnant Bitches - where is the line?

I attended a tracking trial on Sunday 20th August with Ally.

At this trail there were other Weis tracking but there was a bitch, Nambeapark Fatal Atrakshn TD ET owned by Mr. B and Mrs. L Evertsen, that was doing Track 5 (1,200 meters) who was 5 days off having a litter. I thought it was odd that she should be wearing a coat on such a warm day but didn't even consider she was in whelp and that may have been the reason she was wearing it. Turns out she had 6 puppies that very same evening and I found out tonight she only has 2 still living. Where IS the line when a bitch should be just allowed to be in whelp and that is all?

Personally I firmly believe that she should be just that, in whelp and NOT a competitor, especially Canine Sports AND especially tracking. The fittest of dogs in peak health come back panting like crazy. The terrain is often very uneven, hilly, thick grass and shrubs or even outback bush conditions, none of which are very friendly to a bitch in whelp let alone 5 days off having a litter.

Surely the vanity level is not so high that breeders and/or owners can not just allow bitches in whelp the stress free time they surely deserve?

Even when I was "anal" about showing some years back I didn't show any of my bitches when they were in whelp.

Am I the only one that thinks bitches in whelp should be given the respect they deserve?

Further it turns out that the said bitch was very restless the night before . . .

. . . I just can not understand what were these people thinking in bringing her to the tracking trail.

I feel sorry for their other bitch, she no doubt will be treated the same way.

Oh and it turns out some vet gave the OK for her to attend!

Go figure!

That vet would not get my business!

It's not Rocket Science to see that a bitch in whelp should not be attending a grueling event such as a Tracking Trial.