At 23 days the pups should be ready to start eating a bit on their own though they aren't ready to be fully weaned yet. Maybe the pups are scratching Mom too much. You could trim their nails (just the tips) using human fingernail clippers. When my pups are ready for food, I start them out by soaking some dry food to make a watery mush and giving them that. Also, some Nutri-cal about twice a day wouldn't hurt. Just put a dab on your finger and let the pups lick it off. Even if Mom doesn't want to feed them as much, she should still be cleaning them so make sure they stay clean. Once they start eating food, things can get messy. |