Weaning Puppies
 

There have been many threads lately about weaning puppies...Most of them have been about weaning pups because Mom does not have enough milk or doesn't seem to be interested anymore...


My concern is there are many breeders supplementing puppies from birth or thinking their Mom's do not have enough Milk...IMO 3 weeks old is too young to start the weaning process...

Yorkie puppies typically open their eyes about 14 days old...They start to try to toddle around about 3 weeks old...

I think it is important to let these babies gradually wean themselves from Mom...Every litter is different as to when they will be completley weaned...

* If puppies are happy, not losing weight, then it is safe to assume that Mom has enough milk to feed her puppies...

* Milk is made on a supply and demand system...Sucking is the only way a puppy can tell Mom's body that she needs to make more milk...Keep Mom fed well, offer her plenty of water and she will make milk...I have not had one Mom that could not feed her babies for 8 weeks or longer...

* When you give the babies bottles of formula you have started the weaning process by telling Mom's body that she is making too much milk...When babies are full from the bottle they will not nurse as frequently and Mom will NOT make enough Milk...

* The first week or so Mom will spend many hours laying in her whelping box...The second week she will start to act bored because she now has enough milk to feed the babies and they are happy, sleeping for a longer period of time...This is when my Mom's will lay outside the whelping area...

When I wean a litter of puppies I also grind up some dry food, give them a small water dish and leave it out for the pups 24/7...I do this when I think they are stable on their feet ...Puppies that can not stand well may fall into their water bowl and drown...I also give the pups some canned food until I know they are eating plenty of dry food, not ground up, on their own...Every litter is different!

It is a rare incidence that Yorkie Moms can not feed their pups to weaning...A sick mom is a different story and will probably need help part time or full time help depending on the circumstances...

Yorkie puppies benefit greatly by being with Mom for those short 12 weeks!

Sorry this is so long...I hope a few other breeders have some helpful things to add!

Great post ty for making this!
I have to say I personally think the moms and puppies tell us when its time to start weaning them. I wait till the puppies show interest in mom's food dish and then slowly start the weaning process while still letting them continue to nurse.

QUOTE=tiggerr36792;2078346]Great post ty for making this!
I have to say I personally think the moms and puppies tell us when its time to start weaning them. I wait till the puppies show interest in mom's food dish and then slowly start the weaning process while still letting them continue to nurse.[/QUOTE]

:thumbup::thumbup:

:thumbup:Great post. I agree 100%.

You have had very helpful information
 

:thumbup::thumbup:[/QUOTE]
I have gotten some good tips from you over the past month. I know with this litter . MY mom has looked hagerd and sometimes looked at me with this face saying help. I set up a system on my daughters behave she said after weighing the puppies everyday we would supplement the ones that weigh less then the other puppies. Her favorite puppy was not gaining by the second week so we always supplemented this puppy and put it to teats closest to the tail. I was feeding my mom 4 times aday and dry food out at all times. If they drink 2-4 oz per pup 4 times a day that means she is having to produce 14-28 ounces for each feeding, 4 times a day is a total of 56-112 ounces of milk a day.
Is there any theories or studies on how much the nursing female has to consume to produce x amount of ounces of milk.
I could see where puppies start weaning themselves or the mother trying to get away from them.

I have gotten some good tips from you over the past month. I know with this litter . MY mom has looked hagerd and sometimes looked at me with this face saying help. I set up a system on my daughters behave she said after weighing the puppies everyday we would supplement the ones that weigh less then the other puppies. Her favorite puppy was not gaining by the second week so we always supplemented this puppy and put it to teats closest to the tail. I was feeding my mom 4 times aday and dry food out at all times. If they drink 2-4 oz per pup 4 times a day that means she is having to produce 14-28 ounces for each feeding, 4 times a day is a total of 56-112 ounces of milk a day.
Is there any theories or studies on how much the nursing female has to consume to produce x amount of ounces of milk.
I could see where puppies start weaning themselves or the mother trying to get away from them.[/QUOTE

I do not know of any studies that would tell how much a nursing female would have to consume to produce that amount of milk...Everyone has to take a look at their babies and determine whether the babies are satisfied...If not then you have to start the weaning process if that means supplementing or starting on solid food...My post was just for those that have an average litter without any problems...Meaning Mom is in good shape, healthy and puppies are doing what puppies are supposed to be doing..Sleeping, eating, voiding and gaining weight...

You know your dog better than anyone else...trust your gut instinct...It will not fail you!