Weaning my puppies

[sferrini]

Can you please tell when/if there is one, the right age to wean the puppies from the mom. I have read 3, 4, 5 and 6 weeks. I'm not really sure and want to make sure I do this right. I think mom is starting to do it a little herself as she is not feeding them as much as she used too but does not reject them either. She also doesn't seem to be feeding them as long.

She is a great mom and I believe this is her 3rd litter.

[Sugar's Mom]

mine turned four weeks yesterday and I started weaning them. My situation is a little different than most tho. I have a mama that needs to stop nursing pups ASAP due to a bout with Pre-eclampsia. Usually tho, I start at about five to five and a half weeks. When they start trying to eat mama's food, it tells me they are hungry and she hasn't much milk left.

[bjh]

I just let the momma wean the pups at her own pace. Some moms will not let them nurse much after 6 weeks and others will insist on letting the pups nurse until they are 10 weeks. I always just keep the ground up dry food down for the pups and as they start eating more food the mom will slowly dry up. The mommas that let the pup keep suckling when they get older do not really have much milk. I think it is more of a bonding thing with the mom and pups, kind of like the mom giving the puppies a pacifier. Of course like Dee said, sometimes there are occasions when we have to speed up the weaning process. In a case like that you still need to make sure the mom has contact with the babies so she can teach them socialization skills. Once I had to wean a litter early so I put some clothes on the mom that covered her teats so she could still be with the pups but they could not nurse her.

[sferrini]

Thank you both for providing me the information.

[Amazing Yorkies]

Originally Posted by bjh

I just let the momma wean the pups at her own pace. Some moms will not let them nurse much after 6 weeks and others will insist on letting the pups nurse until they are 10 weeks. I always just keep the ground up dry food down for the pups and as they start eating more food the mom will slowly dry up. The mommas that let the pup keep suckling when they get older do not really have much milk. I think it is more of a bonding thing with the mom and pups, kind of like the mom giving the puppies a pacifier. Of course like Dee said, sometimes there are occasions when we have to speed up the weaning process. In a case like that you still need to make sure the mom has contact with the babies so she can teach them socialization skills. Once I had to wean a litter early so I put some clothes on the mom that covered her teats so she could still be with the pups but they could not nurse her.

This is what I do too. I also grind the kibble, and let Mom wean them herself. Unless there is problems.

[sferrini]

Originally Posted by Amazing Yorkies

This is what I do too. I also grind the kibble, and let Mom wean them herself. Unless there is problems.

Do you think by my description, she is starting the process of weaning?

[Amazing Yorkies]

How old are the pups? As they get a little older they do eat less often, and Mom doesn't stay as close as she did in the beginning.

[bjh]

Originally Posted by sferrini

Do you think by my description, she is starting the process of weaning?

If the babies are just 3 weeks old I would wait just a little longer. Are they walking well yet? I always wait until the pups are up on their feet and walking before I put a bowl of finely ground food in the x-pen with them. I grind the dry puppy food until it is like corn meal. I make sure there are no big chunks. I put the food in a short double sided bowl and the pups go over and start licking the dry food. Don't worry if they don't gobble it up at first. You want the weaning process to go slow. Mom will continue to nurse them but as the pups eat more dry food they will nurse her a little less and she will start drying up. Usually by 8 to 10 weeks they are completely weaned. Each litter and each puppy is different. Be sure to leave a small bowl of water in the pen also.

[Amazing Yorkies]

Originally Posted by bjh

If the babies are just 3 weeks old I would wait just a little longer. Are they walking well yet? I always wait until the pups are up on their feet and walking before I put a bowl of finely ground food in the x-pen with them. I grind the dry puppy food until it is like corn meal. I make sure there are no big chunks. I put the food in a short double sided bowl and the pups go over and start licking the dry food. Don't worry if they don't gobble it up at first. You want the weaning process to go slow. Mom will continue to nurse them but as the pups eat more dry food they will nurse her a little less and she will start drying up. Usually by 8 to 10 weeks they are completely weaned. Each litter and each puppy is different. Be sure to leave a small bowl of water in the pen also.

[sferrini]

Originally Posted by Amazing Yorkies

How old are the pups? As they get a little older they do eat less often, and Mom doesn't stay as close as she did in the beginning.

3 weeks yesterday. She actually has been out quite often over the past couple of weeks. But would check on them quite often.

[sferrini]

Originally Posted by Amazing Yorkies

They are just starting to learn to walk. It's very cute. This is the first time I have ever been around newborn puppies or a birth so ALL of this is new to me.

[sferrini]

Originally Posted by bjh

If the babies are just 3 weeks old I would wait just a little longer. Are they walking well yet? I always wait until the pups are up on their feet and walking before I put a bowl of finely ground food in the x-pen with them. I grind the dry puppy food until it is like corn meal. I make sure there are no big chunks. I put the food in a short double sided bowl and the pups go over and start licking the dry food. Don't worry if they don't gobble it up at first. You want the weaning process to go slow. Mom will continue to nurse them but as the pups eat more dry food they will nurse her a little less and she will start drying up. Usually by 8 to 10 weeks they are completely weaned. Each litter and each puppy is different. Be sure to leave a small bowl of water in the pen also.

I don't think the female is getting enough, milk from mom. She did not gain any weight today. Should I be concerned? I think I will have to let the female eat and take the male away for a bit.

[bjh]

Originally Posted by sferrini

I don't think the female is getting enough, milk from mom. She did not gain any weight today. Should I be concerned? I think I will have to let the female eat and take the male away for a bit.

If mom is only nursing two pups I would think she would have enough milk. If the pup is acting satisfied then I am sure she will be okay. The first few weeks pups just eat and sleep and sometimes get to fat, then when they start getting active and moving around more they can loose a little and start trimming down.

[sferrini]

Originally Posted by bjh

If mom is only nursing two pups I would think she would have enough milk. If the pup is acting satisfied then I am sure she will be okay. The first few weeks pups just eat and sleep and sometimes get to fat, then when they start getting active and moving around more they can loose a little and start trimming down.

I think she is ok, she is not really whining. they just started walking around a couple of days ago, they do sleep ALOT. I think I want to be a puppy!!

The boy is really gaining but the girl has slowed and they are both just as active.

So you think everything is OK?

[bjh]

Originally Posted by sferrini

I think she is ok, she is not really whining. they just started walking around a couple of days ago, they do sleep ALOT. I think I want to be a puppy!!

The boy is really gaining but the girl has slowed and they are both just as active.

So you think everything is OK?

They sound normal to me but without being there I can't really say. As long as they are not crying and are up and interacting some of the time they sound normal. I had a litter not long ago with 1 male and 1 female that got so fat they looked like beached whales but then when they reached 3 weeks the female really started out growing the boy and she ended up being twice his size.