Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2011 8:39 pm Post subject: How often should a bitch be feeding her pups 2 1/2 wks old!!
Trudy is not very happy to feed pups when they are making lots of noise and seem really hungry. Is this normal? I have put her in and made her lay down and she will then feed as long as I stay with her. They are growing fast so I dont think they can be starving!!
Are puppies like babies in that they cry when they are tired etc!! I have changed their vet bed again tonight so it is all cozy.
HMM, has all gone quiet now, and they have fallen asleep in a heap, Trudy is away from the pen. I feel like a new mum!!!!!!!!!! Worrying if my baby(s) is/are getting enough!!
Bless you Marianne - the pups will screech everytime the smell of mum's milk wafts past there noses whether they are hungry or not little devils.
As long as they are continuing to grow and have fat tums they are fine. You shouldn't need to make her feed them. Although I do usually sit at the side of my bitches when they are feeding the pups.
The noise levels tend to increase as they get older - I have some ear plugs for when I've had enough lol.
I`m not sure Marianne, hopefully someone in the know will be along soon, I think that at around 3 weeks they can start to be weaned onto puppy porridge, that`ll be fun for you when that happens, I`d replace the vetbed with newspaper at feeding time when that happens
AW thanks Jill, I kinda thought we were doing ok, but when she was behaving a bit like a reluctant teenage mum I did get a bit worried I guess next time ( am I mad or what!!) it will be easier
Thanks Mary I had thought of Puppy Porridge and vet bed not mixing very well too!!!!
Will probably start weaning them at the weekend. they will be 3wks then. between then and now I have Panacur paste to get in somehow!! That should be fun!!
The other thing I was not sure of, is that I have mum away from them at night as she can jump gates etc. She is sleeping in her crate and if she or pups make a noise I go to them for a feed/toilet etc. Steph thought I might be causing a problem for her being away overnight!!
Well at two and a half weeks my bitches do have access to the pups at night and go in and out to feed, clear up etc. I have to be honest Marianne my bitches always have access if they wish.
My only advice really would be don't interfere too much. Try to let mum do her own thing. Each time you do it (if you do it again) you will become more and more relaxed about the whole thing and trust mother nature.
Ideally I would love to have her 'free' in the room we have turned into a nursery, and the first week or so she stayed with them (i also stayed in the room with them!!) I think she has attached herself to me and as long as I stayed nearby she was ok, but she started jumping the gate to get upstairs, leaving her pups anyway!!
I am sorry for the number questions but erm................ is willy sucking normal for puppies. That sounds dreadfull sorry but it seems to be happening at odd times!!
Haha well yes. I'm afraid the little darlings tend to latch onto whatever is available. I must admit I always start weaning when the willy sucking starts, but I don't know if other people do or not.
I take it as an indication that they need "real food".
Thank goodness it is not just my little monsters then!!!!
I think weaning will have to start very soon, need to sort out what MTR want me to use. Trudy was on Nature Diet Puppy/Junior so I expect that will be the one, made into soup!!
I think I have to smear it round their faces to start off with? so they learn to lap? I guess it is going to be a tad messy to start off with
I am really greatfull for all the help I have had here on LF with our latest foster!! Thanks to you all!!
I have to be honest I just shove it in the dishes and leave them to it. Starting them on the Nature Diet mashed in warm water which I find they absolutely love and then moving them on to soaked kibble.
They will start by lapping the liquid then move onto munching the food. I just leave them to smear each other lol.
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I guess next time ( am I mad or what!!) it will be easier 
