# Getting Pups off bitch



## Callie (May 6, 2010)

Amber pups are now 5 weeks and doing great. She keeps wanting in to feed them and to try and still clean up after them. We have put a stop to the cleaning up thing and today she fed the pups this morning but that will be it. I know she will whine tonight to get in at them but I have to be strong. 
She is only on 2 meals a day and am limiting her fluid intake. 

How long will it take for her milk to dry up?

Is there anything I can do to make it easier for her?

When will I up her food intake again as she is really skinny now


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## swarthy (Apr 24, 2010)

Why do you want to stop her? I've tend to find it happens naturally as the pups are weaned. 

I don't stop mum going in with the babies ever - there could be some milk left and if it isn't being drained off, she could end up with mastitis.

I've had a bitch who happily still fed at 10 weeks, and one that stopped totally at 5 weeks - I know which I prefer.

I had many people tell me on my first litter allowing mum in with them was wrong - I checked with a breeder of over 40 years experience and she said to allow it as I had been doing.

How do you 'limit' fluid intake  by not giving it to her? limiting fluid intake any time is not really something I hold with - but during the current weather I wouldn't dream of it


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

I would think 5 weeks is far too young to totally wean the pups unless it is the bitch's choice. If you want to seperate them why not let her feed them at least morning and evening and spend a bit of time with them too in the day. It will then happen naturally over the next week or so as she gets fed up with them.


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## GillyR (Nov 2, 2009)

I agree with the two others.

Dont worry, 5 weeks is still very young....let nature take its course....less stressful all the way around. :thumbup:


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## Tanya1989 (Dec 4, 2009)

Mine are allowed free feeding (on mums terms) up until the day they leave, although mum usually gets bored before 8 weeks anyway, and will stop when she's ready.


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## mel (Jul 19, 2008)

i dnt let my pups feed frm mum after 5 weeks because they are show girls its hard is that your reason ? if so the only thing you can do is keep her away frm them her milk will soon dry up...i feed mine on tripe all the way through and make sure they are wormed they are usually back in full health within a few months x


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## shazalhasa (Jul 21, 2009)

I'm a bit confused, why is she only having 2 meals a day ? 
At 5 weeks the pups will surely be taking a lot more from her and this could well be the reason that she's looking skinny. 

We had Coco on 5 meals a day, we were pretty much chucking anything into her that she would eat... after all she was eating to feed 6 very hungry puppies. Even with the 5 meals she still looked a bit thin to me, vet said otherwise though 

That being said, we started weaning the pups at around 4 weeks old. They were already pinching Coco's food so we made them a porridge of lactol, tin puppy food and weetabix during the day and just let Coco look after them during the night for a week or two.


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## greyrockinghorse (May 25, 2010)

Mine are still on their mum as often as Pepper will allow. I'm just being guided by her, she feeds when she thinks they need one. Pups are on 3 meals a day, Pepper has food down all the time away from the pups. She also clears what ever they leave and she is still skinny. We bred Pepper 3 years ago and still have her mum, Tess. When they were weaning her litter it was just a gradual thing. In the last couple of weeks Tess prefered to not sleep with them and they had a feed in the morning and evening, by the time they all left one quick drink in the morning is all she allowed.


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## Callie (May 6, 2010)

Hi folks 
Thanks for all the advise. 
Reason Amber is only getting 2 meals a day was recommended by another breeder to make her milk dry up faster as she really needs to be putting the weight on herself.
The idea was to get pups fully weaned then I could start to feed her up again.
Pups are on 4 meals a day and have been getiing Mum in morning and before bed.
They are thriving and all about 3.5kg so I have no worries there.
Will probably up her food a bit but she was super skinny before I took her off her 4 meals a day. Think it has a lot to do with the fact she had no reserves due to not eating well when pregnant and she has "given her all" to her pups.


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## swarthy (Apr 24, 2010)

Callie said:


> Hi folks
> Thanks for all the advise.
> Reason Amber is only getting 2 meals a day was recommended by another breeder to make her milk dry up faster as she really needs to be putting the weight on herself.


You haven't said whether she is a show / working dog or not, which are the only valid reasons I can see for wanting the pups off her - although from what i can gather, most working girls are so fit anyway they have no problem getting back into shape.

=======================

The bitch will make her own decision when she wants off the pups - my eldest girl stops feeding when there is just one puppy left, whether she instinctively knows that the last one is staying is anyone's guess.

Her daughter OTOH, stopped feeding when she realised the litter critters had teeth (and they really were savage despite starting weaning at two weeks).

Despite this, we continued to feed her to a level to maintain condition and she quite often took her meat based foods to the babies - so even through she wasn't feeding them herself, her 'instincts' that the babies needing feeding continued long after she physically stopped feeding them - which is pretty much what would happen in the wild.

I am not convinced that interfering with the mother's natural instincts sits that comfortably with me (providing of course she isn't hurting her puppies in any way).

This was my girl when the babies were 8 weeks - while maybe not your stereotypical show girl (although she does hold her own in the ring) as you can see she was in super condition throughout.










and at 12 weeks


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## Ridgielover (Apr 16, 2008)

Callie said:


> Hi folks
> Thanks for all the advise.
> Reason Amber is only getting 2 meals a day was recommended by another breeder to make her milk dry up faster as she really needs to be putting the weight on herself.
> The idea was to get pups fully weaned then I could start to feed her up again.
> ...


Hi Callie

I'm sorry to say it but I think you have been ill advised. It is good for the pups to continue to get mum's milk and she obviously wants to continue to feed them. If I were you, I'd up the pups to 5 meals a day and put your bitch back on to 4 meals a day. If you keep her away from them for an hour or so before you feed them, then give them their meal (I always give mine a drink of milk - goat's milk or puppy milk, or even lambs' milk after their food) and then let her in with them after that. This way, they won't need to take so much from her and she will still be happy. I bred my first litter back in 1987 and have never kept a bitch from her pups if she wants to see them - other than an hour or so before feeding them.

Are you feeding your bitch a really good quality food? Most people feed their bitches on puppy food when they are feeding pups.

HTH


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## Callie (May 6, 2010)

Got her on Royal canin maxi babydog puppy food.

No she is not a show dog.
I will try and get a photo of her the way she is now to let you see how skinny she has become.

Going to up her feeds again and let her in when she chooses.
As you say she will probably decide for herself when to quit.

Thanks again all.


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

Well done for taking advice on board. Everyone has different ideas so I am sure the person that advised you initially was doing it with the best of intentions.


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## Lucy1012 (May 23, 2010)

Maisie's pups are 6 weeks and she started weaning then herself at 4 1/2 weeks to one of two feeds a day, she pratically stopped within 5 days. She still nips in there once of twice a day (she can get in, but the pups cannot get out) and I find her stood there giving them a sneaky feed. I will continue to let her feed them this way until she stops. I do worry her nipples will end up dragging accross the floor for the rest of her life mind you lol. If your bitch is only feeding them once or twice a day, so is in the process of weaning them naturally anyhow.


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## Callie (May 6, 2010)

Amber is only feeding them about 3 times a day and this afternoon we have brought out 4 of them to wander in hall and kitchen. They did keep going to mum but she is now sleeping and they are too. All spaced out all over the place.

It sure is one big learning curve!!:lol:

Her is what Amber looks like at the mo.
Few wee pics of pups too:thumbup:


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## GillyR (Nov 2, 2009)

Beauitful pics hun....such lovely babies....glad you have upped her food, give her as much as she wants, she does look on the thin side bless her, she will soon put it back on :thumbup:


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## Tanya1989 (Dec 4, 2009)

Thats not skinny .... I'm off to try and find a picture of a lactating bitch... I'll show you skinny .
Its all part and parcel with breeding, just wait til she loses her coat, she'll get dreadful bald spots and she'll look like a rescue case, but it will improve. Its not often you can get a coated breed back in the ring (in condition anyway) until the pups are 6 months old... Thats why it never ceases to amaze me how people can breed from a bitch twice in the same year.

ETA, can't find one that doesn't need scanning to put on here, so you'll just have to trust me.

I love the pigmentation on the pups. Beautiful pigmentation, we were lucky to get such pigmentation in black pups, never mind golden


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## shazalhasa (Jul 21, 2009)

OMG she's not skinny, if my Coco had looked that healthy I wouldn't have sent her to the vet twice lol... I could see her spine 

Don't know who advised to drop the meals to just 2 a day to dry up the milk... it's nonsense !! Showing or not, the concerns should be with the bitch and pups not when they can show next... let her enjoy being a mum, it always amazes me that so many putting showing before the health and welfare of their 'beloved' pets


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## Bearpaw (Dec 10, 2009)

Hi,those pups are looking so gorgeous!! mom looks fab after having a litter,well done you,you are doing a great job!! Wasnt that long ago my little pup looked that small,now she is mahoosive!!! lol,enjoy them.xx


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