Hello all, My girl gave birth to 8 puppies this morning, When we had the scan done the vet pointed out 3 clear pups, she said there could be more but we never imagined we'd have 8. this is her 1st time we bred her and she gave birth to all 8 within a 2 hour window, plus she did everything herself.... i couldn't be more proud.

I need some advise as she looks a little thin so need to increase her diet. We're using a dry puppy food, but she's not interested what do you suggest i can add to her food to entice her to leave her pups and eat?

Many thanks

Many congrats on your lovely pups, ahhh what a plesent shock for you to have 8 pups instead of 3! :)

I would feed mum all boiled Chicken breasts, steak, lean mince, boiled eggs, grated cheese, puppy formual milk, etc, to build her strength up to care for her adorable pups, when I have had pups in the past in the first few days I would feed mum a little of the above (not all in one though!) after she had fed her babies, and the boiled chicken was always a faviourite !
Good luck with the pups, and keep us posted on their progress, its great weather to have pups, and before too long they will be running around being little cheeky monkeys! :)

Further to the advice given I would also feed her in her whelping box to start with and not try to get her to leave her puppies except to clean.

Awwww congrats :D ..same thing happend with us lol we was told 3 ayear ago and my girl had 12 :0 !! we lost 4 but still a very big difference and a BIG shock :) ....

like the others have said ,give her what ever she wants to eat ,ive got a litter at the mo and my girl as been a right pain :( she will eat loads but getting her to drink well thats been a big problem ,so water is very importent make sure she drinks planty so she will have plany of milk for them :) xx

OMG that must of been a shock

i added everything that i knew she would like to her food and feed her in the whelping box that was the only way mine would eat

Good Luck

Many congrats on your new big bundle! My girl gave birth to 8 pups by c sect a week ago and i started her on boiled rice and chicken breast. She also looked really scrawny when she had given birth. I have since been soaking her food so its nice and mushy as i'm sure her tongue is sore with all the cleaning of the pups she is doing. I still add some nice chicken fillet and she has started having  bit of canned meat the last coulple of days. I feed her in the whelping box but i find she eats half and then i hand feed the rest and she is happy to eat the lot. Lots of pampering in order i think!!

mel.

thank you all for your advice, mum is eating well, see loves the boiled egg. puppies are also doing well.

thanks once again

Just wanted to offer my congratulations to you!  What a shock! 

aww congrats

wow big litter :)

CONGRATULATIONS!!! wot a surprise!

After eating the afterbirths she may not be hungry for the first day, but it is more likely her mouth is sore, and of course she will not want to leave her whelping box to eat.

Soak the food in as much water as it will take, as this will get plenty of fluid into her which she needs, and make the food easier to eat.

With mine they are very soon on four times their maintenance rations fed at least four times a day n their beds.

> We're using a dry puppy food, but she's not interested what do you suggest i can add to her food to entice her to leave her pups and eat?
>

Agree with Brainless.  I don't expect my girls to leave the pups.  I hold the food dish out while they eat inside the whelping box.  Same with drinking.  And I don't consider dry food enough for a bitch with a huge litter.  She would lose condition rapidly, and her nutritional needs are going to escalate now.  I normally poach a couple of pieces of white fish for their breakfast, makes a good start to their day.  :-)

But I still hold it under their noses!