I have 8 puppies and four will be leaving @8 weeks old this coming weekend and the others soon afterwards. Mum still wants to feed them and is having a wonderful play as I write. Should I be locking her away some more now, or can I just wind her back over the last few days next week? She doesn't seem to have a lot of milk, but she loves to go in and see them. I don't want her to finish and have oversupply issues at the end.

Don't keep her away from them; her milk supply will dry up naturally if she's allowed to manage her own time with them. As long as she can get away from them whenever she wants there will be no problems. It sounds like she's a wonderful mother who's thoroughly enjoying educating her pups!

If she wants to be with them, let her... my pups often have a final comfort suckle just before leaving for new homes..and pup I keep is often still testing the milk bar until around 12weeks..

Ditto, have never had problems drying the milk up after pups go, as by this stage there is really not a lot there, just enough for comfort if the bitch allows.

Thank you so much for your opinions. I love watching her play with them, so this way is perfect.

Ditto what the others are saying.  I never restrict access, and even allow a comfort suckle on the day they leave.  I don't think it's so much that anything is left for them, it's just a closeness that some bitches still allow.  And, like Barbara, the pup that is staying will still try out the milk bar.  If mum lets them, then I don't worry about it.  She will soon run off and stop it if she wants.

I just let them have the interaction that they need from mum, it's all part of their education.

sorry this is a bit OT but just wondering, has anyone else had their new puppy (bought in) try and nurse off an older bitch in the household? My first lab was about 2 when I got my 2nd and the third about 2 years later and both of the young ones would nurse off my old girl. She is so easy going that she'd let them (she's never been bred and was spayed at 2) and the last one was still trying it at about 16 weeks, she only stopped because we wouldn't let her.
I've wondered if it just because they're all black labs and it looked like mum or do they all do it, I've never had it before but it's possible we've never had a bitch around at that time.
to the OP, I wouldn't force her to wean them, let her do as she likes. Are you keeping a pup? If so then she won;t be suddenly left alone and will probably be relieved to have some peace when 8 weeks comes around!

> sorry this is a bit OT but just wondering, has anyone else had their new puppy (bought in) try and nurse off an older bitch in the household?

Yes :-)  I brought in a black lab at 8 weeks old.. and Megan my ESS was in a phantom, produced milk, and began nursing pups for around 3 weeks or so

No, sadly I am not keeping a pup. She was bred here to produce a new showdog for my partner in Zara. So, all will be going from here. I will miss them terribly.

Same as kayc, I've had bitches do this too.  My present litter, who really don't need mum's milk now, have been kidnapped by a bitch that I want to have spayed.  She has been a wonderful mum to her pups, but I think she's done her bit.

She is having a phantom, although not making milk (as far as I can see), but she will run in and lie down when real mum goes up the garden.  I can hear the smacking sounds, as if she doesn't have any milk, but she is a devil for getting them under her, and pretending that they're hers!

> has anyone else had their new puppy (bought in) try and nurse off an older bitch in the household? both of the young ones would nurse off my old girl. She is so easy going that she'd let them (she's never been bred)

My first pup didn't but my second did.  Was so surprized when she latched on.  My old bitch just let her.

My friend has a bitch who couldn't stand her own puppies, but when another bitch in the house had puppies a year or so later, the first bitch started producing milk for them!