I'm in a bit of a dilema! My pups are 4 and a half weeks and not showing much interest in their food. im weaning them on soaked puppy food mixed with whelpi, still very soggy but the lick a little of my hand but just  walk baclkwards away crying! The mum is wanting to feed them less and im worried that they wont get enough as they have teeth now and its obv a little sore on her. The other issue i have is they love being in a normal bed now in side the pen with toys which is fine during the day as im with them at all time and can let mum in and out to see pups when she wants. The problem im having is at night as they are down stairs now and if i leave them in the regular bed they could get out if i leave pen open for mum to nip in and out. I dont want to shut mum in but if not i have to put them in whelping box with door on so mum can jump in and out but they cant, but they hate it as they are used to seeing everything going on around them in the regular bed. AHHH I could leave them in the bed with pen around and put mum in another room, but im worried it will distress her as she wont be aboe to check them/feed them in the night. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!!

not sure what breed you have but how about using some chicken wire across the pen entrance high enough that pups can't get out, but low enough that mum can jump in. but if you have a large boisterous breed this perhaps wouldn't work?

I have had a similar thing but have the babies upstairs at night in the paddling pool (inflatable) in our bedroom. The trouble we are having is that they cry at about 3.30am but mum has no desire to feed them and if they get out an go to her she growls! now i have blocked them in and put mum in with them when they wake so they can feed, i also give them some goats milk at this time.
Regarding food i was wasting so much soaked pup food because like yours they only had a few licks and then left it, i now just give naturediet pup food or cooked chicken cut up really small and today they have eaten everything (4 weks old), they obviously didnt like soggy food. We are doing 4 meals a day plus milk at 11.30pm and at 3.30am- hoping the 3.30 waking up will be short lived esp as mum doesn't want waking at this time!!
I would try not soaking the food or going to a non kibble puppy food for a while such as naturediet or just fresh chicken

"I would try not soaking the food" :O please dont give un soaked food at this age! theres a very big chance of them choking on it! better to try a wet food or add a good puppy wet food to their soaked.

yes i meant that but didt explain very well, i dont give mine unsoaked food at this stage - just stopped giving it altogether for the time being and its made feed time much better as they now actually eat!

thats what i thought lorripop was just worried someone read it and tried to give their pups dry food at this age ;) x

Have you tried putting raw tripe or chicken mince (you can buy these in the freezer part of PAH) mixed with the soaked kibble? defrost it and serve at room temp as it will have more aroma. Is this a large or small breed?

> i was wasting so much soaked pup food

I have never wasted puppy food as what they don't eat Mum will finish, just ensure you adjust her food accordingly if weaning is advanced.

I always give pups more than they can eat, and let Mum finish.