How do you know when a bitch is producing enough milk? Sometimes when the pups try to feed (4 in litter) they will try 1 nipple, then another, then another, get no milk, give up and fall asleep.  Sometimes when I gently squeeze her nipples I see milk, sometimes I don't.  Is this normal?  The pups are putting on weight but I can't help feeling they're not getting enough :-(

if they are putting on weight then they are fine, pups often swop nipples, mine fed 2 litters of 8 with no probs so with only 4 pups they can move around as they have more nipples to choose from

agree with Tina but also make sure she is getting plenty of fluids.They usually fall asleep with the nipple still in mouth when they are full.

> Sometimes when I gently squeeze her nipples I see milk, sometimes I don't

because the pups are getting it!   if they fall asleep, they are full. otherwise you would have squalling pups.

sounds like their just being gready :) if their weight is comeing on well xx

OK, so if they are sleeping, feeding, and are generally quiet they are getting enough?
Is there a chart or something you can compare to, how much weight is enough weight, or if they are generally quiet and sleeping they are ok?

I am fed up of worrying......... Mum's appetite isn't great but she is eating.

Thanks so much everyone for taking the time to reply - oh and saving my sanity!!

you will be like this now forever LOL well till you know their settled in their new homes ;)

i go by what their weight is at birth and work out what it should be after a week then each day weigh them and then you can see how their doing ,if 1 isnt gaining like the others then i just keep putting that 1 on and see how its going i find that after a couple of day of this its put a good weight on xx

Having bred quite a few litters I have found the weights can vary quite a lot from litter to litter, and still end up very similar by 12 weeks, so charts could worry more than help.

What you should be seeing is steady and increasing weight gain.

When the rate of gain starts to level off is a good sign that it's time to start to wean.

This can be any time from when the eyes open in a medium size breed, and certainly should be started by 4 weeks.

I've been weighing them daily, for the last 3 days the boys have put on 10g each daily (they're a toy breed) doesn't seem like much? they're 11 days old.

dont know what that breed is ? could you pm it me plz xx

cavaliers

edit: i Know naming of breeds is generally against t&c's, but it seems like it is relevant in this case.

o yes sorry LOL i should know that dah!! ,
i dont think that is much of a weight gain for that breed.