Hi my toy bitch is leaving the three puppies that she is feeding for long intervals now. Sometimes she leaves them for 3-4 hours and hardly goes in there at all during the night. I have trimmed the pups claws and the temperature isnt too hot. My other bitch didnt leave them for so long so early on, is this normal?

They are still gaining but not as much have they have been doing.

How old are they now?  As that will make a difference as to answers you may get.

Hi Jean they are 18 days old.

Sounds like my bitch, after the first week or so she would sit near the box and go in if they cried. And by the time they were 3 or 4 weeks she would sit there even if they did cry and look at me as if to say 'isn't it your turn yet?'

My bitch's puppies are 14 days old, she does not stay in the box at all. She goes in if she hears them and we are obviously with them day and night. I think she is still tired and the box is too hot for her, she likes to lay on the cooler kitchen floor. I have bee ntold this is fine, all bitches are different. She is feeding them, they are growing and she is keeping them very clean, so I am not worrying.

If the rate of weight gain is slwoign (should be increasing each week) then you need to start them on solids and try and encourage Mum to be with them more.

Is Mum drinking lots.

Do you have a means of blocking her exit from the box so she has too stay with them?
In this cold weather with Toy puppies I would be worried about chilling the pups etc and was advised to encourage mum to stay with the pups pretty much all the time.

I find this a bit early for toys.  Mine are usuually with them a tad longer before wanting extended breaks.  It's a bit difficult to "force" a bitch that is unwilling.  I feel that I would be taking Barbara's suggestion, and trying to get some slop down them.  You still want them gaining at this point.

> they are 18 days old

Remember that their thermostat hasn't kicked in yet, so they can't digest food if they're not warm enough.  Are they on a heat pad when mum isn't with them?