I am a hobby breeder and have had severallitters throughout my lifetime. All are KC reg and all are fully health tested.
usually my puppies wean with no problems. By 5 weeks they only see mum through the night and by 6 weeks they dont see mum anymore giving them 2 full weeks without mum and just their litter mates before they go off on their holidays to their new homes.
However, I have a litter of 6 small breed pups. they are 5 weeks and 3 days old and just do not want to eat. They have seen the vet at 4 weeks (to have 1st parvo vax which was done on my vet advice as apparently we live in a high risk area) and they were all given a clean bill of health.
They are all running jumping etc like normal 5 week old pups and they are drinking. Not dehydrated or underweight. But they just do not eat and are happier to wait for mum at bedtime and drink her milk. (She is still happy to allow them to feed).
I may have made a rod for my own back to be fair but Im looking for advice in how to fix the situation which I admit I may have caused!
I started weaning at 3.5 weeks old on arden grange puppy and weaning soaked in warm water (I always use this). After a few days of trying they were still not really interested so like an idiot I added some tesco tinned puppy meat and they ate it. As I didnt want to go down the tinned route I tried the arden grange again but with no luck. (My last 2 litters have not been that interested in the arden grange but have eaten it eventually).
So I contacted Eukanuba and joined their breeder club. When the food arrived they refused to eat this also, again soaked in water. I then tried royal canin again no luck. I then put in some royal canin mousse and they ate the lot, but the next day they didnt want this either!!
Next was pedigree chum tinned food which they ate and also they will eat the tesco tinned food. But I must say it isnt very enthusiastic!
I have tried the arden grange again and they just sniff and pick at it. I dont know what to do????
I am waiting for a delivery from fish4dogs to try their salmon mousse and hopefully get them eating their puppy complete food.
I have bags of different brands all over and it isnt practical I need a food that everyone can eat!
But my main concern is these puppies? Shall I let mum stay with them and leave it a while or put down the food I want them to eat and wait for instincts to kick in? How long can I wait safely for?
Any advice is welcome but please dont criticise me I know it is prob my fault!! And I need some help! I have never used forums before because from what I have read some people really get good telling offs!! lol
All I want is healthy puppies and I dont care what it costs. They are due back at the vet on Tues for second Parvo vax (I know it seems overkill but I am being so careful due to high risk and I am following intervet nobivac's advice).
Please help as it is upsetting me that they wont eat!

How do you feel about using raw meat? I usually start with a bit of raw minced beef rolled into little balls. If you put a little ball in their mouths they soon get the hang of it. I also give them raw chicken wings to gnaw on. What they don't finish goes in the mincer and they have it at the next mealtime. You can ring the changes with different types of meat. Minced tripe is good.

All our dogs have raw food now so if you went that route you could feed all your dogs the same, just make sure the puppies food is a suitable size for them. There's a lot of info on raw feeding on here if you do a search. Leave fresh water down too, I'm sure you already do.

Good luck with them.

You beat me to it Esme :-)  Raw, finely minced steak given to each individually to begin with is how I would have weaned these at three weeks.  I never have, and never will, wean using complete food.  I don't use for the adults either.  Each to their own but it will never be the way for me.

Thank you that was my next plan. Anything is better than nothing right?!!
I have just put some pedigree chum in (I know its not the best food) and 5 of the 6 are munchin:)
I have considered raw meat but dont know where to start?? (maybe a freezer as I am house bound almost due to the puppies lol)
And what about when they go to their new homes? Unfortunately people like to use the commercial puppy food in bags for the simple life. Can I start raw and then introduce a commercial dry food? Minced beef or lamb? or even turkey?
I am really counting on the fish4dogs because it seems to have all good reviews from various sites and forums??
What age do you take mum away? Am I too early or is 5 weeks ok just to have mummy through the night?
Just checked again no one dehydrated or looking thin/ill.
They are getting more attention than my poor kids who have just pointed out they ahve only had breakfast!! Whoops better feed the kids!!

Yes fresh water 24/7 which I change as soon as it has crumbs in it - one of my pet hates!!

In addition......my very first litter I fed on royal canin.
And sure enough once the food I sent them with had gone (usualy a month supply) they all called one after another to tell me their poor little puppy had the squits! And each one admitted they didnt want to pay royal canin prices and had bought some cheap supermarket food and done a straight swap.
I worry they will do the same with raw food and then the puppies will refuse to eat the asda value stuff they put in front of them!!!

Never take Mum away, just find that she will run for the hills when she is tired of them and pop in as and when she wants, but mine are on 4 meals a day right from when I start weaning just increasing the amounts to appetite, and as Mums milk dries up they have to eat.

I have considered raw meat but dont know where to start?? (maybe a freezer as I am house bound almost due to the puppies lol)
And what about when they go to their new homes?

Dead easy. I always wean onto frozen raw mince, puppies and kittens both love it. Then once they eat well start to introduce some complete food as well, then add some pieces of raw meat other than mince when they have more teeth, so by the time they go to their news homes they are on 50/50 raw and complete and the new owners can chose to either feed raw or complete or both, without stomach upsets as the pups will be used to both.

Owners who want a 'simple life' are not the sort I let have my puppies. I talk to them from the outset about the type of diet I feed my dogs and the pups go with a detailed diet sheet and a supply of the things I have been feeding them.  If people can't be bothered to take the time to prepare meals for their puppies, I would question whether they really have the time to look after an animal.  Sorry, but I feed my puppies for THEIR benefit, not the owners.  Just MHO.

And sure enough once the food I sent them with had gone (usualy a month supply) they all called one after another to tell me their poor little puppy had the squits! And each one admitted they didnt want to pay royal canin prices and had bought some cheap supermarket food and done a straight swap.

This is surely part of picking the right owners -discussing food WELL in advance of any puppy being collected, stressing that a) they cannot do an abrupt change (also put it in writing of course) and b) they cannot expect to rear a pup on cheap supermarket food if they want it to be healthy. If they don't fully agree to that (or understand the importance), they won't get a pup. I've never come across a buyer that wouldn't pay for the best. If they skimp on the cost of food, what else?

I always talk to people on the phone about my puppies before they come and view them. When they come to see the puppies we always discuss the food. I give them a food care sheet and vouchers to go and get the food we use in ready for when the puppies go home. Most times where practical we deliver the puppies at leaving age so that we can see where they will be living and go through everything once again and they sign a contract.
But unfortunately you can never be 100% sure. I agree that supermarke food is far from the best and ALWAYS tell them to stick to the food they have been weaned onto and if absolutely necessary to change to do it slowly over 7-10 days.
Right I am looking at raw food sites!! Confused.
Which is the best site? What do I order?? (Apart from another freezer!!) and how much do they need? All my adults have food on demand so it is there all the time and they have all been good with this and none are fat! But I seem to picture them just consuming the raw food in endless quantities?? lol Sorry if I sound dumb I just want to get this right. I ut so much love, time and effort into raising my puppies that I dont want to go wrong anywhere and do what is best.

Thank you, I have found that this mum is so good she would let them feed 24/7!! Hence why I have forced taking her away!!
But I will put her back in now and see how things progress. Hoping I can catch the supermarket with it being a BH to get some raw meat!! Wish me look that it works? Doesnt beef give them the runs? I have always been told to steer away from anything with beef so mine are only ever allowed chik, lamb, turkey, tripe or fish??

BTW so I far I like this site. No ones seems judgemental or nasty and are actually offering advice. thanks :)

If you have PAH near you, you can buy the free flow frozen mince, beef, chicken or Tripe in 3KG bags.. I had to nip into my local town yesterday to get some.. this warm weather and pups are beginning to 'go off' eating.. mix some free flow raw in, and they are back to full throttle eating :-) 

Thank you er dont mean to be dumb but what is PAH? I have just bought some frozen lamb mince from Tesco not tried it yet as it is still frozen. What about blended liver or is that a no no?

PAH Pets at Home, I don't give liver so young as I find it tends to give pups the runs

Look out for Prize Choice minces, that's what Kayc meant - sold in Pets at Home but a lot of smaller pet shops also stock them. My local does, but I have to ask as they keep it out the back.

They come in smallish blocks about 400g, or bags of free-flow mince - as your pups just need a little now & then, go for the free-flow to start with. It thaws out fast and you can add a sprinkle or a handful. Once they're packing it away happily you can try the larger blocks.

Seen on here to freeze beef or cook it before giving as it does something/not safe.

mine love lamb so far, i had mine go off their food and be slow and like you mum will keep feeding them if they don't, mine are 6wks now and small breed.  I reluctently changed their food after they really tucked into the adults, it seemed to work, I top it with cooked meat or tripe, they devour it.  Lamb is their favourite and they will polish this off in its own.

They've also had some homemade dehydrated chicken and a little liver (dehydrated) which they loved.  it helped with teething as well. 

Yes, you must freeze beef/beef mince first, defrost, then feed. The unfrozen beef can contain a very deadly parasite ( neosporosis caninum) - think it goes to the brain. I remember one member on here, feeding morsels of raw mince as she was cooking dinner - her dog died very shortly after - maybe 1 day! She put the warning out, she was devastated. :(