Hi everyone, i hope you are all well.

I would first like to thank those of you who gave me help and advice regarding my young litter of pups as i was having problems with one of the small ones and pooping. The whole litter has done very well, Even my small pup who although is still very small is gaining weight steadily and they are all peeing and pooping on their own and leaving the nest to do their business away from their sleep area. Mum is doing a brillaint job too so i have a few other questions.

The pups are now 3.5 weeks old, Mum has been showing signs of weaning. ie shorter feeds, getting up and walking away. Nails are trimmed  but i suspect their teeth are a factor here. Anyway they have started on puppy food soaked in slightly warm water and mixed with milk suppliment. so its a loose pudding consistency. All 6 puppies are happy with this and clear the bowls. I currently feed them on this twice a day and of course they are still on mum too. Their poops are nice and formed again and they have all been wormed and due again next week so we're up to date so far.

I would like some advice if possible on a feeding schedule, their is such a variable amount of advice on how much i should be feeding them. How many solid feeds per day should i be looking at now that we are approaching the 4 week mark? I will continue with mum to to take some of her milk down but im not sure if i am feeding them correct amounts. Also they are still waking for nightfeeds. usually about every three hours. I am putting mum in with them and she gives them a short feed before getting up again, however i have been advised they should be not feeding at night at this age or at least going up to 6 hours or so, what are your thoughts on this? I dont like the idea of leaving them that long. should say also these are large breed puppies as i now that can make a difference in feeding and weaning.

I took your advice and moved pups down to the family area of the home now aswell :)

thanks again for any advice you can offer :) xx

I would expect the pups to be on at least 4, ideally 5 meals a day at 4 weeks. I start at 3 weeks and gradually increase the number of meals over 2-3 days.

Thank you, i have written up a new schedule to work them up to 4 meals a day as they get to 4 weeks, then hopefully i can move to a 5 a day next week.  At the moment i am putting the pups on mum after they have eaten to skim her milk. However as i near the 4 / 5 meals a day would i be better reducing mum to nursing them 3 times a day instead and then reduce further to 2 nurses a day? Or am i better just offering small sessions after solid feeding? Many thanks for your time xx

The best thing is to allow mum free access to come and go whenever she wants.

>At the moment i am putting the pups on mum after they have eaten to skim her milk.

At this age I have never put pups on mum.  I have things arranged that she can come and go, so can choose to not be with them if she so wishes.  If she decides (which most do) that she doesn't want to see them during the night, I leave it up to her.  I find that a bitches milk dries up at the right pace for her.  They all differ, so I never decide for them.  If that makes sense.

thank you, ive just been worried she lays on them by accident so far, however i do watch her and she is very careful so last night i left the pen door open enough for her and left her to it.  i had to persuade her in at 5 this morning as they were crying but i have to say last night was the first night i got some sleep! She may have been going in and out during the night before that but i never heard the paper rustling as i normally do when she is looking for a place to lay down so i think they are ok :) I have put down a shallow bowl of water with a scoop of lactose in it, they have been sniffing at it but no takers as yet.   Many thanks for your replies