My puppies are one week old today and the Book of the Bitch says puppies should have doubled their birth weight in 8 days so I was expecting my pups to have almost doubled as it is day 7 today. I plan to weigh them weekly.

I've just weighed them though and they haven't done as well as the book suggests they should. I've worked out each pups percentage of weight gain in 7 days and they range from 55% - 84%

What if anything can I do about this? I assume they are not then gaining weight as they should?

My thinking is there is little I can do at the moment, they seem to be feeding well off Mum, and Mum is being fed well but this might mean I start to wean them earlier than I otherwise might have. Is this right?

Do you weigh your pups weekly and what percentage weight gain do yours gain in their first week?

I've only raised a litter of kittens, but I weighed them daily, and any who weren't gaining quickly were given extra time with mum to catch up - not drastically, just put on the milk bar while their siblings were given to mum for a wash. Weekly is too long for you to be able to help out before the lack of weight gain is drastic.

I've been searching the net and found several sites of which this is one http://www.chelsea-collies.com/newborn.html which says weight should be doubled in 7 - 10 days rather than just 7 which means mine would be on target for that. That site said it's more important to check each puppy is well, feeding heartily, good strength, etc. and all mine are. I will keep an eye and might suppliment if I feel they need it.

I used to weigh mine at least once a day the first week or 2.  I would keep a note of it and like ownedbyaBC I would make sure the ones who hadnt gained as much got access to the back teats and put them on a few minutes before the others.  My litter all were very even in weight right through to 8 weeks.  Not sure if this was luck or down to keeping a strict eye on the weights. 
I think these books are only there as a rough guide though and provided your puppies are gaining then they are going in the right direction probably at their own pace.  I'm sure more experienced breeders will be along soon with advice.  Good luck

I weighed mine twice a day for the first 2 weeks, then daily for a week. I found it invaluable to make sure all were gaining nicely and that smaller ones got extra attention.

I usually aim for a double of the birth weight by 10 days so as long as they are all sleek and contented and feeing well you should have no worries.
Aileen

Mine didn't double their weight but made a significant weight gain so i don't worry.

Think this sort of advice should be used as a guide only, dogs are not machines and they will differ. So providing they are increasing at a steady rate I would not be too worried but keep your notes so if you use that bitch again you will know what was the results for the first litter and that could stop you worrying with a second.

ive had pups double in 6days and ive had them in 10days.....and longer thats why i weigh every day and the pups that havnt put much on that day i can watch! x

>I will keep an eye and might suppliment if I feel they need it.

I never, ever supplement.  Mum gets lots of quality nutrition so that she makes the best feed possible (milk) for the pups.

It is normal to have size differences, and I agree that slow to gain pups can be put on those back teats (although I have never seen the need in any of my litters)

I do think that the pups should have been weighed daily from birth though.  Weekly is definitely pushing your luck, as, IF there is a problem, you needed to take action sooner!  :-)

I have a young litter at the moment, I also check weights daily sometimes twice a day if keeping an eye on a particular pup.  Mine did not double their weight by day 7 but had done by day 10.  I didn't worry as the pups were in good condition and all seem very content, as has previously been said the books are their for a guide only and if you are happy with how the pups are progressing then that's fine but I would check weights more often, at least up until 2 weeks.  Good luck with your puppies I'm sure they will be fine.

JanW

> I didn't worry as the pups were in good condition and all seem very content

I think this is the important thing.  You just know when pups are looking good.  :-)

Yes that's the thing; I was so shocked by the book of the bitch saying they should have doubled their birthweight by day 8 as all the puppies had been feeding well and were thriving. I am beginning to relax now but still wish I hadn't read that lol

They are 8 days old now, not long until they open their eyes.

>They are 8 days old now, not long until they open their eyes.

I have had a pup wait until day 17, so don't go into a panic if it happens to you!  :-)

Quick question: My bitch has 10 pups and 9 teats; sometimes it is possible to know which pup hasn't got a teat as it squeals but often it is not. They all pile in like a rugby scrum. I look out for the one that doesn't seem to be feeding with the aim of making sure they get a teat when one falls off satiated and sleepy but usually they all seem to fall off at the same time, satiated and sleepy. I guess in the blink of an eye one fell off and the other gained a teat without me noticing?? I've just got this obsurd worry that one is forever not getting a teat and falls asleep without getting any milk! They are however gaining weight fine so maybe I should just calm down and chill a bit. The two smaller ones I always make sure they get good teats.

If they're all gaining weight they must be getting food, and if none of them are still squeaking and searching, they are all falling asleep after a feed, I would think they are all getting enough. I know how hard it is not to worry though - and that's a good thing really! I weigh every day until 2 weeks then weekly until 10 weeks. :-)

Hi, we've just had our very first litter (26th June) and although all four puppies are gaining weight daily, my little black boy is slowing down. Do I need to be concerned?? All the other puppies have gaining between 49g to 38g but today he's only gained 19g should I be concerned?
( I realise I may just be a very neurotic first timer!)

I'd say it's time to start sloppy solids, they are three weeks old.

I start weaning foods if the weight gain starts to slow down as early as the eyes opening if needed, but normally give them their first taste at 18 days.

Just a bit off a teaspoon, then next day two tastes the next 3, and at 3 weeks they have the idea of how and I put a flat dish with some mashed up sloppy food for them 4 times a day.