I put a post on here last week...my bitch really doesn't want to feed her pups. There are 9 (3 weeks today) and I have to force her to feed pups, they think they are starving when I make her feed them and are frantic. I think if she had 4 or 5 she would be Ok. I have started feeding them on solids this last week (weetabix with Welpi and Chudleys puppy soaked) I am wondering whether to give them Welpi in their feeding bowl and not insist she feed them. Or should I continue sitting with her and making her feed them? She loves licking them and is still cleaning the "poo" but from outside the box. Has anyone else have this problem? My previous bitches have quite happily fed them for 6 weeks. I have tried letting her feed in batches of 3 which she is a little happier with but this takes a long time and i am worried the last 3 won't get enough, also she wants to get out by the time the last 3 get a turn. If I let her stay away do I need to continue Welpi until they are 6 weeks old? Also do I give it every 4 hours or so? I will start upping the solids but don't want to do too much too soon. I am weighing them and still gaining. I am making her feed every 4 hours. Any help would be appreciated. I did leave her this morning to see if she would go in on her own (I gave them soaked food) After 4 and half hour I made her get in with them. What would happen if she were a fox, she would leave them to die?! Thanks for reading.

Just a thought do the pups nails need trimmed? Puppies can have very sharp nails which make it uncomfortable for Mum.

Yes, been trimming them regularly. Done a few days ago. Thanks.

Could you split them into 2 batches instead of 3 if she's getting tired of lying there by the time the last batch has a go? I would be inclined to encourage her to feed them a little longer if you can.

Yes thought of doing 2 batches. I will try, I make her feed them at 10pm then been coming down at 2am and they are so hungry. Not sure if they will wait!! But will try during the day. I am putting the 2 smallest on for extra too. (they are only a little smaller) Thanks for saying try to encourage her to feed for a bit longer, I feel a bit cruel, but I would like to keep up for another week. Today each time she has fed them she gets a big dinner, she loves her food so much I thought she might get the message!

Can you hand feed her something extra special whilst she is feeding the pups so she is happier to lie there for as long as needs be.

Where is Mum when you come down during the night? Is she not bothered by the pups who I presume are noisy if hungry?

I would increase the meals to 4 times per day, I used goats milk once weaning had started and it didn't cause any upset stomachs, Weetabix doesn't have any nourishment for puppies, best with mushed up puppy kibble with or without meat, salmon mousse done by Fish4dogs or RC, occasional scrambled eggs to give variety of tastes and textures.

My girl didn't feed beyond 4 weeks, she would walk away if they tried to suckle but they were well weaned by then so not a problem.

I always have Mum come in and clean up what pups have left of their meal,  once they are getting other food.

This has two effects, they are able to reach Mum to feed while she eats the food, and cleans the food off them, also they re less hungry so do not descend on and pull her about.

As for nigh feeds, unless they are crying for her and she ignores them, then i would not force her to feed them.

With mine I feed 4 meals a day and Mum comes in to top up, with a bit of bribery, by getting their leftovers.

Oh re the weetabix, this has no value for pups, use soaked puppy food to mix with the puppy milk. .

Yes, I don't intend to continue feeding Weetabix but thought it was much softer for 1st few meals as the kibble doesn't seem to go completely soft. But tried them on it today and they were fine. I was a bit woried about them over eating as the biggest 1 wouldn't stop, she eventually fell asleep in it.
As for during the night, when I go down she is laying on the floor, never in with pups so have put her a bed in the room now. Not sure whether that was a good idea or not? The pups are not crying though until they hear me. I give Mum a meal and let het outside then get her to feed them. I don't like to make them wait more than 4 hours. They seem so hungry by then. They can't really reach very well when she stands up. They do try.

If you feed them to appetite then she will be much happier to feed them when they are sleepy and full.

I would not expect my bitches to be sleeping with the pups at this stage but as yours is close by.

Ok, thanks . I will give them some soaked puppy food last thing tonight. Have fed the girls 1st in her bed, then she was quite happy to get in the whelping box with the boys. I think it is the fact that there are so many. I know what it is like to breastfeed 1 child, let alone 9 of them!! But I thought instinct would lick in.

One of my girls had a litter of 9 (20kg adult), and managed fine.

I feed my pups at 8am, Lunchtime, 5 pm and 10pm.

Thanks brainless for the tip about feeding them a meal 1st. Will try later. It makes sense really, you can tell who the novices are (me!)

I am going through this too. Mum will get in the box to clean up the pups but has to be made to lie down. I have tried introducing solids but the pups don't want to know. how are you getting on?

If the pups are gaining fine then making them lie down with pups may be counter productive, if the pups are not wailing in between her voluntary visits then trust that she knows how often they need to be fed.

Hi, well I have been upping their solid food, I don't want to do too much too quickly. Have got them onto 3 meals now. Some of them are not bothered by the solids and only eat a little, but these are the bigger ones so not too bothered at the moment. I keep coming down in the night, I was coming down at 2am. I would make Willow feed them but they were never crying, so tried 3am, they still were not crying, so this morning I waited 'till 5am. 3 pups had managed to climb out the whelping box and were asleep in Mums bed! So I swapped them with the other ones. But the ones left in the whelping box were not crying, so I think I will try leaving them 'till 5am. I have turned Willows bed so if any escape they can't get in with her, as I feel it is not fair that she can't escape. Willow still doesn't go in on her own, she is quite happy laying in her own bed and I put them in with her in 2 batches. I am not sure how often I should make her feed? I did not weigh them yesterday, that is my next job today. I will see how they are doing. Newyork it is nice to know someone else's bitch is the same, has she got lots too? I think if we had 5 none of this would happen.

Brainless, we don't have any voluntary visits, only from outside the whelping box, she leans in to clear up, her 2 front feet sometimes go in and they are all frantic at the front 2 teats!

My girl started looking reluctant to feed at 2 weeks, but we encouraged her to stay, which she did. We trimmed claws, but by 3 weeks she looked so unhappy & when we saw he size of the teeth on those pups we realised why :( She tolerated them till they were 4 weeks, but then the visits were less frequent. With a litter your size, I'd be putting 5 on then 4, then a rest for mum & I'd be weaning as soon as possible.

Ok, weighed them all and put on between 100 and 300g each since Thursday, it is Saturday. They are medium size breed. But 1 pup has lost weight. So will be firmly watching him. He looks well, he has always been the one who can't be bothered with the fight for milk, so I have been making sure he gets on. He knows how to lap up Welpi but won't, he is very keen on solids though so hopefully will soon catch up.

I don't give puppy milk to drink until pups are older and well into solids, as I find they simply choke on it when it's liquid, initially it is used to make their food into porridge.