This is a new one on me. I have a litter currently 5 weeks old. 7 pups, first litter from the bitch. She has been a very good mum. However, at 4 weeks of age she started heavily restricting the pups' access to her milk. It went from several times a day to once or twice. Now at 5 weeks she has 100 % stopped feeding them. She will not let them anywhere near her teats.  She has plenty of milk, I have trimmed pups' claws, there are no signs of mastitis or anything else (just a few small scratches, nothing unusual -pups have sharp teeth after all), bitch is in good condition and happy, but she will not feed the pups. Pups eat solids well and seem fine. But I have never before known a bitch to not feed the pups at ALL at this age. Do I need to give the puppies milk to drink? I'm a bit wary as I would never normally do this as when I tried giving milk in the distant past it caused bad diarrhoea. They do get calcium via their food -they get 50 % of a complete puppy food and 50 % raw minces, where there are bones included.

Several of my girls have decided to stop feeding pups around 6 weeks, just continually walk away when they try to feed.  They clean them, play with them but milk is not part of the bargain! Personally, I just figured they know best so I haven't worried and the puppies have continued to thrive.

You are obviously super experienced and I am not :) however whilst doing all my research I have read that restriction from the bitch at this age sometimes happens for up to a week and then they may only let pups comfort suck.  I agree that from what I have experienced so far the bitch usually knows best, nature at it's best.

Mine can be very much like this Marianne. By 6 weeks the milk bar is definitely shut ! As long as they are drinking water I would not give milk. The bone content in the food should cover their needs. I do give yoghurt and eggs  to mine but they are more 75% raw 25% complete. If the kibble is of very high quality ( I use Orijen or Arcainia) then they should not need anything more. Mum has obviously said enough and she will possibly let them have a comfort suckle on odd occasions. Can't say I blame her with all those sharp little gnashers.
Just keep an eye on their water consumption, though they will get a fair bit from the raw food.
Aileen

Thanks! Yes they certainly drink enough, and the complete food is soaked. (I feed this way to enable the new owners to choose whether to feed raw or complete.) Feel very relieved at not needing to give milk to be honest. :) All I need at the moment is 7 pups with upset tummies!!

You're far more experienced than me, but I would be inclined just to give water if the milk gives them the runs, they will get all the nutrition from their food. :-) (5 weeks, blimey where did the time go!)

I've had this hhappen from 4 weeks. Mine are 5 weeks now and for the last week she has gone in only a couple of times a day and without a grimace or growl up to now has started to growl a bit to tell them to get off. I think it is natures way of letting them know they should be independent. To be honest, the main reason she goes in is to clear up their food and they catch her while she is there.
The pups are doing well, I do give them puppy milk as well as the soaked food and no problems, and she has been a brilliant Mum so I just want her to get back to normal now.
( they drink water as well  now)

I have had this, 5 weeks definitely seems to be the age, and after a few days (a week) when the milk has reduced she was happy to return to being Mum, but by and large the milk bar was closed. 

Seems some are keen to wean completely sooner than others.

In fact I have had more like this than the ones who seem they will never give up feeding.

I also notice that once Mum has weaned them, they have less tolerance for any additional milk, and if poos are soft I stop the milk.  Seems counter intuitive, but Mum I assume knows best.

By the end of week 3, going into week 4, we started weaning our puppies.   Starting with warmed goats milk and teaching each individual how to lap (4 times a day) - we also fed a tiny amount of raw lean mince (hamburger if you prefer and once a day).   Once each puppy could lap, we added a good quality puppy food mixed into a porridge with either the milk, or water.   At the start, while still learning how to lap, most of their nourishment was still coming from mum.   As we got to around 5 weeks, and they were eating solids, mum only went in to clean up after their feed (4 meals a day plus a warm goats milk drink mid-morning, mid-afternoon and last thing) and would usually stand to allow 'comfort suckling'.  They usually wanted out again pretty fast!!   Doing it like this helped scatter the milk and was far kinder than pulling her completely from her puppies.

I suggest your bitch knows weaning is advanced by now, which is right as it should be complete by 6 weeks, and is happy to let you take over.

Milk isn't necessary, much as that would depend on the breed - we gave ours the 3 milky drinks because they are Bassets (big and heavy boned).   Goats milk is fine, cows milk - no.   With their puppy food, mine would get raw mince, cottage cheese, scrambled egg - obviously not all at the same time!

Fresh water once on solids - but I didn't leave any water in the whelping area, overnight.