Just a quick probably silly question. Our puppies are now 7weeks and 2days old, I was watching them in the garden this morning with mum and she is so rough on them, I think she thinks she's to herd them, and she's always been rough at times on the sheep, so she's biting them a fair bit. We have been bedding pups and her together at night and if we are out the house for longer than half an hour, otherwise they are generally separated for mum. Is it ok to stop them sleeping with mum now? They will be off to there new homes soon anyway. But I actually started thinking this morning, I don't know if I trust her with them now. Obviously they will spend time with her while we are around and we can supervise. Thanks

My Mums are separated at night from about 5 weeks, it's far too much to expect her to cope with them and she will get cross if she cannot escape from the little land sharks.  Give her time to relax without them and just let her go to them if she requests a visit at this age. Make sure the pups have plenty of room to play but that Mum has the choice of being with them or getting away to relax.

Edited to say, I never leave Mum alone with pups at all and from 3 weeks she has the final say in where she sleeps, she can get to them but can escape, by 5 weeks she is completely shut out overnight.

I would let her make the choice and normally it will be a quick hello and then gone at this age, puppies will still try to nurse and mums really don't want to, so leave it up to her, bitches are usually very happy to see their puppies drive off with their new owners.

Each breed, and individual mums are probably different, but our mums are off their litters by around 5 weeks, or at least 6 weeks when weaning onto solids is complete.    I didn't think it fair to have her in there with them trying to nurse still, and hurting her.    I look on weaning as not only meaning transferring from mum's food onto solids.   And I liked to have the time between mum being off the puppies and the time they went home, so I was sure each puppy was ready for the outside world.

But again each litter and mums were individuals.    Basset mums don't do much correcting - I did that !! and couldn't see leaving mum in with them to cope with their demands.   She did her job from start to around 5 - 6 weeks, and then that was finished.

Just to add it helps the new owners with their new puppy if the puppy isn't missing mum as well as their siblings and surroundings.   So by 7 + weeks for me it would be beyond time to have mum off the litter, day and certainly night.

My mums come and go whenever they want - the only time I forcible separate them is when the pups are having their solid food meals (or mum'd eat the lot for them!) and then mum's let in again when they've had enough and she finishes off what's left (and they steal a few seconds of suckling, even though she's almost dry by 7 weeks. The mums still enjoy playing with their pups though, right up to the time they leave.

When they leave home,  though Mum should be able to get away from them whenever she wants,  which maybe quite a lot during weaning.

Mine are happy spending more and more time with them once they take no for an answer regarding access to milk bar.

That's my favorite time watching Mum and other adults interacting with growing pups,  learning doggy etiquette.

Thank you for all your replies. When we went out today I left mum out. She does try to get to them, she hasn't done much disciplining, she just plays this awfully rough game of 'me sheep dog you sheep' with them when they are all outside together. I wish I could do some shoggling so that she has the choice but unfortunately we will need to stick to letting her in when she asks. Glad I posted, and wish I had a couple of weeks ago. She will probably be lost tonight without them