Hi all...Begining to think that this is more worrying than when I had my daughter.I am constently checking the pups and mum to see if everything is ok.Although Matida is a good mum,she still likes to move the pups in the mornings...just to keep me on my toes...even managed to take one into the garden this morning,to feed,in a nest she had built!
I also have a horse so I am having to go out twice a day to see to him and the whole time I am there I am worrying about the new family.
Then when at home I sit here reading through the archives of this forum...so many sad and worrying posts of fading puppy syndrome and alike.
The pups are absolutely fine and content...it's just me that is having a mini nervous breakdown.
Anyway any advice on feeding Matilda would be helpful...as she has become very fussy and would'nt eat at all if I did'nt hand feed her.
Also when do the pups open there eyes? seem to remember it's at about 1 week old.
Any advice on ensuring this little family's well being would be good.
Many thanks Kay.

the eyes open around 10-12 days, has the dam got a whelping box, is she away from the comings and goings so she feels safe and secure with her pups, if not that could be why shes going walkabout with them, also be careful about taking your shoes off as you can trail disease in on your shoes, a lot of bitches wont leave the pups to eat- id hand feed her if need be for a while-she'll probably be looking and ready for food very soon, make sure she has plenty water as they need lots of fluid- have you got heat on for the pups or is the dam it? i like some sort of heat as a fall back if something wanders too far away and could get chilled, good luck with them -did the birth go ok,

Dizzy thanks for the reply...Yes the heating is on 24/7 and she does have a whelping box,in which she is quite happy...until morning,then she has an overwhelming urge to move them!
The birth was fine apart from having them on the sofa...4 pups in an hour and a half,and she loves them.

Like you I have a "nervous breakdown" everytime I have a litter of puppies. I worry constantly; is the mom drinking/eating enough, are the pups all getting on her for each feeding, is someone pushing the smaller ones off, is mom's milk turning bad, are the pups getting chilled, is she laying on one, the list goes on and on. Then I start debating with myself. Wondering if I should supplement feeding, wondering if a certain smaller puppy has some kind of problem, should I ring the Vet? I'm like this for the first two weeks every time. After that I'm almost sure that the pups and mom are in the clear. It's a good thing to stay on your toes, anything can happen, so I try and be as prepared as possible and pray.

Probably worrying without cause,but how do I know if the pups are getting enough milk.Would they be crying all the time if they were'nt?
Matilda looks alot smaller underneath today and the pups seem to be constantly trying to feed...and suckling really hard,but saying that they are sleeping for a short time in between...about half an hour!
Is this normal?
Just add that they are not crying all the time...just wondered if they do let you know if they are not getting enough.
Thanks again Kay

HI Kay, I feed my newly whelped bitches on chicken and high protein complete food. I buy "cheapy" bags of frozen chicken joints and defrost and boil them gently in water for about 20 minutes, allow to cool and de-bone carefully - about 1 big drumstick or breast per meal. I use the "broth" to soak the complete biscuit, which is a high energy, high fat (28% protein 15-20% fats or oils) adult "working food or a complete puppy biscuit. I use Omega Energy or if they are not eating enough - Arden Grange which can be delivered to the door in 48hours. I also give a calcium supplement - I get tablets from the vet but there are liquid ones too. I fed the mums 4 times a day - first feed at 7 am- last at 11pm, and they also get Whelpi "puppy milk" to drink ( about 1/2 pint twice a day). I find I have to take them out before a feed so they are comfy and not "bursting to go". Most of mine need hand feeding in the bed for at least 10 days, and have to be "dragged away" from them to do their business. I dont leave food down for them as I find they just try to bury it or cover it up - quite normal behaviour. Once the pups are about 7-10 days I resume normal exersise ( 15minute walk twice a day?) as this promotes milk supply and keeps them fit too. Make sure her undercarraige is clean and dry when you put her back with them. If the puppies are not getting enough milk to drink-they will soon let you know - by crying a lot. Dont worry, if she does dry up early, you can start feeding them sloppy solids from about 10 days. I start them on baby rice mixed with whelpi(nothing to be allergic to and very gentle on their tummies) for 2 or three days until they get the hang of it and then progress to a very good quality puppy food, soaked and mashed to a mush with v. hot water or chicken broth, and feed it at blood temp. I have found that my puppies do not enjoy Beta or pedigree Chum complete. but love Febo, though its very hard to get, Eukanuba puppyor Arden Grange puppy. Once they are about 2 1/2 weeks I mix in a little pedigree chum puppy food ( complete meat in packs of 3 tins from most supermarkets) which encourages them to eat up everything.

Hi Westie...thanks for the reply.
Do you start feeding the pups that young even if the milk has'nt dried up?
I am feeding Matilda loads of different things chicken,mince and puppy food etc. but she is'nt drinking much,as hard as I try!
I have'nt taken her for a walk as yet as I was worried that she might get upset,but will do so soon.
Thanks again Kay

Hi Kay, I know just how you are feeling, I do the same everytime we have a litter. If your girl is used to milk, she would benefit from having some to drink each day, but if shes not used to it, dont give it to her ( will upset her tummy)
You will know if the pups are OK by watching for the following signs....they sleep contentedly most of the time, and really only stir for feeding. Puppies twitch in their sleep, they are not having nervous spasms or anything like that. A puppy who tends to sleep on its own, or keeps crawling away from the others needs to be watched. A puppy that crys constantly also needs help. As for mum, you can spoil her a bit with her food. Try adding some pilchards (just a bit) to her food, most dogs love these, and if she wants to be spoilt and hand fed for a few days, it wont do her any harm. Please let us know how things progress.

I always think a healthy pup feels like a nicely fitting hand in a glove.:-) nicely padded out and just feels right.
Keep them warm and well fed and if you arent too sure on the amount they are getting feel free to "top" them up,best thing i have found is a babies bottle,I brought all the puppy feeding bottles on the market but a premature babies bottle was ideal for the pups and myself.

Hi, No I dont usually start feeding them myself this young, only if they are not thriving. Its a "catch 22" situation in as much as the more you supplement - the less milk the mum will make. I only start this young if it is obvious one or more are not getting enough. I do try and avoid bottle feeding myself, uness the bitch dries up completely or obviously cant cope. I only start feeding them as a rule when they are about 3 weeks old, but this is just to give them the "hang of" feeding, and may only be one meal a day. It depends how hungry they are. If they are getting plenty from mum, they often dont want any food from me until 3 or even as late as 4 weeks with smaller litters (2-4). I offer some whelpi and baby rice- quite sloppy and still warm about every other day from the day I think they need more, until the day they (or one) gobbles it up so desperately I KNOW they need more than they are getting from mum, then I'll offer it twice a day and so on, feeding them to appetite. Have you decided which puppy food to rear them on when the time comes? Its best to have it ready for when you do decide to start feeding them. If they are sleeping soundly and mum is happy to lie with them most of the day and hardly ever crying - then all is well. Yes, I agree, the twitching is an excellent sign, and if I am concerned about a small puppy, I dont worry too much as long as they are twitching when asleep - if the twitching stops in a puppy under about 2 1/2 weeks then I do start worrying! You just need to watch them for a few minutes and you should see them twitch. Do try and leave the mum in peace, unless you are sure she wants your attention, if she thinks you are watching over them "for her" she is more likley to dry up, leave them to be with you or "give up" on them. Her loyalties will be torn at the moment between you and the puppies and you must take the lead by trusting her to do it properly, unless you have good reason to think otherwise.
Have you thought about worming yet ? They will need their first worming at 3 -31/2 weeks old. After having problems with v. poorly puppies with the most popular liquid puppy wormer, my last litter were wormed with Strongid paste for dogs. I hadn't used it before, but they didn't mind the taste and the for second worming I just mixed up the dose with a little bit of puppy chum meat on a saucer. Do them one by one, so they cant pinch each others, and weigh each one first so you can be sure of giving the right amount. You only have to dose them once, every two weeks from 3 weeks of age with Strongid. With the other one you need to do it 3 days running every 3 weeks, and squirt it into their mouths - which they hate. It must taste foul. By the third day they are hiding in the corner when you approach with the pipette. I think its a dreadful shame, as this is just about the first thing you have to "do" to them, and involves forcing their mouths open, which they allow readily for the first one or two days, but by the 3rd day-they dread it. Only use wormers bought from the vet, I dont bother with shop bought ones as they contain different drugs and are not so effective. Dont forget to trim the sharp little hooks off their nails each week from about 10 days old. I use small nail clippers. If not done, it can make a bitch reluctant to feed them as it really hurts her. Hope this helps, any more queries?

HI again just a PS about the drinking - if you are going to cook chicken joints for her, give HER the broth to drink once it has cooled - I haven't found a dog yet that will refuse it - mine all have their tongues hanging out, drooling when they smell it coming!

With my bitchs I like to offer them a bowl of water as they are nursing. I encourage them to drink by putting some fingers in the water and then on their month. I hold and tilt the bowl a little to make sure she can get her mouth in comfortable and to make sure that none of the puppies get cold water on them. My bitches seem to really appreciate this. Also add water to their food or broth like Westie lover says.

A breast feeding mother is told to have a mug of fluid everytime the baby gets a feed. That way you don't dehydrate. You have to keep running to the loo though!! :D

Fiona

Thanks for all your help and suggestions...all very helpful.
Have been trying everything with the water and she has had a bit,but not as much as I would like...but she is a picture of health and went out for a nice run in the park earlier which she loved!
Sure I will have lots more questions yet...lol.
Kay

Pups are now just over 2 weeks old and absolutely gorgeous!
Have fallen madly in love with one in particular(big mistake) who we have called "Bertie Bassett" but really can't keep him as we have 2 already,but very tempted!
Anyway my question is should they be having any water to drink yet?
They are still happy and contented and there eyes have just opened (arhhh),just a thought really as to wether I should be giving them anything yet.
Really dreading the day they have to go already....love them all.
Mum is fine and going out walking again every day,she spends quite alot of time away from the pups now,and sleeps in a bed next to them,but does do what she needs to when they need her.
Thanks again for all the help I have recieved.

hi Kay,as soon as my pups eyes open I start them on semi solid the pedigree puppy food (tins) is really good to start with nice a sloppy with a little semi skimmed milk on and yes water as soon as they are lapping but semi solid is easier and the nicer it smells the better (i e chum puppy) its takes the load off mum and she will usually restrict her time wth them anyway...have you trimmed their nails VERY important as they tend to make mum sore.
Good Luck

Have to admit that I have'nt trimmed there nails yet as i'm so afraid of hurting them...but they do now have little hooks on them.
Will try and do it in the next few days though...any advice please.
Pups don't seem to be hungry as mum is doing a good job,think I will leave it a little longer.Thanks Mattie.

Just some decent nail scissors and just take the very end off and they will be ok do this again in two weeks and at six weeks
mum may look ok but you need to get them eating as they will feed for evermore if you let them and she is obviously a lovely mum

Thanks again Mattie...will do the nails tomorrow and try some food at the weekend,but if there not hungry surely they won't eat.

Hi there, you asked about the pups water. I start to leave a SHALLOW bowl of water in the whelping box as soon as pups are on their feet, they soon find out what it is, and that its nice. Please dont leave a big or deep bowl in their to start with, cause they can drown in it. So glad to hear that all is going well.

Hi, so glad to hear everything is going well with your babies. I always use small "human" nail clippers to clip puppies' nails. They give a very positive cut, I find scissors tend to move the nail sideways as you cut, but perhaps its just me! Just snip off the "hook" if you are worried about hurting them, there is no blood supply to the hook, there is no way it will hurt them. If the nails are white you can actually see where the "quick" ends. Its a pale pink line that will stop about 3/4 of the way down a long puppy nail and you can cut just below it. If some nails are white and some are black you can get your "pointer" as to where to cut from the white ones. But just taking off the hook will ease the bitch's discomfort. Do pluck up the courage to do this soon or the bitch may be reluctant to nurse them.

Hi Peeps...I have clipped the pups nails now and offered them some baby milk but they don't seem to have a clue.If I leave it in with them,Matilda scoffs the lot!
Matilda is'nt spending hardly any time with them now,have to make her go in and feed them at times, and I am confused as to when she is feeding them as I hardly ever see her do it,but I am in and out all day,but still concerned as to wether or not she is actually doing it or not.
Pups seem quite content but do cry a bit now...
How often should she be feeding them now?
Have made an appointment with the vet for Wednesday as Matildas teats seem a bit sore,which does'nt help.
Any advice again please...Thanks.

Hi, you will find it easier if you put the mum somewhere else while you attempt to feed the puppies, Put the puppy food, whatever it is should be quite sloppy - like runny porrige- in a saucer and hold it under a puppy's chin. Put some on your fingers and the puppy should lick it off, then put your fingers down into the food and the pup should get the hang of it quite quickly. You do need to hold the saucer under the chin to begin with or they just walk into it and slide about. Its a messy business!! Good luck. As long as the food is something that puppies like, they will eat it when they are hungry. Offer it twice a day until they gobble up both meals and then introduce a third and fourth. By 5 weeks they should be scoffing 5-6 little meals a day and by then may not have much milk from mum.

When I introuce semi solid food (any time aft3er eyes open depending on how Mum is coping), I mix up some puppy milk, and add a tiny amount of presoaked dry puppy food. this turns the milk to a thin Gruel, which is gradually thickened as they get older. Take each puppy individually and use a small flat dish (the small lid off the smallest Pyrex dish for instnce). Put a bit on your fingers and get them to suck it off, and gradually bring its nose to thedish until your finger is int it.

They will at first get very messy, and you will need to wash it off, especially from under the chin, as it will dry very hard!

With pups that size I would give half an ounce of Milk powder (makes 1/4 pint) per head once they have learnt to eat, weith gradually increasing amounts of soaked and mashed Puppy food! Eventually you can stop the mashing, and adding the milk, and feed the puppy food just soaked and the milk as a drink at the end of meal, to encourage them tofinish it up.

By about 6 weeks I would give a little dry food at the end of a meal for them to get used to a dry texture and for tooth hygene. I still give at least half theiur food soaked, as dry it can take a long time to eat, and may discourage them eating enough, but by the time they are 12 weeks I would have them on all dry!

I like to continue with the puppy milk for as long as it agrees with them. If they start geting loose motions cut out the milk, and if they improve then you know it is time to stop giving the milk!

There are a hundred and one ways to rear pups, there is no one right way, this works well for me. I do like one of the 4 meals a day to be a natural meal of some sort of meat, but that is because I want them to be able to adjust easily to what the new owners may wish to do!