My Staffy's puppies are now 3 weeks and 3 days old.  Benson (my girl) has now decided that she isn't going to feed them anymore.  This was by no means a gradual process - she just decided to stop one day.  Mainly because I think it was getting too sore for her.

I had started weaning them at 2 weeks and they took very well to sloppy, soaked puppy food.  They now eat it more than they play in it, which is good, but I'm still worried that Benson has stopped feeding them too abruptly and they will suffer through not getting enough nutrients.  Would it be worth buying puppy formula from the vet and either mixing it with their solid food or hand feeding them with a bottle?  If not, what's the best way to introduce them to drinking water?  They are happy and healthy at the moment, but I would rather start supplementing them now if I have to than wait until they are starting to lose condition.

Have you been trimming their toenails regularly.  I have found that filing with one of the coarse "Tropical Shine" board available from chemists are ideal for doing pups and it does not leave any sharp edges as cutting them does.

I think I have said what I wean onto so won't go into it again as you are going a different route but pups can be raised from three weeks without their dam's help with no problems.

Yes, I've trimmed their nails, but then they grew little teeth!  :)

Glad to hear that they won't be likely to suffer.  Thanks for the advice!

I am sure they will be fine with several small meals a day, you dont need to bottle feed them and they do need food now.   You can add a little puppy chum or finely chopped cooked chicken sprinkled on the top. I  give 2 drinks of watered down evaporated milk at bedtime and after beakfast, but just start with a little as it can upset their tummies if its introduced too quickly.I feed at regular intervals through the day from 7am-ish to  bedtime, 5 or even 6 little meals, in a week you can drop it to 4/5 +drinks. 

They will need worming in the next few days if you haven't done them already. ;-)

hiya, my pups are 4 weeks and 4 days, my girl had to have an emergency spey last week and we nearly lost her due to lack of blood, so we had to take over quite abruptly too. i have ten pups to feed! they have the following each day at the moment:(this is for all 10!)

breakfast:  2 tins puppy meat (pedigree) and some (overnight soaked) pedigree biscuit mixed up to a 'slop'
mid morning: 1.5 pints of lactol
Lunch: Mince/nature diet puppy or more tinned meat, 2 tins.packs
tea: soaked pedigree/jwellbeloved biscuit
Supper: 2 tins again or nature diet, plus some biscuit,again soaked.
last thing - a bowl of lactol is left in overnight, i make up about 1.5 pints again and they have some straight off, then leave the rest for during the night, i will stop this probably next week, but im not one for getting up in the night!!!

i hope it gives you an idea of what im doing, my babies are golden retreivers so the amount is obviously a lot more than you would give to (i think ive remembered) staffs?

bfn, chel & the harrjak pack

Hi everyone and thanks for all the advice!

Pups and mum are doing very well.  They're almost 5 weeks now and are eating soaked puppy food mixed with half soaked pup food, and loving it.

All were wormed at 2 weeks and then again at 4 weeks.  Much mess ensued!  :D

Have you tried the Pedigree puppy porridge, you can wean them from 2 weeks on the we had a litter of 10 newfoundlands and they did great on that, we picked up our Lhasa puppy yesterday and she is tiny for 8 weeks so we are supplimenting her with the puppy porridge for 1 meal a day to give her a bit of a boost