The pups are now on day 11, thank God so far we have not lost any of the original 10. They are all steadily putting on weight everyday. I have read the book of the bitch (My bible) over & over and it says that on larger litters you may need to wean at 2 weeks. Without sounding stupid "what are the real tell tell signs" that I may need to start earlier. Thankyou.

Hi,

Sounds like fun!  My advice would be to start trying a little very fine (top quality) mince at 2 weeks.  If they're ready for it, they'll eat it - if not, Mum will have it to keep her reserves up.  You'll find some will like it better than others to start, I expect, but any bit they eat puts a bit less pressure on Mum.

M.

Thankyou Brihow Collies, I can honestly say I have enjoyed every minute, I just want do the best thing for mum & the pups. I will try the mince. I was going to start with drontal puppy wormer at 2 weeks do you think both experiences might be too much? Thanks

I have just reared 12 pups and bottle fed a couple of times a day to help take the pressure off mum....I started giving scraped beef at just over 2 weeks, just the tiniest amount, by 3 weeks they were sucking great lumps of minced beef out of my hand, minced tripe, minced chicken etc all went down a treat.

Some will take to it quite quickly, others follow on after a few days, but it does make it easier for mum.  I also gave them Lactol to lap from a bowl, just to make sure all were getting enough.. I fed the smaller ones 1st.....

they are now 8 weeks and weigh between 6.8kg and a whopping boy weighs in at 8.8kg...

And another little peice of advice if you want it....take out shares in andrex ...what goes in etc etc ;)

Thankyou Kayc, I thought 10 was large, I certainly have the right breed for the andrex!!

Me too ;)

Pups getting interested in the food you are feeding Mum in the whelping box, weight gain levelling out instead of increasing, together with seemign hungry even after Mum has fed them. 

I have offered them a taste of food as soon as the eyes are open if I think they may be slowing down or unsatified. 

After all if they aren't hungry they won't bother to eat much.

Thankyou Brainless, Great tips, Do most of you start worming at 2 weeks, I have got my drontal puppy at the ready!!

I only start worming at 3 weeks and then at 7 weeks. 

I had terrible problems when I wormed 3 times within the 8 weeks. 

I have always dosed with Panacur from 6 weeks in whelp to two days post whelping for 4 generations now, so with 98% of any worm burden eliminated before birth I feel they can wait until they are established on solids.  I always worm after they have had some food from me.

Thanks brainless I did worm my lady (drontal plus) before mating & once during pregnancy & 2 days after whelping so do you think I will be safe waiting until the pups are 3 weeks old to start. Is starting to wean & worming in the same week too much for the pups?

I don't use panacur during pregnancy (vet advises against it) and worm for the first time at 3 weeks so I think you should be fine. In my experience the worm burden of the puppies seems to depend more on how thoroughly the bitch was wormed when she was a puppy herself than on anything else. Weaning and worming at the same time is normal.

I've reared a litter of 10+ without weaning early. Follow Brainless' advice and watch the weights carefully. I find it best to keep a graph of weights with a line for each puppy on the same page (easy to do if you have a spreadsheet like Excel on the computer). That way you see trends in the weight gain very clearly. If the gain was beginning to level off, then I'd begin to wean early, but if it continues steadily I'd leave things to the bitch until 3 weeks.

Hi robinqueen,

off subject a little :)

Did you get to understand the coat color query you posted earlier in the week?

chocymolly

Hi Chocymolly I was going to reply to that when I had a bit more time on my hands. I confess I had checked tests that were needed hips scores, eyes etc. which I hasten to add I have had done. Unfortunately my other lady has hip problems (I had her spayed) so I was determined I would do all I could to get it right. I did find 2 potential stud dogs & the question of colour yellow & chocolate was never raised as an issue by them. I was taken aback when I read on here that yellow & chocolate was frowned on. I have since spoken with the stud dog owner who has told me he does not personally have an issue with chocolate & yellow mating. He has been breeding labs for over 45 years & did come recomended from a local breed group I belong to. I am not blaming him because I am responsible for my lady, however hindsight is a wonderful thing. I know I will probably get slated but I did believe I had done everything correct.  Having now looked into the colour query I will not mate her again with a chocolate. It would appear she is eeBB no chocolate gene & the stud EEbb no yellow gene which is why all of the pups were black. Still at present I am thankfull my lady is doing well & her babies are beautiful. Thankyou all for the replies on the colour question Good & Bad - I did learn a long time ago don't ask the question if you don't like the answer. Oh well off to change the vetbed.