I have 2 litters of pups. 1 litter are 5 weeks and have great characters. Are very independant and spend alot of their time without mum. Star is a good mum but by now you can imagine 6 pups are getting a bit much. Shes with them the whole night and on a off through day. But she would sooner be away from them. They are growing and developing well and love human contact.
The other litter belongs to Keatah who is 8 and her 2nd litter. With her 1st litter she was great mother. They are 4 week old and although younger than Stars pups are much less developed. Keatah hates being way from them and would be happy to stay with them 24 hours a day.
They are playing with each other eating well and are plenty strong enough. They are alot bigger than the older pups having said that they were bigger born.
Do you think it would be best to keep Keatah away from them for longer periods. When she leaves them for too long shes pacing about and crying and although  as never been bothered for us to touch them she watches us like hawkes.
Also Star stopped cleaning up after her pups a while ago a job she gladly let me take over. Keatah is still cleaning up after hers.
Is this just normal behaviour each dog being different as we are as parents.

All bitches are different, there is a huge gap in development between 4 - 5 weeks of age.  If Keatah's pups are further behind than Star's pups were at 4 weeks then if she is still happy to feed them and care for them as she would younger pups allow her to do so, I am a firm believer in letting nature take it's course.

I take it the pups are being weaned and eating well if so don't worry, I actually like a bitch to spend more time with her pups, as more than often they are off and away, Keatah wanting to spend time with them will not slow down development.

It may be likely that she is fretting more because of your other bitch though, they do worry about one bitch taking or hurting anothers pups this may also be why she is more protective.  Keep an eye on the feeding and weight, the pups will be up and about independantly whether mum is over protective or not.  Everything will run it's course.

Just keep a watchful eye, but I personally would not seperate the mum more.

Thanks for that carrington. Within just these 2 days Keatahs pups have changed so much and are getting into mischief. Both Keatah and Star get on well and Keatah doesnt mind the Star is there at all. They have both willingly been ok with one another meeting their pups.
I know there is a age gap but at the same age Stars pups were much more outgoing.
Just like you say all dogs are different.

I think you should respect the bitches needs and leave them to their own devices.   Who are we, as humans, to interfere.   All dogs are different and there could be many problems caused by interfering in the way a bitch brings her puppies up, unless the bitch is overly aggressive or overly stressed.   Bitches tend to mainly know what they are doing even though they have not read what the human experts have written.

Wendy