Hi all , Mabels puppies are now 5 wks old and having 4 meals a day.  Mabel is also feeding them around 3 times a day - My question is when should I be encouraging her to stop feeding them? I get her to lay down and feed them first thing in the morning around 5.30/45 then she likes to go in with them around lunch time and again I get her to lay down and feed them around 10 ish then the pup's go through till the morning.  Should I stop making her do the extra feeds? and when should they be completely weaned off her?

Thanks

At around that age my bitches have always stood to feed the pups rather than lie down - they seem to wean themselves that way. Bitch has fulltime access to the pups (though she can get away when she wants by jumping the barriers!) at all times, and they're still allowed a quick 'comfort suck' even on the day they leave for their new homes. :)

Edited to add: If mum stops feeding them totally at about 5 or 6 weeks they'll need more meals and fluids from you ...

"At around that age my bitches have always stood to feed the pups rather than lie down"
Funny you should say that Jeangenie as Mabel stood up to feed them at lunch time and they all managed it well (was unsure if the little one would be able to reach but she did :) !!)

We do put a bowl of water in with them and they quite happily lap from it, do you think that I need to put down some whelpy as well??

I wouldn't :)  It is good they are taking to water and the mothers milk together with the feeds will be giving them all they need.  Like JG I let the mother decide how long she wants to feed them but watch out for her deciding to give her own version of solids   I do usually keep the bitch away for an hour or so after she is fed if she shows a tedancy to want to chuck it up for them :rolleyes:

As the others have said you let the bitch decide.  It should be  up to her if and how often she wants to feed them, unless she is ill.

Thanks everyone this is really helpfull
First time breeding and a little paranoid that I'm not quite getting it right!!