Just a pondering really. I am keeping open-minded about weaning myself, and as it will be my first time, kind of playing it by ear really and seeing what works for my bitch. I don't mean with regard to feeding, but with regard to allowing the bitch access to the pups.

My breeder has always restricted the bitches access to pups once 4 meals a day are established. First allowing the bitch in 3 times a day, then cutting it down to about once a day by 6 weeks, preferring to rehome the pups between 7 and 8 weeks. She has been breeding for a long time, so obviously knows what she is doing, and it works well for her.

Friend has a bitch from the same breeder, and a 5 1/2 week old litter. She is following breeders methods. However, I reccomended her 'Book Of The Bitch' and she read the (small) weaning bit yesterday, saying that the bitches access to the pups should not be restricted and then felt guilty and let the bitch in with pups. But she felt they were feedinf too much, so the bitches milk would increase again. I did wonder if maybe as they have had a period of restricted access they had  keen and things would settle down again. She is keeping pups till 8 weeks.

I had thought I would allow the bitch free access to pups (obviously checking for re-gurgitation) and see how that went. She is already (10 day old pups) spending longish periods out of the whelping box, only going in to feed really and I am letting her do as she likes, as pups are doing well and she is looking after them well.

What do people think? How do you wean your pups?

Thanks. (again!) :-)

I've never limited my bitches' access to their puppies, and it's never been a problem. They've all been naturally weaned by 7 weeks although mum will still allow a quick comfort-suck even on the day they leave home.

The mum's input in teaching the pups their canine manners is irreplaceable.

The bitch is the pups mother and I would never restrict a bitches access except while they are being fed (mine would scoff the pups food). 

All too soon the bitches have had enough of the pups sharp teeth and go through a stage where they want little to do with them for a week or so, and once they are mostly weaned the the bitches usually become more attentive again playing with and teaching them

Why would anyone restrict a bitches access to her young, the rearing stage is so short and the time precious.

I never restrict my girls either.. its about teaching, nurturing as well as feeding..

Tia dried up a week ago.. and 3 of her pups went to new homes today rest are going tomorrow.. but she still jumped in the playpen this morning.. checked them over... did a little light housework, and they still checked to see if the milkbar was open... :D   Its her morning ritual :)

My bitches are never taken from the litter.  Pups normally leave around 8 weeks old.  I find that Mum knows best, and takes herself out of their way when she's had enough.  I allow her to do just that, and she goes back to check them over when she chooses.  If they choose to stay away for hours, I let them.  They do seem to get it right, because for the first 3 weeks they don't seem to want to leave them.  All my bitches have allowed pups to suckle right up to the day they leave, but they won't allow more than a quick comfort suckle, and often don't actually have milk by then.   

She has been breeding for a long time, so obviously knows what she is doing, and it works well for her.


That's the thing loads of things work BUT it doesn't make them the best method if that makes sense :-)

Pups need mothering, the mother teaches them, tells them off. They need this to be confident in their future.     I am personally not for early weaning or early withdrawal from the mothers.

Anyone who's read 'The Lord of the Flies' will be aware of the possibilities when juveniles are denied adult influences. It's the same for all species.

Ditto JG.  I think they do so much better being with the mother, being told off by her etc. They even learn how hard and soft to play because she teaches them.  Wee things often over looked.

mine are weaned but still see mum daily until they go to new homes - puppy people like to see mum and pups and how they behave.... and I also think it benefits the pups in their future development

Im not for this notion what some breeders do  "get pups away from mum at so and so weeks and get her back in ring" - it happens!

But you can leave mum with free access to her litter and still have her winning BoB 12 weeks later! I know, because mine did!

My Lexi could ahve been shown when heer pusp were 8 weeks old, escept being a coted breed seh was moulting for England.

She was a very attentive mother who fed the pups well, but kept her trim underline despite rearing 7 pups, one of which stayed and has never been seperated from her, though she has chosen to play far less with ehr than her own mother does..

course you can - thats why I am saying leave mum with litter as long as possible - maybe that didnt come across clearly... i didnt mean take pups away to get mum back in ring

It is why captive Primnates usually make poor mothers, they haven't had the opportunity to learn from adults of their own species.

Thankyou once again all.

I had never intended to restrict access unless it proved what I was doing wasn't going to work, as I have no experience of this. I feel very reassurred that my bitch and pups will 'self wean' and her milk dry up if I allow her free access. This is what I was worried about.

Whilst my breeder is my mentor, I respect her views and opinions. I have not followed all of her methods, instead deciding to take all she says on board and consider it carefully, then take information from a range of sources and from all of that, form my own way of doing things. She has been breeding for a long time, and her mentor was someone from a well known stud, who would have been breeding for a number of years before that. I therefore wonder if some of her methods are a little 'old fashioned' but have worked for her, so why change them, in her opinion, I guess. I do feel I should defend her in saying that her method of weaning does not appear to have affected my bitch in any negative way, nor any other dog bred by her that I know. That's not to say it hasn't affected them, but if it has, it is not obvious.

As I said, it was never my intention to restrict access, but I did want conformation that allowing the bitch unrestricted access wasn't going to turn out to be a huge mistake, which I have got. So, once again, I feel re-assured in my decisions, and once again, thankyou all for your help/advice/comments. It is reassurring, especially at a tiem when all I can think of are those gorgeous little pups, and I want more than anything to do what's best for them.

I am sure you will do fine.  Just wanted to add that the free access method means that at any tiem the bitch can easily get away from the pups too.  As with anything there are many different ways of doign things that work.