Pup's are getting BIG ! (got questions)

[Crimson Ghost]

Hi everyone, no pictures at the moment...but I will post more soon.

Pups are now 5 weeks old and everything is on schedule. I picked up some puppy hard food and I am making it soft before feeding them. At what point can I give them hard puppy food without making it soft? These are 5 week old Lab pups -- big and strong, strong teeth too !

I made a vet appointment for next week (Friday) for the pups to get shots and checked over. I am going to bring in mom (Lucy) too.

I am keeping Lucy away from the pups this week - she is still looking to spend time with the pup (eating poo, pee and even feeding them!) But they are cutting her belly with their teeth. I kept Lucy away last night, this morning she charged right into the pups and started inspecting and cleaning -- of course as she walked around the pups grabbed her nip's (more like utters) and again cut her....she doesn't care ! We pulled Lucy away and there appears to be milk coming from her nips -- I think she is still producing milk, if so this is a problem right? I am wondering if Lucy should go to the vet sooner than next Friday (9 days away) ??

[rutylr]

At 4 weeks I start feeding puppies baby ceral and goats milk.then work in a bit of canned food and then slowly add kibble that has been saoked then you ween out the ceral,canned and by 6 weeks they are eatting dry kibble.
Lower the food intake on your femal and that will dry her up.
Donna

[Crimson Ghost]

Hi Donna - I can cut back on Lucy's food, but she looks so skinny ever since the birth it breaks my heart....she is clearly way too thin and needs weight badly (ever watch the Simpsons? Lucy is thinner than Santa's Little Helper).

We are feeding caned food twice a day and soggy kibble once a day (some days we reverse this). Will puppies over eat ? I was wondering if I can load um up with kibble so they have a supply on hand.

[rutylr]

Yes pups can over eat.You do not want fat puppies.Feed them three times a day and thats it.
I would cut down on the canned food.slowly ween them off of it.You want them eatting all kibble by the time they go home.
She most likly looks thin from all the milk and the way everthing hangs now.Is she still eatting?If you want her to dry up and get her girlish figure cut back on food.Let her drink all she wants.
Donna

[barnjess]

When you say you have cut back on her food how much are you feedinh her, she still needs more food than she did before

[Crimson Ghost]

Sounds logical that gravity is playing a part – we will stop her morning feeding and only feed her in the afternoon. When she lays on her side you can see her ribs and the last rib creates a drop off (cliff like effect) because her belly is nonexistent. I’ll cut the food and see if it helps.

I’ll also start to ween the pups to all kibble.

Thank you for the advice !

[barnjess]

When a bitch starts to look that way the expression milking off her back is used, do you have any pics of her?

[Crimson Ghost]

Originally Posted by barnjess

When you say you have cut back on her food how much are you feedinh her, she still needs more food than she did before

Actually, I havn't cut back yet -- just getting the advice this morning. Her food intake is still double what it use to be (pre pregnancy). After this thread I was thinking of dropping her to her "normal" food intake and see if it helps with the milk production. But I am still concerned that she is so skinny...maybe scrawny would be a better word. I'll take some pictures tonight, I think I need to bring her to my vet. I am pretty sure I read that she can be put on medicine to dry up the mike. I really want to feed her more than ever every time I look at her.

[Crimson Ghost]

Originally Posted by barnjess

When a bitch starts to look that way the expression milking off her back is used, do you have any pics of her?

Not at the moment - but I have this pic that I think is just adorable, but I will take a picture of Lucy tonight and post it. to assit in this conversation.

[barnjess]

I know how you feel, personally i never cut back on the ******* food, I know of some homeopathic remedies that help to dry up the ******* milk, did she go to the vet after whelping for her check up?