Guest hyperion Posted October 19, 2008 Report Share Posted October 19, 2008 can any one tell me what the average age is for a pup to be wheened? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skycat 6,174 Posted October 19, 2008 Report Share Posted October 19, 2008 I always leave the bitch to decide when she's had enough: she can get away from the pups at any time by hopping over a board in the kennel, but I'd say that at 5 weeks they still like to have a suckle at least 3 times a day. Most of my bitches still have the milk bar open a couple of times a day until the pups are about 8 weeks old: but usually tell the pups to p*ss off after a couple of minutes as their teeth are hurting her. Why do you ask? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Clover 0 Posted October 19, 2008 Report Share Posted October 19, 2008 Hyperion - are you meaning at what age should the weaning process start, or at what age should a pup be fully weaned from its mother? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
labsnlurchers 39 Posted October 19, 2008 Report Share Posted October 19, 2008 as above, start at 4/5 wks depending on the pups (i had one litter eyes open and eating solid at 1 and a 1/2 weeks old!) fully weaned at 8/9. i always let the bitch do it naturally less stressful for the pups and bitch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest hyperion Posted October 19, 2008 Report Share Posted October 19, 2008 just wondered as i got into a argument with me dad about how old a pup should be before it leave its mum and when they should go onto solid food! cheers hyperion Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Clover 0 Posted October 20, 2008 Report Share Posted October 20, 2008 I usually start weaning at about 3 weeks - mine tend to have big litters! But I do it really slowly. Just one little meal on first and second days, two small meals on third and fourth days, 3 on 5th and so on. My bitches will usually let the pups suckle a little bit til they're about 7 weeks, some less, some more. I let mine leave home at about 8 weeks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skycat 6,174 Posted October 20, 2008 Report Share Posted October 20, 2008 (edited) just wondered as i got into a argument with me dad about how old a pup should be before it leave its mum and when they should go onto solid food!cheers hyperion Exactly how old was your pup when you got him? He did look very young in your first pics. If a pup is forcibly weaned too early and more to the point, taken away from its litter mates and mum too early, it is deprived of several vital learning stages: how to respect its mother, how to play with litter mates. I have seen one or two pups that were taken from their dams at a month old and put into a new home: unless brought up around lots of other dogs who can teach it how to be a dog, they can turn into horrible little sods: bit like imprints in birds. They also don't know how to behave around other dogs as an adult. Common sense should tell most people that a very young pup needs its mother to teach it all these important things about how a dog should behave. Edited October 20, 2008 by skycat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest hyperion Posted October 20, 2008 Report Share Posted October 20, 2008 five weeks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ESS Posted October 20, 2008 Report Share Posted October 20, 2008 as above, start at 4/5 wks depending on the pups (i had one litter eyes open and eating solid at 1 and a 1/2 weeks old!) fully weaned at 8/9. i always let the bitch do it naturally less stressful for the pups and bitch eyes open at 11 days and eating? Was it a small litter she had? as labsnlurchers said naturally is the best the bitch will let you know..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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