PUPS - SLOW TO LAP MILK

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celebrity6

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We have a litter of 9 pups who are now just over 3 weeks old. I have been trying to get them to lap milk (tried Lactol and cow's milk) all week but they don't seem too interested. I reckon they think mum's milk is best - which it is, but their attention is quite draining on mum. Plus their teeth are starting to come through.
Any thoughts on how I can make their milk more appetising?
Grateful for any advice.
 
At 3 weeks old and their milk teeth coming through you should be introducing a puppy mash to them. Pedigree Chum do a fairly good one but any of the brands will do as long as its for puppies.

Following the instructions and once they smell it believe me they will be scoffing it up! Always take away any left overs-3 times a day will be ok to start them off.

Mum can leave her puppies for a while and have time on her own-which is important. Her intake of food will be enormous! Puppies will probably be suckling for another 6 weeks yet. Mum will tell them herself when its time to stop.

Good luck
 
It's a messy job!

I find the best thing to use is baby powder (Cow and Gate Breakfast Cereal?) and mix that up sloppily (not as runny as simple milk of course, more like a runny porage!)spl! You might have to put some on your finger to get them to suck it off then lower it to the bowl (wants to be very shallow, an old Pyrex lid is good) it might take a few days but they'll soon get the hang of it. They will walk in it and get it all over themselves but mum will clean it up so don't panic. Once they are eating that properly a couple of times a day then you can introduce a puppy food a spoonful at a time. If the bitch will leave them for short whiles, the time to introduce the food is when they've been apart a bit, they will be hungrier, so don't let her back in until they've fed.
I'm nearly in the same boat, the Bassets are 3 weeks old this weekend and although she's got loads of milk and the longer they can be on the better, I will start supplementing next week although I don't expect them to be very hungry! I wouldn't expect to have them fully weaned by 7 weeks by which time they will be on 4 meals a day although for the last couple of weeks the bitch will only be 'visiting' during the day and sleeping with them at night, so it's very gradual.

Good luck, let us know how you get on.

BTW, once they are eating food, the bitch should stop clearing up after the pups although she will still lick and clean them, so that's the time when you need lots of clean newspaper else they get in a right state!
 
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