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Week 6 - 7th December
Weaning has started. We no longer have to worry about whether the puppies are receiving enough milk, we are now in control of what they eat and when. We originally planned to wait until six weeks had passed but after sensing the puppies were needing more feeds than they were getting, we realised they weren't being satisfied enough by simply relying on their mother.
We also noticed at just over five weeks that Poppy was starting to get a little fed up of feeding them and seemed reluctant to lay down when the puppies were around so we decided to start the weaning a few days early. We started giving them a little supplementary puppy milk to start with, something that was easy to digest, a goats milk formula with added vitamins. Just a few mouthfuls to begin with so they learned to lap. Next we added a little crushed boiled rice to the milk, just plain boiled rice to give some texture to the mix so they learned swallow soft solids. Although reluctantly, Poppy was still feeding them, and as they are still just over five weeks we are careful not to give them too much before their stomachs had become accustomed to the change.
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After a couple of days, when we were sure they were all going to the toilet normally, we started to add a few very soggy puppy biscuits to the milk which we had first soaked in boiling water, hot water helps to soften the biscuits fast. This mix proved very popular and the the tiny bowl full was eaten by all the puppies very quickly, of course you need to make sure it is warm rather than hot when you give it to them. Another sign they are ready for the weaning process is how eager they are to feed themselves.
They have quickly learned that if we walk in the room carrying a bowl that we are carrying food and they all follow behind us wagging their tails frantically. We are now feeding simply soggy puppy food and have stopped adding the goats milk. The mix is now giving them all the nutrients they need and vitamins for healthy bones and coats. They are starting to lap up water which is always available and feeds from their mother are now few and far between.
Three times a day we have started to feed them, once when we wake, once in the early afternoon and once on an evening. Their tiny tummys can not hold a lot of food at the moment so we need to give small meals more regularly. Of course more water and more food results in more waste so we are pleased we have at least started to make a start with toilet training them.
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Contrary to our earlier hopes of training them early we have found that unless they are within sight of the training mats some of them will simply go to toilet wherever and whenever they need to go. If we spot them we quickly pick them up and place them on the mat, eventually they will learn. We could place mats around the house so they see them wherever they are but this would not help to toilet train them as they will think it is ok to go to toilet wherever they are in your home. Keep only one mat in one place in your home, a well defined area that they learn is the toilet area, it is also important that this area is near the door which is where they will go when they are eventually toilet trained, a way of letting you know they want to go outside when the mats are no longer threre. A few newspapers around the mat would help to catch any pups that are not the best aim.
Chews are another comfort we have introduced and although they can't bite through them it is helping with their teething and they do make popular play things. We are starting to hear a lot of squeaking and pining now when they wake, they want to come through to play and they can hear and see us through the glass kitchen doors. We do let them come through but keep a very close eye on them. Little pop is scampering from one side of the room to the other and stopping only for a second to let off a bark before continuing her scamper.
Bring one of them through and you have to bring them all through. They all know that our living room equals more fun so they all sit wining at the door until we open it.
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Poppy is starting to see the puppies as her competition rather than her puppies and seems to be losing her motherly bond a little. A good example of this is when she is feeding on a chew herself, if any of the puppies ventures too close they receive a severe and prolonged growl and a stair that warns them away. They keep their distance and stay away from her until she has finished, so they can obviously tell that she is not happy. We haven't seen her snap at them yet though, she is only making sure that they don't take any of her treat. She then expects them to share their puppy food with her and tries her up most to get some of it. Double standards!
A tiny handful of hard puppy biscuits are now shared among the litter and they are starting to crunch their way through them very successfully, These will keep their teeth healthy and give the puppies another little activity to keep themselves occupied.
Wednesday and the puppies have received the second part of their worming course, a full tablet was given and this is the last time we will worm them. It is recommended to keep them wormed each month up until 6 months of age every four weeks, but that is a decision the new owners will take themselves. What a struggle it was to take five lively, excited puppies to the vets this morning, it was executed with split second precision with the help of our washing basket and a few blankets. All puppies are healthy and the vet, once again, couldn't believe how big they were for six week old puppies. The puppies weights were recorded again - Lola 1.65kg, Melody 1.77kg, Otis 1.68kg, Little Pop 1.13kg and Jasper 1.46kg.
13 days, 23 hours, fifty nine minutes and fifty nine seconds to go! >>> week 7