weaning puppies.....

[mom of 5]

It's me again..... Sorry for all the questions I keep asking, but all the info. is greatly appreciated! My bully puppies are 4 weeks 2 days old. I am bottle feeding due to the mother not producing milk. Well I have started grinding up their Fromm Puppy Gold and adding some water or milk replacer to it. Today I gave them a lid full of their milk replacer to drink. Is that ok, or should I have waited? I am so scared that they will put their noses in it and aspirate, as how I felt about bottle feeding them. I am feeling confident about the bottle feeding part, but now I am lacking confidence on letting them lap the milk replacer from a lid. Please give me some advice..... Also how many times a day should I be giving them the food? I guess I should mention if I hadn't in my previous post that they were "preemie's". They were born at 57 days gest. and the female w/the white head had little hair, well she was pinl from lack of. Anyways Thanks for reading and I sure am looking for some answers!

 

[Sherry]

[MENTION=2876]mom of 5[/MENTION]

I assume or hope you are giving them water to drink. Whatever you are using right now, keep it shallow. Feed them 4 times a day a runny mixture of your formula and puppy food. I would fix up a batch of puppy food soaked and kept in fridge until ready to feed. then mix up with warm formula, sloppy so they have to lap it up, and a scoop of plain yogurt in it too. But keep fresh water available at all times for them.

 

[mom of 5]

Where do I keep the water? I keep them in a playpen. Also, I give them 1 cc per ounce of body weight, so if they are eating the puppy food, should I still give them the formula as measured? I am sooo new to this!

 

[Sherry]

Where do I keep the water? I keep them in a playpen. Also, I give them 1 cc per ounce of body weight, so if they are eating the puppy food, should I still give them the formula as measured? I am sooo new to this!

No, just mix the formula with the mushy sloppy puppy food and you should be able to tell when their belly's expand that they are getting enough. Put the water in a shallow cereal bowl or plastic lid , even if they can walk through it, it's ok. not too deep. leave the water with them , put a little on their lips so they get the idea, If they aren't getting enough , you will be able to tell right away. If they are hungry they will eat enough. Once they get the idea, they will lap the heck out of it.
Feed every four hours or so. It's about 4 times a day. Don't feed before bed time, and take away the water before bed time too.

 

[Sherry]

Put the food in a shallow dish also, not a bottle. If they are too you to lap up the food then stick with the bottle for another week. some pups wean earlier then others.

 

[bullmama]

Also as soon as everyone gets the hang of lapping up the mush, you can also offer goat milk, then I slowly add water to the milk over the coarse of a week until it's all water.

 

[mom of 5]

These puppies WON'T drink water!! They ARE making me NUTS!! They will be 6 weeks on thursday, and they still "suck" there food. Is this normal? I am sooo over the puppy phase! Like I said in my previous post, I've had to bottle feed them, and wonder if that is why they are not catching on?. Also since the mother had nothing to do with them, I was wondering when I was able to let them go to their new homes? Thanks for bearing with me...this is SO frustrating for me! Also, I HAVE learned my lesson; that breeding bulldogs are not for everyone!!!

 

[ChanelnBrutus]

I dont know much about breeding bullies or any breed for that matter! I know that breeding bullies is a very different process and much much more work than any other breed. I know puppies shouldnt leave the mother until at least 8 weeks...The mother doesnt interact with them??? Even if she doesnt feed them they should be together at times I think but Im not positive [MENTION=2071]Davidh[/MENTION] [MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION] I know that have a lot of experience with this!

 

[Davidh]

I bottle feed Buddy, and he picked up the lapping OK. Just give it a little time and they should get it. Also they should spend some time with mama, so she can teach them things, even if it's just watching her do things, like going potty outside. I would not let them go until at least 8 weeks. Start letting them out side some to play and get used to the grass if you haven't already. We start taking them outside and try to get them used to going potty out side by 6 weeks. Just keep offering them water and eventually they will get it.

 

[mom of 5]

I thought you wasn't suppose to let them out before their vaccinations? Should I still be giving them milk replacement? I add it to their water and they drink it like that, but not straight water! Is the sucking of the food normal?

 

[Davidh]

You can let them out at you house, in your back yard, plus they should have had their first set of shots now. Keep giving them the formula but can slowly reduce the formula until it's straight water.

 

[bullmama]

I thought you wasn't suppose to let them out before their vaccinations? Should I still be giving them milk replacement? I add it to their water and they drink it like that, but not straight water! Is the sucking of the food normal?

They need vaccinations and at 6 weeks that should have them. The sucking of the food, not really sure if that is normal, can you video it?

 

[Opanoki]

I'm not sure where you live, but most breeders will not let puppies go to their forever homes until 8 weeks at the earliest and most keep them to 12 weeks. Depends on if the new owners have experience w bullies or are newbies. The puppies will get the hang of drinking & eating mush, just be persistent and stay calm. Keep the dish of water in their pen, when they're thirsty, they will drink. At 8 weeks, they should be off formula or goat's milk unless underweight or slow growing. By 12 weeks they should be on dry food....good luck, this is the fun time.....!