I have a litter of #3 Chihuahuas. They are 15 weeks old. Our intention was to keep all of the puppies. One of our friends wants to adopt one of the puppies. I was wondering what would be the least stressful or best way to separate the puppy being adopted from the mother and the siblings. Do I let the mother see us give the puppy to new owner, or just take the puppy and give it to new owner, without the mother realizing it? I don't think there's really an easy way, I was just wondering if you had any tips or suggestions. Thanks!
2006-12-23 00:39:34 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
If they are that old then its OK to give one away..usually its about 8 weeks old that they are ready to go off to new homes...but they need to learn how to eat real food... .. if she is protective about them then just slip it away while she is outside doing her business... she is probably ready to wean them about now if she hasn't already...here is a bit of info on weaning:
Weaning Puppies The Right Way
Weaning is an important part of puppy care. Whether the puppies are being cared for by their canine mother or are being orphan raised, the method and timing of weaning can have lifelong effects on the babies. Learning how to wean can help the puppy develop emotionally and socially.
Timing is Everything
About 3 weeks after birth, the mother dog normally begins to evade the puppies and discourages nursing. At this time, the puppies also naturally begin to show a decline in the length of time they nurse. More of their time is spent exploring their new world.
At this point, it is time to start offering food for the puppies to sample. Even if the puppies are being orphan raised, begin offering food around 3 weeks of age. At this point, increased gentle human handling can improve the puppy’s physical and social development, and make them more accepting of people.
Feeding
At around 3 weeks of age, begin offering food to the puppies. Offer the puppies small amounts of soft food in a shallow dish.
(You can soften food by placing it in a microwave for a few seconds with a glass of water)
Up to this point, the puppies have been suckling to get their nourishment. Now, they need to learn to open their mouths and bite to get food into their mouths to be swallowed. Learning to do this results in some messy feeding times.
Puppies will typically walk and fall in the food dish. They may even try to nurse on the food, resulting in some pretty messy pups. Eventually, they learn normal eating behavior. Some people will place the food on a cookie sheet and place it in the bathtub and let the puppies learn. This allows for easy clean up.
Offer the food several times a day for about 30 minutes at a time. When the puppies no longer seem interested in the food, clean them up and put them back with their mother. During this time, allow the mother increasing time away from the babies.
For some mothers, you may have to be persistent. Some mothers and some babies may not wean properly. Mothers that do not begin to push away their puppies by 4 weeks of age will need help. Weaning should progress slowly, to reduce the incidence of anxiety and mammary gland inflammation in the mother.
Several times a day, remove the babies for 1 to 2 hours at a time. Food should only be offered for short periods of time but keeping the babies separate from the mother can encourage natural weaning. As the puppies age, more time should be spent away from the mother until finally, the puppies are on their own.
By the time the puppies are around 8 weeks of age, they should be eating solid food and no longer nursing. At this tender age, pups are ready for their new homes and life without their mother
2006-12-23 01:08:26 · answer #1 · answered by marnibrown1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
@ 15 weeks mom won't care or miss the puppy. So it really doesn't matter. What will make a difference tho' is to put a bath towel in with the dogs to sleep on for a night or two. Then put the towel in the puppy's crate to take to it's new home. This will give the pup the sense of being where it belongs.
2006-12-23 09:44:50 · answer #2 · answered by tom l 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Make sure you check your local laws concerning the age a puppy has to be before selling or adopting. In raising puppies, I have seen the mother act a little nervous when a puppy is removed but it doesn't seem to have much of an impact. There will be a time when she will gladly let them go. She will start weaning them and they will not be ready for that. You may notice her behavior change and she will have the need to get away from them. Good luck and I'm sure you will make the right decisions.
2006-12-23 08:47:11 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋
I` m none of those- but I want to be a vet tech.
1. the best way to seperate them, is when you feel comfy, that the pups are old enough, just give it away. I`m not sure if the mother would even realize it (prolly, but)
2006-12-23 08:47:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Just give the puppy away. They're way too old for her to care. It doesn't matter to her if she sees the puppy go.
2006-12-23 08:57:57 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Just give the pup away. It will take a little time but all will adjust.
2006-12-23 11:07:16 · answer #6 · answered by st.lady (1 of GitEm's gang) 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
.
2006-12-23 08:46:45 · answer #7 · answered by Maddie 1 · 0⤊ 3⤋