Just the night, about 8 hours. Our puppies are 5 weeks old (English Pointers, a medium sized breed) now and have been staying with their momma in a heated garage since they were born. I really want to let the momma dog sleep in the yard (unlike my German Shepherd, she has never been a house dog) because she is pooping huge mounds in the garage and it reeks horribly all throughout the house. Will the puppies be alright if they're away from their momma for 8 hours? They've been eating a "cereal" mix of dry puppy food mixed with milk and slightly heated so I could leave that for them when I go to bed if you think that would help.
2007-11-12 17:55:00 · 7 answers · asked by Wintergirl 5 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Howlarius, no of course we don't leave it laying around! We are constantly cleaning the garage and I wash the linens that are in the whelping box every day so the puppies always have fresh clean sheets. The mother is getting fixed as soon as the puppies are weaned. I was wondering because when we wake up in the morning, the entire house smells like poop from the mound the mother made in the wee hours of the morning.
2007-11-12 18:09:50 · update #1
The best thing to do is to let momma come and go as she pleases, allow her to go to the pups when she wants to, also, at this stage she will be looking to have time away from them, its all part of the natural weaning process. If you lock her out she won't be able to clean up thier poops and you will have the same problem. Also the pups may get distressed and she might get distressed also, which will only wake you halfway through the night!!
From now on, the pups are learning thier basic social skills and even though momma won't be spending as much time with them for feeding etc, she is still very important for behavioural reasons. Give her an entry/exit to her babies and all will be well, also, nows the time for you to spend time with them for human interaction reasons. Be sure they have all been wormed (including your other dogs) and start preparing for thier shots. Happy puppying!!
2007-11-12 18:17:48 · answer #1 · answered by jukette 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'm sure the smell is not just the mom. The puppies are doing a lot too, especially if you are feeding them food mixed with cows milk. Cows milk gives them loose bowels. Stop that for one thing. Mix water only with their food. Most puppy chow has a milk base to it so when you mix water they will get the proper mix. Make sure you are giving them a Puppy Chow for the correct vitamins. Any thine you have a kennel you have to move the mother & babies & scrub the area daily with a disenfectant to keep down the smell & desease. The babies stay with the mother for 10 to 12 weeks. At which time they can be separated. If you have a shelter outside the mother & puppies can go to it but I wouldn't do it all at once at night. I would do it during the day. But remember you have gotten these puppies used to being in a heated garage so be careful. Pat @ WTF
2007-11-13 02:24:04 · answer #2 · answered by partegg 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should be able to wean them off the mother with no problem. Understand though that puppies learn a lot from their mothers (where sound comes from, etc.) If taken away to early pups can have learning disabilities and if with the mother too long they develop other behavioral issues. I wouldn't leave food down and set them up on a schedule. If you regulate what goes in - you can regulate what comes out.
Let the mother spend short amounts of time with them.
2007-11-13 04:47:16 · answer #3 · answered by all4pawsdsmith 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would say they will be okay - when i picked up my puppy (Staffy X Lab) from the pet shop he had been there 2 nights on his own and he was only 6 weeks old. He was a bit funny the first couple of nights when we brought him home, so I wrapped an old clock and a hot water bottle (not to hot) in a blanket and tucked it into his bed. That seemed to help settle him at night, the clock is meant to sound like the mothers heart beating.
2007-11-13 02:17:44 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
leave those pups w/their momma for at LEAST 10-12 weeks!!!!
they learn VERY important social behavior from mom during this time. spending THAT much time away from mom could seriously effect them. they depend on her for everything right now. it would be neglectful to leave them unattended!
not to mention that she helps them keep their temperature normal..something which that cannot do alone.
is your garage really more important than your pups? get the mother fixed after all the pups have found homes BTW. and i would suggest cleaning the garage out...you dont leave that laying around do you? that's not sanitary for the pups.
2007-11-13 02:03:47 · answer #5 · answered by ☆MWφM☆ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The dog's are safe to ween from the parent at the age of 8 weeks.
2007-11-13 02:12:27 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would think that they would need to be weened from mom.
But I would try it and see what happens. They are used to her being with them and they might feel that 'lonely' feeling, being so young.
They will probably cry all night just to let you know though.
Trial and error-if it's too much for ya due to the crying, let mom back in.
Mom is their sense of security, she is all they've known for 5 weeks.
Good Luck and buy earplugs.. lol
2007-11-13 02:03:16 · answer #7 · answered by †..Jetta..† 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋