I know that the puppys cannot leave before 8 weeks min. But I have a kennel outside and was wondering when the mother can go out into the kennel and the puppys still stay in the home by themself. Ill start to wean the puppy around 3-4 weeks old. How old should puppies be when they can start exploring the snow? Thank You!
2007-12-09 11:31:38 · 8 answers · asked by trey 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
I live in S.E. Wisconsin and the temp right now is usually 25-35.
2007-12-09 14:52:25 · update #1
Snow??? I refuse to live anywhere that expects snow to lie on the ground. Snow is that pretty white stuff that sits on the mountain in the background... good for taking a drive to for a short visit, but not for trying to LIVE in!
Pups should NOT be forced to go into it, but by the time they CHOOSE to explore it they'll be okay provided they have a nice warm nest to return to. The main risk is if they thaw enough snow to wet their coats - THAT will produce serious chilling, as will swallowing amounts of snow (which can produce hypothermia - explorers don't eat snow, they drink *thawed* snow).
You don't wean the pups, you definitely don't separate the dam from them, but you DO:
(1) Supplement their mother's milk supply about every 4-6 hours starting at day 21 (earlier if she's not supplying enough milk, but until their brains switch on during day 21 they don't remember from one feed to the next how to inhale what you supply).
(2) Provide some sort of platform or barrier so that the dam can get away from the pups for a rest then return to them when she feels she's needed.
Several of my bitches have "stood" for token suckling when the remaining pups were up to 12 weeks old. But for the rest of the day they preferred to supervise from places the pups weren't co-ordinated enough to reach.
And all those who say "8 weeks min" are wrong. A litter has learned enough "canine language" by 7 weeks old, and solo-pups have been successfully trained to reliably retrieve at as young as 6 weeks old.
My pups are available as soon as they are tattooed, which is done as soon after they turn 7 weeks that their ears are big enough for the tattooing pliers to fit.
The advantage of keeping the pups until 8 weeks old is that you can give them their first set of vaccinations. But the first set of vaccinations is NOT enough, and nothing like a "peace of mind" guarantee that the shots will work. The same applies to the shots given at 12 weeks old. I don't get peace of mind until 2 weeks after the booster given at 16 weeks old.
The ideal age for a pup to be rehoused is in the range 7-through-11 weeks, a period in which they almost immediately forget their dam & siblings and quickly accept their new accommodation.
Ages 13-through-16 weeks is a BAD time to move pups out, that being the "need security" stage of development.
If you want more information about developmental stages find the Bar Harbor reports by J.P.Scott et al, probably most easily accessed via Clarence Pfaffenberger's "The New Knowledge of Dog Behavior"
Les P, owner of GSD_Friendly: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/GSD_Friendly
"In GSDs" as of 1967
2007-12-09 18:47:22 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Puppies need to be left with their mother until they are at least 6 wks old but many keep them until they are 8 wks.. Don't worry about weaning the litter their mother will take care of that she will know what time is best but they should remain with her for 6-8 weeks because she not only feeds thewm but teaches them as well. Depending on the climate and where you live the puppies could probably be taken out into the snow at 6-7 weeks but should be supervised and brought in after a couple minutes until they can ajust to the temperature change.
2007-12-09 14:39:58 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The puppies need to stay with their mother for the 8 weeks minimum. The does more than just feed them, she teaches them things like bite inhibition. Also, weaning is a process that the mother and pups go through - it's not an over-night thing.
Depending on the temps. where you live, the puppies might be able to go out for VERY short time periods when they're around 6 weeks.
2007-12-09 11:41:23 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You do not wean a puppy from the mother. the mother will do that her self.
when the puppies are around 6 weeks old you can start to give them sold food.
Ideally you should keep the puppies with their mother until they are at least 10 to 12 weeks old.
You can start when the puppies are around 8 weeks old letting the mother out say during the day than bringing her in to be with her puppies at night.
I would not bring the puppies out side until they are around 5-6 weeks old and than only for very short periods of time.
2007-12-09 11:54:48 · answer #4 · answered by gypsymamma 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
okay first YOU don't wean the puppies. MAMA will wean them. And they should not be separated for at least the first 8 weeks. Some breeders hang on to them for 12.
3-4 week old puppies still need milk.
2007-12-09 11:35:02 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Puppies should not be separated from their mother and littermates before 8 weeks of age. Many recommend 10 weeks minimum. This is related to physical considerations such as weaning and psychological considerations such as the puppy's readiness to leave the litter
2016-04-08 04:25:37 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Puppies should not be taken away from their mother before 8 weeks of age....if they are still there then the mom should be in with them....not outside....and they can go out int he snow for SMALL amounts of time....but should be brought in after a few minutes...
2007-12-09 11:35:51 · answer #7 · answered by mamorus_gurl 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
6 weeks minimum. wean them at 6 weeks and they can probably be taken away at 8 or 9 weeks ideally.
2007-12-09 11:36:29 · answer #8 · answered by :) 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋