my bitch had her pups 2 weeks on thurs, and i know all the books say to wean at three weeks, and that is next week, but they are so developed, does anyone think it will be a problem to wean early??

If they are still gaining weightsteadily, I would wait till thre weeks. If their weight gain is slowing down, or evening out, I would start at 2 1/2 weeks. Start with one meal a day at first for a couple of days, then add another meal everyday or other day until you're up to 4 meals a day.

They don't eat much to start with anyay, so that way, by three weeks, when they are really starting to need it, they'll be getting that little bit more.

they are gaining weight so i'll leave it tilll thurs, thank you.

Have you decided what you are going to wean them on to?
There are lots of options but personally I give raw chicken or beef mince - minced myself from lean cuts so I can control the fat. The reason I do this is because it is a natural diet for them (raw meat)and if my bitch pinches it, then it kicks in her natural reaction to regurgitate semi-digested food for the pups.
For a second type of food I'll then go to a widely available puppy complete kibble - Beta Pup/Junior as that is easy for me and new owners to get ( not a great range of puppy food here in the Hebrides).
I also give raw vegetables as puppy chews, little sticks of cucumber to begin with and later onto carrot which is crunchier.
I'd be interested to know what you choose.

Sgurr

I started weaning my last litter at 2.5 weeks as they were pinching mum's food. They just had a bit of sloppy weatabix to start with just once a day then building it up to 6 times a day. At first they seemed to wear more than they ate but they seemed to like it and mum got to eat her tea in peace

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Sammy you may be gone but your sprit will always live on in the sunbeams R I P Sammy

William- 6/11/03 - 24/3/10
Midge - 8/2/11 - 10-2-11

We start weaning ours as soon as they are up on their feet, the puppy food we have goes down nicely into a porridge the last litter I weaned at 2 weeks as they were really strong but that is about the norm for us 2 - 2.5 weeks, starting off with just a feed in the morning and one in the afternoon, after a couple of days we go onto the three and then by 3 weeks old they are normally eating the 4 feeds. It just gives mum a helping hand and doesnt then bring her 'down' too much.

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well............ i started weaning process yesterday.

when you say your doing weetabix, is that with welpi, or such like??? just a question.

i still had some pedigree pup food from when i was feeding it millie so i have tried them on that and they lapped it up, but gunna get some purina tomorrow as that is what millie had as a pup. we shall see tho. only given them a teaspoon amount so far and they just had moms milk the rest of the day and night.

i'm abit happier that they are at the right age, cuz they are really making millie sore!!!! and they can feed off her when she is atanding up so she won't get away from it. bless her. keep telling her only a couple more weeks now.

we are moving them from the whelping box this weekend as, they are fast out growing it. they are moveing them to a playpen with added protection so they should have a bit more room to play, lol. uh oh trouble starting.