gkirk
Ratterific
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| 06/01/2007 1:00 PM |
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Hi -
As most of you know I had puppies.. well my dog had puppies haha 2 1/2 weeks ago.. I am taking them to the vet on June 15th.. a few days after their 4 weeks old. My question is when do i start to wean them? I forgot to ask yesterday when i spoke to the vet? And the info on the web varies so widely? I know some of you are really experienced and would appreciate it if you could help me out! Thanks a bunch! |
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Jules
Firehouse Big Dog
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| 06/01/2007 1:02 PM |
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| At 2 weeks you start putting out food. Just take puppy food and put water in it and heat it up and mush it up really good. Let it cool of course. Then just put it on a big plate and put them infront of it. I did it like once or twice a day. They would eat it, by 4 weeks they should be eating the mushy food and not nursing as much. |
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“Photography is about finding out what can happen in the frame. When you put four edges around some facts, you change those facts.” -Garry Winogrand
Been a member of rt.com since Aug. 2005 |
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Jules
Firehouse Big Dog
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| 06/01/2007 1:04 PM |
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| They are supposed to be weaned at 4-5 weeks but they will still be trying to nurse. |
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“Photography is about finding out what can happen in the frame. When you put four edges around some facts, you change those facts.” -Garry Winogrand
Been a member of rt.com since Aug. 2005 |
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gkirk
Ratterific
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| 06/01/2007 1:06 PM |
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| ok thanks so much! ill give it a shot today! |
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Jules
Firehouse Big Dog
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| 06/01/2007 1:12 PM |
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They are so cute when they start eating, they get really messy tho. Having puppies is so fun, enjoy this time, its goes by so fast! |
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“Photography is about finding out what can happen in the frame. When you put four edges around some facts, you change those facts.” -Garry Winogrand
Been a member of rt.com since Aug. 2005 |
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Mitzy's Mom
Alpha Feist
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| 06/01/2007 1:13 PM |
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| Ack! Look at those little messy faces! |
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Mary Beth, mom to the Lollipop Kids
Georgia Foster Mom
www.ratbonerescues.com; www.newrattitude.org |
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BonitaKaz
Bratty Ratty
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| 06/01/2007 1:14 PM |
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| Awww... they wouldn't be babies if they didn't get messy. |
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*Bonita* Mom to Nibbler!
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Jules
Firehouse Big Dog
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| 06/01/2007 1:17 PM |
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| Makes me wish I didn't spay and neuter my dogs lol |
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“Photography is about finding out what can happen in the frame. When you put four edges around some facts, you change those facts.” -Garry Winogrand
Been a member of rt.com since Aug. 2005 |
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gkirk
Ratterific
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| 06/01/2007 1:21 PM |
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| Awww soo darn cute! i love puppies! I cant belive how big they are getting already theyre starting to stand up its so cute! Im going to try feeding them in a bit ill let you know when i have any success! |
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Jules
Firehouse Big Dog
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| 06/01/2007 1:26 PM |
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I was also mashing up a bunch of food and storing it in tupperware containers. That way I could get them food fast before Patsy had time to nurse them. Then they would get more used to eating dog food then milk.
My dad kept telling me right around 4 weeks old is the cutest age and its true. They become puppies and learn how to bark and growl at eachother. It's so fun to watch them grow up! |
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“Photography is about finding out what can happen in the frame. When you put four edges around some facts, you change those facts.” -Garry Winogrand
Been a member of rt.com since Aug. 2005 |
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Izzy's mom
Ratastic
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| 06/01/2007 2:04 PM |
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| Awww puppies. Makes me wish i wasn't getting Izzy spayed in a few weeks. But it must be done. Keep us updated and send some pics. |
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gkirk
Ratterific
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| 06/02/2007 11:54 AM |
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| so i made them up a little mashed food last night and today and they give it a few licks and walk away.. im sure they will get it soon? theyre already starting to pee on their own lol and a few of them are starting to walk pretty good! i cant believe it! !! |
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Jules
Firehouse Big Dog
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| 06/02/2007 12:23 PM |
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| I think I put some food on their lips so they had to taste it. They will eat eventually i swear lol |
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“Photography is about finding out what can happen in the frame. When you put four edges around some facts, you change those facts.” -Garry Winogrand
Been a member of rt.com since Aug. 2005 |
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amletpumpkin
Terrier Terror
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| 06/02/2007 12:53 PM |
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awww, how fun, puppies!
post some pics! |
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Sassy'sMama
Firehouse Big Dog
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| 06/02/2007 1:19 PM |
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| oh how sweet Jules!! love the puppies... |
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~~Jan~~
Mama to Sassy
Religion is for people afraid of going to hell,
Spirituality is for people who have already been there. |
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Susan
Terrier Terror
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| 06/02/2007 4:57 PM |
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| It seemed to me with my litter that they wanted to nurse more than they wanted food until they were about 6 weeks. The larger dogs that I have bred did not want to nurse their pups much past four weeks, but my rattie Maggie would have never weaned them if it had been up to her. I only offered food once a day untill they were six weeks, cause the nursing protects them against disease and I give shots at six weeks so they get the extra protection from the shot and nursing isn't as important. Let them nurse anyway until eight weeks unless their mom doesn't want them. Quite a few dogs get tired of their pups by six weeks. it is not a big thing and I always figured that the pups needed the Moms milk until they leave her. They are so unprotected when the mom weans them at 4 or5 weeks and I am scared of parvo and all the other diseases that they can get. |
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ANYTHING WORTH DOING IS WORTH OVERDOING Mom of eight, only three left at home! Pack leader to ten ratties: Maggie, Mysty, Berry, Simon, Ceecee and five puppies, Star,Sari, Bluebelle, Double stuf,and Snortie. As well as Ginger the Border Collie and a herd of turkeys! |
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Susan
Terrier Terror
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| 06/02/2007 4:58 PM |
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| Did you have all black tris? |
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ANYTHING WORTH DOING IS WORTH OVERDOING Mom of eight, only three left at home! Pack leader to ten ratties: Maggie, Mysty, Berry, Simon, Ceecee and five puppies, Star,Sari, Bluebelle, Double stuf,and Snortie. As well as Ginger the Border Collie and a herd of turkeys! |
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gkirk
Ratterific
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| 06/02/2007 6:31 PM |
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| I have 2 black tris and 2 tan sable & white.. I am going on vacation this tues to next tues.. and my daughter is going to be taking care of the dogs.. i think i am going to wait on the food until i get back.. just because i know it requires alot of attention and i want to make sure i do it right! :o) |
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Jules
Firehouse Big Dog
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| 06/02/2007 7:25 PM |
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| They will get into eating it if you keep doing it. I don't recall them having any problems after the first week I started. |
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“Photography is about finding out what can happen in the frame. When you put four edges around some facts, you change those facts.” -Garry Winogrand
Been a member of rt.com since Aug. 2005 |
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gkirk
Ratterific
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| 06/02/2007 7:54 PM |
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| i had a question about one of the pups tails? i was looking at them tonight and they all look great except for one.. it looks like there is a chunk of hair that is going to come out.. like the hair is regrowing in one spot above the tail and the skin is drying and peeling away around it? does that sound odd? none of the others did that they all look normal.. |
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Susan
Terrier Terror
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| 06/03/2007 2:14 AM |
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| Did you have them docked or are they long and natural bob? |
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ANYTHING WORTH DOING IS WORTH OVERDOING Mom of eight, only three left at home! Pack leader to ten ratties: Maggie, Mysty, Berry, Simon, Ceecee and five puppies, Star,Sari, Bluebelle, Double stuf,and Snortie. As well as Ginger the Border Collie and a herd of turkeys! |
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gkirk
Ratterific
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| 06/03/2007 7:15 AM |
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| I had them docked |
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smoore
Ratastic
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| 06/03/2007 11:45 AM |
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I started weaning my pups at 4 weeks just because there were five of them and the mom couldn't keep up with milk production, I really wanted to wait until they were 6 weeks since they were so tiny. I think that is the earliest it should be done unless the mother is having problems, or she is getting really tired of them. They were fully weaned at about 6-7 weeks old. I got my female rat terrier a baby creeper so it could cover her belly that way she could spend time wth the pups and not have to worry about the attacking her and nursing from her which would stimulate more milk production.
How old are your pups? When I had my pups tails docked it was about 2 weeks before the scabs on the tails came off. If the person docking them used a nitro stick it could've caused extra scabing too. |
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-Sara
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smoore
Ratastic
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| 06/03/2007 11:47 AM |
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| The later you wean the longer they will have the mothers immunity. It is best have them weaned closest to there first set of shots. |
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-Sara
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gkirk
Ratterific
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| 06/03/2007 12:50 PM |
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| My pups had their tails done at 3 days, their going to be 3 weeks on monday. I called the vet that did the docking and she told me to keep it moist with neosporin 2x a day .. its like his whole tail is scabbing, i just dont want his tail to be bald!! |
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Susan
Terrier Terror
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| 06/03/2007 8:18 PM |
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| sounds like an infection or fungus is attacking the tail. You need to get that pup back to the vets just in case. They can't fight off bacterias and things very well when they are small. Mom licking it shouldn't hurt it. I would get it checked soon as possible. |
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ANYTHING WORTH DOING IS WORTH OVERDOING Mom of eight, only three left at home! Pack leader to ten ratties: Maggie, Mysty, Berry, Simon, Ceecee and five puppies, Star,Sari, Bluebelle, Double stuf,and Snortie. As well as Ginger the Border Collie and a herd of turkeys! |
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gkirk
Ratterific
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| 06/03/2007 9:17 PM |
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| thanks.. im going to do that tomorrow |
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