Hi,
Wondered if anyone can clarify the weaning formula for me. Is it canned goats milk or just regular goats milk in the carton that is used in Ed's formula? Walmart sells both and the canned is evaporated and double strength. So I wondered if it makes a difference. Also I started with the formula in the whelping video that has cottage cheese in it - but now I am wondering if that was an old recommendation. Do I add hamburger in after 1 week? Thanx, any clarification would help!

At 22 days old don't do any weaning yet they are way to young.
At 6 weeks is when I suggest to start weaning.

when i use the formulia i use canned. Goat milk.

First i would bottle feed a few more weeks. Then I would put some milk in a saucer and see if they learn how to drink out of a bowl.
Then slowly add hamburger meat. They should not be completly on raw till 7 weeks at the earliest.

Don't push it, you might mess up their gut if you start too soon.
I am not sure about the cottage cheese.

They have the formula. I will try to find it on the site and post it for you.

Heres the link

http://leerburg.com/bottlefeeding.htm

I personally am using Ed's formula. I am also using plain old goat's milk in the carton from the grocery store along with the plain whole yogurt sold next to it. I don't like cottage cheese for little guys, too much salt.

By my calendar my pups have been eating from a dish from day 21. Basically once I noticed they were doing tongue motions I gave formula in a dish a try and success they do it on their own. My basic formula for intro to solids from day 22 is Ed's formula, baby rice cereal, and a bit of raw burger/ground chicken at about luke warm temperature. Consistancy is about like ivers clam chowder minus the potato lumps. So far success, everyone is gaining weight, and poos are firm. They also suck this stuff down like it's going out of style.

Don't be afraid if they waddle in it at first. Just make sure no one falls down and can't get their face out of the muk. Honestly mine looked rather spackled the first couple days. Mom happily helped with cleanup. If you want a dish recommendation you can use one like the ones ed sells, I'm using a ceramic cat dish for my four little gals, you can also use a low metal circle cake pan for big puppies.

I didn't start weaning my puppies until i saw them try and get into mom's kibble (she was free-fed during nursing time). In other words telling me they were ready to try grownup food.
http://intrepidgirl.newcon.org/images/Sep18-1.jpg

If they did not do this I would have waited.

They had teeth bumps and were crawling around actively by that time. I just counted and they were 21 days (3 weeks).

I started with a pan of formula (that Stephanie linked to) - I used a large glass pie dish that was too heavy for them to tip over, and put an upside down cereal bowl in the middle to keep them from walking through it. I would feed them formula first and then let mom in so they could top up on her milk.

After a while I added mashed raw ground turkey and/or chicken, they went nuts.

I used whole goat milk from a carton (not the concentrated stuff), Karo syrup, whole plain yogurt (I suppose you could also use whole Kefir), and organic raw eggs.

Thanx everyone. I think I am on track. They were licking up Moms raw burger and Honest kitchen bowl so I thought they were ready. One is a bit slower but the others are vigorous lappers. Mom is still with them full time. I thought she should be for at least a week and then maybe just in at night if all goes well. They are too big now for the kitchen scale, so I need something else to watch their weight. The bowl idea was fabulous as I was having trouble - I have the large stainless that I bought from Ed but it is too big yet - since the litter is small. How much do I feed them? There are just 4 and I don't want to over feed. Thanx again for all your help and support. Found some round worms in the stool so I am off to the vet for some wormer...

Puppies should be wormed at 2-week intervals (2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks.)

Might want to do mom too as that is where they got them (roundworms incubate in the mother and pass through the milk to the pups - it's extremely common).

I initally put the formula in with the pups and let them eat until they were full, once a day, then twice a day, then let them top up on mom. Otherwise they had full access to mom throughout the day and night. Don't worry about overfeeding, pups are good at self regulating.

I would not separate the mom from the pups at all (forcibly), she should be allowed free access (and escape) from the pups at will. If you have a whelping box just make sure she can get in and out and the pups can't.

My bitch had a closet she could get to at night if the pups got to be too much - if I forced her to stay in with them all night she would have gone crazy Just let her decide.

This seems like your first litter, this page might help you, it's where your pups are at now. http://www.clickersolutions.com/blog/blog05.htm

Edited to add: And I cannot stress enough: socialize, as much as possible! Is this the shy/nervous GSD bitch you posted about? If so, not socializing the pups enough would be the worst thing for them.

Edited by Angela Burrell (11/07/2008 04:09 PM)
Edit reason: eta

Hi!
No this is a different bitch. What kind of socializing do you do at this young of an age? I have been hesitant with bringing in too many people as Mom - 1st timer (me too!) was a little protective ( she would get worried) I had 2 of my neighbor children one at a time handle the pups last weekend with Mom there - she knows these kids well. She did fine. I have trimmed nails, brushed, massaged, and held them on there backs til they squirmed and then calmed them. Vet says they also have coccidia. Says thats becx I feed Mom raw - and i SHOULDNT. I thought coccidia was a normal intestinal thing that came out in times of stress and all dogs big and small had it. He says no it comes from the ground. So I am to give them both Nemex and Albon liquid at the same time. Is this too much for the little ones? He said MoM is immune to coccidia and doesnt need to be treated. Does this sound right? They each get 1 teaspoon for 1 week. Let me know if this sounds correct.... Cant express how much I appreciate your feedback. Just want to do the right thing... I am going to check out the link you sent. THANX!

Great link! I am not sure about the baby cereal - I don't feed grains. Thought I would just add some ground meat in a few days...