[Dougal]

My 6 year old Bitch, Tiff, has just welped. Sprung 11 pups on me! I'm feeding her on Working Greyhound biscuits (beta complete food I think) with a couple o eggs in the morning and a tin o cat food in the evening to supplement her a bit and when mixed a little with the biscuits it seems to increase her over all intake.

Any more Ideas on supplementing her to try and make sure there is enough milk available for such a large litter?

I know that the high protein in the cat food is not ideal over a long period of time but she'll only be on this level of supplement until the pups are weaned and then the poor girl will have to go back to dry biscuits with the other working dogs.

The pups will of course be for sale in a few weeks, 5 dogs and 6 bitches at present. All black and whites and well enough marked. Both parents are working farm dogs as are all the grand parents. £100 each to cover the feed and worming, not in it to try and make my fortune! Thanks all.

[doganjo]

I think you're doing fine by her meantime, Dougal.  I've never deliberately given my dogs cat food but they nick it often enough if within reach!       They also nick his meals that he takes home, so I'm forever worming them!

Good luck with that litter - I once had a  Brittany litter of 11 - I had 7 booked at the time(including the one I kept, my CC winning bitch now aged 10), so it wasn't too bad selling the other four.  One went to Canada, 3 to America, one back to France, 3 to England and the rest stayed here in Scotland.  All I needed for Ceilidh was some vitamins from the vet - she fed them all herself, no topping up needed, but I started to wean them earlier than usual - began at about 2 and a half weeks.

Hope we can see some photos soon.

[Dougal]

What did you wean the pups onto?
The last litter i had (there was 9 in that one) i just used the same feed that the bitch was on with the mix of eggs and cat meat but added a bit of milk to keep it sappy. I some times used tinned ham or finely chopped liver/heart/kidney (what ever is reduced to clear) as a wee bit extra a couple o times a week that seemed work well enough.
Been told to try puppy porridge... never heard o it before and not even sure what it is!

I suppose i'm just a wee bit concerned because the bitch is a little leaner than i wanted her to be going into the welping (she's not thin by any stretch but not the reserves that I had hoped for), that and the fact that 11 pups when there is only eight teats is always going to be a little touch and go. She a fatastic mum to them so we have that on our side.

[doganjo]

I usually put my bitches onto a good quality puppy food about a week or so before whelping, then when she starts to wean them it's easy as they all eat the same whether regurgitated by her or from their own dishes.  

I used to use puppy porridge but it's only milk and biscuit mushed up to a liquid with water.  It does have lots of vitamins in it, but it is expensive.  My breed are hearty meat eaters so I give the babies meaty meals made mushier with goats milk or carnation.  Some pups don't take cows milk too well which is why I use goats.  If they will eat well soaked puppy food with goats milk I wouldn't bother with the porridge - it does make a helluva mess too!

So long as you give your wee girl lots of small meals, with good stuff in them, I'm sure she'll cope fine  Probably 5 or 6 smaller meals a day instead of one or two bigger ones.   That way she's always got some food in her, and never too much to lose of she sicks it up for the pups.  If she's healthy, let them eat it, it's nature's way!

[Hopewell]

We also put our bitches on good quality puppy food - it has more nutrition in each mouthful than normal dog food and they need protein as well as energy to produce milk, and of course its designed for dogs, whereas cat food is designed for .... In general with regard to quality the more you pay the better the quality, and its worth the extra to give the pups a good start. I also agree with feeding small frequent meals.
If the pups are struggling a bit (which if there are 11 they probably will) they may need topping up with milk - Welpi is the best bitch milk substitute and I would top up rather than taking any away from mum.
Also if mum hasn't been wormed recently I would so it as she will be passing worms on either before the pups are born and/or through the milk. The pups can be wormed once they start taking semi-solid food.
Good luck with your expanded tribe.

[Dougal]

I tend to run my dogs ad lib. The bitch has food in front of her all the time and she just gets the extras (eggs and cat food) twice a day.
I find that putting two-three days worth of food in front of the dogs at one go and then letting them decide when to eat suits my dogs well. Pretty much the way they would eat if they were running wild! Dosen't work for everyone but mine seem to like it. I wouldn't try it if I had labs that's for sure!
Pups are growing well although there is one wee dog that is a mite smaller than the rest, just having to keep an eye on him. Cheers for all the help.

[Sandy]

Look forward to some photos, I just read your post and thought you cannot leave food around for Labs then I noticed thats what you put too, I recon a Lab would eat and eat and eat if given a chance although my oldest bitch can be a bit picky when she has pups!

[doganjo]

I tend to run my dogs ad lib. The bitch has food in front of her all the time and she just gets the extras (eggs and cat food) twice a day.
I find that putting two-three days worth of food in front of the dogs at one go and then letting them decide when to eat suits my dogs well. Pretty much the way they would eat if they were running wild! Dosen't work for everyone but mine seem to like it. I wouldn't try it if I had labs that's for sure!
Pups are growing well although there is one wee dog that is a mite smaller than the rest, just having to keep an eye on him. Cheers for all the help.

Whenever you see the little one on a small teat move it onto a more productive one, provided it hasn't just been cleaned out by a bigger pup.  You may have to top them up a bit, and in fact that would be a good idea for the wee one anyway.

[Dougal]

Just an update for all who may be interested.
Pups are going on grand. Not needed to feed one, the bitch is doing all the work. Fair play to her for she is even putting weight on herself. The eyes are just opening so about now the mischief will begin!

[Sandy]

I love watching pups, when they open thier eyes there is always one that watches you!! THey are so time consuming. I had a job to get our Labrador mummy to eat when she had her pups, I ended up wrapping the puppy food up in processed chicken parcels, she would eat chicken but I wanted her to have puppy food, she took ages to put her weight back on but then she ate well!! Photos would be great if you have any!!!!

[Rosemary]

Glad all is going well - Sandy's right, a few photos would be great 

[Roxy]

And then when we see the photos we will all want a pup .....and you will wish you had 11 more

[goff]

where are you sound nice pups