I NEED INFO ON THE BEST WAY TO RAISE HEALTHY PUPS.
I'VE RAISED PUPS IN THE PAST BUT THEY NEVER SEEM TO LOOK AS FAT AND PLUMP AS PUPS I'VE SEEN OTHER PEOPLE RAISE. A STEP BY STEP PLAN ,FROM WHELPING TO WEANING WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
THANKS,
JASON GILLENWATER
HEALTHY PUPS
Moderators: Pike Ridge Beagles, Aaron Bartlett
They get mom all that they want. At 4 weeks, I start grinding up the food I feed the mother, so they can get it if they want it. Usaually by 5 weeks, they are eating both the dry ground up food and from the mother. I start taking the mother away at 5 weeks. A couple hours at a time for the first day or so. Then only let them nurse 3 times a day, then 2 times a day, then once a day then take the mom away for good. This eases back her milk supply so she doesn't get so engourged. I also cut way back on what she gets fed. (While she is nursing, she gets all she wants to eat.)
As for the pups, once they are on solid food, then they get all they want until they are sold. If I keep one, then I start regulating what they get at about 4-5 months.
Emery
As for the pups, once they are on solid food, then they get all they want until they are sold. If I keep one, then I start regulating what they get at about 4-5 months.
Emery
Be ye kind one unto another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32
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samlyn0001
- Posts: 265
- Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2003 7:42 am
- Location: New Hampshire
- Contact:
Here is a link for you.
http://rabbithuntingonline.com
I had a link posted but it wasnt working. Try going there to find the information you are looking for.
http://rabbithuntingonline.com
I had a link posted but it wasnt working. Try going there to find the information you are looking for.
Ridge Runner Beagles
http://www.geocities.com/samlyn0001
http://www.geocities.com/samlyn0001
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blackdirt beagles
i wrote this for bevs mag. pretty basic, but its a start.
Raising Puppies
My name is Brian Joiner and I own BLACKDIRT BEAGLES kennel. I generally raise one or two litters per year. My goal is to raise pups for my own personal needs and I normally have a few pups to sell. What I’m going to try to do in this article is give the first timer something to go by when having pups. I try to raise all my litters indoors. I have a nice area in my basement that works perfectly for this. It is climate controlled and I don’t have to be outside at all hours checking on pups. I have two of the larger wire cages to switch back and forth with the mom and pups. Having two cages is very important later in the raising process. This way, I always have a clean cage ready for pups. This is especially important when you’re in a hurry before work in the morning or late at night.
1 week before due date:
This is the time I normally get mom inside to get used to things and get a routine started. Normally all I use for bedding is newspapers. Take note, you will need a LOT of newspapers. I try to get the mom on a schedule where she is let out three times a day. I do the early morning and late night trips and my wife takes care of the mid day one. My wife helps me out quite a bit with my litters. I’m sure it would be a lot more work without her. During this time I feed the mom a high quality 26/18% dog food and I usually give her a vitamin once a day to help her milk along.
The birth:
At about 60 to 62 days your pups will be born. Watch for signs that the mom is tearing up (nesting) newspaper and she may lose her appetite and be restless. I try to stay close to home and be ready for pups. For a first time mom it is very important to be close at hand in case help is needed with a pup that is stuck. The mom will also be nervous and probably enjoy the company. After the first pup comes, there may be a little wait, up to two or three hours for the next to be born. As long as mom is doing good, a little wait is fine. After that, it seems that the pups start to come quicker now. Generally every 30 minutes or so a pup will come. Be sure to watch, and be ready to help, the mom as she cleans and gets the pups moving. Also watch and make sure all the placentas come out. If at any time during all this you feel that you are in over your head, you may want to call your vet or an experienced friend for a bit of help.
The first couple days:
Normally during this time, I try to give the mom some space and not bother her too much. If she will let you, change her bedding and you may offer her some dry food. I make sure fresh water is always close by. The mom will be quite tired and other than nursing pups, will sleep a lot. During this time, make sure all the pups are getting to nurse. The first couple days are very important. Once they make it this far, there survival rate is very high.
The first week:
Just make sure mom is eating and drinking good during this time. Keep giving 1 vitamin a day. During this non eventful week you may want to start filling out your registration paperwork and getting together some wormer and 7-way shots so that this will be available when needed. This is also a good time to start advertising any pups you may be selling.
Week 2:
Pups should be getting their eyes opened by now. This is when I normally start worming each pup and the mom. I use NEMEX 2 liquid wormer and I will give it each week until they are 8 weeks old. I measure it out with an eyedropper and squirt it in their mouths. For the mom I just pour it over her food. Pups should be handled often now so they become accustomed to people and will have a less likely chance of shyness. The mom can also use an hour or two break every once in awhile.
Weeks 3 and 4:
During this time I like to get the pups out and let them play around often. Watch each puppy and see which one is the dominate one, which one is the explorer, etc. At around four weeks old, I usually try to get the pups interested in soft food. Soak a bit of food in warm water and after it is sponge like, let the pups try to eat. Usually they catch right on. I will try to give the pups soft food two times per day and let then feed off mom as much as they want.
Week 5
This is when I start to add hard food to the soft food mix. Start out with a little and by the end of week 5, they should be eating mostly hard food. I usually still let then nurse off mom once a day now. This is when I will take mom away from the pups and kennel her separately. For a couple days I will put her in my second cage close to the pups so she can still see them and know they are fine. Some females are ready to get away from the pups and some will cry and have a bit of trouble for a few days. That is normal. After that, she will go back out to the kennel and start getting back into running shape. Make sure to keep a close eye on the pups and make sure they are keeping a good weight. I will feed them three times a day now. At each feeding, I let them eat all they want for 15 or 20 minutes. A plump puppy is what you are after. One that is too fat is just as bad as one that is too skinny.
Week 6:
Remember to keep worming mom and pups weekly. After being on their own now for a week this is when I give them their first shot. I use a standard 7-way shot. This covers all that is generally needed in my area. You may want to ask your vet for his opinion on your shot choice. If you give your own shots, just make sure to keep them cold on the trip home. If they get warm, they may not work properly. With there first shot you will want to watch them for a few minutes to make sure they have no allergic reaction. If they look “puffy” or appear paralyzed, get to a vet quickly and he can give them something to stop the reaction. That may sound a bit scary, but I’ve only had this happen once (to an older dog) and the dog was fine after a few hours. Now is the time to make sure all the pups are active, healthy specimens. If you plan on shipping any to new owners, you may want your vet to check them out and give you a health certificate. Basically what that means is that your puppy is disease free and in proper physical condition. Personally I do not ship puppies so I offer a 48 guarantee for the new owner to have their vet check out the puppy if they wish.
Weeks 7 and 8:
Depending on the time of year, now is when I start letting sold pups go to their new homes. In the warm summer months, 7 weeks is fine, but during the winter I may keep them an extra week just to make sure they get off to a good start. At week 8 I give my pups that I am keeping and any unsold ones another 7-way shot. Again, you may want to talk to your vet about shot choice and a schedule.
This has been a pretty general article on puppy raising, but I think it hit most of the important topics. Just be sure to give the pups lots of attention and keep their area as clean as possible to avoid any diseases. Some people may find out that they would just rather buy pups at weaning age as raising them is not just a simple 10 minute a day process. Personally I enjoy raising pups and will continue to do so. Good luck and I’m always happy to answer any email questions.
Brian Joiner
Blackdirt Beagles
Raising Puppies
My name is Brian Joiner and I own BLACKDIRT BEAGLES kennel. I generally raise one or two litters per year. My goal is to raise pups for my own personal needs and I normally have a few pups to sell. What I’m going to try to do in this article is give the first timer something to go by when having pups. I try to raise all my litters indoors. I have a nice area in my basement that works perfectly for this. It is climate controlled and I don’t have to be outside at all hours checking on pups. I have two of the larger wire cages to switch back and forth with the mom and pups. Having two cages is very important later in the raising process. This way, I always have a clean cage ready for pups. This is especially important when you’re in a hurry before work in the morning or late at night.
1 week before due date:
This is the time I normally get mom inside to get used to things and get a routine started. Normally all I use for bedding is newspapers. Take note, you will need a LOT of newspapers. I try to get the mom on a schedule where she is let out three times a day. I do the early morning and late night trips and my wife takes care of the mid day one. My wife helps me out quite a bit with my litters. I’m sure it would be a lot more work without her. During this time I feed the mom a high quality 26/18% dog food and I usually give her a vitamin once a day to help her milk along.
The birth:
At about 60 to 62 days your pups will be born. Watch for signs that the mom is tearing up (nesting) newspaper and she may lose her appetite and be restless. I try to stay close to home and be ready for pups. For a first time mom it is very important to be close at hand in case help is needed with a pup that is stuck. The mom will also be nervous and probably enjoy the company. After the first pup comes, there may be a little wait, up to two or three hours for the next to be born. As long as mom is doing good, a little wait is fine. After that, it seems that the pups start to come quicker now. Generally every 30 minutes or so a pup will come. Be sure to watch, and be ready to help, the mom as she cleans and gets the pups moving. Also watch and make sure all the placentas come out. If at any time during all this you feel that you are in over your head, you may want to call your vet or an experienced friend for a bit of help.
The first couple days:
Normally during this time, I try to give the mom some space and not bother her too much. If she will let you, change her bedding and you may offer her some dry food. I make sure fresh water is always close by. The mom will be quite tired and other than nursing pups, will sleep a lot. During this time, make sure all the pups are getting to nurse. The first couple days are very important. Once they make it this far, there survival rate is very high.
The first week:
Just make sure mom is eating and drinking good during this time. Keep giving 1 vitamin a day. During this non eventful week you may want to start filling out your registration paperwork and getting together some wormer and 7-way shots so that this will be available when needed. This is also a good time to start advertising any pups you may be selling.
Week 2:
Pups should be getting their eyes opened by now. This is when I normally start worming each pup and the mom. I use NEMEX 2 liquid wormer and I will give it each week until they are 8 weeks old. I measure it out with an eyedropper and squirt it in their mouths. For the mom I just pour it over her food. Pups should be handled often now so they become accustomed to people and will have a less likely chance of shyness. The mom can also use an hour or two break every once in awhile.
Weeks 3 and 4:
During this time I like to get the pups out and let them play around often. Watch each puppy and see which one is the dominate one, which one is the explorer, etc. At around four weeks old, I usually try to get the pups interested in soft food. Soak a bit of food in warm water and after it is sponge like, let the pups try to eat. Usually they catch right on. I will try to give the pups soft food two times per day and let then feed off mom as much as they want.
Week 5
This is when I start to add hard food to the soft food mix. Start out with a little and by the end of week 5, they should be eating mostly hard food. I usually still let then nurse off mom once a day now. This is when I will take mom away from the pups and kennel her separately. For a couple days I will put her in my second cage close to the pups so she can still see them and know they are fine. Some females are ready to get away from the pups and some will cry and have a bit of trouble for a few days. That is normal. After that, she will go back out to the kennel and start getting back into running shape. Make sure to keep a close eye on the pups and make sure they are keeping a good weight. I will feed them three times a day now. At each feeding, I let them eat all they want for 15 or 20 minutes. A plump puppy is what you are after. One that is too fat is just as bad as one that is too skinny.
Week 6:
Remember to keep worming mom and pups weekly. After being on their own now for a week this is when I give them their first shot. I use a standard 7-way shot. This covers all that is generally needed in my area. You may want to ask your vet for his opinion on your shot choice. If you give your own shots, just make sure to keep them cold on the trip home. If they get warm, they may not work properly. With there first shot you will want to watch them for a few minutes to make sure they have no allergic reaction. If they look “puffy” or appear paralyzed, get to a vet quickly and he can give them something to stop the reaction. That may sound a bit scary, but I’ve only had this happen once (to an older dog) and the dog was fine after a few hours. Now is the time to make sure all the pups are active, healthy specimens. If you plan on shipping any to new owners, you may want your vet to check them out and give you a health certificate. Basically what that means is that your puppy is disease free and in proper physical condition. Personally I do not ship puppies so I offer a 48 guarantee for the new owner to have their vet check out the puppy if they wish.
Weeks 7 and 8:
Depending on the time of year, now is when I start letting sold pups go to their new homes. In the warm summer months, 7 weeks is fine, but during the winter I may keep them an extra week just to make sure they get off to a good start. At week 8 I give my pups that I am keeping and any unsold ones another 7-way shot. Again, you may want to talk to your vet about shot choice and a schedule.
This has been a pretty general article on puppy raising, but I think it hit most of the important topics. Just be sure to give the pups lots of attention and keep their area as clean as possible to avoid any diseases. Some people may find out that they would just rather buy pups at weaning age as raising them is not just a simple 10 minute a day process. Personally I enjoy raising pups and will continue to do so. Good luck and I’m always happy to answer any email questions.
Brian Joiner
Blackdirt Beagles
I let them eat from the mother (only) until 3 weeks old then i start to help out. I feed them Baby rice with a little warm milk over it . At this time i also put puppy chow in with the baby rice. This not only helps the pups grow, but it helps mom as well, because at this time it takes alot of milk to feed 3 week old pups. Something else that i do if the pups don't seem to be eating the baby rice is to give them about 1/2 in of nutri-cal every other day. It helps them to grow strong bones and gives them a little pepp in their step. I hope this helps
Tim w
Tim w
"Have Faith in what you do or you'er just wasting your life"
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jason gillenwater
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2005 9:20 pm
- Location: south,ms.