Advice needed for Lab Mom nursing pups

[NorCalMtnChick]

Hello-
First time poster. My lab has ten 3 week old pups. How many times a day and for how much time, should she be nursing her pups? Thanks for your help.

 

[gumpsgirl]

The mom will decide on how many times a day that the pups should be nursing. Here's some good info. on weaning. img/smilies/welcome-byc.gif" alt="welcome-byc" />">http://www.barkbytes.com/care/weaning.htm

 

[freerange freaks]

That's a lot of puppies! I can't tell you exactly how much she'll be feeding them but it's likely around 4-6 times/day for a good 20 minutes each time. I would consider starting them on puppy food early a couple of times per day. With that many puppies she may wean them early. It is very hard on her system to feed that many puppies with out any help.

Are you wondering because you've noticed a change in her behaviour?

 

[NorCalMtnChick]

I was wondering because I want to be sure the pups get enough nutrition. Thanks for your input, folks.
She is hungry ALL THE TIME, and in fact, got into our hen house and killed a chicken. (Something she has never done before)Two are chickens missing and I am thinking she probably ate them. Phew, puppies and chickens...got my hands full!

 

[NoelTate]

Be sure that you are feeding her puppy food rather than her regular dog food. During the end of a pregnancy and while nursing, a dog needs the extra fat and nutrition included in puppy food in order to produce milk and nurse her puppies. She will know how long and how often to nurse the puppies. You don't have to worry unless she begins rejecting them because she is unable to produce enough milk. If that has not happened yet, it's not likely to. Enjoy your babies!

 

[arlee453]

Give her all the puppy food she can eat.

The general guidelines is to double food for a pregnant dog and TRIPLE it, minimally for a nursing dog. The more pups, the older they get, the more milk she has to produce and the more food she needs.

With a litter that large, I'd give her AT LEAST 4x the non-pregnant recommended amount for her body weight.