6 wk female shih poo trying to milk from brother shih poo

by EDS
(SACRAMENTO, CA)

I have 2 6wk shih poos separated from mom at 5 wks since the mom had ran away and was bit by a rattle snake.

We've had the puppies for 1 wk now. Juno (female) always tries to milk her brother. We have them on formula and puppy food. I'm not sure how to stop her.

When they play fight eventually she’ll try to milk him. Also noticed that she always growls when they play fight.

He sometimes tries to milk her but stops when we tell him to and he doesn’t do it quite often. Any chance she gets she will try to milk him.

We feed them at 4-5 hr intervals. Formula/puppy food/formula/puppy food.

She now cries a lot when we put her in the play pen and she does it to the point that is annoying.




Hi EDS
It sounds as though your Juno is a bit more of a dominant puppy than the little boy. Her behavior doesn't sound too unusual for a puppy separated from it's mom so early in life.

Nursing/suckling isn't just for food, puppies do it for comfort too and I think that's what she's looking for. She will grow out of this stage eventually, be patient with her, she's just a tiny baby.

The crying in the playpen is also normal, she's objecting to being left by the rest of her 'pack' and is letting you know all about it. Of course, she will need to get used to being on her own, or with her brother rather than with her humans, so just ignore her crying. It's something else she will grow out of given time.

I think you may find my Puppy Development and my New Puppy Care pages helpful while you raise these babies.

best of luck with them.