when do i seperate puppies from mom

hi,
i have a dog who has recently had 6 pups... i can't keep them all and i don't want to take them away from the mom too early.

i would rather keep them late then early....sooo when do you think would be the BEST time to take them away form their mother..how old should they be?


Hi
Puppies should be at least 8 weeks old before they leave their momma and litter mates. That way they get the maximum health and behavioral benefits.

When the puppies are around 3 - 4 weeks old, their mom will begin to wean them naturally, by limiting the time she allows them to nurse. When that happens you can begin to introduce dry puppy food (soaked in warm water), and give them water to lap too.

At this stage, the momma dog should be able to 'get away' from her puppies for periods of time, otherwise she may become quite cranky with them.

I think you might find my Puppy Development and my pages helpful.

Best of luck with your puppies.