Puppy Sleeping

[bret]

hi all

just joined this forum as well as another, to get more updated information real time from dog lovers/owers/breeders.

we (my flatmate and I) have 2 6 week old border collies, and yes i have found out recently that this was a little too early to receive them, so just have to bare with it. I am assuming thought that given their early age is why some of our problems are arrising. we ahve only had them 3days now, but i want to get as much knowledge as posible while we train raise them.

now. given that they are only 6 weeks old, they sleep a lot. is that OK. ie: they will play for mabye an hour possibly 2, then sleep for 2 to 3. this happens most of the day, we tire them out a lot though with our chasing games which although boring to us after 30 laps of the backyard still seem unbelievably fun to them. we are feeding them 3 times a day. the breeder told my parents they were feeding them pal puppy food, i have never had good experiences with canned food, so i have changed it to weat bix (1) with solid puppy food, raw meat and just started on chicken necks. will be also making veggies and other raw meats part of the diet, but back to the questions, how much sleep is too much at the moment? or is it fine that they get worn out then sleep and start all over again.

q2) how aggressive is too aggressive? their playing yeilded maiya (my pup) to have a sore paw for about 20 minutes, she walked it off but she was yelping everytime she put weight on it, then didnt' want to go near her sister. not to say that she isn't to blame as she also runs from the other side of the yard and takes her sister out rugby style, but just want to work out how much is too much, and is a stern no? and a loud noise ie: clap of hte hands which immediately stops them enough to reduce this?

q3) am i on the right trak with food mentioned above?

maiya and makaibe

Bret

[shoemonster]

They will sleep alot, as they are babies

You should try to change their food gradually, as it might make them sick or at least runny poos

I don't have a problem with raw for a ppup, my pup was weaned onto raw mince and veg, he never had puppy food

Just make sure that you watch them with the chicken necks so they don't choke

It's a good idea to bash them with a hammer first for young pups

We didn't give Eddie necks til he was about 3 months I think, but he is a pig

Can we have some pictures???

[Lozzie]

Let them sleep as long as they want- its good for you and they grow while they sleep. I got my greyhound pup at 6 weeks (rescue situation) and he was only awake for about 3 hours a day in half hour blocks for the first 2 weeks.

What you are planning on feeding sounds good- if you do a search on BARF here you will find alot of info on a raw diet. Like shoemonster said, bash it first while they are still young- I started giving them as is at about 10 weeks, but by that time he was gutsing them so I switched to wings.

As for your second question, jus monitor their play and if it gets too rough, clap or distract them with a calmer game of fetch or a pigs ear or kong each to chew. Once they get older and their adult teeth come through a nice big tug toy will keep them amused and playing nicely for a while.

At the moment they are still babies, so when they have had their needles start taking them out and socialising them- when they meet lots of other dogs, older and younger, bigger and smaller, they will start to learn the acceptable types of play. They will always probably be rougher with each other but at the moment they haven't learnt what is too rough.

[bret]

I would love to put them up. they are below.

I forgot one other question about chew toys.

at the moment we have 2 nylabones which they don't seem interested in at all, a selection of rawhide sticks, which they do like. are the rubber kongs and stuff ok? i read in a book that the rubber is dangerous if bitten off and chewed. we also have a fur hide which they both love to play with, and of course like the old mastercard priceless adds, the toys the ropes and everything don't compare to the fallen branch from a tree in the back yard, which we can run around the yard for at least 20 minutes and they just get puffed, they definately don't get sick of it, so i guess what are the recommendations for the best chew toys for the pups, we have also got them pigs ears, which maiya for the first time growled at me while she was chewing and i patted her, but she got used to it again, with kangaroo tails and obviously doggy biscuits.

well here are the pics, maiya and makybe

[Lozzie]

Grab a puppy kong- they won't be able to rip bits off and they are softer for puppy teeth. Once they are older upgrade to an adult one

Squeaky toys are always good, I get mine from the reject shop. Just make sure you only get them out for play time because my dogs ted to rip bits off them if I leave them out.

Pigs trotters are good, last longer than ears and take a bit more work. Chicken frames keep them occupied for quite a while too.

[shoemonster]

Awww they are cute!!!

Yeah puppy kongs are good for pups, just don't use them anymore if there are bits missing (goes for any rubber toys really, they are fine while they are still whole)

I get heaps of toys from the $2 shop as mine chew anything, expensive or cheap! lol squeaky and rope ones they love

With playing rough, as long as they are not being too aggressive with each other it should be fine, a loud clap, should make them look for long enough to distract them, or often I will call one of their names like I want to play and it normally stops them