[Ed-e]

I just got a new pup that's about 5 weeks old. At 5 weeks, the mother didn't want to feed the pups anymore so she just forgot about them. I think they are a mix of Chiwawa and something else (they are white with black spots, ears pointed downward). Anyway, after bringing it home, all it did was sleep, eat, poop, and cry. At about the second day, he started getting a little more active. I keep him in a basket with blankets all around. Hes a small little guy and I have a couple of questions...

1. Why does he like to bite so much? Why does he like to bite so much? If you put your fingers near him, he starts biting them. My guess is that he's just playing around (he tries to bits legs too but he's too small). Couldn't it also be that his gums are hurting? Just like human children who like to chew on chew toys, could this be the same thing?

2. How much should I feed him? The people I got them from gave me a can of puppy food, and on there it says I should feed them 1/8th of the can and let him eat as much as he wants. I usually do that, but am careful not to overfeed. Should I mix with dry food?

3. What kind of milk should i give him, if any? He eats a lot, but doesn't hardly drink. Ive tried giving him some water, but all he does is step in it and spills it. Once in a while he'll actully drink though he only takes a sip or two. My sister gave him milk the other day, and he drank that for quite a while (it was warm).

Thanks for the replys in advance. I want to take him to the vet, but money is an issue for me. I will give him for his shots, but I'm only trying to take him when nessecery. Thanks again.

[labman]

It is funny, your little puppy is showing just how a 5 week old Lab would behave. Removing it from its mother and litter mates that soon will make the biting worse, but may have been the best thing in this case. I have been answering questions like yours for a long time, forever in web time. I have material I can paste in to help.

Young Labs, which I know best, and other puppies tend to very bad about
Biting. You see a litter of them, and all the ones that are awake are biting
Another one or themselves. I am not even sure they realize that when they are
Alone, if they quit biting, they would quit being bitten. At 3 to 4 months
They are getting their adult teeth, and it seems they spend every waking
Moment biting or chewing. I maintain a Lab's favorite chew toy is another
Lab. Otherwise they settle for any person they can. They keep hoping to find
One that won't yelp and jerk their hand away, or growl "Bad dog." and clamp
Their mouth shut. Then offer a chew toy. They keep trying despite hundreds
Of corrections. Another good technique is to quit playing and go away. Be
Sure to praise them when they are playing nice and not biting.

You just have to keep on correcting them, hundreds of times, not dozens.
Provide sturdy, safe toys such as Kongs and Nylabones. Avoid things they can
Chew pieces off and choke on them. Keep them away from electrical cords.
Crates are essential for most young Labs and other dogs.

The pet stores are full of toys that many dogs will quickly chew up into
Pieces they could choke on or cause intestinal blockages. If you are not
There to watch, stick to sturdy stuff such as Nylabones and Kongs. Keep a
Close eye on chew toys and quickly discard anything that is coming apart in
Pieces. Rawhide is especially bad because it swells after being swallowed.
These problems are the worst with, but not limited to, large, aggressive
Chewers such as Labs.

Dry dog foods are better for dogs. The hard food cleans their teeth improving their breath and gives the teeth and jaws exercise. Slowly switch him over to one from the canned. Food is a good place to cut expenses on a dog. You should be feeding a puppy chow now. Switching to an adult chow for the
Larger breeds at 4- 6 months, slows growth and may help develop sturdier
Joints.

Your dog definitely should be narrower at the waist than the hips and chest.
You should be able to easily feel the ribs, but not see them. Each dog is
Different. Standard recommendations are a good place to start, but each dog
Must have its food adjusted to its individual needs. See
http://www.purina.com/dogs/nutrition.asp?article=292.

The dry dog foods are actually better for the dogs. It helps keep the teeth
Clean, and exercises the jaws and teeth. If you feed a complete dog chow, you
Shouldn't need to give the dog anything else. Various people foods may only
Add more calories without providing proper nourishment. Look at how many of
Us are too fat too. If you don't want to pay name brand prices look for
Certification of passing the AAFCO tests. Make any changes in diet slowly
Over about a week.

The premium, concentrated foods give you the assurance of a brand name. They
Produce a smaller, firmer stool that is easier to clean up. It is easier to
Maintain weight on a finicky eater. The lower cost foods may actually have
Lower fat and be better for your dog. Many dogs would enjoy eating the larger
Portions you have to feed.

Dogs have trouble digesting the lactose in cows' milk. The plain dry dog food and little else is the best thing for him. You may still have to soften it with a little water for now, but in a couple of weeks he should be eating it dry. Until he is 4 months old, feed him 3 times a day, maybe a quarter to a half of a cup each meal. Take away anything he doesn't eat within 15 minutes. Dogs seldom harm themselves by not eating.

[labman]

This site does not allow as long of answers as I think people need sometimes. Here is some more stuff that may help you.

Much of housebreaking is not training the puppy, but making it easier for your
Puppy, you, and your carpet while its body to catches up to its instincts. At
Around 8 weeks when the puppy goes to its new home, the time from when it
Realizes it has to go, and when it can't wait any longer is a matter of
Seconds. Only time will fix that. You can hardly be expected to be attentive
Enough to avoid all accidents There is no sense punishing the puppy for your
Inattention. It is not fair to punish you either, but you still have to clean
It up if you didn't have the puppy outside in time.

Housebreaking starts before you get home with the new puppy. If you don't have
A crate, buy one. I prefer the more enclosed, den like plastic ones. Skip the
Bedding. At first it gets wet, and later it can be chewed into choking
Hazards. A wire rack in the bottom will help keep the puppy up out of
Accidents at first. They are available with the crates, but a piece of closely
Spaced wire closet shelving from a home supply place is cheaper. If you
Already have a metal crate, covering it may help. Just make sure you use
Something the puppy can't pull in and chew. Dogs that start in crates as
Little puppies, accept them very well. Never leave an unattended puppy loose
In the house. If nobody can watch it, put it in the crate. I suggest letting
The dog have its crate all its life.

Choose a command and spot you want it to use. The less accessible to strays,
The less chance of serious disease. If it is a female, choosing a
Non grassy spot will avoid brown spots later. When you bring it home, take it
To the spot and give it the command in a firm, but friendly voice. Keep
Repeating the command and let the puppy sniff around. If it does anything,
Praise it. Really let it know what a good dog it is and how much you love it,
And maybe a treat. Note, being out there not only means you can praise it,
But it also keeps it from being snatched by a hawk. If it doesn't go, take it
Inside and give it a drink and any meals scheduled. A young puppy will need to
Go out immediately afterward. Go to the spot and follow the above routine.
Praising it if it goes is extremely important. If it doesn't go, take it back
Inside and put it in its crate and try again soon. Do not let it loose in the
House until it does go.

At first it is your responsibility to know and take the puppy out when it
Needs to go. It needs to go out the first thing in the morning, after eating,
Drinking, and sleeping. If it quits playing, and starts running around
Sniffing, it is looking for a place to go. Take it out quickly. You will just
Have to be what I call puppy broke until it is a little older.

By the time most dogs are about 3 months old, they have figured out that if
They go to the door and stand, you will let them out. The praise slowly shifts
To going to the door. Some people hang a bell there for the dog to paw. If
Your dog doesn't figure this out, try praising it and putting it out if it
Even gets near the door. A stern "Bad dog!" is all the punishment that is
Effective, and only when you catch it in the act and are sure you didn't miss
It going to the door. Clean up accidents promptly. I mostly keep the little
Puppies out of the carpeted rooms. Still I need the can of carpet foam
Sometimes. First blot up all the urine you can with a dry towel. Keep moving
It and stepping on it until a fresh area stays dry. A couple big putty knives
Work well on bowel movements. Just slide one under it while holding it with
The other. This gets it up with a minimum of pushing it down into the carpet.
This works with even relatively soft ones, vomit, dirt from over turned house
Plants, or anything else from solids to thick liquids. Finish up with a good
Shot of carpet foam. Note, do not let the puppy lick up the carpet foam.
Once the dog is reliably housebroken, your carpet may need a good steam cleaning.


I have a busy weekend, but will be around to answer more questions.