My dog won't nurse her puppies. Is it okay to split the litter?

Question

Our female Rottie had 8 puppies last night. She will not allow nursing; ger owls & barks at them. This is overwhelming so, our son took 4 to nurse & we kept 4. Is it ok/ advisable to split up the litter? Pet's info: Dog | Rottweiler | Female | unspayed | 56 lbs

Linda G, MS, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello. Yes, this is fine. Unfortunately, not all dogs make good mothers, so if splitting up the litter makes it easier on the people that have to care for the puppies, then I think this is a good plan. When the puppies are a little older & getting close to weaning age around 3-4 weeks old, you can put them together, if you want. Otherwise, there will be no problems keeping them separated. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

My dog won't nurse her puppies. Is it okay to split the litter?

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