Is it too stressful to separate older puppies from their mom?

Even though a lot of puppies get separated from their mother and siblings at 6 weeks, it is better to leave them with their mommy until they are 8 weeks old. I would not take him home on the day of vaccination. This would be extremely stressful. 40 days is less than 6 weeks old.

Is the pup nursing well? Does it seem as strong as the others? I would try to keep a close eye and make sure that the pup is thriving. I would also watch closely that Mom doesn’t injure the pup. This is her first time and they don’t always know right away what to do. If you have any concerns about the pup or Mom then I would encourage you to have them evaluated by your veterinarian soon. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

It would be best to keep momma dog and puppies separated from your other dogs, at least for a time, as new puppies around other dogs can be a cause of high tension and stress for the mother dog. With all the hormones from birth, plus protection of puppies, a normally friendly dog may accidentally harm another dog in the household in an attempt to protect her puppies. Once the puppies are old enough, you can then gradually introduce your other dogs to them, under direct supervision.

I think that the puppy would likely be best left with mom - unless she is actively rejecting him away from her, or showing any agression when he tries to nurse. Give him the best chance by helping him get attached to the nipple to nurse. You can supplement with a bottle, but he will grow best from his moms milk. Also make sure she has a calm quiet place to nurse and care for her pups - if she feels threatened or you are interferring too much she is more likely to reject the puppies. Using pheromones like ADAPTIL can help calm her and the pups and make nursing more successful. Very rarely and for reasons we dont always understand, some bitches will attack their pups. This can be hard to predict or prevent. Be guided by her interactions with the puppy and intervene if she seems cold or aggressive when the pup tries to nurse from her. Best of luck with your litter.

If she is taking care of them I would leave them with her. It may cause more stress if you take them away. She is getting aggressive over being a protective mom. Let her finish then you will need to start handling them to help her understand you are helping and giving them back so she gets comfortable

The stress of having puppies can definitely cause behavioral changes, especially as her hormones change, or if she was recently separated from them. Reverting back to a "puppy" style of training and keeping a close eye on her, as well as taking time to spend time together, pheromone diffusers to reduce stress, chew toys to reduce stress, making sure she is getting enough food to cover her energy needs and that of nursing, etc may help her settle back down. If the behavior continues, or she seems ill or in distress, a vet visit to rule out issues is also a good idea.

Congrats on your new puppies! First thing you need to do is stop taking them to the dog park. They will not be fully vaccinated at six weeks of age, and it is not safe at all to take Oscar and Harper places where many dogs can frequently. They can contract parvo or distemper, both of which are horrible and fatal diseases. They should not be taken outside your backyard until they are fully vaccinated. They need their first round of shots now, and then will need two additional series of vaccines four weeks apart. Ten days after they receive their final round of vaccines, then it will be safe for them to go to the dog park. As for their behavior when you leave, it sounds like they may be suffering from separation anxiety. I would recommend crating them in separate crates when you are gone. The crate will provide them a small space where they can feel safe in it when you are gone. You will have to slowly train them to get used to a crate. Start putting them in it when you are home and sitting nearby so they doesn't think you are abandoning them, and slowly increase the time they are in it. They can have toys in their crates, and puzzle toys with treats in it that they have to figure out how to get the treats out. You can put a tablespoon of peanut butter in a Kong toy and freeze it in the freezer overnight, then give it to them in their crates. That will keep them occupied for a while. Finally, you can get a pheromone diffuser called DAP that helps dogs with anxiety.