The dam is still nursing, however she has had trouble with her milk the whole time. Her owners are neighbors and friends of mine and I work for a mobile veterinary clinic. We didn't know that the dam had gotten pregnant until about week 8 of the pregnancy. She was skinny through the pregnancy and had only 6 puppies (one died at the vet hospital during birth, got stuck in the canal as a transverse). Her breasts did not swell until just days before she went into labor, her production was hit or miss and she herself went into hypocalcima when her milk finally came in more than just a trickle on day three. She's doing better now but nursing the puppies has taken a lot out of her so we chose to try to start them on mash early to help alleviate some of the strain on her body. The puppies took to the mash like fish to water and didn't need any assistance so now twice a day they are getting their fill of a mix of puppy kibble and can mixed with water until it's a soft and mushy paste. The dam seems to appreciate the break, specially with their little teeth coming in. Pup is staying with his litter for socialization and comfort since his dam didn't reject him. His siblings play and snuggle with him as if he were perfectly normal. His balance problems do give him a disadvantage during play but this seems to be shaping his personality into that of a more submissive and quiet pup. He's the runt, but I'm not sure that's not more to do with his disorders than anything else because he's first on the tit and last off the tit and same goes for the mash bowl, he seems to eat more than anyone else does. I come over as often as I can to help them take care of the puppies and the dam, and to play with all the puppies.