adopting 2 puppies

Question
Hi
 My question is this, I keep hearing different things about what ages are appropriate for adoption.  I am planning on adopting 2 small 6 1/2 week old pups, as mom has stopped nursing and has no interest in them feeding or caring etc.  They will be socialized together with my family and each other, and eventually with my dogs as well.  I dont want to harm them socially as my last pup was 5 weeks old or so (abandoned) and she had done really well and is now 1 year old.   Any help would be appreciated, as I cant seem to find any answers regarding litter mates/social skills etc at 6 1/2 weeks.
Thanks

Answer
Hi Carol.  Normally the mother dog begins to wean her puppies between 5 - 6 weeks of age - this would account in her loss of interest in nursing the puppies.

The owner of the mother dog, now needs to assist with the weaning process by blending dog food with either water, or a weaning powder mixed with water - I use Esbilac 2nd Step Puppy Weaning Formula mixed with dry dog food mixed in a food processor until it looks something like oatmeal.

This oatmeal like mixture should be offered to the puppies 3 - 4 times per day.  Every other day, the amount of water, or Puppy weaning formula mixed with the dog food, should be decreased until the puppies are finally eating only dry dog food kibble.  This normally takes a week or two.  

The puppies(s) should not be taken away from the mother until they are fully weaned and have received their first set of vaccinations (starting at 8 weeks).  This is because even though the mother dog is not nursing them, as often as she was in the beginning, she will let them nurse occasionally - usually at night when no one is around to see.  This occasional nursing is supplying the puppies with her immunity against such diseases at Hepatitis, Parvo, Parainfluenza .  Once the puppies are fully weaned, and taken away from the mother, they need to be vaccinated.

Between 6 - 8 weeks of age, when the puppies are big enough to move around, the mother dogs begins to teach the puppies social skills. She will teach them how to interact with other dogs, and each other.  Be watching their mother interact with humans, the puppies will learn other social skills - skills that we humans can not teach as clearly as their mother can.

I'm sure I have not supplied you with the answer you were looking for, but it has been my experience that is is not good to remove a puppy, from a health mother dog, before they are fully weaned and at least 8 weeks of age.

Good luck, and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have additional questions.