What Age Do You Start Your New Puppies On Solids?

[Bulldust]

Hello all

I have only had 2 litters thus far with a 3rd coming soon. I started a post regarding puppy formulas which was extremely helpful now i would like to hear your views on this subject

**At what age do you start your new litter on solid food?

**And WHAT foods do you start them on?

My first litter i raised my poor babies on DiVetelac (bad BAD me) and the poor things dove into the first meal of Farex Rice cereal i made for them as they were starving

My second litter were raised on Wombaroo and turned their noses up at Farex, i persisted for a couple of days with no luck so decided to try them on minced beef (our own steer we had killed and YES we froze the mince first) mixed with a bit of Wombaroo and they nearly bit my fingers off for the meat

Both litters did fine with their first foods but im thinking with this new litter maybe i should try starting them on soaked puppy kibble? We had been feeding our dogs all on Hills Science Diet but recently changed to Eagle Pack and ive heard great things on Royal Canine also, so i am thinking ill start them on either Eagle Pack or RC

I am totally against canned food unless i have a constipated puppy a bit of canned seems to empty them out lol

Any help would be very appreciated!

[Allerzeit]

As to when - it depends from litter to litter Normally by around 4 weeks I will be starting to introduce some foods.

As for what - for the last few litters we have starting them on a mixture of mince and natural yoghurt, then gradually including soaked Advance rehydratable. As they get older, we start including veges as well.

Next litter I want to try a more BARF approach as I have heard very positive results from other breeders with going this way

[goldielover]

I usually start with a little mince or tiny beef shavings at 3 to 3.5 weeks. I also give natural yoghurt very early on.

I've weaned puppies onto ProPlan, Advance Rehydratable (then went to EP at 6 weeks slowly) and the new EP Holistic for Large/Giant breeds (recent litter) and can honestly say that they did well on all of them. I found that the EP Holistic soaked really well (about 25 minutes in warm tap water), but only if i used a plastic container and popped the lid on. If i soaked it in the metal bowl it took ages - no idea why!

ETA. I also made up some Biolac at night when they were over 5 weeks old (just half strength) and fed it to them at night right before bed. They don't need it if they're getting a complete food, but i just found that it helped them settle very well.

Edited November 3, 2007 by goldielover

[persephone]

any pups we have ( working coolies,bred on-farm)

start at around 3 weeks with large meaty bones!

They suck/chew at these, and eventually learn to chew the meat off.

They then have 24 hour access to dry puppy kibble and fresh water, with a couple of meat feeds during the day, and mum with them constantly until about 5 weeks.

by around 5-6 weeks the mums have usually weaned the pups, and don't spend much time with them....we never 'wean' pups..they do it themselves

[ShesaLikeableBiBear]

We start ours at 3.5 weeks on raw mince and gradually add in Nutro Natural Choice Puppy, we use their mini formula which is chicken based and add a little warm water, by the time they are ready to go to their new homes they are able to eat it as dry.

We leave adding chicken wings and sardines to their new parents.

[jillybean]

The breeder where I purchased my puppy from had weaned them on to raw mince mixed with mushy rice. That's all my pup would eat when I bought her home!

[Bulldust]

Wow thanks guys PLEASE keep it coming!!

[Rysup]

I swear by Pedigree Advance Puppy Rehydratable - soak it until its mushy, either in puppy formula (I use Wombaroo) or hot water. They LOVE it.

My current litter are fully weaned at 4 weeks (but I have been hand raising them), I started them on solids as soon as their eyes opened, so about 15 days old.