Weaning Puppies

[BowWow]

I have been hand feeding 6 pups as their dam had a massive uterine infection and she was unable to feed from day 3. Dam has been spayed now and is recovering well and pups are growing like little weeds. They are 3 weeks in a couple of days and I'd like some tips on weaning. I tried some rice Farex today dipping my finger and offering individually, and I tried to lower their heads towards some of the mixture and they lapped a little, but made a HUGE MESS!!!! I had to laugh but wonder should I just offer a flat dish to them all at once to dive in or do as I tried to do, and feed individually? This is my first litter and everything is new to me so a little advice from some more experienced would be gratefully received!

[Aziah]

You'd probably get better replies if this was in the breeders forum...

I start my babies off on human grade beef mince made super mushy by adding a small amount of water, you can also soak puppy biscuit and make into a much when you first start them.

Farex is of no benefit to them...

[shellbyville]

I start mine on human grade mince & blended puppy biscuits soaked in water. I usually just put it in a flat dish and put them all around it and have never had any that haven't got the hang of lapping it up straight away. If they don't know what to do put the flat dish down and sit with them and put a little on your fingers and let them lick it off and move your fingers down toward the bowl. If they are hungry they will eat pretty quickly.

Good luck. I also agree forget the farex!

Also it is a pretty messy process at the beginning, just give them a wipe off with a damp facecloth after.

Edited November 16, 2009 by shellbyville

[Sandra777]

I second the use of mince, for a start it's more appealing to most pups and secondly it's a whole lot easier to deal with. If you want to use cereals formulated for human babies then a small dab of farex on the edge of a reasonably flat crockery plate sometimes works - the pup sort of sucks/chews the food off and figures out after a number of attempts how to lap. If they make a huge mess just clean them up with a warm face washer - I can assure you there's heaps more mess to come

[WreckitWhippet]

Straight onto raw mince here as well, with a touch of yogurt.

Once I've introduced that without any probs, we move onto the mince, yogurt and soaked biscuit for a few weeks and then we start to reduce the mince, stop soaking the dry and introduce all the yummy raw foods like necks, wings and lamb flap.

[persephone]

Ours get large meaty bones first up!

Lapping is difficult for babies-their jaws are made for sucking ...so they suck on the meat/bone..get the juice... then after a while, start to chew bits off.

Mince is then given a few times a day...... with a big container full of dry puppy biscuit available ad lib.

heaps of meaty bones are provided... gives them exercise, and food and entertainment.

I hate seeing pups with muck all over them..and this way avoids it completely

Oh- water is always available... in containers like those ring cake baking bowls... deep enough to drink out of, and not easy to walk into/thru.

Edited November 16, 2009 by persephone

[becks]

soaked puppy food kibble and a little tinned puppy meat to start off with, in a flat dish. If they are ready to eat they will dive in very quickly.

[Cockerlover]

:D bit mesy !!u aint sen nothing yet !!

I used to feed individually ,but found it easier to place a large flat plate down & place pups around it ,they soon get the message

If feeding kibble, soak overnite in hot water & re fridgerate ,warming t body temp b4 serving as mush,for a couple of weeks ,gradually reducing the *mushy * stage,til eating dry ,

clean fresh water should also be available @ all times

[centitout]

Raw mince or minced liver(not too much though) soaked in warm puppy milk and fed out of the hand individually for the first couple of times. Bit time consuming but after a day or two they know what its all about and they can go onto small bowls without the huge mess .

Also add raw egg yolk after a couple of days,active yogurt and gradually soaked puppy biscuits to the mix as well.

[Guest Ams]

:D bit mesy !!u aint sen nothing yet !!

I used to feed individually ,but found it easier to place a large flat plate down & place pups around it ,they soon get the message

If feeding kibble, soak overnite in hot water & re fridgerate ,warming t body temp b4 serving as mush,for a couple of weeks ,gradually reducing the *mushy * stage,til eating dry ,

clean fresh water should also be available @ all times

I do the same as this. Rehydrate puppy kibble and make mush. To start with I use the milk they were used to drinking in the mush as well and then change that to yoghurt by the end of the first week. By the time they are four weeks old I start to leave lumps, by six week its just softened kibble and after that dry kibble.

I just use a flat dish.. they work it out eventually and it is soooo funny to watch slip and slide as they walk through it, fall face first in it etc.. yep messy as heck but oh so much fun to watch:rofl: Oh and water available all the time too.

[persephone]

it is soooo funny to watch slip and slide as they walk through it, fall face first in it etc.. yep messy as heck but oh so much fun to watch:rofl:

I must be odd . I don't find it funny...

yep- been there done that years ago when working with breeding labs.

[Norskgra]

Straight onto raw mince here as well, with a touch of yogurt.

Once I've introduced that without any probs, we move onto the mince, yogurt and soaked biscuit for a few weeks and then we start to reduce the mince, stop soaking the dry and introduce all the yummy raw foods like necks, wings and lamb flap.

I do the same. When I first introduce chicken necks, I smash them with a meat mallet first.