Starting Puppies On Solids

[Aphra]

I have a rescue dog which came into my care very heavily pregnant. She had four nice, healthy puppies who are thriving and three weeks old. I need some guidance on when to start them on solids and what kind of solids to feed. There is lots of advice around on the internet, but I'd rather some hands-on advice, since I've never had puppies before (and won't ever again if I get any choice in the matter ).

Currently mum dog is on a mix of raw food and Eukanuba kibble. She has lots of milk and is doing a great job of feeding them, so I want to continue her good work.

[ellz]

I would start now, offer them some finely minced meat on your fingertip. If they devour that and go back looking for the finger it is DEFINITELY time to get them onto solids.

I start first with pink slushies (ie mince mixed with warm milk and water) and then gradually thicken it, add texture and crunch and then before you know it, they're on 4 solid meals per day.

How much depends entirely upon the individual puppy and how fast you thicken it depends upon how well they tolerate it. But generally within a few days, I find my puppies are happily crunching puppy dry food. I like Optimum puppy but others will recommend their own preferences.

You could also be offering them chicken necks at that age if they are a larger breed. They won't do a lot of chewing initially but will have a great time sucking the meat off the bones and spreading it everywhere!

[Miranda]

You can actually begin weaning puppies on to solid food as soon as you can feel teeth in their mouths at about 17 days, but I usually start on day 21 by offering little balls of raw human mince. I then gradually introduce Advance Rehydratable. However I don't remove the bitch, I allow her to continue feeding them for as long as she wants to, usually they're still getting the odd feed from the milk bar at 8 weeks.

Edited September 7, 2010 by Miranda

[ellz]

Yep, agree about the 17 days bit Miranda, but I've found that most puppies aren't ready for solids at that stage mentally. Some are, the majority don't seem ready to grasp the whole idea of chewing and swallowing as against the "easy" task of letting milk slide down their throats.

That's why I tend to wait until 3 weeks (21 days) and offer it to them. Or alternatively, watch the body language of the puppies when I feed their mother. If they're in her bowl nosing around to see what goodies she has....its time!

[Aphra]

Maybe my puppies are developmentally delayed? They haven't even started getting out of their bed yet, let alone sniffing around mum's food. I have offered them a sniff of food but only the runt was really interested, and although she's the littlest, she seems to be the most forward.

I'll try them on a bit of mince and let them gum some chicken necks, that should be amusing.

I don't know what the puppies are ... mum is a stumpy tailed cattle dog X. Two of the puppies are showing signs of having heeler markings, the other two are brown with white and black masks and stumpy tails. But the biggest puppy weighed over 2kgs at just over two weeks old, so I think he's going to be a big boy. The runt is a third of the size of the other puppies, so I imagine she had a different father. It's a bit of a mixed bag all round.

Thank you!

[ellz]

:rolleyes: This is a not-quite 3 week old American Cocker puppy and her mother's (empty) food bowl. Her mother isn't the "sharing" type so I started Bad Alice on her own food that afternoon!

[Aphra]

:rolleyes: This is a not-quite 3 week old American Cocker puppy and her mother's (empty) food bowl. Her mother isn't the "sharing" type so I started Bad Alice on her own food that afternoon!

Bad Alice.

[ellz]

:rolleyes: This is a not-quite 3 week old American Cocker puppy and her mother's (empty) food bowl. Her mother isn't the "sharing" type so I started Bad Alice on her own food that afternoon!

Bad Alice.

You laugh! She started out as Alice and the Bad just kind of attached itself naturally. EVERYBODY knew her as Bad Alice around here. She was a TOAD!!! She's now in Japan and is not only bilingual but is teaching everybody the rules Bad Alice way! The gentle Japanese are finding her quite challenging and very enjoyable!

[oakway]

I start mine on mince, just mince and nothing else.

As they progress I just a little of the soaked dry food till they are used to it.

When they are used to this I just add the dry un soaked to the mince.

As the pups get used to this I introduce chicken mince (minced frames) chicken necks and wings and then onto chicken frames.

[Cockerlover]

I offer mine human grade mince slushies ,mince blended & mixed with formular ,gradually thicken ing the food as they get the hang of it ,then adding some dry puppy kibble @ approx 5-6 weeks of age .also clean fresh water @ all times .4 feeds a day .Plus whatever mum has to offer from milk bar .

pleased to hear BAd alice has the japs on thier toes Ellz :rolleyes: