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Weaning


**Super_Dogs**
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I have a litter of 8 labradors that are 3 weeks old. This is my first litter.

I have found heaps of information about what to feed them and when, but I cannot find any information about how much.

How do you determine how much to feed your puppies? I know there are feeding guides on the dog food bags, but the age is usually from 6 weeks old.

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Hi buddy1,

You are probably just about to start the weaning process of your pups from their mum at 3 weeks old and of a medium size breed.

My breeder friend starts with about 3 cups of premium kibble/dry food mixed with warmed goats or rice milk to make a very sloppy mixture for 8 Rottweiler puppies. As they grow and learn how to eat she increases the amount of kibble and lessens the milk so the slop gradualy thickens until they are about 6 or 7 weeks old and on solid dry food. She adds meaty chicken necks/wings introduced at about 4 weeks old and slowly increases the amount of these being fed and decreases the kibble as they grow.... she feeds her dogs the BARF diet so pups end up on completely RAW by the time they leave home at 9 weeks old.

Good luck :grouphug:

Edited by Rottsup
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I just start my pups of with mince.

I never give a measured amount, I just offer each pup a small ball of mince.

I never feed milk.

As they accept the mince I soak a some dry food and add it to the mince.

I also never feed sloppy food to pups.

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For the first few days (assuming mum is still fully participating in the feeding :laugh:) I'd give a ball of mince - human grade - about the size of the pup's muzzle. With mine I actually start with scraped meat (they're smaller than Labs) but the same sort of amount. Once everyone is eating happily up the amount slowly to something about the size of the pup's skull. I never feed sloppy food to pups either.

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I just soak a small amount and if you have some left for mum to eat afterwards, then that is about the right amount, none left over then I make up a little more for the next meal. It's all done by eye. I just make sure mum has been away from the pups for at least an hour before feeding them, so they are hungry. I have a clever girl who would always sneak back in with the pups to feed them when I was soaking the puppy food as she knew she would then get more left overs!

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