Stitch Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I go through this every litter. It rarely is straight forward. Mine are nearly 4 weeks old now and we have just started the weaning process. Some have taken to pretty much anything I put down eg. Puppy milk with raw mince, Advance canned puppy, Rehydratable puppy dry, yoghurt.....then there are the other pups that will barely touch it. Has anyone found a food to use for weaning that all puppies love??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Raw meat. Never had one say no to plain old finely minced beef. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share Posted January 30, 2013 Hmmm, I have!!! What age do you start weaning? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Yes. My absolutely minute, tiny toy poodles will wolf down Puppy Pal at 3 weeks. Every time You don't have to give them the crap forever but the texture & smell seems to always be right. Once they get the knack of actually eating you can add other things & then knock it out altogether. I never give milk of any kind, they only get that from mum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Hmmm, I have!!! What age do you start weaning? No fixed time - it depends totally on the puppies and the bitch. They've usually started by 4.5 weeks at the latest, earliest would be just under 4 weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WreckitWhippet Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 I don't start to wean my pups, I let them start the wean themselves in their mothers food bowl.Sometimes they are as young as two weeks when they find the bowl and help themselves, others are much later. The bitch will wean the pups for you and it doesn't matter is they are still having a suckle when they leave home, providing you have introduced them to a water bowl and they eat and drink on their own, without their mother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share Posted January 30, 2013 Yes, I have to agree, I have got best response from Advance Canned but if Pedigree will do the job then I will try that. I tried to get the little trays that Advance used to sell but can't seem to buy them now. Have they stopped making them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 BIG meaty bones, with the meat scraped/scored :) Easy as .... they love the smell, instinct starts 'em sucking , which is good ...then after a day or 3 they start to learn chewing ....then I introduce mince/dry (not soaked) and water bowls . No mess .. good strong chewing learned early ...and they don't bolt their food :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alyosha Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Mine start on warm Divetelac with raw beef mince - milkshakes. I start with just a tiny bit of meat for flavour. Then gradually reduce the milk and increase the meat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share Posted January 30, 2013 I think it must be easier to wean larger breeds than it is to wean small to medium breeds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WreckitWhippet Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I think it must be easier to wean larger breeds than it is to wean small to medium breeds. No I don't think so, my Pug litters were weaned the same way as the Staffords and currently the Whippet litter. I think a lot of owners push to wean the pups, when really they will wean themselves given time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted January 31, 2013 Author Share Posted January 31, 2013 Yes, there is that. I am keen to wean....because I am supplementing. The pups are not keen to wean....because they prefer mum...but mum alone is not enough...hence my keen ness! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Raw meat. Never had one say no to plain old finely minced beef. Same here. Raw minced beef as soon as the teeth are through at about 3 weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 (edited) BIG meaty bones, with the meat scraped/scored :) Easy as .... they love the smell, instinct starts 'em sucking , which is good ...then after a day or 3 they start to learn chewing ....then I introduce mince/dry (not soaked) and water bowls . No mess .. good strong chewing learned early ...and they don't bolt their food :) No big meaty bones for my tiny babes, they would be bigger than them :laugh: One of the things that you have to be aware of with smaller breeds is can you get into their mouth if something gets stuck ? Its hard enough to dislodge anything from a mouth but when they are miniscule its impossible if they start to choke. I find they are keen to start eating at an early age the difference is what you actually feed. Also have to be careful they can't drown in the water bowl & use something quite shallow. Edited January 31, 2013 by Christina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 (edited) No big meaty bones for my tiny babes, they would be bigger than them :laugh: Yes!! That's the whole idea :D I use beef shins or lamb shanks or roo tails .... at least 30 cm long, so all babies can have a go !! I score all the meat - so they can suck/chew it off the bone with no danger ..or mess . Oh, and I do not use water 'bowls' for anything baby ..fur or feathered...I much prefer a 'trough' sort of arrangement at first I always use the narrowest container I can ... just big enough for noses/beaks - I'm not teaching swimming, I'm teaching drinking ;) For tiny critters I use a cut-down drink bottle ..larger ones, the round cake tins with a hole in the centre- that sort of thing .. Edited January 31, 2013 by persephone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted January 31, 2013 Author Share Posted January 31, 2013 (edited) I think there must be a BIG difference between breeds which is not understood unless you happen to have that breed when it comes to weaning. It is either that or a combination of that and the size of the pup/dog. My lot are totally disinterested in a meaty bone, scored or not. They will smell it but not lick it and raw mince doesn't interest them either. They are however showing some interest in Natures Gift puppy food in the tray. They would probably consume 1/4 of one of the little trays. Not what you would call big eaters but I am settling for interest at the moment. Of course this is NOT the kind of food that I will be feeding as they get older but it will do to get them started. I have also found that it is better to stick to ONE variety of food. They seem to get confused if I change it. They seem to recognise that it is food better that way. Edited January 31, 2013 by Stitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Not what you would call big eaters but I am settling for interest at the moment. :) that's a start . Why haven't we seen the littlies in action ??? Hmmmm ?? :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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