I have a litter of 5 Alaskan Malamutes and they are getting close for me to introduce wet food, but everything I have read said to still mix in formula but how much can and formula should each puppy get? Please help
2006-10-30 07:20:18 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
I always started my puppies at about 4 weeks by giving them a good quality puppy food moistened with warm water twice a day. They should also be getting fresh water several times a day by now. The moms would have them weaned by 6 weeks at which time they were fed 4 times a day, with water always available (during the day anyway). Just give them what they'll eat in 15 - 20 minutes then you can offer the left-overs to the mom.
2006-10-30 08:17:19 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I usually started offering "puppy mush" when my German Shepherd pups were about 3 and a half weeks to four weeks old. I would mix vanilla yogurt (which is a great source of nutrients AND beneficial digestive enzymes), canned puppy food or dry food that had been soaked in hot water til its soft (I found that dry food soaks quicker and more thoroughly in hot water than cold), and warm water or milk, all together until it was about the consistency of pudding. Then I would put it in a shallow pan (WalMart has great round shallow puppy feeding pans, but any shallow big pan will work). Usually the pups discover it on their own, if not I would gently dip a pups head down into the mush until a little got on his mouth, and when he licked it off, the pup usually would start lapping and chewing at it.
I would let the pups eat until they were clearly done, and then let the mother dog come back into the whelping box from outside, and let her have the job of cleaning up the puppies and eating the leftover food!
I would usually offer dry food at one meal when the pups showed me they were ready to try dry food (by getting into their mom's food when she was eating and crunching at it, the pups would make it very clear to me.) The average age that a pup would start chewing dry food was around 5 weeks of age.
2006-10-30 08:00:36 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It rather depends on the pups. If you can find a good quality puppy food that is small kibble, that is a good start.
I actually started by putting the kibble in a blender and blending it to a powder. Then would add cottage cheese or plain yogurt and a bit of canned dog food......maybe a little warm water.
Gradually as the puppies could chew better I would not "blenderize" the kibble.
As far as vitamin supplements....depends on the quality kibble and your theory on supplementing
2006-10-31 04:30:41 · answer #3 · answered by Marna O 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
OMG why on earth are you breeding when you don't have a friggin' clue about it. Your nothing but a backyard breeder. Bringing another litter of puppies into the world when the shelters are overwhelmed and killing them is unconscionable. Who is going to take these 12 puppies if they don't die. Where are you going to find homes for them? Are you going to sell them with a spay/neuter contract or are you going to allow these puppies to have even more puppies. Be responsible and GET YOUR DOG spayed for God's sake. To many dogs and not enough homes yet you have a litter Disgusting. The least you can do is take all the pups and mother to the vet ... GEEZ!
2016-03-19 01:47:13 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I would suggest that you fill up a cookie sheet with puppy food and add warm water to it so it is mushy and it is so cute to watch them go to town and have puppy food all over their face,,, Also depending on how old the pups are at first you only want to feed them one time a day so they will still nurse off there mommy,,, but as they get older i would increase it to 3 times a day,,, i hope this helps and good luck and CONGRAT!!!!! on your new litter
2006-10-30 07:34:40 · answer #5 · answered by hunter 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Buy canned dog food for puppies
2006-10-30 07:23:28 · answer #6 · answered by Me 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Usually you mix in just enough to make the food moist enough they can eat it. But to start, I would make a wetter mixture, rather than dryer and as they progress, use less and less to moisten the food. Watch them while they eat, so you know if you need to add more formula, or if they can manage with less. Congratulations on your new "babies" and good luck with them!
2006-10-30 08:40:36 · answer #7 · answered by Tippy's Mom 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why not try calling a breeder in your area - or the ASPCA/Humane Society. They will give you good advice.
2006-10-30 07:31:25 · answer #8 · answered by diney2u 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋