I have heard 3 weeks to 4 weeks. Do puppies start nursing less frequent when they hit 3 weeks old? I'm not planning on taking them from their mother until at least 8 weeks old.
2007-01-02 16:33:25 · 10 answers · asked by red8chevyracefan 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
You need to seperate them from their mother far before 8 weeks old. You dont want them nursing that long! You need to ween them at about 4 weeks, because they need their first puppy shots at 6 weeks, and it takes about 2 weeks for the maternal antibodies to fade off, so if you take them off their mommas milk at 4 weeks, they will be protected until they get their first vaccines. Wait a week and then start to soak dry food (small kibbles) in water and have them eat that. Wet food may cause them to have diarrhea, so i would stick with puppy chow. Good Luck!
2007-01-02 17:15:39 · answer #1 · answered by doodlebugmeem 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You can start offering them moistened puppy food now. I usually soak it until it is soft and then mush it up with a fork or a food processor. You can also add a little canned food or a puppy milk replacor (if you have any), but you do not have to. I would continue to give the puppy mush 3 times a day (without the mother in with the puppies) until they are about 6 weeks. Then, I would start transitioning them to dry. They should be mostly weaned from the mother by the time they start receiving the dry food. If you have any more questions, feel free to e-mail me. I hope this helps and Good Luck!
2007-01-02 16:43:13 · answer #2 · answered by iluvmyfrenchbulldogs 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think if she has seen the vet, and that went well, then you should go ahead and feed the softened puppy food too her as long as she is chewing fine, and holding it down. If you concerned about her nutrition and the formula still, use the formula for soften the puppy food, instead of water.. you'll get the best of both worlds. If she cant hold down the puppy food with the formula mix... give up the formula altogether. The formula doesn't have the immunities in it like mothers milk anyway, and if she cant keep it down, it may do more harm than good. Go with a high quality puppy food if you can... the better the food, the more nutrition she gets, the healthier and happier she will be. Good luck!
2016-03-14 00:53:59 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
How many in the litter? If it is a lrge litter it is good to start them on soft food at 3-4 weeks, but if a small litter, my pups usually refuse puppy food until about 5 weeks. It is a lot easier on the mom when the pups start to eat puppy food, because she doesn't have to nurse them so much and if it is a large litter, the mom can get eclampsia(low clacium).
2007-01-02 16:53:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My puppies are 4 weeks old tomorrow. I introduced them to canned food not quite a week ago. Because they have teeth now, the mother isn't as interested in feeding them. Two days ago, I started giving them dry food. It's Eukanuba small breed puppy food and the food is the perfect size for little puppies. They are loving it.
Eukanuba also sells a brand made just for weaning puppies.
Edited to add: You don't want to wait until the puppies are 6 weeks old. That is just to much on the mom to be totally responsible for feeding them that long. 3-4 weeks is the perfect time to start trying to wean them.
2007-01-02 16:38:58 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
It is usually started at 4 weeks, then on the 6th week you slowly mix some dry food in with wet food. Sometimes you have to begin it earlier if the Mommy starts to wean them on her own. Be watchful of this as many mother's do this around that time while others don't.
I applaud you on keeping them with their mother until at least 8 weeks it's important to their development to learn from their mommy and littermates.
2007-01-02 19:33:51 · answer #6 · answered by Wicked Good 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
5 or 6 weeks. They usally go off to there new homes and 7-9weeks so they should be started on there food before that. Tell the new owners of your puppies what you have been feeding them so they can keep the same diet to avoid dihhorea
2007-01-02 16:39:48 · answer #7 · answered by ★☆✿❀ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
After their eyes open, they're walking around, they actually have puupt sized teeth, and that's probably around 3-5 weeks. Give them dog food covered in water, or the dog food in the can, working your way up to soaked dog food, then less soaked, then finally, dry, hard dog food with nothing on it but some love. : )
2007-01-02 18:48:39 · answer #8 · answered by lexidoodles 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
between 6 and 8 weeks old
2007-01-02 16:42:04 · answer #9 · answered by Melissa Sue 25 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I would wait intl they are 6 weeks old,
2007-01-02 16:36:24 · answer #10 · answered by browneyedonna 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋