Where do breeders get these ideas?

Question

Are there any breeders out there who can explain the reason behind the practice of feeding puppies porridge/bran/eggs?

Answer 1

Being a breeder myself, I can see no reason for feeding puppies such things! It may be a folklore kind of thing, but should not be done. Dogs should never be given uncooked eggs...period, it can give them salmonella and all kinds of thing.

The best thing to feed puppies is a good quality puppy chow, moistened if needed. If the puppy need to gain weight faster than the food is providing, the puppy probably needs de-wormed. Look for any worms in puppies stool, mucus in the stool, or diarrhea. There are also excellent supplements for puppy weight gain on the market.

Answer 2

There have been breeders feeding pups various things for centuries. They usually feed what has worked for others before them and that has worked for them previously as well. Often it can depend upon the litter itself and what their needs might be. I had to handfed an entire litter before when the mother had to be dried up and put on antibiotics for metritis that ended up affecting the pups. The formulation I used that they thrived on was initially goat's milk with egg yolk (not egg whites) and syrup - as they grew the addition of a cereal was started in place of the syrup to provide carbohydrates - I used a rice based baby cereal although I have known others use other things with success. Then as their digestive systems matured the addition of ground meat and crushed kibble was added. Sometimes you do what you gotta do but these puppies did thrive and grow and did fine - these were recipies I had gotten from another breeder that had to handfeed a litter of Rotties. When a litter is being weaned, I usually utilize egg yolks and a baby cereal as well. The reason behind it is that I am not predigesting anything for the puppies as the mother dog would and their digestive system cannot tolerate some of the things we have them eat as older dogs but they still require protein, carbohydrates and fats just like any other dog does. What do you use instead?

Answer 3

I can def. see the eggs..good protien and is very good for the skin and coat... the hair becomes very shiney ahd healthy, as for the other stuff, I don't know, my neighbor raises Pit Bulls and he gives them a mix of different things including bloodmeal in their foods. I feed my dogs vitamins, hamburger meat and high quality dog food. I don't know why the bran and all that, unless it's for added vitamins.

Answer 4

I raise my pups on raw food. They get ground raw meaty bones, organs from a variety of animals, eggs (yes raw) and fish.
They poop twice a day instead of everytime they move. It's easier on the digestion system and better then any crapinabag puppy chow laden with grains and unknowns that takes so much water to make it edible to a weaning pup that they are filling up on watery grains.. NOT nutrition.
My pups start eating this way at 3 weeks along with continuing to get mothers milk until she weans them herself.
I have never had a growth issue or any other issue. No solmonella or e-coli or any other digestive upset. It's what dogs are meant to eat.

Answer 5

Eggs I could see, good source of protein.

No idea why you'd feed the other stuff, unless you've bought into the idea that dogs are grain-eaters.