HELP!!! Weaning 7 Puppies

Mo MO

Hi All,

My babies are now 4 weeks old and thriving thank god! However its now time to start the hard task of weaning them. I started with baby rice, mixed with warm water, they loved it, gave it to them 3 times a day in small quantities. Vet advised as they are quite strong to move them to a puppy food and introduce gradually.

I bought the red mills dry puppy nuts yesterday and mixed it with warm water as advised on the packet, but it took forever to melt!! When I gave it to them they only ate a tiny wee bit, mostly drinking the moisture from it.
Tried them again this morning and again they only ate for 2 mins or so and then werent bothered?? is this normal, should I try something else?
I am worried that they arent getting enough food even though Cindy is still letting them drink from her.

any advise would be greatlly apprecaited.

thank you

ISDW

When I've weaned pups I've mixed the kibble with puppy milk to start them off, it can take a long time for it to become mush, you need to make it up well in advance of feeding time, and you just have to keep mushing it with a fork or spoon. Then I change it to water, instead of the milk, then decrease the water gradually until it is dry kibble.

andreac

I highly recommend the Royal Canin puppy weaning food, it goes into a real good mush when its wet so its easier for the puppies to eat, plus Red Mills just wouldnt be the best quality for puppies in my opinion.

What breed are they if you dont mind me asking? Is the bitch on a high quality puppy food herself?

Mo MO

andreac wrote: »

I highly recommend the Royal Canin puppy weaning food, it goes into a real good mush when its wet so its easier for the puppies to eat, plus Red Mills just wouldnt be the best quality for puppies in my opinion.

What breed are they if you dont mind me asking? Is the bitch on a high quality puppy food herself?

they are jack russell/ fox terrier. Ya cindy is on a mixture of puppy food and adult food. I asked the man in the shop which was best and he said red mills as I had the royal Cain in my hand?? Ive bought this bag now and will have to use it :mad:

andreac

Royal Canin is much better quality than Red Mills, so dont know why he would have told you that, but anyway.
Personally i would get a bag of Royal Canin instead of the Red Mills as the pups need a good quality food to give them the best start.

When the RC is soaked its much easier for them to eat so they will def eat it a lot easier and will prob prefer the RC.

lorebringer

+ 1 on Royal Canin over Red Mills for weaning.

If you get a milk replacement/puppy milk - this can be used from birth - from the vet and mix it in with the food (for the first little while), it can really encourage them to eat and they are getting that little bit extra in their meals. All vets will stock it, it comes in powder form and just needs warm water.

To get the food to go soggy and really mushy, use warm water (not roasting hot but warm/hot) and leave for about 5 minutes. Put the milk replacement/puppy milk in when you are adding the water (follow the instructions on the pack for how much to use per ml of water) and it should all mingle together into a really mushy goo (think the consistency of Lega in milk). Feed them on a flat plate so that they get used to eating like this and then you can switch to a proper bowl when they are ready. Don't use cows milk as it will run though the poor things, only the puppy milk.

Mo MO

thanks for that everyone.

one other thing, I am feeding them in the morning, in the evening and agan before i go to bed is that enough?

magentas

soak the nights for the next feed each time you put down food for the pups, it's takes hours for them to soften enough for the pups to easily digest them.

they need to be fed 3 times a day...I'm actually feeding mine 4times, 8am 1pm 6pm and a small amount just before bedtime 10/11pm

Mo MO

magentas wrote: »

soak the nights for the next feed each time you put down food for the pups, it's takes hours for them to soften enough for the pups to easily digest them.

they need to be fed 3 times a day...I'm actually feeding mine 4times, 8am 1pm 6pm and a small amount just before bedtime 10/11pm

What are you feeding yours? how old are they? I was on to the Vet's at lunchtime he is giving me puppy milk and some samples of better feed to see of they eat better!! Id go home at lunch if i could only i got relocated further away and by the time i get in id have to go again, so there is a big gap between morning feed and afternoon feed.

andreac

Mo MO wrote: »

What are you feeding yours? how old are they? I was on to the Vet's at lunchtime he is giving me puppy milk and some samples of better feed to see of they eat better!! Id go home at lunch if i could only i got relocated further away and by the time i get in id have to go again, so there is a big gap between morning feed and afternoon feed.

Please try and get the Royal Canin, it really is the best food for your baby puppies to help wean them.

Mo MO

andreac wrote: »

Please try and get the Royal Canin, it really is the best food for your baby puppies to help wean them.

I am heading straight into vets after work and will get a bag, i promise

lorebringer

Mo MO wrote: »

thanks for that everyone.

one other thing, I am feeding them in the morning, in the evening and agan before i go to bed is that enough?

At this stage, I would feed them 4 times a day (approx every 4 hours) and redduce this to 3 times around 6/7 weeks. They have very small stomachs and can only take in a limited amount of food at each meal so little and often is best.