Newborn puppies depend on their mother's milk for sustenance and survival for the first few weeks of their lives.Not only does it provide the essential nutrition for growth and development, but it also protects young pups from disease.It is normal to start taking your puppies out of their mother's milk when they reach 3 weeks old.Puppies need to be taught to eat puppy food.You should help facilitate this transition.
Step 1: Your dog should be transitioned to puppy food early on.
On the other hand, if you have a pregnant bitch, you need to gain 15-20% of its original weight by the time it gives birth to its litter.Puppy food is high in nutrition and will help your dog gain weight.You don't want your dog to gain too much weight.If you discover that your dog is pregnant or is prone to weight fluctuations, you can either start feeding her puppy food or wait until after the baby is born.You should choose the puppy chow that you plan on feeding your puppies.It will be easier for the puppies to transition to puppy food because of this.
Step 2: Gradually provide your puppies with food.
When they are 3 weeks old.Wean them off of their mother will not be completely cold turkey.You will give them puppy food for 10% of their daily calories.They will nurse off their mother while they get used to eating puppy food.You will feed them puppy food more and more over the next 2 to 3 weeks.Puppies that are slow to eat on their own should not be rushed.Malnourishment can be caused by this.It's better to allow them to nurse from their mother while the puppy is still young.
Step 3: Encourage your dog to eat puppy chow.
If you place the puppy in front of its food, it will eat it.On rare occasions, some puppies may resist eating puppy chow.Place the puppy in front of its food.This can be done once or twice.Your puppy will eat the food.
Step 4: The mother should be removed while they are feeding the puppy chow.
The puppies should be separated from their mother for 1 hour, 2 or 3 times a day.The mother should be taken to another part of the house.The puppies should have their food bowls.They will whine at first.They will eventually learn that their food bowls are good for you.Don't feel bad because you are mimicking the process that occurs in the wild.
Step 5: Keep an eye on your pups.
They should monitor their health during the process.Make sure they are gaining the same amount of weight.It's a good idea to check for vomit and diarrhea.If there are any questions or problems, you should consult your doctor.
Step 6: At 4 weeks, switch the mother to regular dog food.
The key is gradual change.Her regular adult food should be replaced with 1/3 of her puppy food.She will be able to cope with the change and her milk will continue to give her the puppy chow she needs.She will be reverting to her normal adult dog food over the next couple of weeks.
Step 7: Wean your puppies off their mother's milk.
At 7 weeks old, your puppy should be completely snoozing.They should be drinking water and eating puppy food.
Step 8: Dog replacement milk should be put into their puppy chow.
You can buy this milk from your vet office or pet supply store.When the puppies begin to walk around at about 3 weeks of age, soak the dry puppy food with dog replacement milk and put it in a shallow pan.You want the puppy to be able to see it.They won't be able to get to the food if you use a bigger bowl.Young puppies can choke on dry food if they start to sample it, and dog replacement milk will help to keep this from happening.
Step 9: It's a good idea to consider using a blender.
This soggy mixture of puppy chow and replacement milk might be too much for puppies.When you blend up their food, make sure it is the consistency of human infant cereals.About 6 puppies will be fed 2 cups of high quality dry puppy food, 12.5 ounces of liquid puppy milk replacer, and a small amount of water.They can be reintroduced to dry food after 1-2 weeks.
Step 10: The puppies need to be fed 3 times a day.
Puppies can be fed 2 times a day after 6 months of age.Make sure you are feeding them at the same time each day.Your puppy needs to be on an eating schedule.This will keep them from begging and manage their food expectations.You can get rid of the lunch when you shift them to 2 meals a day.