Start Puppies on Food at What Age??? - Page 1

What age do you guys start your pups on food/water - and what do you feed? (Many add water, etc. to make mush). I heard someone say as early as 2 weeks and I think that sounds WAY too early...What do you guys think? The pups I am whelping are just a couple days over 2 weeks and are fat and happy with Momma. ****Also, when do you separate the bitch if she has to go back home? I don't want to rush either, as I know it is very important to the wellbeing of the pups mentally/physically, etc.

Hello! 3 weeks is what the vets are recomending and let the food suck up some water so it gets soft. Let the bitch be with the puppy as long as you can, but you should seperate the bitch from the puppys when they are 5-6 weeks. How ever, the puppys should get to meet the bitch some times every day untill they are 8 weeks and can be sold. Good Luck with your puppys!

I put the puppy food I am feeding the mom in a food processor with warm water at 2.5 to 3 wks. I always brath a deep sigh of relief when the little guys are eating solid food. SS

Ok, thanks rille and Shelley! How do you feel about feeding canned food to pups at this age? Should I do wet & dry mixed with some water? The bitch is on EVO and raw right now, but I thought I might get some EVO canned to mix w/ the dry. Does canned meat digest the same rate as dry...or raw? I would think it would digest closer to raw as it is cooked and soft meat... ***One other thing - what kind of toys do you give them? I noticed they are starting to play now (and it's so cute because they can hardly walk around and are still pretty wobbly!)

Helllllooooo....anyone there?

Hello, I've been 'away" for a while. We have raised many litters and we do not feed SOLID food (INCLUDING SOAKED kibble) before 5 weeks of age. We give only mothers own milk or supplement with raw goat milk. This begins when pups can lap milk from a dish by themselves. Then when 5 weeks we give only RAW meat. I do not like giving young pups solid food as their digestive tract is really not ready at 3-4 weeks. You would not feed a human baby steak at 6-7 months old and that is the same thing -- they cannot process that kind of food -- We have weaned pups on raw meat diet for around 20 years and never have chronic intestinal problems like most vets think that all shepherds have.