Start Puppies on Food at What Age??? - Page 2

yup, mush food with goat milk at 4 wks. we actually feed mush/soaked food much longer than most folks think is necessary. i like to make sure they are getting plenty of fluid and i always worry about bloat, so having the food presoaked cuts down on the possibility of food expansion in the gut. pjp

We've always understood it's between weeks 6 and 8 that the puppies learn manners from their mom. That doesn't mean mom can't be away for extended periods of time but pups still need the interaction. Many we know start "weaning" about 5-weeks. Taking mom out, taking pups out, getting used to mom not always there.

Oskar1, I do agree with what you say. I happen to give the new owner's a bag of the dog food, for the food transition if needed. I also tell them what I have been mixing into the pups food, so they can slowly wean them off, and go on what ever their food choice may be . Our female does make the decision on when the nursing stops. If she walks away from them when they want to nurse then that is her choice, but she can go by the pups at anytime to nurse if she likes. We don't block her off from the pups by any means.

..at 4wks..i begin with goats milk,slippery elm bark,blackstrap molasses.at4and1/2 weeks i add cooked oatmeal ..brown rice & barley blended with the milk ..molasses..and slippery elm bark ..at 5 weeks i stop the slippery elm bark & grind up solid gold puppy kibble.add to the above.5 &1/2 weeks stop grinding the kibble and start soaking it[i soak in an herbal tea mix..peppermint..parsley..etc.] and add to the above..i add cottage cheese ..yogurt..garlic powder..solid gold seameal powder..raw egg.[2 xs a week] of course not a whole egg. i give them the best start i can..at 6 weeks i start raw meat and bones....i put water in their nest [reverse osmosis] at2to 2&1/2 weeks of age..the pups are allowed to nurse as long as the dam will allow..keeping the nails trimed aid in a longer nursing. period....

As jade said around 5-6 weeks is when you can start letting them have raw meat and bone. You can give it too them a little eariler, but it will be hard for them to chew it off the bone. At 4-5 week you can break up a chicken breast for them and let them try to eat that, some pups will be interested, some not. Andrea