Weaning Puppy

One of the biggest problems that pet owners and breeders encounter is weaning puppies from their mother.



Weaning is the name given to the process of training puppies to eat food other than their mother’s milk. Puppies are usually weaned at three and a half or four weeks of age. While this may appear to be very early for several owners, it is useful to start the weaning process before the puppies go to new homes and away from their mothers.



Since puppies tend to go away to new homes at the age of six weeks, they should be able to eat and digest food other than their mother’s milk by this time. Weaning puppies does not have to be difficult provided it is carried out the right way. With the help of a few simple tips, you can discover how to wean puppies in a natural and effective manner.



Generally, a female dog can supply milk for her children for many months. Her mammary glands will continue to produce milk when stimulated. However, this may not always be possible for all puppies and they should be weaned at least when they are four weeks old. Thus, if puppies are not weaned early on, it may be difficult for them to make a sudden switch to solid, adult dog food. The most important aspect of weaning puppies is the preparation of puppy mush. Puppy mush should be of a consistency that is easy for the puppies to eat and should be prepared from food that is of good quality. Choose from a reputed brand of puppy food to prepare the puppy mush and ensure that it is free from chemicals and other harmful ingredients. In order to prepare the puppy mush, blend together two cups of dry puppy food, warm water and liquid puppy milk replacer. You can use about 12.5 oz. of liquid puppy milk replacer for two cups of dry puppy food. Blend this mixture until it resembles the consistency of cereal for human infants. To wean a puppy effectively, give him/her this mixture at least four times a day.

While feeding the puppies, place the mixture inside the litter box with the mother to allow her to finish what the puppies have left over. Over time, you can increase the amount of water and milk replacer and increase the amount of dry puppy food in the mixture. The puppies will gradually begin to eat dry food and will stop feeding from their mother.