# Weaning puppies week 4



## Mrs Tiggywinkle (Feb 1, 2012)

hello,i have a litter of 7 springer spaniels,all healthy pups,ive progrssed from weetabix and milk to mushed up puppy food,5 of the puppies have got the jist its for eating,but am finding 2 are not intersted unless it is mixed with milk.so i feed them seperatly now.........i also think i maybe over estimate how much they all are likely to eat,and must be patient,little and often 

do other people find that some within a litter tend to be more fussy? oddly the two that are fussy are the only liver and white ones of the litter,and both have been small from the start,but bouncey and bright,and weight is good for their size


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## AlexArt (Apr 25, 2010)

I weaned mine on mushed up puppy biscuits soaked in goats milk from just under 3 weeks old onwards, weetabix has as much nutritional value as cardboard so I'd avoid that! As long as you don't give them cows milk they usually eat what they need, if they are hungry they will be driven to eat, but if I were you I'd either add whelpi to their grub or goats milk until at least 6 or 7 weeks old and then reduce the milk content to nothing so they are ready for their new homes at 8 weeks onwards.


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## swarthy (Apr 24, 2010)

I always mush the puppy food mixed with Lactol for the first few days (age varies dependent on the litter and mum - I've started weaning at 2, 3 and and 4 weeks and only had 3 litters  

I don't understand why people use Weetabix - mushed up enough - it's almost impossible to distinguish between it and mushed puppy food but the latter is definitely more nutritious. 

I then work up to around 5 meals a day - about a week or so after I start weaning, I also start giving them chicken, oily fish, beef and rice pudding - I find exposing them to a range of foods strengthens their constitution.

I always give the last meal as close to 'bedtime' as I can, and find they tend to sleep through 

I mix and match my feeding - I've done it where I've fed all the pups individually and altogether - now I do a mix of both - having found the individually fed litter didn't have the same food drive as the other litters - I watch them carefully when eating and always keep some food aside in case I need to pull off to eat alone - I would rather have too much food than too little and for as long as mum is feeding, she will surely oblige in clearing up any mess or excess


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## flosskins (Jan 27, 2010)

Hi, when you say mushed puppy food with milk/lactol do you mean meat or biscuit?


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## dexter (Nov 29, 2008)

i use farley's rusks not weetabix, i like them myself too


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## mich1971 (Jan 20, 2012)

I really do not understand why people use weatabix or rusks etc as this is not what puppy will be eating at new home and has no nutritional value etc. I start mine off with raw minced beef at just over 2 weeks (german shepherds) they go crazy for it, then when they are getting used to eating i move onto sloppy puppy mush made from blitzed puppy biscuits and warm water. As the weeks progress they are introduced to a variety of raw meats and egg etc and also continue with the puppy food (fish 4 dogs) until they are able to eat them as whole biscuits with a light soaking of water when they go at 8 weeks.
Have NEVER had a fussy pup and pups are always nice and chunky and healthy


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## foxyroxy1979 (Mar 29, 2011)

Hi there I've not been on here for ages so I hope I'm not treading on anyones toes!!

I've weaned pups from 3-4 weeks before using Royal canin starter soak with lactol. One litter I had had a pup that was just not as interested as the others, and she also happened to be the smallest. She caught up after about a week in which time she was having a little bit more of mums milk than the others so that gave her an opportunity to catch up in size too! I wouldn't worry too much I'm sure your other 2 will catch up. My last litter I weaned with the royal canin mousse which seemed to go down well, only draw back with that was they were a little reluctant to move onto the dry (but soaked) foods. I think the best suggestion on here is the mushed up dry food soaked in lactol. It takes a lot longer to soften than weetabix but I do think it's a better option nutritionally. Good luck xx


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## Mrs Tiggywinkle (Feb 1, 2012)

worries OVER the smaller puppies teeth have arrived and WOW they are making up for lost time with the eating,HURRAH,HAPPINESS!!!

Got one hell of a huge puppy within this litter though,id say he was the bully of the litter and enormous-heffalump!
i might start holding him back a bit,greeeeeeeedy


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## cinnamontoast (Oct 24, 2010)

Pics, please? Gotta love a spangle litter!

I'd be avoiding grain based foods like the plague: the highest rate of allergies tend to be grain related.


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