Has the time arrived for weaning your puppy? This comprehensive guide provides everything you need to know.
Weaning is an important part of your puppy’s development. When a puppy weans, it means they move from relying on their mother’s milk for all their nourishment, to enjoying solid foods.
During the period of time from birth to puppy weaning, the mother’s natural instincts will often kick in. She should help the puppies to suckle when they are young, and gradually encourage them to look elsewhere for food, trying the puppy diet that is offered. However, if the mother is struggling to feed her puppies you should speak to a vet for advice as this can indicate an underlying health problem such as mastitis.
Read on to find out when to wean puppies, how you can them to develop good eating habits and much more.
When should you wean puppies?
Weaning puppies is a gradual process which usually takes place from 4-8 weeks of age. Puppies will initially start to investigate soft puppy food, in addition to suckling from their mother.
Later in the process they will start eating kibble, although when offering dry food, it’s a good idea to soak this to begin with. By the end of the weaning process, the puppy will no longer be feeding from their mother and should also be able to toilet independently.
The exact approach can vary depending on a number of factors, including the size of the litter.
How to Wean Puppies: Step-by-Step Guide
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Choose a suitable puppy food
Puppy weaning food should be introduced gradually – starting off with small amounts. Choose a puppy food that’s suitable to feed to puppies of this age. Sometimes the puppies’ mother will already be eating a puppy food to provide her with extra nourishment, and this can be helpful as the puppies can watch her eating and learn from her behavior. Puppies might even start to sample some of mum’s food and this is usually a good sign they are ready to be weaned.
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Introduce soft food from around three to four weeks
From three or four weeks of age, encourage the puppies to try soft, moist puppy food. If you are offering dry puppy food, it’s often best to soften it with warm water, mash it up and cool it to body temperature before feeding.
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Use a shallow bowl
Serve the food in a wide, shallow bowl for easy access. It can be quite a messy process initially as the puppies climb into the bowl and explore their food. Be prepared to clean them up afterwards!
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Provide fresh water
Until this time, mother’s milk provides hydration and nutrition, so from around three weeks ensure the puppies have access to a shallow dish of fresh water.
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Feed little and often
The puppies may initially be a little apprehensive, but they will become more confident after watching their mother and getting used to the new textures and tastes. It’s best to feed little and often to suit their tiny stomachs. With time, the meals can be fed less often and the amounts increased, according to recommended feeding instructions.
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Make changes gradually
Puppies can gradually move away from eating moist or softened food to eventually only being fed dry food, by gradually adding less water, if that is your preference.
Choose a suitable puppy food
Puppy weaning food should be introduced gradually – starting off with small amounts. Choose a puppy food that’s suitable to feed to puppies of this age. Sometimes the puppies’ mother will already be eating a puppy food to provide her with extra nourishment, and this can be helpful as the puppies can watch her eating and learn from her behavior. Puppies might even start to sample some of mum’s food and this is usually a good sign they are ready to be weaned.
Introduce soft food from around three to four weeks
From three or four weeks of age, encourage the puppies to try soft, moist puppy food. If you are offering dry puppy food, it’s often best to soften it with warm water, mash it up and cool it to body temperature before feeding.
Use a shallow bowl
Serve the food in a wide, shallow bowl for easy access. It can be quite a messy process initially as the puppies climb into the bowl and explore their food. Be prepared to clean them up afterwards!
Provide fresh water
Until this time, mother’s milk provides hydration and nutrition, so from around three weeks ensure the puppies have access to a shallow dish of fresh water.
Feed little and often
The puppies may initially be a little apprehensive, but they will become more confident after watching their mother and getting used to the new textures and tastes. It’s best to feed little and often to suit their tiny stomachs. With time, the meals can be fed less often and the amounts increased, according to recommended feeding instructions.
Make changes gradually
Puppies can gradually move away from eating moist or softened food to eventually only being fed dry food, by gradually adding less water, if that is your preference.
Tips for weaning puppies successfully
If you’re new to puppy weaning, here are a few handy tips to help make the process smoother for both the puppies and their mother:
Don’t mind the mess
Puppy weaning can be quite chaotic with milk and moist food flying in all directions. Some puppies might decide rolling in their food is a good idea. This is all part of the learning process, so allow them to explore their meals, even if it ends up with dirty paw prints on the floor!
Use a blender
To achieve a really smooth texture, you can also use a blender in the very early stages. When the puppy is ready to try a firmer texture, you can start softening dry kibble using warm water, mashing it thoroughly at first and then reducing this gradually until the kibble holds its shape but remains soft.
Use heavier bowls for food and water
Puppies are playful and can sometimes be clumsy. Light bowls can be easily tipped over in all the mealtime excitement. Make sure the bowl is heavy enough to remain in the same place and shallow enough for tiny pups to reach safely.
Be mindful of over-feeding
It can be tempting to offer puppies more food than they need or their little stomachs can handle. The golden rule of puppy weaning is to feed little and often.
Make sure everyone gets their share
In a large litter, or one where there is a big difference in puppy size, it’s often a good idea to provide more than one bowl of food, so everyone has a chance to eat enough. Weighing the puppies daily can help you check that they are eating well and growing as expected.
FAQs
- How to wean orphaned puppies?
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Orphaned puppies should be fed using puppy milk replacer until they are three to four weeks old, at which point the weaning process can begin.
Soften dry food with warm water and introduce it gradually to their diet. Patience is extremely important, so make sure you allow the puppy enough time to get used to their new meals as they learn to let go of the bottle.
- What happens during a puppy's life before weaning?
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Before weaning, puppies rely entirely on their mother’s milk for nutrition and hydration. Their sense of smell will help them find their way to their mother’s teats, where suckling should be instinctive.
During this early period, the mother keeps her puppies warm with her own body heat. When she temporarily moves away from them, the litter will tend to group together to keep warm. She will also lick the puppies to keep them clean and help to stimulate them to urinate and defecate.
A puppy should stay with their mother and siblings for at least the first 8 weeks of their life.
Gentle human contact is also important during this early period, as it can help support early socialisation and accustom puppies to being handled. However, this should be introduced gradually and balanced carefully so that it does not cause distress to the mother.
- What if the mother dog struggles with feeding or weaning her puppies?
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If the mother dog is struggling to feed or wean her puppies, you should contact your vet for advice as soon as possible. Difficulty nursing or weaning can sometimes point to an underlying problem, such as pain, illness or mastitis. Early support is important for both the mother and her puppies.
