When Should Puppies Begin to Eat Puppy Mush?
In the beginning, puppy mush will not be the only food your puppy is eating. They may not get many calories from the puppy mush at first as they try and figure out how exactly to eat it. It can be more complicated than you might think, especially when you’re a little puppy!
For this reason, the first introduction of puppy gruel isn’t meant to provide many calories. Instead, it’s to introduce the puppies to solid food so they can begin getting used to it.
Usually, this should begin when they are around 3–4 weeks old. However, the timing will depend on the mother somewhat. Eventually, the mother will stop feeding the puppies as much as she begins to wean them. This is your sign to introduce solid food—as in mush or gruel.
Some mothers will never initiate the weaning process, though. In this case, introduce the mush in week 4 anyway. The puppies will need to be weaned, even if the mother doesn’t seem like she knows how to start the process.
You should take the time to gradually change your puppy’s diet, starting with only 10% gruel and 90% mother’s milk. Slowly shift this ratio until your puppy is eating 100% solid food by the age of 8 weeks. The amount of gruel and its consistency should be gradually modified in line with this goal and timeline. Gradually reduce the amount of liquid used to make the gruel until its consistency is that of wet food, and simultaneously increase the amount of gruel/food your puppy eats as the mother weans it. The mother’s milk will dry up around 12 or so weeks, so the switch needs to be made entirely before then.
How Often Should Puppies Eat Puppy Mush?
Puppies are growing quickly, but they only have small stomachs. Like human babies, they need to eat a little bit often. Even if it doesn’t seem like your puppies are consuming much of the gruel, they are likely taking in a decent number of calories.
Preferably, the puppies should eat the mush three to four times a day. This is a lot and will require plenty of clean-up from you. If the puppies are tiny, you may need to increase this amount but lower the amount of food you offer at one time. Be sure to weigh the puppies as they grow to ensure they’re on track. You may need to adjust their food intake based on this information. More is not necessarily better, as it can cause health problems down the line if the puppies develop too quickly.
Throughout the puppy’s development, you will want to increase the amount of food per meal but lower the overall meals. They should be eating only two meals a day when they are ready for their new homes, though smaller breeds may still need three meals a day.
I have heard of milk fever. What exactly is it?
Eclampsia, or milk fever, is a depletion of calcium from the mother due to heavy milk production. It generally occurs when the puppies are three to five weeks old (just before weaning) and most often to mothers with large litters. The mother typically has muscle spasms resulting in rigid legs, spastic movements, and heavy panting. This condition can be fatal in 30-60 minutes, so a veterinarian should be consulted immediately.
The how and why we feed puppy mush for the first time!
Gruel for puppies is the first solid food that young dogs will taste. This concoction is basically an easy to eat soft mush thats made from dry dog food and water and is fed as a supplement to the mothers milk. Gradually, gruel for puppies is fed in larger and more frequent solid meals until the dogs are weaned from their mother and no longer need to nurse.
The weaning process typically begins around 3 to 4 weeks of age, though nursing puppies should remain with their mother until about 8 to 10 weeks of age, which is when theyll be fully weaned. Puppies will nurse less and less during weeks four through seven, and its at this stage that young dogs can have supplemental mush in their diets.
Much the way babies smear pureed peas all over their face, the first few times that puppies eat solid food results in the same kind of mess. Indeed, most pups will end up wearing more than they eat, so you only need enough gruel for puppies to give them a small taste.
Its best to wean a puppy using the same dry food their mother has been eating, which should be a high-quality puppy chow that will ensure balanced nutrition. Dont be tempted to feed adult food to a puppy, as it wont contain the important nutrients that specially formulated puppy kibble offers.
To make your own mush at home, put a cup or two of dry dog food into a mixing bowl or pan. Note that the amount is determined by the number of puppies youre feeding and their size. You can also ask your dogs vet about how much and how often to feed your pet, but in general, puppies require four feedings a day when theyre between 6 and 12 weeks of age.
Add water to cover the dry food and then use a large spoon to combine the mush well. Cover the bowl and allow it to stand long enough to soften, usually about 15 to 30 minutes depending on the amount of food.
After the gruel for puppies has softened, stir and mash the mush until it is the consistency of a thin porridge, adding a little more water as needed. When your puppy matures and learns to eat more successfully, you can gradually thicken the mush, but keeping it thin at first is wise. You can also add canned dog or puppy food at this point, but for the first meals, keep the amount very small or the mush will be too thick.
Do you have a pup whos a bit skeptical of the meal youve made? You can guide your pet to his food dish and then gently place his nose into the bowl to introduce him to the food and coax him to try it. You might also warm up your puppys bowl of mush to make it more desirable. Start with three small meals of puppy mush a day and increase to four. The consistency of the mush should get more and more solid until your pet can eat plain dry food.
Puppies are playful by nature, so to stave off a potential mess, be sure to take away whatever mush is left over after your puppy has eaten and then clean up the area. If gruel for puppies sits too long, it could spoil. Be patient as your puppy learns to eat solid food. All dogs go through the same developmental stages, but some litters or individual pups move a little faster (or slower) than others.