Weaning (the transition from drinking only milk to drinking solid food and water) can be a nerve-wracking time in a puppy’s life and its owners. Most people will never have to care for an unweaned puppy and the first time they find themselves in that position it can be overwhelming.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about weaning your puppy.
When can my puppy eat dry or wet food?
Mother’s milk (or Milk replacer for puppiesFrom the time a puppy is born, they will only need their mother’s milk (if needed) until they are about 3-4 weeks old, at which point they will begin to wean.
Puppy weaning occurs slowly: weaning begins when the puppy is 3 to 4 weeks old, but the weaning process is not complete until the puppy is 6 to 8 weeks old. During that time, your puppy will gradually get less nutrition from milk and more nutrition from puppy food and water.
Weaning puppies will initially only be able to eat very soft, moist food, such as tinned puppy food made into ‘puppy gruel’ with a bit of puppy milk replacer mixed in. By the end of the weaning period your puppy will be crunching on dry puppy food and drinking water from a bowl.
How to choose a diet for your weaning puppy
There is no one best puppy food for every dog or every situation, and your vet can provide individualized advice. Choosing food can be a challenge, but there are some good options for weaning your puppy.
How to wean a puppy
Weaning will be a little different for each puppy – for example, puppy mothers will naturally begin restricting milk and transitioning them to solid foods around 4-5 weeks of age.
If you are bottle-feeding your puppy, you will want to wean him as soon as possible, which can usually start around three weeks of age.
Here are the steps to weaning a puppy:
3-4 weeks of age
Mix wet puppy food with the milk replacer to make a very soft puppy gruel. Place it in a shallow bowl where your puppy can easily reach it. Dip your fingers into the food and let your puppy lick it off.
Have your puppy sit at the bowl and lick it. He usually gets used to it quickly, but if he hesitates, don’t force him. Try again at the next feeding.
You’ll probably need to wipe your puppy down after he’s finished eating. Puppies need to be fed at least four times a day, but at this point they still get most of their nutrition from milk.
5-6 weeks of age
By this time your puppy should be happily eating soft foods – there’s no longer any need to add puppy milk replacer to his canned food, in fact many puppies will even tolerate chunky foods.
If you eventually want to feed your puppy dry food, first soak the dry food in warm water to soften it and then mash it with a fork.
Feed your puppy four times a day. He’s probably not getting much milk from his mother or a bottle anymore.
6-8 weeks of age
Most puppies are completely weaned by 6-8 weeks of age and eat only wet puppy food or softened dry food. Gradually reduce the amount of water added to the dry puppy food until your puppy is able to crunch it.
Most puppies will be fully weaned by this time, but ideally they should remain with their mother and siblings until they are 10 weeks old. Socialization is very important for puppies, and their mother and siblings are the best people to teach them how to be well-adjusted dogs.
When can my puppy start drinking water?
A water schedule for your puppy is similar to a solid food schedule.
3-4 weeks of age
Puppies should get all the fluids they need from their mother’s milk, bottle or puppy porridge. You can offer them a small bowl of water at mealtimes, but don’t be surprised if they don’t drink.
5-6 weeks of age
Your puppy is learning to drink from a bowl, and as the water in his diet decreases, his desire to drink increases. Water should be available to him whenever he’s awake.
6-8 weeks of age
Your puppy will get all the hydration they need by drinking water from their bowl – if you have any questions about your puppy’s water intake or nutrition in general, consult your veterinarian.
How much puppy food should I feed my puppy?
Now that your puppy is happily eating puppy food, you are probably wondering when Switch to adult dog food. Usually the best time to do this is when your dog has finished growing taller, which happens sooner for smaller dogs than for larger ones.
As always, your puppy’s individual circumstances may change these recommendations, and your vet is in the best position to tell you what’s appropriate for your puppy.
