social

Feeding Puppies

April 7, 2005

Feeding PuppiesI read the request about "Pit Bull Eating Grass" and I am an amateur dog breeder and would like to make a few comments.

First off: Your pup is eating grass because it either needs to eliminate some discomfort or it is lacking a nutrient. If you get a puppy and it no longer has access to its mother's milk or the equivalent then you should not just give it what humans or other animals would use. This pup specifically should be being introduced to some form of dog or puppy chow.

Advertisement



We usually begin introducing food between 3 and 4 weeks softened with water to the consistency of runny oatmeal, progressively thickening as the pup ages. By 6 weeks it should be able to eat dry kibble and drink water. A milk substitute designed for pups may also be given as well until 8 weeks of age. But no other food or other animal milk should be given, your pup would be better off with the softened dog food alone than to be trying to digest something his body is not designed to digest.

Get your pups de-wormed, all pups are born with worms and need de-worming. And be careful with the flea bath shampoo as it is strong and I have unfortunately seen people actually poison a pet using this shampoo while trying to eliminate the discomfort of fleas.

Good luck and try to get your pup to a vet around 8 weeks for puppy shots.

By Barbie

 
Read More Comments

13 Questions

Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.

I have 12 puppies that are 26 days old. They already started eating some solid food but were still nursing. The mother got hit by a car and died. What do I do?


Answers


Silver Answer Medal for All Time! 440 Answers
September 2, 20210 found this helpful
Best Answer

I'm so very sorry for your loss, but you need to take care of the puppies.
I think you need to feed them some milk. Puppies two to four weeks of age do well with feedings every 6-8 hours.

Advertisement


You can give your orphans complete nutrition by buying a commercial puppy milk replacer, which can be purchased through your veterinarian or a pet supply store. Commercial milk replacers have feeding directions on the label.
You can feed the puppies with milk replacer at room temperature (it's ok for puppies 3-4 weeks old).
When feeding orphaned puppies, it's best to use commercial animal baby bottles; you can use an eyedropper in an emergency, but it does not allow normal sucking as well as a nipple. The size of the hole in the nipple is crucial. If you turn the bottle upside down and the milk drips freely, the hole is too large. The bottle should require a light squeeze (simulating a puppy suckling) for milk to drip out. If you need to make the hole bigger, you can heat a needle with a lighter and use it to enlarge the hole.
Advertisement

The puppies should begin to wean off milk at about three or four weeks of age. Once your puppies have already started eating food, keep giving them some food. Use a commercially made, balanced food. Kibble should be softened with water or broth to a soupy texture, or you can add a little extra water to wet puppy food.
Also consult your veterinarian.

 
September 12, 20210 found this helpful
Best Answer

You are doing fine. They can eat soft food. If you feel inclined, they make formula for dogs or you make your own. Buy a store bottle or a preemie nipple if they are bigger breed puppies.

 
Answer this Question

August 22, 2011

Hand holding up a young Pit Bull puppy.What is good to feed a 5 week old puppy?

By gutta$$$$

Answers

August 22, 20110 found this helpful

You should soften dry food for them (puppy chow) in some water then feed.

 
August 23, 20111 found this helpful

When we get young pups in rescue, I buy dry puppy food and put it in my blender. It's almost mush by the time I put it in the dish with some watered down milk. You can actually buy "mother's milk" at the pet store and that would help with puppy immunity until they get older. I have also used baby oatmeal or rice cereal for pups, all mixed with milk water.

Advertisement

You can eventually start to put about a half spoon or so of canned puppy food in with it and they will move easily into big dog food. Remember that the puppy should eat puppy food the first year of their life so they get the vitamins they need.

 
Answer this Question

February 24, 2012

What should I feed my new 2-3 weeks old puppies? They are still nursing from mommie.

By Lavender Mommie

Answers

February 26, 20120 found this helpful
Best Answer

Nothing. Their mother is feeding them what they need right now.

 
Answer this Question

September 5, 2011

Three Pit Bull puppies on a leather chair.I have a month and a half old Pit Bull, actually there are 4 of them. Should I keep them all together or separate them in the house when I feed them?

By L. Trent from Baltimore, MD

Answers

September 5, 20110 found this helpful

I would feed them together as soon as possible. The sooner they get use to eating together now the easier it will be when they get older. It's another part of socializing which is very important if they are going to be around other animals and people.

 
September 5, 20110 found this helpful

Feed them together. especially while they are young. They will get used to that. They might have a little competition on who can finish the fastest so the other ones can't get the food, but they will be fine.

Advertisement

Don't separate them.

 
September 6, 20110 found this helpful

Aww...Just wanted to say, cute!

 
September 7, 20110 found this helpful

Feeding them together helps them learn to get along with others. At first they will try each others (just to make sure no one has something better in his/her bowl, than they have). Just separate the bowls enough to give them room to eat in peace when they finally quit trying each others. Always worked for me.

 

Bronze Post Medal for All Time! 205 Posts
September 7, 20110 found this helpful

As long as they are still learning to eat food instead of nursing off mom, I'd feed them separately. But as soon as they get they idea and are eating good from a dish, I'd put them all together so they do learn to eat together and share.

Advertisement

If one or more seems to not be gaining weight as much as the rest, I'd feed that one by itself in between meals (as well as eating with the rest at regular meal time) until it gets strong enough to fend for himself.

Keeping them separate in the beginning will be a huge help in making sure each puppy is eating enough and is learning to eat from the dish. But don't let this separation go for long. Especially pitt bulls, do need to be socialized as much and as soon as possible.

Taking them to a dog park (check to be sure pitts are allowed there, many don't allow them) starting now or as soon as possible will be a fantastic way to socialize them to not just other people, but also to other dogs.

Oh one other thing. Check your local town ordinances. Many towns are outlawing pitt bulls. Personally I don't agree with this, but it is very important to know that your town does not outlaw them. Most towns that do, will come get them and almost immediately put them to sleep. Simply because of the breed. So cruel and so sad, in my mind.

 
September 7, 20110 found this helpful

If you were to ask 10 different people that you would get 10 different answers. I always fed my litter of puppies together so I could nip any food aggression in the butt before they were old enough to fight.

 
Answer this Question

September 4, 2019

I am new at this because the mom didn't wanna take care of them and only one lived so I took her in. Suddenly, my 3 week old puppy doesn't wanna eat anymore and is sleeping all day.

She keeps opening her mouth when she is awake. Is all this because she's teething and I'm worrying over nothing?

Answers


Gold Post Medal for All Time! 677 Posts
September 4, 20190 found this helpful

Not eating would concern me. I would contact the vet.

 

Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 196 Feedbacks
September 4, 20190 found this helpful

Please get the pup to a vet and have her checked out. Pups need special "mothers" milk (some tractor supply places have it or you can get it from the vet) and the vet can tell you how often and ways to get it into her to keep her strength up.

Post back with an update! Sending up lots of prayers!

 
September 5, 20190 found this helpful

After couple hours I sent this, she started eating again, but continues to open her mouth and biting on her blanket. Its funny when my mom hold her, or anyone else. She growls at them and throws a little bark.

 

Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 226 Feedbacks
September 6, 20190 found this helpful

Its good your puppy started eating again. It could be she has some food caught in her teeth and it is bothering her. Or she could have a stick stuck in her mouth. Have a gentle look if she will let you. Could be she is teething. You did not mention how often or fast she opens and closes her mouth. Rapidly opening and closing her mouth (like she is chewing gum real fast) can be a sign of distemper. Opening and closing her mouth over and over, but less quickly can be a sign of epileptic seizures. It can be hard to tell if it is nothing or something serious. If it doesnt stop right away I would get her to a Vet. If you do need to see a Vet try to take a video of her doing it. Good luck.

 
Answer this Question

July 23, 2007

How many times a day does a six month old Pit Bull eat?

Seratta from Chicago, IL

Answers

July 26, 20070 found this helpful

I would contact a vet if you have a pitbull.

 

Bronze Request Medal for All Time! 59 Requests
July 27, 20070 found this helpful

I would ask your vet but, the amount to feed your puppy should be printed on the can or bag of puppy food.

 
By Breanna (Guest Post)
July 28, 20070 found this helpful

I have one the same age. I feed him 2 times a day. about a cup each.

 
By Melanie (Guest Post)
August 9, 20070 found this helpful

Depends on how active your pit is and what type of food you're feeding him/her. If you are feeding your dog a lower quality food, you'll need to feed it more and if you're feeding him/her high quality food, he/she will need less. I go by the feeding recommendations printed on the bag of food and just judge by how active my dog is.

 
August 1, 20090 found this helpful

I've raised 4 dogs. Right now I own 3 of them. I have a chihuahua, a toy poodle and a German Shepherd. I keep the dog food on the floor in a large bowl full time. I never let the bowl go empty and my dogs eat when they get hungry. They never over eat and are not over weight. My chi is 5, my Shepherd is almost 4 and the poodle is a pup.

I've always offered my dogs what I eat and you know, they don't beg and won't eat most table scraps offered to them. I think it's because they know they can have it so they don't want it. Strange, but it always worked for me. Mind you, I don't think you can start this with older dogs as they will probably over eat and gobble everything up fast. I started this as pups and it's worked for me.

 
Answer this Question

June 22, 2015

I have 11, 3 week old American Staffy cross Bull Mastiff pups and am wondering if it's OK to give them raw minced beef?


Answers

June 23, 20150 found this helpful

Yes, when they're older. Puppies at this age should have only their mother's milk. When you start weaning them you can use minced raw beef, but you'll have to mince it a lot at first.

 
June 23, 20150 found this helpful

By the way- Since you have 11 it just occured to me that you're worried they're not getting enough food and that's why you asked.

You'll need to do supplemental feedings with puppy formula. It does seem like 11 is a lot of puppies and some are not getting their fair share. Only feed the smaller ones. The fatter ones are doing okay fending for themselves.

It's still not a good idea to introduce solid food until 8 weeks.

 
Answer this Question

February 12, 2015

Our litter of 5 week old Labradors is on ground puppy food and puppy milk at the moment which they enjoy. Every time we try to soak the food in water as the puppy food comes they reject it, are we too early? They only have 3 weeks to go before they leave for there new owners.

By Rob from Devon

Answers

February 12, 20150 found this helpful

We had Dalmatian puppies~4 litters. The mom would get to the point she would get up to stop the puppies from nursing. We then bought a box of baby cereal to get them use to texture foods at around 3 weeks of age. The cereal was mixed with 2% milk warmed a little. In a few days they were ready for puppy chow. We never had a problem with puppies eating. We always had litters of 10 and they grew so fast they were able to leave as early as 4 weeks.

 
February 12, 20150 found this helpful

We always used powdered baby cereal before we went to puppy chow. We used 2% milk to make a soupy mixture. Do you use warm water to soften the puppy food? I would think that would help also. We had 4 litters of Dalmatians a few years ago.

 
Answer this Question

December 22, 2015

What do I start feeding my 3 week old puppies?


Answers

December 22, 20150 found this helpful

I would not use that link. It has information for weaned puppies.
The puppies you have are too young for anything except puppy replacement formula.

 
Answer this Question

July 1, 2015

I have 3 1/2 week old Pit Bulls and have been bottle feeding them since they were one week old. I had just introduced them to soft canned dog food and now they won't drink their milk.

Is that OK or should I make them drink it?

Answers


Bronze Answer Medal for All Time! 220 Answers
July 1, 20150 found this helpful

The pups are old enough for regular food-buy a high quality brand made for puppies to guarantee they receive the best nutrition.

 
Answer this Question

January 4, 2015

brown puppiesI was given two little brown puppies. They are still very small. My sister and I gave them their first two baths. We would like to know what they can eat. They are weeks old and they are hungry. What foods would be right to feed them?

By maryrojas647

Answers

April 20, 20200 found this helpful

First off- they shouldnt be taken away from their mother before 8 weeks of age. Second- if they have- you must bottle feed them every few hours. Keep them warm. Or they will not survive.

 
Answer this Question

January 28, 2014

Is it too early to introduce a slurry of puppy food to my 20 day old puppies? They're a Labrador/Weimaraner mix seem to be ready for it.

By Mel from Montgomery, NY


Answer this Question
Categories
Pets Dogs AdviceJuly 2, 2013
Pages
More
🎂
Birthday Ideas!
🍀
St. Patrick's Ideas!
💘
Valentine's Ideas!
Facebook
Pinterest
YouTube
Instagram
Categories
Better LivingBudget & FinanceBusiness and LegalComputersConsumer AdviceCoronavirusCraftsEducationEntertainmentFood and RecipesHealth & BeautyHolidays and PartiesHome and GardenMake Your OwnOrganizingParentingPetsPhotosTravel and RecreationWeddings
Published by ThriftyFun.
Desktop Page | View Mobile
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Contact Us
Generated 2024-01-29 13:18:19 in 16 secs. ⛅️️
© 1997-2024 by Cumuli, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
https://www.thriftyfun.com/Feeding-Puppies-2.html