Pups are 3 weeks old today and I want to start to wean them little to help mum out. How should I start? Would making up some lactol on a saucer be a good start? How much lactol should I use? I have a small breed, could 3 weeks be a little early to start to wean? They are not up on there back legs yet, but seem to be nearly there.

Lois

How are they reacting to Mums food when you feed her in the whelping box.

I like to start mine off by three weeks so they are eating when I worm them, but by then they will have been trying to get into Mums bowl.

I wouldn't give mine just the milk as I find they choke on it, I soak a little bit of the puppy food, literally a couple of pieces and mash it with a tiny bit of the milk. 

Each pup will have no more than about a teaspoonful.

Thank you Brainless for your very quick reply. Mum has been eating all of her meals outside of the whelping box.

I was hoping to get the pups weaned on to royal canin puppy but am now thinking it is not suitable as the package says for puppies 2 - 10 months. I am not looking for another decent brand of food to use. Any ideas welcome?

I have some ready oats and eggs in to get them started. 

nature diet is super I used it on my last litter . You can also warm it up in the microwave and mash it with a fork or mix it with a little puppy milk in the early stages.

You can use the Royal Canin no problem, the reason it says from 2 months I suppose is that is the age an owner will get a puppy.

Why not give Mum soaked food in the whelping box and see if pups show and interest.  I have always started pups on the food Mum has that way it is something they have been getting through the milk.

Ready oats is straight cereal not something I would use to wean, either use scraped raw meat (you use the side of a knife blade across the grain of a lean piece of steak so that it forms a pulp which puppies will take as little balls) or puppy food.

I am rearing my pups on naturediet,they love it and are big strong healthy pups,i added boiling water at first and made it really sloppy for them didnt have any problems getting them to lap.

I us royal canin starter smaller than the junior for weaning found that 3 week old pup's took to it.
Mushed up better.

you can still use the food just put it in a mixer first or blender dry it makes a powder ,it mixes so well with cooled water then

Thank you everybody.

I am going to give them ago today with some royal canin puppy food mixed with a little lactol. What strength should I make the lactol to? 7 scoops per pint or should it be weaker at this stage?

I will let you know how I get on, they are only just 3 weeks so still might be a bit soon for them.

Normal strength for the milk.  You won't want more than 1/4 pint made up.

Thank you, that will save alot of waste, will only do 1/4 pint to just over 1 and a half scoops!

Will post later how it went.

Thanks again, Lois

If you use Royal Canin you need Baby Dog -it's the same as puppy but much smaller pieces, from weaning onwards.

I've just weaned a toy breed puppy, his first meal was chicken mince then after a couple of days I went straight onto what his mum eats which is Nature Diet. I just scraped meat off the block so the pieces were tiny, more like shavings. I don't give milk, he gets that off mum.

The Royal Canin I have is Puppy / Junior small breed, the bits are very small - is this the one you mean or is there another one I should be getting?

Also what consistency should i be mixing the complete to? I have just mixed some up with boiling water, rather than lactol as first planned, at the moment it is very much like tinned dog meat, i'm thinking it will need to be much thinner.

Thanks again

yes make it very watery thay will just lick at it my pups are 4weeks and 3days old and still have it sloppy they seem to eat more this way and i also add tiny bits of raw mince ,thay eat every bit ,at 1st thay dont like water to drink so by making sure its very sloppy thay dont get thirsty ,and if mum still feeds 3times aday (or more) at this age their still getting milk so dont need it with their food ...but every` does thing different also make sure water has cooled before using it to soak food

> Also what consistency should i be mixing the complete to? I

Think very thin porridge or gruel.  mix in the milk to what you have mashed down with water.

I find the puppy food won't soak in milk, you need to soak in water, mash and then ass the milk.

To start without will be consistency of runny custard or porridge as pups get older it gets thicker, and you start giving pups shallow bowl of water to lap at too.

Huge thanks to Brainless and WhiteLilly, I had a go this evening and a couple licked alittle off my hand others snubbed it and went to sleep, might try them tomorrow with a little bit of scrambled egg mixed in, tonight I only soaked the Royal Canin in water.

The book of the bitch and breeding a little don't have enough information about weaning! Both books have been a great help to me though

it can take a good few day for them to get the hang of it try adding a tiny bit of mince meat and watch them eat then x

Gave a little scrambled egg this morning some had a little lick from my hand a couple even went over to the plate and eat abit, a couple still not wanting to know but we are getting there, it all takes time. I have just given some royal canin slop, only a couple would like it off my hand think they liked the egg better, will keep you updated.

I will try some mince, i will buy a frozen pack and see how we go.