In the first few weeks after birth, puppies feed exclusively on their mother’s milk. This provides them with all the nutrients they need to start a healthy life. But when can you start feeding the puppies and what do you have to pay attention to? We explain that to you here.
Key facts at a glance
- After about three weeks, puppies can be slowly introduced to solid food.
- Complete weaning from breast milk occurs between the eighth and tenth week of life.
- Puppies should be fed a high-quality puppy food.
- Fixed feeding times and an appropriate amount of feed ensure healthy growth.
From breast milk to the first solid food
For the first three weeks of its life, a newborn puppy feeds exclusively on mother’s milk. He gains around 20 percent of his own weight every day, doubling his body weight within the first 10 days.
After about three weeks, you can slowly start feeding your puppies solid food. To do this, they start with tiny portions. In order to make it easier for the little four-legged friends to absorb and digest the food, it makes sense to first mix the food with a little water to form a paste.
Time to wean from breast milk
Your puppies will quickly develop a taste for dog food. However, they continue to drink breast milk. Because they are only weaned when they are about eight to ten weeks old.
From this point on, your puppies only eat solid food and occasionally drink a little breast milk.
Puppies need special puppy food
When switching to solid food, it’s important to consider the special nutritional needs of puppies.
To ensure healthy growth, it makes sense to feed a special puppy food. This is characterized in particular by a needs-based protein content, a high energy density and an adjusted amount of minerals.
Of course, when buying puppy food, you should always make sure that it is of good quality and, if possible, give preference to products with natural ingredients.
Puppies should not be groomed by amateurs
Many dog owners rely on BARF for feeding. However, we do not recommend this form of feeding for puppies unless you have special experience in this area. Because it is very important for their health to exactly cover their need for different nutrients, which can only be achieved with BARF with a great deal of knowledge and care.
In addition, raw meat is often contaminated with germs. Even if these do not usually pose a serious threat to adult dogs, they can definitely make puppies sick.
Fixed feeding times and a need-based amount of feed
A fixed rhythm gives your little four-legged friends security. Therefore, plan feeding times that are as fixed as possible for your puppies and divide the daily amount of food into three to four meals.
Also, be sure to use portion sizes that are tailored to your needs. Despite their high energy requirements, too much food is harmful to your puppies. Especially in large dog breeds, too fast growth can lead to severe damage to the joints and permanently impair the quality of life of the animals.