Hi,

I'm going to be weaning my 3 weeks old puppies small breed very soon I was going to put them on chudleys puppy food just wondered has anyone used this and what are your opinions on it and will it soak down with hot water to begin with I was originally meant to wean on to applaws puppy food but the kibble just won't soak and I don't have a separate blender to blend it down with so anyone can help me please reply thanks

Ideally you should use the same puppy food that you are feeding the dam.  What are you feeding the dam?

Not used it, but it does say suitable for use once they are weaned and eating solid food, so possibly not the best choice?  Chudleys do do a 'starter meal' which makes a porridge, but there are no ingredients listed on their website, and I would want to know what was in it before I considered it in terms of being a quality feed...

In my experience of Chudley's adult feeds, they seem to be VERY cereal based.

applaws puppy food but the kibble just won't soak

I haven't used Applaws food at all, but are you soaking it in warm water & giving it plenty of time to soften?

Tried the Chudleys adult for a little while - easy to get hold of - but after 4-5 months I took them off it. Didn't like the vast quantities of poo being produced :-O

I think I'd be inclined to buy a cheap blender and use the Applaws, but as Westcoast said the pups should really be weaned onto whatever Mum is eating (assuming it's a good quality puppy food). As others have said Chudleys does seem to be very cereal based, so wouldn't be my choice.

Hi,

in reply to those who asked what mums been fed on shes on nature diet and applaws puppy food thanks

Then I would start with mashed Nature Diet.

If you really want to use Chudleys (I would choose a better quality food) then this blender from Argos would probably be a good investment for £10.
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4229849/Trail/searchtext%3EBLENDER.htm

Does no-one do it the 'old fashioned way any more?  My babies start off on very finely minced best steak, let down with a bit of hot water poured over it.  They usually take your fingers off in their attempts to get it down!  After three or four days of this being offered 4 - 5 times a day, I introduce something milky (usually tinned Semolina pud) and gradually introduce sloppy scrambled eggs with cheese and goat's milk.  From then on, I give as much FRESH food as they can eat and only when they get to about 4 1/2 - 5 weeks old do I add some very well soaked complete (Beta Puppy for me) into their meat meals.  However, the complete is an addition and I do not aim to get them on this as their total diet - ever.  Puppies should be fed what is good for them, not what is easy for the breeder.  Just my opinion.  I'm off now before I get shot down in flames :-)

LOL jacksgirl :) ive started with mince beef afew times but found it hard to get their puppy down them after ,dont blame them tho after beef why would they want anything eles ;) ,
what i do is start adding soaked kibble to the mince beef they love it!
xxx

The same company now owns Autarky Puppy which I have used

My js pups are born fussy, they turned their noses up at all raw meat, I've tried and tried to get them in to raw feeding (including adults) but they look as if to say I'm not eating that unless it's in Beef stew with dumplings lol I found RC puppy was very easy to blend down and suited mom and pups to a tee.

Yes, we always start ours off on the very leanest beef, in little balls, fed by hand - they love it! Complete introduced at getting on for 5 weeks but never makes up a big part of the diet and it always has tripe or some other mince mixed in. Chicken wings at 4 weeks, plus the odd bit of liver and heart.
I suppose we all do something different and what works for one person (or their puppies!) won't work for the next.

> Does no-one do it the 'old fashioned way any more?

I've only reared one litter (hopefully it will be more if I can ever get Esme pregnant!) and I'm with you all they way - raw meats, goats milk, egg custard etc. I was only advising the OP as she wanted advice on the "dried food" route.

Same here - I started with mince / cheap steak / chicken etc and goats milk, tried scrambled egg though my lot didn't like it, and only gradually introduced kibble. Worked perfectly with the 1st litter though the singleton Madam from the 2nd litter is still being a bit of a pest!