I usually start weaning my puppies at 3-4 weeks old. My current litter is 15 days old and seem so forward. It is a large litter and mum seems to be struggling to feed them. I cut their nails but they still seem rough when trying to feed and mum is getting less keen to feed. What is the earliest I can try weaning them? is 15 days too young? If I do start weaning them early what is the best food. I usually use minced meat but would a milk based food be better for young puppies?

I started weaning one litter at 12 days on my mentors advice as their eyes were open early and was told this was a sign they were not getting enough from Mum, they were still gaining weight but not as quickly, started with soft scrambled eggs and progressed to mushed up puppy kibble etc., the weight gain picked up again, that litter were quicker at doing everything.

I have a toy litter 20 days old. Mum is short of milk so I have been topping the pups up and my mentor in the breed told me to start solids once eyes were open. Hence I tried them on solids for first time on Sunday (17 days), no joy. Yesterday (19 days) however the two bigger pups happily tucked into beef mince, but the smaller one didn't want any. Be trying her again today. And this is a breed that develops quite slowly.

No not too early.

I go by weight gain, if the rate of gain is levelling out then I start weaning.  Have started as Young as 12 days as eyes were open. 

At any rate I always start them off with at least a taster from 18 days, so that by the time I worm at 21 days I can ensure it is after a meal.

I always start weaning using a puppy milk made from Goats milk with enough soaked puppy kibble to make a gruel.

I introduce meat around the 4 week mark by which time they are eating an appreciable amount of soaked puppy food with puppy milk in 4 meals a day

I mum is having difficulty I have started at 2 weeks before, there is no need to bottle feed if they are hungry they will get very messy but do consume some food. By the age of 2.5 weeks softly minced meat is safe to offer and the sooner you get them onto their solids the better, providing they are still getting a supply of milk from their mum.
Good luck and have fun !! :)

thanks for all the adsvice. I have been trying since i wrote this post to get them to try solids and getting nowhere. They do not have the foggiest idea what to do. I have tried minced beef (horse?) bought from Tesco. Tinnrd butchers tripe and scrambled egg. Even if it is put in their mouths it just gets spat out.

I had planned to use Applaws kibble but am getting nowhere soaking that. it resolutely stays solid for hours under water. I used to use fish for dogs but won't since the recipe change. Does anyone know a good cereal free puppy kibble? or have any ideas how to get them to try eating?

I have had to use a hand held blender on puppy kibble that won't go soft enough by just soaking. Have you tried getting them to lick it off your fingers? The meat may initially need to be liquidized with milk to a thin gruel consistency so again they can lick/lap it up.

They may not be as hungry as you think they should be, what are they getting if they are refusing solids.

I must have been lucky because my mini dachsie pups have taken to solids very easily from as early as day 12, may be messy, they get on the plate and wander round the edge but at least they are eating and Mum gets to clean them up afterwards.

Here is a pic with the scrambled egg, it at least didn't stick to them as badly as some stuff did.

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc85/RHODACH/DSCF1541.jpg

My two bigger pups tucked into mince happily from the first time I tried, the smaller one refused point blank no matter what I did. I then tried Natures Menu puppy food in pouches, made sure it was really mushy (which is easy with that food), and wow did she tuck in!!

I don't think a cereal free puppy food will soak like the ones with cereal.  so you may need to sue a coffee grinder/blender and blitz the dry food into smaller bits/powder

If the pups aren't taking to the food offered then they must be happy with what they are getting from Mu, is their weight gain steady.

Even though I usually give mine their first tastes from 18 days it does vary as to when they really start eating an appreciable amount, based on I assume on Mums Milk production.

I have had pups really go for it right from the word go, and other litters only take a minimal taster at each meal, until 4 weeks,a nd anything in between.

I use the supplementary/solid feeding initially purely  as a back up for Mum, in case her milk fails, so that pups don't get a check in their development.

Hungry healthy pups will eat/drink.

You put a reply on my post, I hope you are getting on better now. Mine are Ok with the solids now, though not keen on soaked kibble, they like meat. But Mum really doesn't want to feed them anymore. I am trying to do them in batches. If I leave for a split second she leaps out with puppies hanging!! They certainly know how to make us worry!

Puppies still not keen on food but got some applaws pate and that seems to be going down well with one little girl. Lets hope the rest follow her lead. > If I leave for a split second she leaps out with puppies hanging!!

> If I leave for a split second she leaps out with puppies hanging!!

yes mine too. I have to sit on the floor and almost hold her down. today I have got her to lie on my bed and puppies have been fed there in batches of 4 and 5. easier on my knees but I can only do it when someone is around to hand puppies to me as mum leaves if I go and get a puppy.

Sounds a bit like us. First batch not so bad, but had enough by second batch. I think mine are older than yours. They will be 4 weeks on Thursday, I would like to keep her feeding till then. The nights are wearing me out though!

How are you getting on now newyork? Is Mum still feeding the pups? My pups were meant to go outside in a mesh run but it is too cold, so I have turned my Utility room into a puppy room. I have had to put a stair gate on the door. Now Mum wants to go in (not for long though!!) The pups still not keen on solids. They don't really eat the puppy kibble. They like puppy meat and also been giving minced beef which they like.

my pups are in the living room and mum is happier to feed them now. I think because she is with the rest of the family. As she is feeding them more they are not so frantic so not so painful for her I think.

Puppies still not eating more than the odd mouthful no matter what I give them.  they are still gaining weight but more slowly. I know it has been said if they are hungry they will eat but I am not sure that is true. Mine can be without mum for several hours and still not try the food even when it is put into their mouth. I have tried various types of mince, tripe, tinned and kibble but nothing seems to interest them for more than a couple of mouthfuls.

I've found Natures diet is excellent for fussy pups....the litter I have at the moment just can't get enough of it.

I started them off on a very wet mixture of kibble and I mean very wet, so much so, that when its pressed the liquid oozes out....then gradually added the Natures diet to each feed and cut down the amount of liquid.

Glad to hear she is feeding them better. I have about 3 pups that are not interested in much food. The rest seem fine. They do cry for Mum, she doesn't go to them anymore if they cry. I put her in with them 3 or 4 times a day still. I will gradually reduce it now as they are nearly 5 weeks. Only thing is they won't drink water at all. They are frightened of it!! I have a large, round feeding bowl with a dome in the middle, when they have eaten I put water in and they touch it and run! I'm sure they would drink if they were thirsty. Good luck your pups.