Hi my pups are 3weeks and 4days old, is it to young to start them on milk formula soaked biscuits? Only looking at this because they have plenty of teeth coming through and mum doesn't look like she's very happy when feeding.
Thanks in advance for your comments

You're a bit late I'd say, I always start no later than 3 weeks and my last litter started already at 13 days, they were that ready. Personally I never use milk of any sort though, they will still get what they need from their mum and puppy milk can so easily cause upset stomachs. I wean on raw minces and complete puppy food soaked in warm water and then mashed up.

I start between 2.5 and 3 weeks but with well soaked and mashed good quality puppy food and raw mince. 
Unless it's a small litter, it's expecting a lot for the dam to provide everything for a growing litter.  :)

I think breed size - and litter size - can have some bearing on when to start weaning. With my Ridgebacks, I usually start weaning at 3 weeks. I keep mum away from the pups for an hour or so and then offer the pups their first meal. I have always weaned on to puppy complete before but this time am seriously thinking of weaning on to raw as my other dogs are all raw fed. On day 2 I will offer food once again. Then on day 3 two meals etc.

It's her first litter of 5 pups, feeding mum on iams puppy biscuits and pedigree puppy meat. Also giving mum milk formula to gain weight (which she has now) :-)

Mince? Boiled mince? Is that soft enough for the pups? Don't want to feed raw food because there new homes won't be feeding them raw food.

Thanks for helping

>Mince? Boiled mince?

No, raw mince, just to get them started on solid food. There's time between now and their leaving home to get them settled on something else, but raw mince is ideal to start with.

Appropriate your help

today's plan.... introduce the pups to some water soaked biscuits.

Tomorrow's plan..... introduce the pups to raw mince meat and soaked biscuits.

I'll let you know how I get on :-)

I have a tiny breed and always feed the bitch in the whelping area.  Sometimes hand feeding mum when she is so attentive to pups that she goes off eating. 

Even these tiny, tiny babies will crawl to the bitches dish and experiment at licking mums food, even before the eyes are open.  Once they actually eat the food I know when to start feeding extra.  Always let them choose when they are ready.  :-)

Don't want to feed raw food because there new homes won't be feeding them raw food.

This is why I feed my pups on 50/50 raw and commercial food, then every buyer has a choice and pups are used to everything. :) But then my dogs are raw fed normally.

I too always feed mum in with the pups, I give her scrambled egg made with goats milk for breakfast and once the pups start making their way over to her food for a quick look and feed I know they are ready, it usually is 3 weeks, they then also get scrambled egg for breakfast whilst I remove mum, any left over she will hoover up,

I then soak the complete food with luke warm water (so as not to destroy vitamins etc, hot water will ;-) ) It can be given just soaked or topped up with meat, chicken, white fish to give extra textures. (Please make sure any raw meats have been frozen and then defrosted to avoid any problems.)

I also give meals of cooked rice with meat, chicken, white fish which are my pups favourites, as they age they also eat raw chicken wings as a mid morning snack.

To help with weaning once the pups are on their feet and running around I also give a bowl of pasturised goats milk with an egg yolk morning and evening which they lap up, but I always allow the dam to come and go as she pleases and the pups may still have a little suckle from her too.

Just go with the flow of things the litter will decide when it is ready and at the beginning mum may get a few extra portions from leftovers, and no doubt the pups will get more on them then in their mouths sometimes, but before you know it, every speckle of food is wolfed down. :-)

I only give the mushed up puppy food. I agree not everyone wants to feed other than the biscuits and I have no problem with that if high quality.
My first was fed on meat from the abattoir and I could never settle her on anything else until she was about 5 years old. It wasn't for us I'm afraid.

Thanks for your help

I have introduced the pups to soaked biscuits today. And they are very clever little things:-) all 3 girls had a nice little feed, the boys on the other hand are very lazy, they stayed fast asleep so I'm going to soak some more biscuits and wait while they wake up!

I'd have started mine a week before this, to be sure Mum's milk supply didn't drop off, and they had not anything else to fall back on.

First day offered just once, then twice and so on until they are getting 4 or 5 small meals to appetite.

Always give a bit more than they will clear and Mum gets the leftovers.

>and no doubt the pups will get more on them then in their mouths sometimes,

Don't you think they can be amusing at this stage?  I have watched pups lie down in the food dish, while licking the food.  Once they move out and go to sleep on their backs, the siblings will lick food off their bellies.  :-)

Don't you just love pups.  Total time wasters.  You suddenly realise that you are so engrossed that nothing gets done.  

Fed them this morning. Awww so funny, lots of mess everywhere but fantastic to watch :-)

Mum has now decided to feed the pups standing up, can't be to comfortable for her lol

thanks for your help guys

Don't you just love pups.  Total time wasters.  You suddenly realise that you are so engrossed that nothing gets done.

:-) Absolutely, love this age, they make you laugh so much, swimming in food is just as much fun as eating it, ;-)  I only work when they are sleeping as never want to miss a minute.

Just incase i missed it but make sure the mince has been frozen and then defrosted 1st x