Hi.I would be grateful for any advice on a feeding routine for my 4 and a half week old pups.I started them on solids yesterday,giving them scrambled egg which they enjoyed.How often should i offer them food.Would it be too much for my bitch to suddenly have to drop milk production if i give them too much.Also ,when i feed them they dont want milk from mum or lactol from me for quite a while and i worry about dehydration?
Any tips gratefully appreciated
Thanks
Lucy

At this age I would have them on four meals a day as much as they will eat.  they should also have  dish of water, regularly changed as they are likely to get it mucky.  they may not drink much at first with food sloppy and Mum still feeding.  Most pups will feed from Mum given the chance between meals.

I think they would feed of mom for ever if they could lol,
I feed mine 4 meals a day, breakfast, readybrek with warm milk, dinner, tuna, tea, chose of meat with little bit of puppy complete, then rice pupping or readybrek for supper. It went down very well some didn't eat much for supper though. They loved the tuna it is very cheap from Asda, Asda's own. I did give them a drink of milk for bed Welphing milk in a dish it helped them except the dish easier. They come on beautifully. But! there is usally one that just doesn't want to wean lol!

Denese 

Yep but Mum usually calls a halt when she's ready :D  I have never found any of my pups suckle for longer than a week or two after the others have left, and then only a sneaky slurp, and I don't split my dogs/pups up.

Here! Here! they always try a crafty one LOL!!

Thankyou all for your help.
Madge,the mum,seems much less interested in her pups since i've been feeding them and they've found the water dish now.
One question though.I've bought some chicken breasts and would like to give it to them raw and finely chopped up but am worried about salmonella,should i give it raw or cook it?
Thanks
Lucy

I would always give meat raw.

I always give mine meat that has been cooked, no chicken bones though!
Matter of chose.

hi I always feed raw meat and follow J Bairacli Levy's natural rearing diet of raw meat, herbs etc.  Never had a problem with any of my dogs (or cats) eating raw meat.  I found this article about salmonella and raw meat thought you might find it interesting.
Raw chicken carries salmonella - will this harm my dog or cat ?
Salmonella is everywhere, not just in raw food. Cats and dogs walk around and lick their feet. They find bits of old food to eat. Salmonella is even found in dried food! Fortunately dogs and cats have an intestine that is designed to kill and break down bacteria in the food they eat, including Salmonella. In fact there is an argument that a dog or cat that eats a diet that contains bacteria will be better able to cope when they do eat something that is really rotten. It is like a form of natural inoculation.  It was on the BARF diet site.  Lots of other interesting stuff on there, might be worth a look.

Thanks for that,that helps me to feel more confident about giving raw food which i want to do.