I am reaching the end of my tether with the Arden Grange thing.  I am trying it dried, mushed, with water, with milk, half mushed, everything - they just don't seem to like it.  Previous litters have eaten so well with the Pedigree tins.  If I give these milk or mince they eat like they're starved, but they just pick at the AG.  I'm getting worried now, they are losing their chunkiness and starting to look a bit skinny.  Please help.  They are almost 6 weeks old.

soak the arden grange until it is soft but not mushy. Wizz it in a food processor until it resembles fine breadcrumbs then start by just adding a couple of teaspoons to a feed of mince. When they are eating that quite happily, add 3 teaspoons and so on until they are on half and half. If you can get hold of tripe, try adding a little of that to the feed.

If you want to stick to using a complete I have reared puppies on Beta puppy and others on Eukanuba.  Both have gone down well but I suppose it is always a case of trial and error.

mix it with other foods that they will eat

Maybe I should get small different small bags tomorrow to try them with - Burns, etc.

My pups won't eat Burns, and to be honest it has hardly any smell so if it tastes as bland as it smells I can understand why.  We have raised 3 litters on Royal Canin Starter and we've never had pups eat so well, they clear their bowls each meal and are always good cobby pups by the time they leave.

Changing their food now might upset the balance and they may end up with upset tummies.  Probably feeding them the mince has put them off the AG....I mean if you were offered minced beef/steak or dried food what would you go for? ;)  I have done exactly the same with past litters and have learnt not to do it again ;) as they would only eat the meat, if offered the complete food they would just walk away.

If previous litters have been fit and health on what you previously gave them then give them that!  I would rather do that than mess around with a dried food that they won't eat.  What other meals do you give them as mine always have a variety.

They have mince and their milk, and I have also tried little bits of other things - egg, cheese, tuna, etc, which they all love.  But like Sharon said I have tried to give mostly the AG and not lots of yummy things for fear of them going off the AG (which has happened anyway so that didn't work too well lol).

I'm a bit confused now anyway, because I've been reading through old posts looking for tips and some people advise to give as wide a range of foods as possible to get them used to different things, but then I read that changing their food now (their main food - AG) might upset them.  But other things could upset them too though couldn't they?  Previously I have given Pedigree wet food and that's it - nothing else.  I was always too worried about raw food or dairy foods upsetting them.

Anyway, they have just eaten 2 big plates of AG dry - straight out the bag - lol.  Maybe the heat has put them off over the last few days.  I'm tempted to try Royal Canin though I think, or James Wellbeloved incase they eat that better.  I want them to be eating really well by the time they go or I will worry myself silly.

That's a shame your litter haven't seemed to really like the Arden Grange.  I stopped soaking it about 6 weeks as one day I'd got behind with the feed - put down some dry AG just to keep them quiet and they chomped it down.  Never soaked it again and the pup I kept (now 4 months) loves it. 

They are eating it like maniacs now!!  I think they must have read my post.  They are eating as much as I put down and still wanting more!!  Really odd - maybe they just had a few 'off days'.  Need to make sure they don't have too much now lol.

> I am reaching the end of my tether with the Arden Grange thing.  I am trying it dried, mushed, with water, with milk, half mushed, everything - they just don't seem to like it.  Previous litters have eaten so well with the Pedigree tins

Tinned food or fresh meat are always more palatable than dry.