In the first weeks after birth, puppies feed only on the mother's milk. This provides them with all the necessary nutrients to start a healthy life.
When you can start feeding puppies and what to look out for, we explain in the following.
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The most important at a glance
- After about three weeks, puppies can be slowly introduced to solid food.
- Complete weaning from the mother's milk takes place between the eighth and tenth week of life.
- Puppies should be fed high-quality puppy food.
- Fixed feeding times and a quantity of food that meets their needs ensure healthy growth.
From mother's milk to first solid food
For the first three weeks of its life, a newborn puppy feeds exclusively on its mother's milk. It consumes about 20 percent of its weight each day, doubling its body weight within the first 10 days.
After about three weeks, you can slowly start feeding your puppies solid food. To make it easier for the little four-legged friends to absorb and digest the food, it is a good idea to mix the food with a little water to make porridge at first.
Time for weaning from the mother's milk
Your puppies will quickly acquire a taste for dog food. Nevertheless, they will continue to drink mother's milk. This is because they are not weaned until they are about eight to ten weeks old.
From this point on, your puppies will only eat solid food and will only drink a little bit of their mother's milk occasionally.
Puppies need special puppy food
When switching to solid food, it is important to consider the special nutritional needs of puppies. Normal dog food for adult animals does not meet the needs of the little four-legged friends.
To ensure healthy growth, special puppy food is required instead. This is characterized in particular by needs-based protein content, a high energy density, and an adapted amount of minerals.
Of course, when buying puppy food, you should always pay attention to good quality and give preference to products with natural ingredients whenever possible.
Puppies should not be barfed
Many dog owners rely on barfing for feeding. However, we do not recommend this form of nutrition for puppies. This is because it is very important for their health to exactly cover their need for different nutrients, which can only be achieved by barfing with a great deal of experience and care.
In addition, raw meat is often contaminated with germs. Even if these are not a danger for adult dogs, they can make puppies sick.
Fixed feeding times and a quantity of food that meets your dog's needs
A fixed rhythm gives your little four-legged friends security. Plan fixed feeding times for your puppies and divide the daily amount of food into three to four meals.
Also, make sure that the portion sizes are appropriate for their needs. Despite their high energy needs, too much food can be harmful to your puppies. Especially in large breeds of dogs, too rapid growth can cause serious damage to the joints and have a massive long-term impact on their quality of life.
Protect what is important to you!