My 4-week puppy is weaning. How much gruel, formula, and when to feed?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I recommend starting early weaning on bottle fed puppies as formula can cause GI problems (diarrhea and/or constipation). I would start with some canned puppy food mixed with formula and offer it three times per day and continue bottle feeding. If the puppy eats the mixture well at each meal then I would only bottle feed 3-4 times per day. If he is slow to eat the puppy food then I would continue bottle feeding every 3-4 HOURS. Decrease the bottle feedings each week as you increase the puppy food feedings. By 5 weeks I would start offering dry mixed with canned and stop all bottle feedings by 6 weeks. How much you feed of the formula at each feeding depends on the brand you are feeding. Usually the can/box tells you the volume. You can repost with the brand and I can try to helps you Good luck!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! At 4 weeks you can start to wean bottle feeding. I would start with soft canned puppy food for 1 week then mix in wet dry food over another week. By 6 weeks the puppy should be able to eat dry food or moistened dry food. I hope this helps and I wish you and Cujo the best!

She is small and 5weeks is early to be separated from mother and littermates and such pups can be more prone to anxiety due to limited socialisation. I would recommend feeding 5-6times per day with a complete puppy food (feeding guidelines vary per brand, wet or dry) and once on puppy food would not need additional formula or supplements. Be sure to keep up to date with deworming medication and contact your vets office to arrange vaccinations. Keep her isolated from other, unvaccinated dogs until she is up to date

Great question! To help them wean and to get used to dry food, I would soak a high quality puppy formulated dry food in water water until soft. Then mix that with puppy formula such as KMR to make a mush the consistency of oatmeal. Over the next two weeks, gradually increase the amount of dry puppy food and decrease the amount of water and KMR you use until they are eating the dry puppy food only.

Ideally, he should be examined by your veterinarian to confirm good health or to diagnose and treat any pre existing conditions. A stool sample should be examined to diagnose intestinal parasites. You can feed him 3-4 times daily. Monitor his weight to confirm adequate gains. Feed a good quality puppy food. You can make a slurry or gruel using kibble and puppy milk replacer. Decrease the amount of liquid over the next few weeks until he is eating just kibble.

They should be able to eat canned puppy food with added water or moistened puppy dry that is made into a gruel. To teach them put some food on your finger and get them to lick it off then gradually have your finger over a flat plate with the food in it so they learn to lap the food. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for your puppies.

I am attaching a handout on orphan kittens below which may help you with your question. When feeding a milk replacer, the general rule is that kittens should be drinking 22 to 26 cc of formula per 100 grams of body weight over the course of the day. This is a little trickier when you start transitioning to a gruel, but will give you some idea. https://www.vin.com/members/cms/project/defaultadv1.aspx?pId=19239&SAId=1&id=4951456 Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.