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How do I wean 4-week-old puppies if mom stopped nursing them?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | unspayed

Hello! Have a mother dog refusing to nurse further - puppies at 4 weeks old and healthy. She is caring for them otherwise, but refuses to feed at all. We live in a remote area of Panama with no access to replacement puppy milk, but can find quality dry puppy food. Can you suggest a protocol for feeding, with sudden withdrawal of mothers milk? Very many thanks for your time.

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on August 16th, 2017

Puppies get weaned between 4 and 6 weeks, so it is probably just time! I recommend mixing water with canned puppy food (or dry puppy food) to make it really wet and mushy. The puppies will often play in it and then lick it off their paws.

Here is a helpful article:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2108&aid=887

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on December 15th, 2016
Yes, it is normal that as the puppies grow up, Kona will be feeding them less. At almost four weeks of age, they can start a transition to puppy food. 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.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on October 4th, 2017
The best thing you can do is separate them for 4-6 hours a day if they are older than four weeks old. The pups will still try to drink after that, but it should help to reduce the amount they feed on mom. Puppies will continue trying to get milk even when they are older (2 months), so you may have to separate them for longer periods of time, so she will stop producing milk.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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How to wean 4-week-old puppies onto dry food with few teeth?

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