“Weaning” is the transition from breastmilk to solid foods. It’s a crucial moment for any puppy, as their growth, well-being and good health depend on it. Do you want to learn more? Reading our post will only take a couple minutes.
When does weaning begin?
It’s very important that puppies stay with their mums until they’re 2-3 months old, but weaning begins much earlier, at about their third week of age, when their bodies (from teeth to the digestive system) begin to change.
As the days go by, puppies begin to imitate their mum’s habits and behaviours. For instance, they’ll come closer to the food bowl more often and start preferring food to breastmilk. Their mum herself will begin pre-chewing the food for them, with love and devotion. When you begin to notice these things happening, transition can take place. But be careful! Never force or attempt to hurry up the weaning process, as a sudden interruption of breastfeeding increases the risk of canine mastitis in the mum and may compromise the socialisation and growth of the puppies.
What should puppies eat during weaning?
The food used to begin the weaning process must be soft and humid. There are puppy-specific types of food available, but it’s ok to use the food you give their mum, but they absolutely MUST be softened with water and broken down into small bites. Never give them cow’s milk!
It’s a good idea to divide their daily ration in four meals given far apart. Choose precise times and use different bowls for the puppies, to make sure they’re all eating the proper amount and that the weakest and smallest of the litter is not overridden by the strongest ones and left without food!
As for how much food to give them, the quantity must increase as they get used to these new flavours. But it’s a good habit to choose their bowl according to their size, so it can be filled with the proper amount of food. Don’t exaggerate with the ration; you don’t want them to overeat. Our GLAM bowls are available in several bright colors and 4 sizes (extra small, small, medium, large) you can choose according to your dog’s size.
The Lindo bowls with the included plastic tray is also very suitable of weaning a small puppy, as the restraining tray has high side edges to contain the impetus of even the most lively puppy. Thanks to the non-slip base, Lindo can be placed in any room. Water and food can be administered at the same time and after use, everything can be cleaned in an instant, thanks to the possibility of extracting the bowls.
There’s no exact time to start weaning. Like all transition phases involving puppies, it must be gradual and respect their own time and rhythms.