Just like human babies, it is important to understand the correct method of weaning a puppy. This is because you've started feeding them real food, not just the dog's mother's milk. Weaning a puppy is an important step in puppy development and care. Many people often don’t know how to wean a puppy, so let’s take a look at how long it takes to wean a puppy.

Puppies that are weaned prematurely often have a negative impact on their health. Their digestive systems are not fully developed to process solid food. On the other hand they do not get the amounts of nutrients they require from their mother's milk, which makes them susceptible to parvovirus infection.

Weaning is a gradual process. Generally speaking, after three weeks, dogs add complementary foods such as dog food, and the frequency of breastfeeding decreases, and they can be completely weaned by six weeks. The time for weaning should not be chosen in summer. If it happens to be summer, the weaning time can be postponed to autumn. Some owners ignore the growth needs of their dogs and blindly extend the lactation period. The consequence of this is that the dogs are fond of lactation and are unwilling to eat dog food and other complementary foods. This can easily lead to the dogs becoming emaciated, malnourished, and often sick. Even affect growth and development. Therefore, weaning should be done when it is time to wean.

2. Weaning method

A few days before weaning, the puppies and the mother dog are raised separately for a period of time, and then the mother dog is put into the puppy group to let it nurse. After the milk is finished, they are separated. Use this method to gradually reduce the number of feedings, and gradually increase the puppy's feed. Separate mother and child during the day, and then bring them together again at night until breastfeeding is completely stopped.

There are many ways to wean puppies, such as one-time weaning and deciding to stop breastfeeding and then not feeding the puppies. There are also batch weaning methods and gradual weaning methods. Let’s introduce below: the best time and specific method to wean puppies

1. Weaning at maturity.

Weaning as soon as it expires or is about to expire will appear sudden. The advantage of this method is that the weaning time is short and the nesting time is early. The disadvantage is that due to sudden weaning and sudden changes in food and environment, it is easy to cause indigestion in the puppies, affect the growth and development of the puppies, and cause mental stress in the puppies. Female dogs with sufficient milk supply may also cause mastitis, so be careful. .

2. Weaning in batches.

Weaning in batches is determined based on the physical strength, adaptability, and purpose of the puppies. The well-developed ones can be weaned first, and the weak ones can be weaned later. The lactation time can be appropriately extended to promote growth and development. The disadvantage is that the weaning time is extended, which brings trouble to management.

Weaning in batches is determined based on the physical strength, adaptability, and purpose of the puppies. The well-developed ones can be weaned first, and the weak ones can be weaned later. The lactation time can be appropriately extended to promote growth and development. The disadvantage is that the weaning time is extended, which brings trouble to management.

3. Gradually wean.

This method is to gradually train the puppies to separate from the mother dog, gradually reduce the number of lactations, and keep them at appropriate intervals before weaning. After a certain period of time, they are kept together to let the puppies nurse. After feeding, they are separated again, and then they are kept together day by day. Reduce the frequency of feeding until complete weaning. This method can prevent the puppies from suffering the stimulation of sudden weaning and is a safe and reliable method.

After weaning, puppies transition from being completely dependent on milk to living completely independently, which is an important turning point in their lives. At this time, the puppies are still in a period of rapid growth and development, and their digestive functions and resistance have not yet been fully developed. If they are not properly fed and managed, not only will their growth and development be stunted, but they will also be prone to illness or death. Therefore, the feeding and management during this period must not be relaxed, and careful care must be given to ensure the normal growth of the puppies, reduce and eliminate the invasion of diseases, and breed strong and strong puppies.

3. Diet precautions for dogs after weaning

1. The first month after weaning

The first month after weaning is the most difficult month for puppies to raise and manage. Puppies at this time often suffer from loss of appetite and restlessness due to sudden changes in eating habits. If this situation continues, the puppy will easily get sick. Therefore, during this period, you should feed some foods that taste good and are easy to digest, preferably containing protein.

(1) What should puppies eat during this period?

The food you prepare for your puppy during this period is very simple: add an appropriate amount of chopped small fish, meat, or cooked and chopped vegetables to soy milk, milk, porridge and other liquid foods. This is their The meal was delicious. In addition, you can also chop pork liver, duck liver, etc. into pieces and mix them with vegetables, cornmeal and other foods to cook. This diet is economical, nutritious, and very popular with puppies.

(2) Nutritional supplement and number of feedings per day

Puppies at this period have just been weaned and will inevitably be a little uncomfortable. At this time, you can buy some puppy and cat milk replacer powder, which can well supplement some of the nutrients the puppies need, or mix the pet goat milk powder directly into their food. Feed in rice porridge.

Regarding the frequency of feeding, it is appropriate to eat small meals frequently. Feed 4-5 times a day, only 80% full each time to avoid overeating the dog. For dogs with poor appetite, you can feed them first, first, then first, with small meals and frequent meals. Feeding food in order can increase the attractiveness of food to the dog and stimulate the dog's appetite; eating small meals often can make the dog always have a sense of emptiness of not being full, making it want to eat something, so that the dog can Dogs won’t be picky eaters.

2. Puppies aged 4-6 months

During this period, puppies gain weight quickly, eat more, and require more daily feed. At this time, they need to be fed at least 3 times a day.

3. Puppies after 6 months of age

Dogs at this timeThe dog's diet structure and habits have gradually got on the right track, and it is enough to feed it twice a day.