Weanafeeda is the perfect item for weaning a puppy as it can require patience, persistence, and a proper setup.  It is a significant milestone in the young pups’ lives, and they may get messy and picky during the process.

As a pet parent, you can support the transition from milk to solid foods by developing a healthy meal plan for the litter. Encourage them to experiment with the food and build good eating habits by setting a consistent schedule. These factors make the switch easier.

This article shares practical advice on weaning a puppy with helpful tips and tricks.

Here’s what you need to know.

Timing Is Everything: When Should You Start Weaning a Puppy?

First-timers must remember that the weaning process is gradual. Weaning a puppy can take weeks and sometimes over a month. So be patient and gentle with the puppies as they grow accustomed to the new food.

We do have a better timeline for when to start introducing a puppy to solid food. Typically, this process should begin when the puppy turns three to four weeks old.  Most puppies begin teething around this time, making nursing uncomfortable for the mother. Your dog may start pulling away during nursing due to this, leaving the litter hungry.

The puppies often use their strong sense of smell to search for alternate food. You can use this opportunity to familiarise them with solid food.

Initially, your puppy’s new diet must be 10% solid food; the rest should be milk. Feed the little one in intervals throughout the day to whet the appetite. And slowly increase the quantity of solid food to water/milk ratio until the puppy stops nursing completely.

Every puppy responds to weaning differently.  So be patient and gentle with the slow eaters as they grow accustomed to the new food.

4 Tips for Weaning a Puppy Using a Weanafeeda Bowl 

If you’re a first-timer, you may have many questions about weaning a puppy from a feeder. We help you by covering the important aspects of this process, from choosing pet food and Weanafeeda to creating a schedule below.

Here are some tips to get started:

1. Choose the Right Pet Food for your Weanafeeda

Puppies need a well-balanced diet for this developmental stage. Choose pet food from a reputable brand to provide puppies with an enriching diet. Most brands provide a range of options for puppies. Review the food label to ensure it contains sufficient carbohydrates, protein, minerals, and fat.

During the first two weeks of weaning, your puppy may have trouble chewing kibble. We recommend making a gruel by mixing water/milk replacement with canned or dry food. You can blend the mixture to give it a smooth non-chewy texture, making it easier for the little puppies to swallow the food.

More importantly, do not allow puppies to eat unsupervised. Otherwise, one puppy from the litter may fight over the pet food. Hungry puppies are also prone to overeating if nobody monitors them.

Also, look for signs of discomfort. Puppies that throw up the gruel or experience diarrhoea may need extra help. Try changing their diet to see if their health improves. Consult a vet to prevent severe dietary issues. You can also ask them for advice on weaning a puppy.

2. Let Mama Lead by Example

If your dog eats puppy food during pregnancy, use the same food for her puppies. Feed her before the litter so they can mimic their mother by trying solid food.

You can place a standalone weaning bowl near them so they may eat too. But do feed them separately at other times to stop her from intervening during the weaning process.

Alternatively, you can offer the mother dog leftover gruel from the Weanafeeda. Watching her eat it and licking crumbs off her coat can encourage the young pups to do the same.

Once the puppies respond positively to solid food, you can feed the mother and the litter separately. This allows the little ones to become independent eaters.  If everything goes well, the puppies will switch to solid food when they turn seven to eight weeks old.

3. Set a Consistent Schedule to Avoid Overfeeding 

Serve the gruel regularly in small quantities for 10-15 minutes. Remove the uneaten food after the short session to stop greedy pups from overeating.

Feed the puppies three to five times daily, depending on how much they eat during one session. Use the feeding guide on the pet food packet to serve an appropriate quantity of food. You may consult a vet if you observe a drastic change in appetite or health.

Some puppies may need supplements for extra nourishment.

As the puppies grow, you can adopt a three-meal per day schedule. Remember that some breeds may need more, depending on their size and growing appetite.

4. Pick the Perfect Weanafeeda Bowl

Meal time can become messy as puppies play with the food or clumsily knock down feeders. You can minimise spills and mishaps by investing in a washable stainless steel Weanafeeda. High-quality bowls in this material are easy to clean and durable for years.

Stainless steel bowls are sturdy and heavy, making them less likely to topple if a puppy pushes the bowl away. Also, their shallow design allows the young puppies to lap up their meals without any accidents.

Petnap offers different types of puppy feeders and Weanafeeda. You can opt for a big weaning bowl that feeds three or more puppies.  Ensure one puppy does not eat all the food, which will cause problems for the other siblings. We also have a feeding station with six removable weaning bowls. So each puppy receives a single serving of delicious gruel and kibble.

In a Nutshell on Weanafeeda

Weaning a puppy takes time and requires the right products. You may have to go through continuous trial and error before finding the right food texture, taste, and quantity for puppies.  It can take weeks for them to accept a new diet.

Use functional weaning bowls to feed the puppies during mealtime. When in doubt, consult a vet to make informed food choices during this significant milestone for the puppies.

We hope these tips and techniques help you prepare for the process better.  Your patience, dedication, and care will ultimately make the process go smoothly.

Ready to start weaning? Petnap can help. Stock up on pet supplies from our online store.