Cross Breeds

When and what should I wean my boxer puppies on?

Someone told me to use Just Born milk replacer and puppy chow. Then blend it to make it the consistency of baby food and gradually decrease the milk replacer. Someone also said that baby cereal it good. What kind of baby cereal? Any other suggestions would also be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Public Comments

1. Select a good quality, dry puppy food and mix it with a little warm water to the consistency of gruel to start with. Offer it to the puppies 4 times a day starting when they're 4 weeks old and give them about 20 minutes to eat, then offer the left-overs to the mom. You also need to give the puppies fresh water several times a day. Gradually decrease the amount of water you put in the food, so by the time they're 6 or 7 weeks (depending on how they're doing) they're eating dry puppy food and drinking plenty of fresh water.
2. You can start weaning between 4-5 weeks of age.Most large breed pups show interest in their mother's food then.You can use canned puppy food to begin or use dry puppy food mashed and moistened with warm water.Don't worry about using human baby cereal,it isn't necessary.You can then reduce water.You may find that they will munch on dry food early on.You can continue to let the pups nurse some as long as mom allows and if it isn't wearing her out.Most pups can be fully weaned by 7 weeks or so,some breeders go longer depends on the pups and mom.
3. Baby cereal = loose poops. You can use just born, or second step (I prefer second step). At first, add some baby food meat (like pure chicken or pure beef for human babies) to it and feed it to them off spoons when they are about 4 weeks old. This is just to get them started. Then get puppy kibble (I like proplan) and soak it very well so it's just mush. I usually have a big bowl soaking in the fridge. Mix the soaked kibble and second step in a thinish gruel. This is the start. By 6 weeks, have the kibble about half soaked -- so the centers of the kibbles are still hard but mostly it's soft and less second step. By 8 weeks -- kibble with a bit of water on it. Good to go!
4. Between 4 and 6 weeks of age, the mother will naturally begin to wean them. At this time, you can begin to feed them puppy milk replacer several times a day from a saucer (may take some coaxing for them to get the hang of it, but be patient) over the next week, start mixing in a high quality canned puppy food. Gradually reduce the puppy milk, and increase the canned food. Around 7 weeks of age, you can introduce small bite kibble, and you may have to moisten/soften it with warm water. Baby food and cereal has no real health benefits for them. Feed them things that are specially made for pups. For the first week, if they refuse to eat frm a saucer, it is ok to bottle or syringe feed them.
5. My two female dogs have had a total of 3 litters and I have always used the same method. I buy Iams puppy food and then wet it down with some water. I then put the food in a blender and blend until almost a liquid. You want it a little chunky though. Then I put it in a dish and feed all of them at the same time. Make sure that you keep mommy away from the food. My dogs enjoyed it more than the puppies. Hope this help you out!