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WEANING PUPPIES TO RAW

Puppies can be weaned right on to raw proving them with a wonderful start to a long, happy and healthy life.

Cacti

Weaning puppies onto raw is the best way to give a good start to life for your pup. Not only is their development better, but their immune system is healthier among many other benefits that will only continue into adulthood if raw feeding is continued. 

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Here is the simple way to wean puppies on to raw.  Keep in mind that most often when mom is already on raw, puppies very quickly take to raw as they watch what their mother is doing and eating.

 

Do not offer any kind of milks (KMR, goats milk etc.) nor pro/prebiotics (unless absolutely necessary) to puppies in order to give them a chance to build their gut flora naturally. They have the advantage of not being compromised by commercial pet foods which affect the natural microflora.

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If you start seeing interest from the puppies to mom's food, at 4 weeks, add some home prepared ground complete meals in with the dam's food so they have something to nibble on.

 

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Around 4-5 weeks I begin adding small chunks to the ground mixture

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Between 5-8 weeks I add larger and larger chunks until they can start chewing bone. 

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By 8 weeks they are eating big chunks of meat about 1" or so in size as well as bone like chicken necks, rabbit ribs, small prey like mice.

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During this whole time span I provide as much variety in protein source as I can 

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Recap:

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Age 4 weeks;

Offer ground complete meal with mother's meals

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       4-5 weeks

small chunks with the ground mix

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        5-8 weeks

increase the size of chunks and start adding whole bone (not ground)

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        8 weeks

Eating big chunks of meat and bone like chicken necks, rabbit ribs and whole prey

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Puppies are usually fed at least 3-4 times a day as much as they want per sitting within reason (we don't want them vomiting from eating too much at one time.) If they are hungry more throughout the day, give more feedings

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Good to go for the rest of their lives....

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