# First Weaning Foods and Best Puppy Food



## GSD_man (Oct 6, 2007)

What is the very first/best food that a breeder should feed a litter of GSD pups and at what age? Also how much and how frequently? What temperature etc. 

Which brand puppy kibble do you suggest and at what age?

Thanks all in advance for your input!


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I find the best kibble that works with my dogs. If they have a puppy formula and it is close to what the adult kibble is, then I switch the bitch to that toward the end of her pregnancy.

It then depends on how the pups are gaining weight, how many pups, their condition, usually between three weeks and four weeks, I will start taking some kibble and adding hot water to it, shake it in the puppy pan until it is luke warm. Then I set it down for the puppies. 

The puppies usually investigate it and eat it right away, Mom comes over and finishes it up. That is fine. She will feed them. I continue to let mom provide milk for a couple of weeks anyway. By six weeks they are getting the bulk of their nourishment from the kibble. 

If for some reason Mom was not providing milk, I would probably be using goat's milk with the kibble. 

What kibble works with my dam may not work with yours. So it is better to find a good kibble that works with your dam prior to pregnancy, and then wean the pups onto that.


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## GSD_man (Oct 6, 2007)

Thank you very much. What about things like cottage cheese, cooked chicken, liver, ground beef, yogurt, garlic, lachs oil etc. Do you mix any of these into the kibble between 3-4 weeks or later? I need to get my hands on some fresh goats milk. 

I also found good info in this thread: 
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/b-r-f-raw-feeding/124342-weaning-puppies-raw.html

...but I am not really planning on feeding just raw.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Once the bitch whelps the litter, I will mix yogurt, cooked chicken, hard boiled egg, cottage cheese with her kibble, egg twice a day, yogurt in one or two meals, chicken in one or two meals, cottage cheese in liu of yogurt, etc. I will give that to her to eat. But I do not mix it with the puppies. just kibble. Others do other things, but I let them eat off of mom, for a little longer. 

For goats' milk, I have a friend who raises goats. I think you can buy it in the grocery store though.


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