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My 4-week-old puppies have teeth. When can they eat puppy food?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | 28 days old | 1lb

i have 5, 4 week old puppies that are Chihuahua, Pomeranian and Shih tzu , and they are starting to get their teeth should i start feeding them puppy food and if so how much

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2 Answers

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Answered By Jenny, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on December 29th, 2017

AT 4 weeks old it is good to try to start feeding them so they can be weaned by 6 weeks old. Each puppy is different and may take to it a different times. I would try dry puppy food mixed with water so it is soft, then feed them. They may not eat at all and play in it. If that happens, skip a day or 2 and try again. You may have to place some in their mouths to teach them. They will still nurse despite being fed so it does not have to be a lot of food as they are little and can't hold very much. The better they get and the older they are, you can decrease the amount of water added to get them used to dry puppy food.

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on April 20th, 2017

    I'm sorry Brady isn't doing well at the moment! One possible cause of his eating issues is teething. He is at the right age to have teeth come in, and that will be painful to him causing him to not want to eat. I would try soaking his dry food in gently warmed water or low sodium beef and chicken broth. This will make his food softer and easier for him to eat. I would also recommend getting toys from a pet store that you can put in the freezer before giving it to him. The cold will be soothing on Brady's gums and it will allow him to chew on something hard which is helpful when teething. Also make sure he is up to date on his deworming treatments, as that can lead to a loss in appetite. If he still isn't eating much in the next 48 hours after trying the home remedies I suggested, I recommend taking him into the vet for a health check. Good luck, I hope this helps!

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