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4-week-old puppies: How often to feed? When to switch mom's food?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Female | spayed | 4 years and 4 months old | 109 lbs

My puppies just turned 4 weeks old today and are nursing from mom and have been eating kibble soaked in water and mashed up with puppy milk replacer for a week as well, how many times a day should I be feeding them? And when can I start feeding my dog her normal food again and not puppy food? Thank you :)

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on November 15th, 2018

I would offer the mush three times a day. At around 6 weeks they should be on mostly food, and you may see that Mattie is pushing them away in an attempt to wean. At that time, you can put her back on normal dog food instead of puppy food.

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    Answered By Dr. Leigh, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 18th, 2017

    You could start offering them a very small amount of a gruel of puppy food mixed with a puppy milk replacer. Continue to let the puppies nurse and then gradually increase the amount of solid food they are getting. At this age, nursing every 4-5 hours should be enough, especially if you add in some solid food. You could weigh them every few days to keep track of their weight so you know they are growing properly.

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