How long can 4 week old puppies go between feedings

How much should newborn puppies eat? Follow this feeding chart

Having newborn puppies around can be such a gift, but theres also a lot of work involved. You need to keep their enclosure clean, make sure theyre fed, and stay on top of their health in a multitude of ways. Luckily, were here to help you navigate your newborn puppies feeding routine.

Whenever possible, newborn puppies should consume their mothers nutrient-rich milk, which helps protect them from illness while their immune systems develop. Its the perfect food for them! However, its not always possible for a mama dog to feed her litter all by herself.

Perhaps Mom doesnt produce enough milk, the milk is infected, or the puppies have unfortunately become orphaned. In these scenarios, pet parents have to step in to help feed the babies around the clock. To ensure your pups are getting adequate nutrition, its important to follow a puppy feeding chart or guide from a trusted veterinary resource.

How to tell if nursing puppies are getting enough to eat from Mom

Veterinary experts say that newborn puppies should gain 5% to 10% of their body weight daily doubling their body weight in their first week. Jerry Klein, the chief veterinary officer at the American Kennel Club (AKC), recommends using a baby scale to monitor the weight gain of each puppy over time. Puppies should first be weighed at birth and again at 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, 3 days, 5 days, and 7 days. If everything is going well, all puppies should show a gradual weight gain.

When newborns cry during or after nursing, though, it may very well mean that they arent getting enough milk. Alternatively, moms milk could be infected, or it might indicate that they are sick. If this behavior is sudden or excessive, it requires an emergency vet visit for Mom, baby, and littermates.

How often do newborn puppies eat when nursed by Mom?

Newborn puppies typically nurse from their mom about every two hours. As they grow older, the time between nursing increases, and by four or five weeks or even as early as three Mom starts weaning her puppies. Youll have to step in to make up the difference and start introducing some puppy chow gruel mixtures to help them transition from milk to solid foods.

How often should you feed a newborn puppy? It depends on their age

When Moms milk supply isnt adequate to support the healthy growth of her puppies, VCA veterinary experts recommend supplemental feedings one to six times per day. Newborn orphaned puppies who are less than 2 weeks old should be fed every three to four hours, while 2- to 4-week-old puppies will do well being fed every six to eight hours. Dont forget feedings need to be equally spaced over the span of 24 hours.

What to feed newborn puppies without their moms support

Veterinarians say that the best replacement milk for puppies is commercial puppy milk formula. Best Friends Animal Society recommends the Esbliac puppy milk replacer when feeding orphaned puppies or those who need extra support. Experts say that any puppy milk replacer should contain optimal levels of omega-3 fatty acid and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), a nutrient that is important for the development of their brains and eyes. Containers will come with feeding instructions, so be sure to follow these carefully. Just as with newborn babies, the temperature of the milk can be tested on your forearm before feeding. You want it about the same temperature as your skin or only slightly warmer. Otherwise, theyll burn their little tongues trying to slurp it down.

As you nourish your newborn, be aware that overfeeding may put your puppy at risk of aspiration, vomiting, diarrhea, and gas build-up in the stomach and intestines. To ensure this doesnt happen, Maddies Fund provides a helpful newborn puppy feeding chart broken down by calorie requirements and formula measurements based on the puppys weight.

How to bottle-feed a newborn puppy

1. A puppy nursing bottle is the best way to feed your bundle of joy. The size of the hole in the nipple is crucial to successful bottle feeding, according to experts at Best Friends. To check this, turn the bottle upside down and gently squeeze: If the milk drips freely, the hole is too large. That means the puppy could take in too much and risk inhaling it into their lungs. If the hole is too small, the puppy has to work too hard to get nourishment and may refuse to nurse. Youll know that the hole is the proper size when the milk comes out one drop at a time.
2. Puppies shouldnt be fed on their backs because they dont have a well-developed gag reflex, and theres a danger that fluid may go down their windpipe and enter their lungs. Instead, place the puppy on their stomach with their head level as if they were nursing from their mom.
3. Open the puppys mouth gently with one finger and place the tip of the nipple on their tongue. If the puppy doesnt eat, try stroking the pup. Tilt the bottle up slightly to prevent your puppy from inhaling too much air. Do not force the puppy to nurse, or allow them to nurse too fast.
4. After each feeding, youll have to burp them by holding them against your shoulder and gently patting their back.

According to the AKC, some orphan puppies take a little time to get the knack for the sucking part of feeding. If a pup doesnt drink from the bottle, though, youll need to work with a veterinarian to tube feed and get him started.

In addition, for the first two weeks, orphan pups should be stimulated to urinate and defecate after each meal. This is done by rubbing the area between the back legs with a warm, wet cotton ball. This action mimics the licking mom does to make her puppies go potty.

When do puppies start transitioning to solid food?

When pups are with their mom, they may start the process of weaning or transitioning from milk to solid food as early as 3 to 4 weeks of age. Mom will start to refuse feedings around this time since this is the stage in development when puppies teeth start to grow in.

As Teresa Manucy, DVM, explains on PetMD, bottle-fed puppies can also start switching to solids around this time.By 8 to 10 weeks, however, the puppies should be fully weaned. At this time, theyll be eating puppy food instead of milk replacer.

What do puppies eat while weaning from milk or formula to solid food?

During the few weeks your puppies are weaning, youll be making changes to their diet as they adjust. This is crucial to their success, as puppies arent born knowing how to lap or eat right away.

You can begin by mixing puppy milk replacer and puppy food to create an easy-to-consume gruel. Youll want to offer this mixture to the pups while theyre separated from Mom to minimize any distraction or confusion. Still, you will need to dip a finger in the food and touch their noses with it at first to help them get used to the licking or lapping motion of their tongue. Theyll lick the food off of their face and ideally become interested in the gruel sitting in front of them. It may take a few days for pups to get the hang of this, but theyll be lapping up their meals before you know it!

After theyve mastered that stage, youll want to use less milk replacer in the puppy food over time. This way, their food will get slightly more solid with each meal, and theyll get the chance to practice chewing motions. By the 8 -10 week mark, puppies should be eating exclusively puppy food, though wet food or watered-down puppy kibble are always options for those who are still getting the hang of eating.

While caring for newborns is certainly a time-consuming job and a lot of work, its also incredibly rewarding for any dog owner. Nothing will bring you more joy and satisfaction than watching those fur babies thriving under your loving care. If Mom is in the picture, shell be so grateful, too!

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Feeding Schedule For 5-Week Old Puppy: When & What To Feed

Planning for a 5-week old whelp could be tricky.

Why?

Theyre in a crucial period where their nutritional needs are ever-changing.

And a single decision may affect their growth and development.

So, how can you make sure youre feeding them right?

Continue reading to learn:

• What you should feed to a 5-week old puppy.
• How frequently they should be fed every day.
• Whether they still need milk or not at this age.
• What the correct interval for each of their meals is.
• And a lot more

How to create a feeding schedule for a 5-week old puppy

You can create a feeding schedule for a 5-week old puppy by considering how frequently they should be fed. And knowing the right gap for every meal. This is to avoid over or under-feeding. But, ensure that the feeding plan also matches your daily routine. So that youll be able to stick with it.

How many times a day should I feed my 5-week old puppy?

You should feed your 5-week old puppy 4 times a day. Vets recommend this to support their abrupt growth and development. But, it could also be reduced to 3 times if you observed that your pup cant eat that much food.

Do this on a consistent schedule. Meaning, their feeding times must be the same every day. And prepare only small meals. Then spread them throughout the day.

By offering your pup little amounts, digestion of food will be much easier for them. And distributed meals will give them even energy boosts for the whole day.

Note: As puppies grow a week older, their feeding times will be adjusted as well. You can lower the meals to 3 a day.

Is 5 weeks a crucial stage for puppies?

At this age, pups tend to grow fast especially smaller dogs. While larger breeds have bigger bones thatll take more time to develop. So theyll need more nutrition and calories.

In a study, toy breeds growth spurt usually stops at 11 weeks old. While its 14 to 16 weeks for small and medium dogs. And theyll be fully grown as early as 9 months.

However, its a different case for giant breeds.

Because theyll grow at a slower rate which may take up to 5 months. Then reach maturity at 15 months.

Some feeding reminders

• Monitor your puppys food intake to avoid them from eating too much or too little.
• Let them eat until theyre full. (Theyll automatically go away from their food when theyre done.)
• Pick up their feeding bowl after they stop eating. And avoid leaving their food longer than 15 minutes to prevent overeating.
• Give your pup a shallow feeding bowl since theyre still small. Such as a cake pan or muffin pan if you have many puppies.
• Ensure to always leave fresh water for your pup. It must be accessible to them at all times. And make cleaning their bowl a daily habit.

How long can 5-week old puppies go between feedings?

5-week old puppies can go between feedings for as long as 5 to 6 hours. Theyre in the stage where theyre growing a lot and get hungry fast. So longer than 6 hours isnt advised.

One danger of not eating for long hours in pups is hypoglycemia. Or low blood sugar level. And this can be fatal if not given attention.

This may happen if a pup is highly active. And theres a long interval between their meals. So make sure to always feed yours at the right time.

Experts say that puppies below 3 months old are more prone to this. As they cant still manage their blood sugar level at their age.

They also point out that toy and small breeds are at higher risk. Because they have a slower process of breaking down sugar.

Aside from fasting, this could also happen due to:

• Stomach issues.
• Intestinal parasites.
• Low body temperature.

So watch out for other symptoms as well, like:

• Shaking.
• Lethargy.
• Disorientation.
• Becoming more sleepy.

Read next: 13 Odd Reasons Why Dogs Wake Up In The Middle Of The Night

Creating a feeding schedule for your 5-week old puppy

The info mentioned above will help you make a feeding plan for your puppy. Although there are things that you still need to consider, like,

Whens the ideal time for their first meal?

Usually, 7 am works best for pups. And this is also perfect if your work starts at 8 am or 9 am.

How about dinner?

Its ideal for puppies to have their last meal around 5 pm. This is to let them digest their food. And give them enough time to relieve themselves before sleeping.

At 5 weeks, puppies can also start to relieve themselves on their own. But, theyre still too young for housetraining. As vets say that they cant hold their bladder/bowel well.

Based on VCA, they may eliminate 10 to 15 minutes after a meal. So provide potty pads nearby.

Also, make sure that theyre in a safe pen. As theyll start to run and explore the surroundings more.

So its best to have separated but accessible areas for:

• Sleeping.
• Eating/playing.
• Peeing/pooping.

Do this as an introduction for future housetraining. But remember, theyre still young. So its possible for them to pee or poop on their bed.

Just check their spot and clean up regularly.

Finalizing the schedule

So if youre going to feed your pup 4 times a day, the other 2 meals shall be between 7 am and 5 pm.

And they shall be distributed at intervals no longer than 6 hours.

Ive also included the ideal bedtime. As pups need lots of rest. So they should have eliminated early for a night of less disrupted sleep.

And the final schedule looks like this:

But if you notice that your pup will do well in 3 feeding times:

Note: This is only a reference. So feel free to adjust ita bit. As its also important that their schedule works for you as well.

What to feed a 5-week old puppy (without mom)?

You can feed a 5-week old puppy (without mom) solid puppy food. But, soak the kibbles in warm water or milk replacer first. And do this for a few minutes to soften their food.

Aside from using water, you may also add some canned food for puppies.

Then as they grow a week older, slowly thicken the consistency of their food. To have a smooth transition to dry kibbles and other types of food.

Experts say that the weaning of puppies usually starts at 3 to 4 weeks old.

This is because their teeth will begin to grow at this age. And itll bring discomfort to their moms.

So most mother dogs will refuse to nurse their kids at 5 weeks or less.

Thats why you dont need to worry much. As its normal to introduce dry pup food to them at this stage.

However, as I said earlier, this will be a crucial stage for their growth. So make sure to feed them a completely balanced meal.

What specific food should I feed my 5-week old puppy?

Its best to give them high-quality commercial food. This comes in dry kibbles or canned goods.

But, pick only those that are:

• Specially made for puppies.
• Suitable to their age and size.
• Labeled with complete and balanced nutrition.
• Certified by the American Association of Feed Control Officials or AAFCO.

A true complete and balanced puppy food contains all the nutrients they need. And in right amounts as well, like:

• Fats.
• DHA.
• Protein.
• Calcium.
• Carbohydrates.

But, its hard to know if a product is complete or not. So to be sure, consult your vet for a recommendation. Or look for the certification mentioned above to help you decide.

Also, adult dog food shouldnt be given to your pup. As well as generic ones that dont specify if theyre for small or large breeds.

Whys that?

This is because puppies have different nutritional needs from adult dogs. And same goes for small, medium, large, and giant breeds.

Specialists warn parents with large breed dogs in particular. As theyre more prone to bone or joint issues. Such as hip dysplasia and osteochondrosis.

These problems are mainly genetic. So they may not avoid it in their lifetime.

However, vets say that you can delay them from happening.

How?

Just avoid these 3 things:

Overfeeding: Restrict their calories. Feed them suitable and quality puppy food.

Excessive calcium: Too much calcium causes abnormal bones and joint growth.

Unbalanced diet: Such as home-cooked meals. Experts say to wait until 1 year (for small to large dogs). Or 18 months (for giant breeds) before changing into this diet.

You might also like: 7 Reasons Why Your Dog Lays Down To Eat + 3 Tips

How much food should you give to your 5-week old pup?

This will depend on their weight. So the amount of food that a small dog needs could be less than what a large breed requires.

Also, puppy food usually has instructions on its packaging. And it can be used as a reference.

The amount stated there might only be the starting point. So give them the least portion in the beginning.

Using the recommended amount, divide it into 4. To come up with evenly distributed small meals in a day.

Note: If your pup seems hungry all the time, gradually add more. And see if there are any changes in their appetite. Stop adding more once their food intake returns to normal.

In some cases, other pups may also find it hard to eat soft food. As they were only used to drinking milk.

So

How can you make a 5-week old puppy eat?

You can make a 5-week old puppy eat by mashing the soaked kibbles. And make a gruel out of it for easier chewing.

Then:

1. Pour it into a shallow pan.
2. Dip one of your fingertips on the food.
3. Then put a small amount on your puppys nose. To make them smell it and eventually lick the food off.
4. Do the same thing again. But try putting your soaked finger near their mouth instead.
5. Wait until they lick it.
6. Repeat step #4. But move your finger a little bit farther away from your puppys mouth.
7. Then touch their bowl using your soaked finger. To lead your pup to it.

Avoid using force and be as gentle as possible. And after many repetitions, your pup will start getting used to the taste of their new food.

Note: Be more patient especially when it comes to cleaning. As youll expect your pup to create a mess while eating.

Can I give my 5-week old puppy some treats?

It isnt advised to offer your pup commercial treats at 5 weeks old. As well as any human or table food.

Even if they use their secret weapon a.k.a puppy eyes. And look at you while youre eating.

This is because puppies are prone to diarrhea and stomach upset. And ingesting these may cause trouble to their tummies.

But wait

If you want to give them some treats, prepare healthy ones instead. For example, tiny bits of apples or carrots.

These are safe for dogs and also low in calories. Plus, theyre rich in vitamins too.

Puppy diarrhea

Ive said that puppies are more likely to get stomach issues. And whats linked to it?

Diarrhea.

Seeing your pup having loose stools is quite alarming. And the common causes of it are:

• Food intolerance.
• A sudden change in diet.

At 5 weeks old, pups tummies are more sensitive. So switching their pup food may cause watery poop.

But according to AKC, puppy diarrhea isnt usually serious. And mild cases can be resolved by making them drink enough fresh water.

Warning: If your pup has diarrhea for long hours. And they also show other signs, have them checked by a vet at once.

In connection with stomach problems, you might also ask

Can I give probiotics to a 5-week old puppy?

PetMD says you can give puppies probiotics.

But like their food, buy ones that are made for dogs as well. And discuss this with your vet to avoid any side effects.

This is because human probiotics will not be effective on canines. With a simple reason that theyre specifically made for us.

What do they do?

They have good bacteria. And these help in better digestion. As well as in keeping the immune system healthy.

So these can avoid:

• Diarrhea.
• Constipation.
• Digestive tract infections.

One study found that these help in treating diarrhea in dogs.

As Fidos given with probiotics cured as early as 3 days. While those who didnt take any had diarrhea for up to 8 days.

And also, there were no reported cases of dehydration in dogs who took probiotics.

Where can they get these?

Dog probiotics are in different forms. Say, chews, tablets, or powders.

Other dog foods also include probiotics in their products.

And pups may also get this from some human food. But only those that arent sweetened. Like plain yogurt and kefir.

Does a 5-week old puppy still need milk?

Ideally, a 5-week old puppy doesnt need much milk anymore. As itll not be enough for their current nutritional needs.

This is according to the National Research Council. So puppies at this age require another source. Say, puppy-formulated kibbles to get all the nutrients they need.

But my pup still doesnt want to eat soft food.

What should I do?

If it seems like your puppy isnt completely weaned off

You can give them a milk replacer first. Then gradually, introduce solid pup food to them again. And do this after 2 or more days.

Wait, what is a milk replacer?

Dogs cant be fed any other types of milk. Aside from their mothers or commercial milk replacers.

As goat, cow, and infant formula may cause serious stomach upset to a puppy.

So if your pups mother isnt around. Or theyre refusing to nurse your whelp, a milk replacer will do.

Because it has the right amount of:

• Calcium.
• Fatty acids.
• Amino acids.

And these will help a growing puppy. Especially in their brain and eye development. As well as in keeping them away from tummy problems.

Note: But before giving it to them, VCA says to heat the milk replacer first. In 95F to 100F (35C to 37.8C). And test the mixture on your skin to make sure its cold enough.