[oscar281211]

Hi I have a pet dog (labrador) he is 51 days old... I feed him puppy weaning pedigree along with milk & some water mixed thrice a day... how long should we continue with puppy weaning... please do suggest what should we start feeding him next and after how many months...

[Lucky098]

At 7wks, your puppy should be eating solid food.

Some people encourage the mashed food and puppy milk.. I however; don't.

I'm not a fan of pedigree anything. There are so many different foods out there to chose from that are better. I like to feed puppies Purina Pro Plan. It puts good weight on them, is easy to digest and I haven't seen a puppy yet turn it down. Later in life, about a year, I would switch to the holistic-type foods.. such as Call of the Wild, Innova, Natural balance and Wellness. I would suggest though to find a puppy food that your pup likes and is within your budget. Some of these holistic or organic foods can get very expensive.

Right now, I would suggest to feed puppy 1 cup twice a day.. If he seems really hungry, then offer a third meal at lunch time. But typically, puppies that are in their own homes and aren't fighting for food don't need 3 meals a day. Breeders feed 3 times or more to ensure that all puppies get fed their ration. Labradors are known to put on weight and maintain it. So starting from puppy, find a good feeding schedule and amount that will satisify your pup, but won't put the weight on later in life. I'm pretty comfortable feeding 50-70lb adult dogs 1 cup of food twice a day as long as it is a high quality food. If you chose to feed pedigree, you will probably have to feed 2 cups twice a day... feeding pedigree at high amounts will also get your dog fat.

But enough of feeding schedules for the future :) Gradually wean the pup off the puppy mash and milk and start on a solid food. He has teeth, he can handle it and doesn't need to be babied. Go to a pet store and look at the foods they offer.. You want to chose a food that has a meat source first, and preferably second. Avoid foods with lots of grains and by product meals.. At this age, I also like to start my puppies on the Nylabone chews. It keeps puppies good. Also be sure to talk to your vet about spaying/neutering at the appropriate age and vaccinations. Hopefully the breeder started your pup on his parvo/distemper series..