Age to start gruel?
 

Lexie's 7 are 3 weeks and here are a few questions if you don't mind. Lots of you have already gave me information and I appreciate that, I just want to make sure we are doing the right thing for our precious bunch. When did you start gruel? How much to start with? What was in your gruel? Here is why all the questions. Lexie has fed all the puppies, no help to this point, but she always looks so tired and run down, even with giving her extra meales and treats, so I want to help. I started on the day they were 3 weeks (Tues) and they are messy, but seem to like the 10cc of gruel I am giving them. Lex still nurses also. All the babies are growing, walking, growling, barking (this is too cute), and playing. I just don't want to hurt how well they are doing. Thanks for any help!

Also today, they had to go the the next level of bedding. We used a baby pool to whelp and grow in to this point, but when we got us yesterday morning, we had puppies wondering the living room. They (3 of them) had climbed out They are now in a "gated community" with higher walls and more room to play and learn to potty on paper. I will post pictues of thier living quarter soon, friends can't believe that we give up 1/3 of the living room to them...I just say..there are a lot of them!!

Our "Gated Community"
 

Well here it is...our own "Gated Community". We love having them in the room that we are always in and that family visits in. They get so excied and come to the fence when they hear the grandkids come into the house. Novalee's favorite is the pink one and she is smothered with kisses.

I start when the babies begin to toddle over and try to eat mama's food. That lets me know they are hungry. They are usually about four weeks or just a day or two less. mardelin, I think it was, told me to use Gerber baby rice cereal thinned with puppy supplement and just a touch of Karo syrup. As far as to how much, I usually just put a little down and spread it around the dish so they all have a space to eat. if they finish that, then I give them a little. i just kind of know when they have had enough. I had to take one baby to the vet tho because of constipation the vet said was caused by the karo syrup and also when you start feeding them, mama slacks up cleaning them and stimulating them to pee/poop so you need to watch that carefully. BTW, I like your gated community.

Mine started to show interest in Mom's food at about 5 weeks old. I started out giving them puppy formula mixed with rice baby cereal and a touch of karo. As each day passes I thickened their food and have now started adding in blended puppy kibble. They are now 6 weeks old and eating mostly puppy kibble blended with just alittle bit of puppy milk formula and a touch of karo.

Hey your living room looks like mine with the puppies taking over my house,lol!! I personally love having them in the living room with me where I can watch them all day long.

Debbie,
The puppies are right in the middle of everything at our house also. I feel that making them social to all that come and go is so important. I want my puppies to love and be loved by all that they come in contact with them. They are so cute toddling around now!!

I bet they are so adorable. Anytime someone comes into my home they melt when they see the puppies, so I bet its like that at your house.

Today mine ate dry puppy kibble for their first time and loved it. They are getting lots of new teeth so the soft food is now out the window,lol.

Gated Community. That tickled my funny bone. Their so precious.

Please tell me exactly what you feed them. What is "kibble"? Is that a company name, or just a generic name for puppy food. Thanks for your help and hope to talk to you soon!!

Kibble is any dried dog food.

I gave mine rice cereal with canned goats milk at 3 weeks. They were eating dry kibble by 5 weeks.

I started with just a tablespoon of rice cereal and made it very sloppy at first. they will walk in it and make quite a mess.

Kibble is dry puppy food. As you know I started off with puppy formula mixed with rice baby cereal. We worked up to the kibble, at 6 weeks thats what they eat mostly. I do give them some wet food once in awhile to keep their poo soft enough though.

Peaches Puppy, Precious will be 3 weeks on this Friday (Aug. 17th) and I was wondering should the rice cereal and formual mixture be soupy, thick, or ???

How do you feed it to them at 3 weeks?

Congrats on them all living and doing so fabulous!!!

I wanted to mention something after looking at the "gated community" photo, other than it's adorable, is to watch out as they grow older and begin chewing on that material that you're using as bumpers, because it flakes easily and those little needle like teeth will get that stuff off in no time and eat it.

Thanks for your concern. I bought some jean thick material yesterday and am sewing "bumpper guards" just for that reason. I am also concerned that the fence wires are just a little too far apart The littlest boy can almost fit his head threw. Have any ideas how to baby proof that? Again...thanks, I like how we keep an eye out for one anothers little ones!!

I didnt have to start weaning till mine were 5 weeks old. If you dont have to start weaning yet I would hold off personally, they need the milk nutrician from mom as long as possible. If theres a reason you have to suppliment then I suggest making it soupy and work towards thickening it up as the days pass. Good luck hun!!!

I lined mine with cardboard half way up it using ties to hold the cardboard in place. So far the cardboard is tall enough they cant reach the top to chew on it.