The weaning timeline
| Age | What goes in the bowl | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0–3 weeks | Mother's milk only | Full-time nursing; the mother handles everything. |
| 3–4 weeks | First 'gruel' | Puppy kibble soaked in warm water or puppy milk replacer to a porridge consistency, offered in a shallow dish a few times a day. |
| 4–6 weeks | Gruel gets thicker | Less liquid each week; puppies are also learning to lap. Mother's milk continues but tapers. |
| 6–7 weeks | Mostly softened kibble | Only lightly moistened. Puppies should be eating several small meals independently. |
| 7–8 weeks | Fully dry kibble | Standard by the time a puppy goes to a new home. Water always available. |
How to soften kibble properly
Soak the measured puppy kibble in warm (not boiling) water or a puppy milk replacer for 10–20 minutes until it is soft right through — a hard centre is a choking and digestion problem. Start at roughly a 1:3 kibble-to-liquid ratio and tighten it weekly. Throw away anything left after 20–30 minutes; soaked kibble spoils quickly.
Use puppy-specific food for the whole of the first year (or 18–24 months for large and giant breeds). Puppy formulas are denser in protein, fat, calcium and DHA, and adult food does not meet that.
What not to give
- Cow's milk. Most dogs lose the enzyme to digest lactose after weaning; milk causes gas, bloating and diarrhoea. Use a puppy milk replacer instead.
- Cold, straight-from-the-bag switch. A sudden diet change at a stressful moment (new home) is a reliable route to diarrhoea. Transition over 7–10 days if you are changing brands.
- Adult or 'all life stages' food without checking. Large-breed puppies in particular need controlled calcium and phosphorus for growing bone.
- Free-feeding by volume guesswork. Follow the bag's weight-and-age chart, split into 3–4 meals a day under six months, and adjust on body condition rather than on how enthusiastic they look.
When to call the vet
Any puppy who is not gaining weight steadily, who has persistent diarrhoea during weaning, who refuses to eat for more than 24 hours, or who is noticeably smaller than littermates needs checking. Weaning diarrhoea is common but not normal to the point of dehydration.
Frequently asked questions
When can puppies eat dry food?
Most puppies eat fully dry kibble by seven to eight weeks. They get there gradually: gruel at 3–4 weeks, thicker each week, only lightly moistened by 6–7 weeks.
Can I give a puppy dry food at 4 weeks?
Not dry — soaked. At four weeks, offer a soft gruel of puppy kibble and warm water or puppy milk replacer, a few small meals a day alongside the mother's milk.
Can puppies drink cow's milk?
Better not. Most dogs become lactose intolerant after weaning, so cow's milk commonly causes diarrhoea. Use a puppy milk replacer.
How often should I feed a weaning puppy?
Three to four small meals a day under six months, dropping to two from about six to twelve months depending on breed size and your vet's advice.