Weaning Puppies on a Raw Diet

By Lew Olson • Spring 2000 Newsletter

I start feeding them four meals a day, but I slowly narrow this down to three (eliminating one milk/egg meal). At about four to five months I finally feed them twice a day, stopping the last milk/egg snack. This diet is set up to an example, it can be varied by raw meaty bones and types of meats and vegetables.

I start puppies on this diet at about four weeks. I let them nurse as long as the mother will allow, and let her decide when nursing shall end. Mothers milk, after all, is natures perfection! Be sure to feed the mother well and often as she continues to nurse. She needs a lot of fat and protein to produce milk.

Puppies eat anywhere from 5% to 10% of their daily body weight. This can vary by breed, rate of growth and growth stages. Eventually at adulthood they will eat 2% to 3% of their body weight a day. An example of this is that a 100 pound dog would eat two to three pounds a day, while a fifty pound dog would eat one to one and a half pounds a day.

A simple test for weight, as stated by Dr. Ian Billinghurst, is simply to feed them less if they are too fat, and more if they are too thin.

Meal One
Goats milk (fresh or canned)
1 egg
2 tablespoons of whole milk yogurt
1/2 teaspoon Berte’s Daily Blend

Meal Two
2 or 3 ounces of hamburger, or liver, or sliced beef heart, kidney or gizzards
1 tablespoon of whole milk yogurt
1 to 2 tablespoons of pulped vegetables (mostly dark leafy greens-mustard, collards, spinach or turnip, some carrots, some cabbage or broccoli, can also use squash, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts) or canned pumpkin in a pinch

Mix well

Add 1/2 teaspoon Berte’s Green Blend
1/2 teaspoon Flax Seed Oil
1/2 teaspoon Berte’s Ultra Probiotic Powder

Meal Three
Goats milk (fresh or canned)
1 egg
2 tablespoons of whole milk yogurt
1/2 teaspoon Berte’s Daily Blend
1/2 teaspoon Flax Seed Oil
1/2 tsp Berte’s Ultra Probiotic Powder

Meal Four
Chicken necks or wings, 3 to 5 chicken necks or 2 wings
Sprinkle a bit of Berte’s Daily Blend on the pieces

Bedtime or Play
Pork neck bones to chew

Eventually you will phase out the milk and egg meal, then give an egg with the meat and veggie meal. Usually they go to three meals a day fairly quickly after you get them home, and the other milk meal is ended about age four or five months.

You can also use canned mackerel in place of the meat, I have used canned pumpkin, canned mackerel or salmon on trips, and picked up chicken and pork bones at the stores. I do this on dog show trips a lot! Make the meat a variety (liver, kidney, beef, ground chicken, lamb, etc) and always give meat with bones daily. You can also change the vegetable mixes as different veggies are in season. I also use apples, bananas and other fruits.

Salmon Oil Capsules can be used in place of the Flax Seed Oil.

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