The transition from milk to solid food can be stressful for puppies. While they may be interested in the yummy smell of dog food, the hard texture may deter them from eating. A simple puppy food mush combines the best of both worlds for those hungry little mouths.
Step 1
Add a layer of puppy chow to the bottom of a shallow feeding dish. Regular dog bowls are too deep for many puppies, so pick a bowl with a wide bottom and short sides. Aluminum pie pans make perfect puppy feeding dishes.
Step 2
Pour enough hot water or puppy milk replacer in the pan to completely cover the puppy chow. If your puppies nursed from their mother, water will cause fewer tummy problems than milk replacer. Orphaned puppies who have been bottle-fed do best with warmed milk replacer. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes, or until the chow feels squishy when you poke it with your finger.
Step 3
Smash the wet food with a potato masher. You don’t want to puree it into a pulp, but you do want to create a soft, oatmeal-like consistency so even pups without a full set of teeth can enjoy the spoils.
Step 4
Place the food on the floor and let the puppies dive in. Mushy puppy food is very messy, so you may want to set the dish in the middle of an old sheet or towel to protect your floors. If there is any food left in the dish after 15 minutes, pick it up and rinse away the leftovers.
References
Tips
- If your puppies aren’t interested in the mush, add a spoonful of canned food to the mix. Canned food has a more powerful smell and may entice reluctant pups to eat.
Writer Bio
Louise Lawson has been a published author and editor for more than 10 years. Lawson specializes in pet and food-related articles, utilizing her 15 years as a sous chef and as a dog breeder, handler and trainer to produce pieces for online and print publications.