Instructions for preparing the blended food for weaning:
While you can make smaller quantities, you may find things easier if you make several day's worth at a time. And the actual amount will of course vary depending on whether you are weaning one puppy or several.
After 3 days, it will most likely be time to take another step toward the goal of solid food, with more kibble and less liquid.
To begin:
1- Place 2 cups of the dam's dog food into a blender.
2- Add 12.5 ounces of liquid puppy milk replacer.
3- Top the blender off with the hot water.
4- Blend until it has the consistency of thinned baby food.
Offer this in small, shallow stainless steel or ceramic bowls, 3 to 4 times per day. Alternatively, a clean baking sheet works well for multiple pups. The pups will need some time to learn to sense the food and lap at it; you can pick each one up and bring them to the food.
Pay attention to when the puppies go to the dam to nurse. You will want to politely interrupt this to offer the blended food. Once they are done, they may go back to the dam for a bit of nursing to 'top off their tummies'.
Each week, continue to use the blender so that the food is 'mushy', but decrease the amount of liquid, so that it slowly transitions more and more into more solid food.
The goal is to have the pups used to eating only solid food - with no milk replacer - by the end of 6 weeks and no later than week 7. This said, some puppies need a longer weaning period and these will be the ones that often need to wait until the 3 month mark to go to new homes (if that is the intention).
While you are paying attention to feeding the puppies, this will give their mother a good opportunity to leave for a bit. She will be very exhausted and in need of some alone time; much like a human mother who just needs to get away for a few moments to regroup.
As time goes by, the weaning puppies will get used to having their mother gone for a longer and longer period of time. Simultaneously, the weaning pups will become more adjusted to your presence. This will continue on like a domino effect, until they are completely ready to move out on their own.