Puppy Gruel

The pups are now 3 1/2 weeks old and already it's to think about their transition from mother's milk to solid food. This transition will take place over several weeks.

The change is prompted by the fact that the pups' teeth-tiny, very sharp--are coming in, and, as you can expect, Deca is going to have a problem with that. She's likely to nurse them for a few more weeks, but less and less. Consequently, they'll need food from a new source. Enter the puppy gruel!

Gruel defined: Gruel is a type of preparation consisting of some type of cereal boiled in water or milk. It is similar to porridge, but is more often drunk than eaten. Historically, gruel has often been an important part of the human diet, especially that of the poor. The importance of gruel as a form of sustenance has been lessened in modern times. In the Western world, gruel is remembered because it was the food of the child labor slaves in Charles Dickens' Industrial Revolution novel, Oliver Twist. The eponymous character asks the master of the workhouse for some more, and is struck a blow to the head for it.

Please send your recipes for gruel to recipes@alanbowser.com!