I have always tried to keep them on full feed until they are 4 to 6 months old. Having said that I’m not a professional pup raiser either.

 

I keep feed in front of them all the time.

 

Feed them 24/7

 

I keep feed to them all the time.

 

I always fed and watered my puppies once a day just like my grown dogs.

 

Been breeding and raising a litter or 2 of pups a year for 40 years and have tried about everything. There is an amish breeder in my area that distributes nutri source sm puppy dog food in a generic wht bag that is 40 lb for 50.00 which is substantially cheaper than menards and others. Anyway, this puppy food is very small and pups just go to it at the mothers feeder and start eating around 4 weeks. Amazing !!! Easiest weaning etc you can imagine. No mixing in milk etc, no can food to start----it works. By the way, the canned food they love but the stool is dbl and a total mess everywhere.
I'd recommend starting them with the nutrisource even if its at the high retail price as that 1 st bag goes a long way. I free feed mine all the way to starting at around 5 mo old. Beyond that they get too fat free feeding.