Bottle Feeding

When to Bottle Feed

A puppy needs bottle feeding when the mother has no milk, rejects it, has too large a litter to feed, or is recovering from a caesarean. It is not something to start casually: a puppy that can nurse should nurse, because the mother provides antibodies a bottle cannot.

Choosing Bottles and Teats

Small bottles

The 60ml nursing kits at around $29 to $38 suit newborns and small breeds. Two or three of them means you are not sterilising between every feed at 3am.

Larger bottles

The 120ml newborn bottle at around $50 for bigger litters and older puppies.

Wombaroo bottles and teats

The 100ml Wombaroo bottle at around $4, with latex teats from around $3. Teats come in sizes, and matching the teat to the puppy matters more than the bottle does.

Getting the Flow Right

This is where puppies are lost. Too fast and formula enters the lungs. Hold the puppy on its front, never on its back like a human baby, and tip the bottle rather than squeezing it. If milk appears at the nose, stop immediately and lower the head. A teat hole you enlarged yourself is the usual cause.

Hygiene and Temperature

Sterilise between feeds. Mix fresh, feed at body temperature, and discard anything left after 30 minutes. Newborns feed every two hours around the clock for the first week.

Trusted by RPBA Breeders

Members keep a bottle kit and formula on hand before every whelping, because the litter that needs it gives no warning.