Puppy Feeding Bottles

Most pups feed happily from their mother, but sooner or later every breeder meets the one that does not. A large litter, a bitch short on milk, or a small pup being pushed off the teat all lead to the same place: you feeding by hand, often through the night.

A proper puppy bottle makes that job manageable. This collection covers nursing bottles, complete feeding kits, teats and pacifier sets sized for newborns rather than adapted from human baby gear.

Choosing a Bottle and Teat

The teat matters more than the bottle. It should be soft enough for a newborn to compress and sized so a hungry pup can feed steadily without gulping. Milk should form slow drops when the bottle is inverted; if it runs in a stream the hole is too big and you risk milk going the wrong way. Start with the smallest opening and enlarge it carefully only if the pup is clearly working too hard. Small capacity bottles suit toy breeds, while larger ones save refills with big litters. Look for clear markings so you can record exactly how much each pup took, and pair the bottle with accurate puppy scales to see whether the effort is showing up as weight gain.

Safe Feeding Technique

Feed with the pup lying on its stomach with the head level, never on its back like a human baby. Let the pup set the pace and stop when it turns away. Use a purpose made milk replacer or colostrum supplement mixed fresh and warmed to body temperature, and sterilise bottles and teats between feeds. If a pup has no sucking reflex, a bottle is not the answer and tube feeding under veterinary guidance may be needed, so call your vet.

Need to top up a hungry litter? Explore the RPBA collection of puppy feeding bottles and find a size and teat that suits your pups.