Hand Rearing Puppies In the first two weeks of life, it is important for puppies to obtain the initial milk from the mother. This initial milk is called colostrum and it contains high levels of antibodies to help protect the young puppies against disease. However, if for some reason a puppy is rejected by the mother, or the mother dies, it will be necessary to provide the puppy with another form of nutrition. There are a few tried and tested remedies which many breeders have found to be useful in this difficult and trying time.

Commercial Formulas

These mild formulas meet the nutritional needs of young puppies and also offer the owner a feeding guide as to how much to feed according to the age of the puppy. Bottles and teats are readily available from your vet clinic. It is recommended that these be sterilized between uses, so as to prevent gut infection.

Dr Jack’s Puppy Formula

• 1 cup of carnation milk
• 1 teaspoon carnation milk powder
• egg yolk
• vitamin drops ( Pentavit )
• 6 oz boiled water ( 6 tablespoons )

Feed every 4 hours and keep tummy tight.

Goats Milk
Goat’s milk is a fantastic alternative to the mother’s natural milk. You can use either fresh from a farm, or long life milk from the supermarket. This formula is very close to that of a dog. An added bonus of using goat’s milk is the ability to provide the puppies with colostrum in the first few days of life. This is extremely beneficial to the life of a puppy.

With all of these commercial or home grown remedies it is important to feed the puppies every 3-4 hours before 2 weeks of age, gradually reducing to every 6 to 8 hours at 4 weeks of age. Be sure not to over feed the puppies as this can result in stomach ache and diarrhea.