DIY puppy milk + recipe

My house has been full of puppy yelps and puppy smells and I wouldn't have it any other way. I've become so attached to these little creatures. It's going to be hard to let them go, but at least we know that Rontu will have one to keep company with at home and she'll see two of them often. Rick's cousin is taking one (who has the baby daddy), and his brother is taking another. Their personalities have really developed this past week and ones that I thought were calmer actually aren't, and vice versa. The 'sweetest' little girl has turned out to be the feistiest! My little one is still really calm and sweet and I've been prone to taking naps with him on the couch lately, even though I shouldn't. It's been said that it's not good to handle them so much still because it will make them too attached to you, but I can't help it. I'll walk into their room in the morning and start talking to them and they'll all turn their little heads and try to lick me. They are 3 weeks old as of yesterday and are starting to be fairly stable on their legs and playing often with each other.
They all have little baby puppy teeth now and that's part of the reason why I wanted to start them on home made puppy milk and try to wean them off of Rontu. Her poor nips and sore, raw, and scratched and she's not feeding them on her own as often as she should. She'll wander in maybe 3 times a day but in between then, I take a bottle in and feed them too. This is a simple recipe that I read would be a great supplement and help wean them off of mom, but as always please check with your vet beforehand. I was recommended Esbilac, but seeing as how I'm not totally loaded, I went with a cheaper and more natural milk. They also have been feeding well since birth until now, so I'm using it solely for weaning purposes, not as a milk substitute. In a couple of days I'll be blending in wet puppy food, which is the same brand the mom is currently eating, to make a 'puppy smoothie'. Mmm. The goal is to have them lapping soggy dry food soaked in this milk from a bowl by next week. This yields about 12 ounces, and I use half of the mixture for each in-between feeding. The puppies will usually stop on their own when their tummies are full.













DIY home made puppy milk

1 1/4 cup goats milk
6 oz. whole fat yogurt
1 raw egg yolk
1 teaspoon condensed milk (optional)
2 T mayo (optional)


1. Whisk all of the ingredients together over low heat. Don't heat it too quickly or the yolk will cook and the mix may curdle. I don't keep mayo in the house but if you have some, it won't hurt. The condensed milk adds a little sweetness to it but you can also use clear Karo syrup. You want the mixture to be the puppy's body temperature, so no more than 100 degrees.
2. I bought regular newborn baby bottles from the store. The nipple holes were a little small, and there will be tiny solids from the yogurt in the mixture, so you'll need to make the hole bigger, especially if you'll be using it to feed your puppies the 'puppy smoothie' i mentioned above. Sterilize a safety pin or needle over a flame before using it to enlarge the hole.
3. I try to feed them while they're laying on their sides or tummies, just like they do with mom. Each puppy drinks anywhere from 2-3 ounces each time but depending on your breed, they may drink more or less. And yes, I do burp them like you would a human baby. Partly out of necessity, partly because their little puppy burps are hilarious.