Puppy milk will ensure your little pup grows up as strong and healthy as they can be. Serving it to your pup before they start on some tasty and nutritious puppy food will significantly influence their development and ensure they get a head start in life, which is just what every pet owner could hope for.
Every milk is enriched with vitamins and vital nutrients essential to their growth, mimicking what would be provided from their mother's milk. That's why orphaned puppies must have a milk replacement to attain all the minerals and vitamins they require before moving on to more solid foods. Some puppy milk can be used as a supplement to complement your pooch's daily wet or dry puppy food intake to ensure they consume a nutritionally balanced diet.
The best puppy milk at a glance:
• Editor's choice: Beaphar Lactol Puppy Milk - View on Amazon UK
• Best puppy milk with nutritional supplement: Petlife Welpi Milk Replacer - View on Amazon UK
• Best puppy milk for newborns: Royal Canin Baby Dog Powdered Milk - View on Amazon UK
• Best for orphaned puppies: Royal Canin Puppy Protech Puppy Milk - View on Amazon UK
From powders to cartons, there are a few options to choose from when it comes to puppy milk formulas, so that's why we've rounded up our favourites below to help you make your decision.
Best puppy milk
Editor's choice
Beaphar Lactol Puppy Milk works as a suitable replacement for dog breast milk. The formula is easy to digest and filled with minerals and vitamins to help support your puppy's growth and development. It is ideal for newborn pups and orphans and can be given to sick dogs to build up their strength or to wean puppies.
Customer review: "I needed this in a hurry as my previous delivery (from elsewhere) was delayed. It came the next day! Which was perfect as the delay meant I had run out of milk. Also, the price is the best around! It was way cheaper than anywhere else. My pups love this stuff and mum loves it too! It is perfect for nursing mothers and lactating mums too!"
Pros
- Good value
- Easy to Mix
Cons
- Make sure to seal it well to ensure it stays fresh
Pack size: | 2kg |
Best puppy milk with nutritional supplement
The Petlife Welpi Milk Replacer and Nutritional Supplement for Dogs is suitable to give at any age as a supplement to accompany meals. It is similar to their mother's milk and can help to build natural defences and maintain good digestive health. Welpi is a good milk replacement for puppies and nursing dogs, as well as convalescing and ageing dogs.
Customer review: "I've always used Welpi for weaning pups, but this week have used it for a bitch that wouldn't eat for six days after whelping (caesarean). I gave her 500ml of Welpi every 4 hours. I was concerned about her liquid diet, but the vet reassured me she'd be getting all the nutrition she needed until she could stomach solids. The pups are now a week old, bitch is eating, and all were doing great. Relieved I had some Welpi on standby."
Pros
- Mixes well
- Nutritious
Cons
- Some reviewers have reported the tub has a strong smell
Pack size: | 2kg |
Best puppy milk for newborns
Suitable to use from birth, this Royal Canin Baby Dog Powdered Milk is formulated for a puppy's first few months. It mimics the mothers' milk, is DHA enriched and is easy to prepare. As the puppy's nervous system develops after birth, the DHA in maternal milk helps support cognitive function, so this powder formula is an excellent choice for newborns.
Customer review: "My bitch rejected her pups after a Caesarian section and this was the only puppy milk my vet stocked so as I did not want to change the formula I bought this container full of Royal Canin puppy formula. I now have three very naughty and very healthy pups."
Pros
- Good value
- Easy to digest
Cons
- Instruction leaflet could be better
Pack size: | 400g, 2kg |
Best for orphaned puppies
Another great option from Royal Canin is the Royal Canin Puppy Protech Puppy Milk. It's very close to a dog's breast milk as it's enriched with antibodies and a very high level of energy and protein. It also has an addition of prebiotics, which helps to maintain the balance of intestinal flora.
Customer review: "We had a cleft lip puppy needing bottle feeding, standard puppy milks/powders weren't doing the job and he wasn't gaining weight or enjoying his milk, this milk was amazing!!"
Pros
- Contains ultra-digestible proteins
- Very close to a dog's breast milk
Cons
- Some thought the formulation was quite thick
Pack size: | 300g |
Best puppy milk carton
Support your puppy's immune system with Toplife Formula Puppy Milk cartons. Each pack contains six cartons made of goat milk for easy digestion and includes vitamins C and E. As it is already a liquid, you don't have to worry about measuring out the powdered formula to be convenient for both you and your pup.
Customer review: "The pups and their mum really love this stuff and so much cheaper than other products out there. Packaging allows you to close and reopen, so there is no chance of a leak when you knock the small bottles over."
Pros
- Gentle on stomachs
- Added Vitamins C and E
Cons
- Short shelf life
Pack size: | 6 x 200ml |
Best individual puppy milk carton
www.petsathome.com
The Pets at Home Puppy Milk has been specifically formulated for a puppy's nutritional needs by containing increased fat levels that are comparable to their mother's milk to help them grow into healthy adults. It's enriched with cream and contains optimum levels of taurine and Omega 3 to help support a healthy heart and vision development.
**Customer review: "**My first puppy didn't need this after arriving in her forever home at 10 weeks. However, my second puppy arrived in his forever home at 8 weeks and was still searching for milk. So we tried this. He has happily settled on this and enjoys this as a lunchtime treat. Puppy 1 also loves this so they share a bottle most days if required as they are up and down on meals sometimes wanting three other days wanting two. Highly recommend for young puppies."
Pros
- Infused with vitamins and minerals to support a developing immune system
- Can be stored unrefrigerated
Cons
- Would be better if there were an option to bulk-buy
Pack size: | 1 x 250ml |
Best for supplementing vital vitamins
The highly digestible and palatable PetAg Esbilac Puppy Milk Replacer Powder is easy to mix and easy to use. This puppy milk powder has the ideal balance of protein, fat and carbohydrates to ensure your pup grows up strong and healthy. It supplies all the vitamins and minerals needed for proper development and can be given to orphaned newborns or six-week-old puppies.
Customer review: "I fostered a single puppy who have been orphaned at 2 days old and although the vet gave me little hope that he would survive, I started him on this formula and I am happy to say that today he is a completely healthy, energetic, 80 lb dog, and of course I ended up adopting him. Since that time I've used this formula whenever I foster mothers and puppies. it is great to help supplement the work mom is doing and also great for weaning. When I use this for weaning I graduate them to the second stage formula by the same brand. I give you a five stars for flavors because I've never seen a puppy turn it down yet! I buy it and donate it to a rescue as well and they use it for their orphan puppies and we've all had great success with the puppies surviving and being healthy."
Pros
- Packed with prebiotics, probiotics and vitamins
- Easy to mix powder
Cons
- Ships from America so delivery may take longer
Pack size: | 793g |
FAQs
What kind of milk can you give a puppy?
Cows milk and other dairy sources can cause undesirable effects on a puppy's delicate digestive system. Commercial puppy milk replacements are better than cow's milk for puppies. That is because the milk from a dog is richer in calories and essential proteins. It is also much easier for puppies to digest than dairy sources.
Do puppies need puppy milk after 8 weeks?
According to the RSPCA, puppies naturally wean off their mother's milk around eight to twelve weeks. However, weaning is typically completed when a puppy is roughly between six and seven weeks old.
Once weaning is done, puppies finally cease drinking their mother's milk and can move on to eating the dry or wet puppy food of your choosing.
How do you make homemade puppy milk?
Sometimes, mother dogs are unable to produce enough milk, or they have a health problem that prevents them from feeding their pups. Making a homemade puppy milk replacer is only for temporary use until a commercial milk replacer can be obtained:
We've listed the ingredients you'll need and some guidance on how to make it below, but for more details, take a look at the full instructions.
A homemade milk replacer for two puppies:
1/2 cup (120ml) cow's or goat's milk
1/2 cup (120ml) water
Two to four egg yolks
One to two teaspoons vegetable oil
1,000mg calcium carbonate, if available
Instructions:
Blend and warm to 95-100°F (approx. 35-40°C). Then refrigerate between uses. Discard any unused milk replacer 24 hours after mixing.
Check out our ultimate 'what to buy your new puppy' checklist for more advice and guidance.
Ellen Kinsey is a senior health and wellness product writer for A Modern Kitchen, specialising in sustainable living and healthy cooking. She lives and breathes all things food, travel and wellness.