PetAg nursing Kit The largest nipple in the kit. It's soft and long and the bottle was easy to measure how much they drank. At about 4 wks I used Sothie 1st year Gerber bottles.

javier

I use Dr Brown's #1. My pups did very well on them although I figured it was just as easy to hold the pups one by one on mom as feeding with the bottle. Mine would not take the Playtex either. Good luck with them. Everyday that goes by it gets easier and so well worth it.
Roanne

what type of bottle did you use, I have tried the playtex and it sucks and the puppies aspirate with it and how much should I feed them ? thanks i am very new at this

I had a litter of 8 about three months ago and their weights were from 8 oz- 1 lb. Not sure what's average but I will tell you have something on standby to help supplement the pups in case mom doesn't have enough milk. I went through a couple of things and found that Similac Alimentum helped put on weight the quickest without having fussy pups (gas, shakes, etc, rocky poops). We never left mom alone with pups and expect very little sleep. Weigh the pups everyday at the same time, expect a drop in weight on day 1 or 2 but not by much hence having the supplement handy. Not sucking on mom or bottle nipples use Karo syrup. I agree don't forget about mom; food, water, and movement.
AND last but not least......THis site. Lots of good info. Good luck.

Javier

You need to get a room thermometer and keep the temperature at a steady 85-87 degrees (some will say warmer than that). Be sure the heating pad doesn't have an automatic shutoff after 2 hours (many do), and be sure the pad only covers half of the surface so that the puppies can crawl off and on as they get too warm or cool. Be sure there's a couple of layers of blanket or towel over the heating pad, too.

6-7 oz is pretty small, but that's ok, as long as they're nursing ok. Weigh them before and after each feeding to be sure they are getting full bellies, and stimulate them to urinate/defecate after each meal. They won't always poop, but will almost always pee.

If you need advice, feel free to call me at 770-891-7232. I certainly don't know it all...but I've got a great network of bully friends if there's something I don't know. Good luck!

Cathy Miller

My life is full of bull.

http://www.marshillbulldogs.com
http://www.bulldogclubofmetropolitanatlanta.com

That seems small but not saying they won't be ok. Mine were about 15-1.16 oz each.

Watch that heating pad as I found out they shut off when reaching temperature and the pups would get cold. I use a heating lamp and regulate with a thermometer about 1 or 2 inches from the bottom of the pen.

This board is great for helping with raising and caring for puppies so ask away and if you don't get an answer ask again till you do. Sometimes putting HELP in the subject line gets the attention it deserves.
Roanne

That's great!

just a couple quick notes: 1-Don't forget about MOM and her care needs as well...drinking and eating (probably still on several smaller meals of tasty (but unsalted) treats...and get her out to potty as well...and wipe her paws and teets after she comes back into the house! 2-You need to protect the pups from draft as well as "cold" so I suggest you keep a light covering over half of the box or pen you have them in...some air will circulate but you will also be retaining some heat. Watch their breathing...hot pups will mouth-breathe and be listless...healthy ones will sleep although they should still be twitching periodically...nature's way of encouraging circulation. Best wishes to all!!!!!!!

thanks so much for the advice I have weighed them once and i am gonna weigh them today . I am using a food scale and its hard to tell the exact weight they move alot. they nursing well and are pooing and peeing good so that is good. mom is not really intersted but she lays so they can feed so that is good.