Puppy Milk

[Jetty]

I have never feed Jet puppy milk. However OH's mum feeds her 6 month old chi and her 4 year old foxy puppy milk daily. I thought it was bad for them to drink it over a couple of months of age, and thought I'd check? The foxy is now putting on weight which is making me worried for her health.

[Sandra777]

Some dogs are lactose intolerant, some aren't.

If the dog isn't and the owner wants to give it milk then IMO there's no actual harm in it, the problem is far too many people forget that milk needs to be part of the diet not in addition to it.

IMO it doesn't have any great value for ANY animal after weaning (that includes humans), who have access to a more varied diet - but it won't do any harm in small amounts.

[ellz]

If you're talking about the stuff in cartons that you can buy from the supermarket......don't waste your money.

If you or your OH's mum want to give milk, just normal cow's milk will be fine, as will goats milk or even good old powdered milk.

Dogs aren't born lactose intolerant. MANY (not all) become lactose intolerant because they aren't given milk and their bodies stop producing the enzyme that digests it.

All of my dogs tolerate milk very readily (which is handy for leftover weetbix and porridge at hooman breakfast time). But then all are given milk on a regular basis from puppyhood.

[Jetty]

Okay thanks! Just wanted to see if it was okay. I dont know where I heard about not giving them the milk. It was the supermarket cartons. I have never given Jet milk on his own but he will sometimes get left over weetbix in milk and stuff.

[poodlefan]

Shocking waste of money. "Puppy milk" is about 3 times the price of lactose free milk.

(says she who feeds her dogs goats milk from time to time. )

[Diva]

(says she who feeds her dogs goats milk from time to time. )

I've seen goats milk widely recommended for sighthounds, so Howie should be OK .

It's when you take a special trip to the natural foods store to get unpasturised organic goats milk for them that you know you have a problem

That said, they don't need milk.

[Bubitty]

I just feed normal cows milk from the supermarket to both my dogs who suffer no ill effects whatsoever.

They are very partial to milk!

[poodlefan]

(says she who feeds her dogs goats milk from time to time. )

I've seen goats milk widely recommended for sighthounds, so Howie should be OK .

It's when you take a special trip to the natural foods store to get unpasturised organic goats milk for them that you know you have a problem

That said, they don't need milk.

Unpasturised? - where's the store?

I feed whey powder too.

[W Sibs]

Charlie has an egg milkshake once a week (thanks to my mum). Also, he has 1 weetbix and milk on Saturday morning for breakfast, while my boyfriend has 6 weetbix and milk. They like having their weekly breakfast date together

Once in a while, I will give Charlie milk for breakfast, instead of bones. He is on a high calcium diet.

Those puppy milk you buy in supermarket are not worth it. But, if the dogs like it, I guess it's ok. Although, the 4 years old is no longer a puppy... so why is she still feeding her puppy milk?

[ellz]

I think many pet owners who don't understand nutrition think that if it is suitable for puppies, it must be ok for adult dogs as well. Like it is a watered down version or something.

Little do many realise that the products designed for puppy consumption are more like the "high powered" products such as Rev and things like that...extra calcium, extra of many things....not much of which is actually suitable for an adult dog unless it has specific dietary/health requirements due to ill health or injury.

It's much the same I think as people who feed puppy foods to in whelp bitches thinking that they are doing the right thing. Yes, in years gone by that may have been the case but foods are much more researched and balanced now and it just isn't necessary.

[Shmurps]

Gee it's been many many years since I had a pup.

I thought the milk and weetbix thing was a thing of the past.

Quite often hear of people picking up pups that are fed on weetbix and milk

I thought that once they were weaned that it wasn't necessary to give milk. Also thought that puppy food for mum was for the extra calories

Oh well learn something new.

I don't get why greyhounds are fed weetbix and milk either

[ellz]

Many breeders still do the whole "cereal" bit (ie weetbix or farex).

I'm not one of them, but my puppies DO get supper each night (warm milky drink and a biscuit - I have found they sleep better with something warm in their tummies) and they help clean up the skinkids breakfast bowls when they're finished with them (waste not want not).

It simply isn't necessary to feed puppy food to bitches these days. A good balanced diet will provide all the caloric requirements a bitch needs, without the extra expense or bother of puppy food which can often be an overload anyway. It is the same as extra calcium supplementation during gestation....not necessary. A good NATURAL source of calcium on a regular basis for life is what is more sensible.

[Jetty]

Charlie has an egg milkshake once a week (thanks to my mum). Also, he has 1 weetbix and milk on Saturday morning for breakfast, while my boyfriend has 6 weetbix and milk. They like having their weekly breakfast date together

Once in a while, I will give Charlie milk for breakfast, instead of bones. He is on a high calcium diet.

Those puppy milk you buy in supermarket are not worth it. But, if the dogs like it, I guess it's ok. Although, the 4 years old is no longer a puppy... so why is she still feeding her puppy milk?

I want to know the same thing. I think she feels its unfair to feed the puppy milk to the chi without letting the foxy have some too. The foxy has put on ALOT of weight. I think she may of been feeding it the puppy dry food too.