After reading lots about the different puppy milks available, I got in a bit of Royal Canin Baby Milk - in case I need it.  (I know I am being ridiculously organised in advance, but I'm so excited and this is so boring waiting for her to come into season!).

Reading the instructions on the tub, it says to make it up using bottled mineral water...?? 

Which led me to wonder:  This is going to be a PITA.  Do you need to do this, or can you just make it up with tap water?  Maybe - you use bottled mineral water for really tiny orphaned pups but is it ok to use tap water if you are making it up to mix with meat for weaning slightly older pups? 

If you do need to bottle feed orphaned pups, or supplement mum, do you need to sterilise bottles etc, as you do for human babies?

If it says use bottled mineral water then use that otherwise they would have stated use tap water.  They have said that for a reason.

I have used it in the past and just use cooled boiled water without any problems. If you have a water softener then maybe bottled water would be better but unless there is a problem with you water source or it is very very hard water then I cannot see it making a difference at all.

I would sterilise bottles.  To be honest I think I took better care of my dogs than my children.  I know I still do.

It's just that it's going to get a bit expensive in terms of bottled mineral water...! 

Seeing people wean their puppies onto raw meat, I'm not sure what they think might happen if they drank tap water at 2 weeks...??

different bottled water has different amounts minerals in and some can be quite high in sodium for exampleso how would you know if yo were choosing the right one. As you say many raw feed from day 1 so what would be wrong with tap water we make human babies bottles up with tap water

> It's just that it's going to get a bit expensive in terms of bottled mineral water...!

You can buy 6-packs of 2-litre bottles quite cheaply, use supermarket's own brand, you don't need to buy Evian!

I just don't know if it's necessary, though?! 

I could maybe understand if it was for orphaned newborns, but surely if it's milk with meat in it at 3wks for weaning, the milk doesn't need to be made up with bottled water??  Or is there something I'm missing?

Rabid, I think you need something to worry about!

I am totally tired of waiting for a season which isn't due for about 4 months  

I'm sure lots of you use a puppy milk at some stage (whether RC or not), though - does everyone use bottled water?!?  Or are these just RC's instructions??

> does everyone use bottled water?!?  Or are these just RC's instructions??

I expect the bottled water refers to mixing cold.

Boiled water is what I have always used with puppy milks, and yes definitely have to sterilise bottles and teats.  I always boil them like I did with my kids, I'd never use sterilising tablets for either as they taint the milk.

Ok, thanks - boiled water is far easier...

I just didn't know the reason for it, though - if it is due to sodium levels in tap water - which some people here seem to think(!?) or due to tap water not being sterile and suitable for new baby.

Or perhaps the instructions are just for RC worldwide, and some tap water worldwide might not be as drinkable as UK water?!?