Hi all,
just looking for a bit of advice, our bitch gave birth last friday but unfortunately wasn't producing any milk so the pups started to lose weight, i have been feeding the pups welpi every 2 and a half hours and they are starting to gain weight steadily. Yesterday the dams appitite came back and she started eating and drinking plenty, and today i notice she is starting to produce milk. i know her milk is produced by supply and demand, so i was wondering whats the best way to get her to produce more? do i stop giving the welpi to the pups, do i leave it longer between feeding the welpi or do i let them feed from the dam for say half an hour then offer the bottle as a top up?
Many Thanks.

>do i let them feed from the dam for say half an hour then offer the bottle as a top up?

Let them suckle from the dam as much as possible.

Thanks for the reply, sorry what i meant by the half hour comment,was that by the time i've finished feeding and with the dams help cleaning the pups they'll sleep untill about 45-30 mins before they're due another bottle. So should i just continue as it is or should i leave it longer between bottles?

Definitely. When you'd give them a bottle, put them on the dam instead. If they're not full after feeding from her then give them a tiny top-up from the bottle, but only if they're losing weight otherwise. But let them get as much as possible from her instead. Ideally you want to wean them off the bottle entirely.

Cheers Jeangenie, will do.

The less you feed pups yourself, and the more they suckle from mum, the more milk she will produce.

So I agree that you should only "top them up" after mum has done feeding them.  And only if they are losing weight.