How to Care For Newborn Puppies

When it comes to the delivery and care of newborn puppies it can be an overwhelming task for both you and the mother dog. Most of the time a mother dog will do an excellent job caring for her puppies, but you can still help and you can be there in case the mother needs assistance in caring for her newborn puppies.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bedding
• Heat Lamps
• Whelping Box
• Gram Scale
• Puppy Formula

Preparing for the Puppies' Arrival

1. Make sure that the whelping box is comfortable for both the mother dog and her puppies. This means you should have sufficient bedding that is changed regularly to avoid excessive soiling. You should choose a type of bedding that is soft.

2. Use a heating lamp. You need to have the right temperature in the whelping box. This is essential in helping the puppies get the best care possible. A dog should typically have a temperature around 101.5 degrees, but puppies are typically born with a body temperature of 94 degrees that gradually builds up after they are born. Until their temperature reaches normal they are dependent on the environment to provide them with the warmth they need. So the room should be kept around 70 to 80 degrees. You can use heating pads but you need to monitor them to make sure they don't get too hot.

3. Provide your puppies with a clean environment. Be sure to clean the whelping box at least once a day. It is best to use newspaper or items that can be easily placed in the laundry such as towels or blankets.

4. Establish a healthy environment. This requires you to carefully monitor the puppies for the first few weeks of their life. They should be weighed once a day with a careful record being kept. The weight gain shouldn't be excessive, but it should be consistent.

5. Bathe the puppies. Puppies will make quite a mess when they start stumbling around once their eyes are open. Therefore, it may be necessary to bathe them after each feeding or more often if they get dirty.

6. Make sure the puppies are nursing on their mother at least every two hours. If the puppies are moving around a lot and crying then they are likely not getting enough food. If necessary you can feed a milk supplement to the puppies if the mother isn't allowing the puppies to nurse every two hours.

7. Make sure the puppies are urinating and defecating naturally. If you notice a lack of elimination in the whelping box then you should rub the stomach and perineum area before and after each feeding in order to stimulate them.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep an eye on the puppies and mother closely, this way you can easily notice if there's anything wrong. Make sure you have everything prepared well in advance.
• Things can go wrong during the birthing process; if you are unsure about something or know something is wrong then take your dog to an emergency veterinarian right away. Always seek expert advice for anything you don't understand.

Resources

• Puppies