When you know that your dog is close to giving birth, make her a whelping box filled with sheets, towels, and newspapers. Introduce her to the box and allow her to sniff it and check it out.
Once the puppies are born, you should make sure there is almost no handling going on. Be certain they are all together and in a safe place at all times. Prevent other animals from coming in contact with the puppies to prevent diseases and harm. Make sure that the safe location in which you have placed them, is a place that they will be able to stay at for at least 2-3 weeks.
It takes about 10-14 days for their eyes and ears to open and for the first three to four weeks the mother will do most of the work. She will take care of the pups’ warmth, food, and hygiene. Keep an eye on them, however, in case any problems develop; any difficulties should be immediately reported to your veterinarian. And be sure to keep the whelping box clean to prevent any risk of infection.
Keeping Newborn Puppies Warm
An adult dog’s normal body temperature is 101.5 degrees. Puppies cannot control their own body temperatures until they are about three weeks old. During that first 3 weeks, you must be very attentive to their warmth! Keep them in an area free from drafts that is kept between 72-80 degrees. Keep them as close to their mother as possible so that she can warm them with her body as much as she can.
Place a towel over the top of the kennel or whelping box to keep drafts from reaching the pups. Orphaned pups should be kept in an area close to 85 degrees and place a non-electric warming object, such as warm water bottle covered with a towel, in with the pups help keep them warm. A one week old pup should have a body temperature of 95-98 degrees, while at three weeks the body temperature should have climbed to 99-100 degrees.
Keeping Track of Newborns' Health
Many new mothers can be temperamental, so make sure that she is comfortable with you. Once she lets you touch the puppies you can begin a routine of regularly checking their progress.
According to PetEducation.com, you should weigh the puppies once a day for the first two weeks to make sure that they are growing and healthy. A healthy puppy will be plump and wriggly. Their weight should double in the first 7-10 days. The pups should nurse every two hours and should be focused when they nurse; if the pup is wiggling and crying they may not be nursing correctly and may be sucking air. These pups may have to be bottle fed.
Pay particular attention to anything out of the norm. For example, if a puppy begins to lose weight it may indicate a problem with digestion or it may signal neglect by the mother. That puppy may need to be removed for hand-raising. Likewise if a puppy cries all the time and seems inconsolable it may have a problem. that is not readily apparent. If this happens, notify your veterinarian immediately.
Clip the puppies' nails as needed. After about four weeks, Hilltop Animal Hospital recommends caregivers begin to set a schedule of bringing them to a place to toilet after feedings.
Weaning
Once they begin to stumble around, offer them some puppy food moistened with water to supplement what they are getting from their mother's milk. Newborns are messy, so plan to bathe the puppies every day if needed.
By 6-7 weeks after birth the pups should be well on their way to being weaned. Begin to handle the pups more often to facilitate socialization and remove the pups from their mother for a short time each day, lengthening this time as the puppies are closer to being weaned. Feed the pups 3-5 times a day as they rely less and less on their mother for nourishment. Watch carefully for any intestinal difficulties that may require veterinary care.
Veterinary Care
The pups should be taken to the veterinarian when they are between 2-5 days old to have their dewclaws removed; if your breed has a standard for tail-docking, it should be done at this time as well. When the puppies are from 2-4 weeks, you should take them to the vet to have their first worming. Further wormings will take place at four, six, and eight weeks. By 6-7 weeks you will want to take the puppies in for their first round of shots.
By following your veterinarian's directions and these suggestions, your puppies should be well on their way to a happy and active life!
Sources:
Hilltop Animal Hospital. "Care of Mother Dogs and Puppies." www.Hilltopanimalhospital.com/whelping2.htm. Accessed October 30, 2009.
PetPlace.com. "Caring for Newborn Puppies." www.PetPlace.com/dogs/caring-for-newborn-puppies-2/page1.aspx. Accessed October 30, 2009.
PetEducation.com. "Caring for Newborn Puppies & Their Mother." www.PetEducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2108&aid=916. Accessed October 30, 2009.
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