Some people enjoy raising pups from infancy to adulthood as much as they do raising children. Before children shred the toilet paper, you will recognize every peculiarity and cheeky expression. Despite their adorableness, puppies need the same care as infants. To raise a healthy and content puppy, one must understand how a puppy eats, how to care for a puppy, and how much a puppy sleeps. Here are instructions for caring for newborn puppies.
Exercise Caution Around the Puppies
You may want to hold and pet the puppies, but in their first two weeks, they are susceptible to sickness, which can be stressful for the mother and puppies. Be cautious when approaching the puppies since some mothers may turn violent toward humans or other household animals if they perceive a threat.
As the age of the pup become more energetic, your dog will require more time to sleep, exercise, and interact with the family. Permit your dog to leave the puppies, but ensure that she frequently returns to check on them.
Provide A Warm Environment
Puppies cannot regulate their body temperature until 3–4 weeks of age. Therefore, you should provide the mother and puppies with a warm, clean box or blanket for the first four weeks of their lives.
A heating light like the ones found on pet boarding services should be placed above the puppies to keep them warm. If the puppies become overheated, they must move to a cooler location. Keep track of the temps of the puppies. Their body temperature ranges between 96 and 98 degrees Fahrenheit throughout their first week of life.
Too-cold milk cannot be digested by puppies, which may curdle in their stomachs. Using heating pads is discouraged since puppies may become chilly and spend too much time on them. If the temperature is excessively high, burns may result.
Begin Socializing the Puppy
You can acclimate the puppies to your presence if the mother dog allows it. Early socialization ensures that children will fit in nicely with their families.
Be on the lookout for “poor performers” or “runts of the litter” (puppies who are much smaller and not growing as quickly as their littermates), as they may have underlying health issues that hinder their ability to thrive. Puppies should be weighed twice daily for the first two weeks, then daily afterward. Puppies should never lose or maintain weight; either condition is cause for concern and supplementation. If one puppy is smaller, not gaining weight, or is less energetic than the others, It may require veterinary assistance. Look up “puppy vet near me” if you still don’t know of a vet in your area.
Puppies should not be separated too soon since they acquire social standards from their mothers and siblings. It is illegal to separate puppies younger than eight weeks old. Waiting until they are ten weeks old maximizes the social benefits of connection with their mother and littermates.
Weaning and Feeding
For the initial two weeks, puppies should be fed every two hours. The feeding times can then be increased to 3 to 4 hours if the animals continue to gain weight and behave well.
When the puppies are 3 to 4 weeks old, you can begin weaning them by giving them puppy food. Combine high-quality commercial dog food with water or canned food to facilitate eating. The dish must first be softened.
Because she will continue to breastfeed them, they should have constant access to the mother. They will rely more on puppy food in the next weeks instead of breastfeeding. Most canines wean their puppies between 5 and 6 weeks of age. Because puppies at this age have powerful teeth, nursing may be difficult for the mother dog. Maintain vigilance and be on the lookout for mastitis symptoms. Parasite prevention is also important because puppies do it almost everything. Click here for more information regarding the matter.
Conclusion
Caring for a newborn dog is time-consuming, but the initial weeks pass swiftly. If your pups are adopted, you will soon have to say goodbye, which can be heartbreaking. When the time comes to let the puppies go, you will be satisfied knowing that you gave them the finest possible start in life.
