Caring for Newborn Puppies

In most situations, a mother dog will handle most of the important puppy care responsibilities. However, a pup that has been separated from or rejected by its mother will require intervention on your part. Here are the basics behind providing care for a newborn puppy.

Handling

While most people cannot resist puppies, over-handling them during their first two weeks of life is not recommended. Handling should be for purposes of keeping babies warm, fed, and clean. Puppies can be kept warm with heating pads or warm water bottles wrapped in towels, but take care to monitor the temperature closely.After three weeks, gentle handling for social acclimation is appropriate, but only for short durations a few times each day.

Feeding

Assuming that the mother is unavailable, puppies will need to be fed by hand. It’s important to consult a veterinarian for advice on proper bottle-feeding technique, otherwise you might cause harm to the dog. Puppies should be fed specially formulated canine milk replacer, via bottle or syringe every few hours for the first few weeks. Avoid cow’s milk or other milk replacements.

Housebreaking

Mother dogs stimulate their young to excrete waste by licking them, as they are unable to complete these functions on their own as newborns. Use a washcloth dipped in warm water to gently massage urinary and anal regions following feedings, which simulates the effects of a mother dog’s tongue. This should continue for three to four weeks.

Although there is a lot of work involved, puppies can be a joy around the home. Be sure to seek the advice of a vet to verify that proper feeding and care techniques are being administered. For more information on dog medical care in San Jose, please visit this website.