Newborn Puppy Care
WEEK 0-1 CARE
Newborn puppies have three major needs: to eat an adequate amount of milk every 2-4 hours; to have their rear ends stimulated by mom's tongue or a washcloth so they can urinate and defecate; lots and lots of sleep in a warm, safe area.
During this time, puppies can be handled very gently, but should stay close to mom. They can be wiped gently with a washcloth and warm water, but shouldn't be soaked or washed with soap unless absolutely necessary.
Puppies this age cannot see or hear much, if anything. They will find mom by scent and heat. They are unable to regulate their temperature very well, so ensure their room is kept comfortable and that they have clean, dry bedding at all times.
What is Mastitis?
Mastitis is an infection of the milk ducts caused by a breast (teat) engorgement (swelling) during nursing or by a blocked milk duct. Every day you should take a warm damp cloth to clean mom's teats, massaging to check for swelling or hardening.
An infected mom requires veterinary care immediately as mastitis is aggressive and fast-moving. Mom will require antibiotics to help clear up the infection. You can help it pass by doing a hot compress multiple times per day and helping to drain pus from the infected teat. There are varying opinions on whether to let the puppies nurse from the infected teat or not; we recommend allowing the pups to nurse as it helps dramatically to clean out the milk duct. You must rotate which puppy is nursing from the infected teat and to watch for diarrhea and upset stomachs. If you cannot monitor the pups closely, do not have them nurse from that teat (you can cover it with duct tape to prevent the pups from nursing on it).
Tasks:
WEEK 1-2 CARE
The second week of life is very exciting for your newborn puppies! At around 7-14 days, their eyes and ears will open at which time they will begin to develop their vision and hearing senses. Once their eyes and ears are open, puppies will have more interest in moving around and exploring.
At this age, you can give your puppies their first bath, if they require one. Use only very mild baby shampoo well diluted, warm (not hot) water and a good conditioner or baby oil to keep them moisturized. Do not use any products on their face. Dry them off well after bathing and keep warm.
Tasks:
WEEK 2-3 CARE
Puppies teeth tend to erupt at 2-3 weeks of age. When the teeth begin coming in, it's time to introduce "puppy mush," i.e. soaked puppy food! This is a fun, and messy stage for puppies. As you introduce puppy mush into the pups' diet, they will begin weaning from mom, i.e. nursing less and less. You want to ensure weaning is a slow and gradual process to prevent infections from forming in mom's teats. More on this later.
Introducing Mush
When the puppies begin to develop teeth, it's the perfect time to introduce "mush". You'll want to gradually transition the puppies from a soupy-textured mush to hard kibble from two to six weeks of age. Get ready for a lot of fun, and a lot of mess! For first-timer mushers:
Tasks:
WEEK 3-4 CARE
At this time you'll notice the pups are becoming more mobile and mom is cleaning up less and less, leaving you messes to clean. You'll now want to extend your whelping pen to include potty and play areas. Set your potty area up furthest from where you greet the puppies to avoid messes being trampled on. Use newspaper in the potty area to soak up accidents and allow them to use the scent to guide them. This is the beginning of paper training - it does take a lot of time and patience!
Puppies will begin to enjoy playtime with their litter mates. They are becoming more aware of their environment and finding their "voice" (puppy barks and growls are about as cute as it gets!) You can start introducing toys to the puppies. Ensure they are safe for pups (no buttons or loose pieces to choke on) and size appropriate and never leave puppies unsupervised with toys that they can pull apart or consume.
Newborn puppies have three major needs: to eat an adequate amount of milk every 2-4 hours; to have their rear ends stimulated by mom's tongue or a washcloth so they can urinate and defecate; lots and lots of sleep in a warm, safe area.
During this time, puppies can be handled very gently, but should stay close to mom. They can be wiped gently with a washcloth and warm water, but shouldn't be soaked or washed with soap unless absolutely necessary.
Puppies this age cannot see or hear much, if anything. They will find mom by scent and heat. They are unable to regulate their temperature very well, so ensure their room is kept comfortable and that they have clean, dry bedding at all times.
What is Mastitis?
Mastitis is an infection of the milk ducts caused by a breast (teat) engorgement (swelling) during nursing or by a blocked milk duct. Every day you should take a warm damp cloth to clean mom's teats, massaging to check for swelling or hardening.
An infected mom requires veterinary care immediately as mastitis is aggressive and fast-moving. Mom will require antibiotics to help clear up the infection. You can help it pass by doing a hot compress multiple times per day and helping to drain pus from the infected teat. There are varying opinions on whether to let the puppies nurse from the infected teat or not; we recommend allowing the pups to nurse as it helps dramatically to clean out the milk duct. You must rotate which puppy is nursing from the infected teat and to watch for diarrhea and upset stomachs. If you cannot monitor the pups closely, do not have them nurse from that teat (you can cover it with duct tape to prevent the pups from nursing on it).
Tasks:
- Maintain a warm whelping area with clean, dry bedding;
- Weigh puppies morning and evening. Make sure they are gaining weight every day;
- Check mom for swollen teats - hardening is a sign for concern;
- Begin trimming puppies' nails around day 5-7 using human nail clippers.
WEEK 1-2 CARE
The second week of life is very exciting for your newborn puppies! At around 7-14 days, their eyes and ears will open at which time they will begin to develop their vision and hearing senses. Once their eyes and ears are open, puppies will have more interest in moving around and exploring.
At this age, you can give your puppies their first bath, if they require one. Use only very mild baby shampoo well diluted, warm (not hot) water and a good conditioner or baby oil to keep them moisturized. Do not use any products on their face. Dry them off well after bathing and keep warm.
Tasks:
- Continue to weigh puppies once per week. Puppies should be approximately twice their birth weight by 7-10 days;
- Continue trimming nails about once per week, depending on how quickly the nails grow;
- Introduce puppies to: baths, basic handling.
WEEK 2-3 CARE
Puppies teeth tend to erupt at 2-3 weeks of age. When the teeth begin coming in, it's time to introduce "puppy mush," i.e. soaked puppy food! This is a fun, and messy stage for puppies. As you introduce puppy mush into the pups' diet, they will begin weaning from mom, i.e. nursing less and less. You want to ensure weaning is a slow and gradual process to prevent infections from forming in mom's teats. More on this later.
Introducing Mush
When the puppies begin to develop teeth, it's the perfect time to introduce "mush". You'll want to gradually transition the puppies from a soupy-textured mush to hard kibble from two to six weeks of age. Get ready for a lot of fun, and a lot of mess! For first-timer mushers:
- Soak high quality puppy kibble in hot water (3 parts water to 1 part kibble). Allow to soak until completely soft/mushy. Another option is to blend up dry dog food and keep on-hand to mix with hot water when it's time for mush.
- Pour the mush onto flat pans or into muffin tins and place in the puppies' area.
- Gently push each pup's nose into the mush for a quick second tho show them where it is. Do not hold it there; they will eat if they are interested!
- Some pups will be stubborn and do better if you take a small amount on your finger and allow them to lick it off you first.
- Option: add probiotics (FortiFlora) into your pups mush to help harden stools and keep them hydrated.
Tasks:
- Trim nails as needed;
- Keep a bowl of fresh water available for the puppies;
- Introduce puppies to: mush, water.
WEEK 3-4 CARE
At this time you'll notice the pups are becoming more mobile and mom is cleaning up less and less, leaving you messes to clean. You'll now want to extend your whelping pen to include potty and play areas. Set your potty area up furthest from where you greet the puppies to avoid messes being trampled on. Use newspaper in the potty area to soak up accidents and allow them to use the scent to guide them. This is the beginning of paper training - it does take a lot of time and patience!
Puppies will begin to enjoy playtime with their litter mates. They are becoming more aware of their environment and finding their "voice" (puppy barks and growls are about as cute as it gets!) You can start introducing toys to the puppies. Ensure they are safe for pups (no buttons or loose pieces to choke on) and size appropriate and never leave puppies unsupervised with toys that they can pull apart or consume.
Tasks:
WEEK 4-6 CARE
At this age, you start to have real hooligans on your hands! Puppies get around much more quickly and you'll need to puppy-proof any areas they are expected to be loose in. Now is the time to socialize those pups!
Your puppies are not vaccinated yet, so do not allow them to play with dogs that do not live in your home. They may socialize with friendly, vaccinated dogs (and cats) that live with you and do not frequent dog parks or daycares. This is also a good age to introduce younger children who are able to play gently with pups and understand that young puppies nip. Always supervise this play to make sure no one is hurt or overwhelmed.
Over these two weeks, you want to wean the puppies slowly, helping mom's milk production to dry up. To do so, separate mom and pups for increasingly long periods of time. Puppies should be nursing 2-3 times per day and have regular access to water and mush/kibble. By six weeks, the puppies should be fully weaned and eating solid kibble. If needed, put a t-shirt on mom to prevent the puppies from nursing all the time, while still allowing her to spend time with her puppies. Weaning is very important in preventing infection (mastitis) from developing in mom's teats.
Transitioning to Solid Kibble
As your pups continue to eat more solid food and drink less milk, you will want to gradually decrease the amount of water you add to your mush mix. Always provide lots of fresh, clean water for the puppies to drink. They dehydrate very quickly!
Keep the pups on the same food that mom eats to avoid stomach upsets! If you notice a lot of very soft stools, you may have an issue with food tolerance.
Tasks:
WEEK 6-8 CARE
The next two weeks are time to prepare the puppies for their forever homes. Puppies at this age should be fairly reliable at using their potty area. You can start working on house training by bringing the puppies outdoors regularly. Set them up for success by bringing them outside after naps, water/food and play. To help with their housebreaking, stick to a regular feeding routine; the puppies will begin getting used to this schedule.
Puppies at this age can begin learning basic commands like "sit" or "come" and will begin to learn their names. They will begin to understand gentle corrections (when they bite too hard or use the house as their potty).
Tasks:
- Keep a bowl of fresh water available at all times;
- Continue feeding mush daily, making it less and less mushy;
- Maintain clean, fresh bedding at all times;
- Change potty area minimally to allow the pups to learn where to eliminate;
- Mom and pups should be dewormed;
- Introduce puppies to: potty & play areas, toys.
WEEK 4-6 CARE
At this age, you start to have real hooligans on your hands! Puppies get around much more quickly and you'll need to puppy-proof any areas they are expected to be loose in. Now is the time to socialize those pups!
Your puppies are not vaccinated yet, so do not allow them to play with dogs that do not live in your home. They may socialize with friendly, vaccinated dogs (and cats) that live with you and do not frequent dog parks or daycares. This is also a good age to introduce younger children who are able to play gently with pups and understand that young puppies nip. Always supervise this play to make sure no one is hurt or overwhelmed.
Over these two weeks, you want to wean the puppies slowly, helping mom's milk production to dry up. To do so, separate mom and pups for increasingly long periods of time. Puppies should be nursing 2-3 times per day and have regular access to water and mush/kibble. By six weeks, the puppies should be fully weaned and eating solid kibble. If needed, put a t-shirt on mom to prevent the puppies from nursing all the time, while still allowing her to spend time with her puppies. Weaning is very important in preventing infection (mastitis) from developing in mom's teats.
Transitioning to Solid Kibble
As your pups continue to eat more solid food and drink less milk, you will want to gradually decrease the amount of water you add to your mush mix. Always provide lots of fresh, clean water for the puppies to drink. They dehydrate very quickly!
Keep the pups on the same food that mom eats to avoid stomach upsets! If you notice a lot of very soft stools, you may have an issue with food tolerance.
Tasks:
- Transition pups from mush to solid kibble and wean from nursing;
- Mom has officially completed her job with the puppies;
- Maintain a clean pen, changing paper and bedding regularly, washing down with bleach if needed;
- Introduce puppies to: friendly, vaccinated dogs, cats, younger children, new toys, open crate, outdoor playtime (weather permitting).
WEEK 6-8 CARE
The next two weeks are time to prepare the puppies for their forever homes. Puppies at this age should be fairly reliable at using their potty area. You can start working on house training by bringing the puppies outdoors regularly. Set them up for success by bringing them outside after naps, water/food and play. To help with their housebreaking, stick to a regular feeding routine; the puppies will begin getting used to this schedule.
Puppies at this age can begin learning basic commands like "sit" or "come" and will begin to learn their names. They will begin to understand gentle corrections (when they bite too hard or use the house as their potty).
Tasks:
- Develop a regular feeding routine, feeding puppies kibble three times per day;
- Begin working on basic commands and house breaking;
- Mom and pups should be dewormed;
- Introduce puppies to: outdoor potty breaks, new toys, household items.
Keeping Mom Busy
New moms have some special needs and concerns, but they are first and foremost dogs! They need to be kept active and busy just like any other foster. Here are some great ideas to occupy your mama dog’s mind and relieve her frustrations.
Training
This is a great time to begin teaching your foster mom her commands! Since you will need to stick to your home and yard, you can use these spaces to teach her some basic obedience skills. Make sure you have lots of treats she enjoys, take your time, and be patient! Some dogs master their commands almost instantly while others can take many sessions for just one cue. Some good basics to teach: sit, down, stay, come, heel, shake a paw, rollover, stand, bow.
Games
Playing some new, hopefully challenging games will help tire any dog out mentally and physically! Be creative and come up with new games to play with mama until she is able to go for walks and socialize more.
WHY IS SHE FRUSTRATED
Don’t forget that most of our new moms are trying to raise their babies in a brand new environment. They are used to fending for themselves and their babies, finding food (often far away), fighting off threats to their safety, and finding somewhere warm to sleep at night.
These girls also know how to care for their babies. It’s very instinctual and even a first time mom will usually know how to feed and clean her pups. It’s easy to panic and think that the puppies have not been getting enough to eat, but unless they are downright frantic (screaming for 15 minutes without calming on a regular basis), they are likely fine! Make sure to weigh them regularly to ensure they are gaining weight. If they are, then mom is doing her job!
Moms often spend several hours away from their pups between feedings. While we give a rule of thumb of every 2 hours for younger litters, some moms may only feed every 4 hours. It may seem that she’s not feeding them for long enough either, but stronger sucklers can drain a mom in just a few minutes.
Take a deep breath, relax, and let mom do her job. Allow her to spend as much time as possible in an area away from her babies so that she is able to cope mentally with the toll of raising them. Help out where you can (changing bedding, offering mush when they are old enough, wiping messy bottoms, etc.) but know that mama dog is likely doing everything she needs to raise healthy babies.
Training
This is a great time to begin teaching your foster mom her commands! Since you will need to stick to your home and yard, you can use these spaces to teach her some basic obedience skills. Make sure you have lots of treats she enjoys, take your time, and be patient! Some dogs master their commands almost instantly while others can take many sessions for just one cue. Some good basics to teach: sit, down, stay, come, heel, shake a paw, rollover, stand, bow.
Games
Playing some new, hopefully challenging games will help tire any dog out mentally and physically! Be creative and come up with new games to play with mama until she is able to go for walks and socialize more.
- Fetch: fetch is popular with a lot of dogs! If your mom isn’t toy motivated, try using treats (and of course, not expecting her to bring them back to you.) Larger chunks of frozen meat, raw veggies like carrots or broccoli, or even a kibble stuffed Kong work well for this.
- Chase: chase works well for dogs that enjoy running around like goons. If you have another dog that also enjoys to be chased, get him or her in on the fun to show mama how to play!
- Find It: take bite-sized snacks she enjoys and hide them around the house. Then let her at it! It will satisfy her need to forage for food and stimulate her mentally. If she is at all food aggressive, make sure that kids and other dogs are put away for this game.
- Muffin Tin Treats: fill a muffin tin with treats, only filling the cups about ¼ of the way up. Place tennis balls of top of these so mama needs to move the balls to find the snacks!
- New Toys: try introducing exciting new toys to her if she likes to play with them. Rattles, squeaks, tug toys, and treat filled toys are usually popular. Also try balloons! Many dogs love to bump them around and chase them. Just make sure you supervise very closely and grab the balloon if it pops to avoid a choking hazard.
- Frozen Fun: Take several toys and/or larger treats and freeze then in an ice cream pail with chicken broth. Put it out in the yard and let her go nuts!
WHY IS SHE FRUSTRATED
Don’t forget that most of our new moms are trying to raise their babies in a brand new environment. They are used to fending for themselves and their babies, finding food (often far away), fighting off threats to their safety, and finding somewhere warm to sleep at night.
These girls also know how to care for their babies. It’s very instinctual and even a first time mom will usually know how to feed and clean her pups. It’s easy to panic and think that the puppies have not been getting enough to eat, but unless they are downright frantic (screaming for 15 minutes without calming on a regular basis), they are likely fine! Make sure to weigh them regularly to ensure they are gaining weight. If they are, then mom is doing her job!
Moms often spend several hours away from their pups between feedings. While we give a rule of thumb of every 2 hours for younger litters, some moms may only feed every 4 hours. It may seem that she’s not feeding them for long enough either, but stronger sucklers can drain a mom in just a few minutes.
Take a deep breath, relax, and let mom do her job. Allow her to spend as much time as possible in an area away from her babies so that she is able to cope mentally with the toll of raising them. Help out where you can (changing bedding, offering mush when they are old enough, wiping messy bottoms, etc.) but know that mama dog is likely doing everything she needs to raise healthy babies.