Pregnant/whelping moms + puppies 0-8 weeks
Pregnant dogs need extra care, quiet, and minimal stress.
Introduction:
- Pregnant or whelping dogs should NOT be introduced to new pets in the last weeks of pregnancy or while still nursing puppies.
- Introductions to new family members should be slow, calm, and quiet. We want her to build trust and feel safe!
- Pregnant or whelping moms need a LOT of calories. She should be fed puppy food as well as additional supplements.
- Access to water at ALL times!
Whelping Box:
- Set up the whelping box in a secluded room or area aware from ALL other pets! (We will provide whelping box).
- The whelping box should contain a dog specific heating pad, puppy pads and a tight fitted sheet or thin flat blanket. Think of a baby crib- additional blankets and bulky items are a suffocation hazard.
- The whelping box area should be 80-85 degrees. A cold puppy is a dead puppy- that is scary but it is a fact.
Labor!
Supplies to have ready:
- Towels
- Gloves
- Scissors
- Bulb syringe
- Small scale to weigh in grams
- Have the whelping box ready and have the heating pad ON! Make sure it is covered and protected from after birth.
Active Labor
- Notify us at the first signs of labor: nesting, panting, restlessness, loss of appetite, drop in rectal body temperature, vomiting.
- Please call or text us as soon as you are able once the pups start being born!
- Stay close but do not overwhelm her. There should only be 1-2 adults in the room for this that she trusts.
- Watch for pushing or contractions.
- Wear gloves the whole time handling puppies, changing often!
- When a puppy is born, it should be immediately removed from the sac from mom dog.
- If needed, immediately assist with opening the sac to get the puppy out. It must be removed from the sac immediately!
- Once removed from the sac, immediately use the bulb syringe to suck any excess fluid from nose and mouth
- She will eat the placenta and chew through the cord. This is okay!!
- If she has a large litter, try to limit how many after birth she eats as it can upset her stomach.
- Watch that she does not chew the baby's leg, tail, or too close to the belly while chewing through the umbilical cord. Cut it instead if necessary!
- Watch for excessive bleeding from the cord, tie off with floss if available or hold pressure with a towel.
- Examine the puppy, dry it and stimulate it with a clean dry towel, syringe out any additional fluids from nose and mouth, weigh pup in grams and write it down, then return to mom’s nipple if another puppy is not on the way right away. You can come back and do the weight after if things are moving fast!
- When the next puppy is coming, carefully move the other pup(s) to the side so mom does not crush them while licking and tending to next puppy.
- Puppies can come quickly, or there may be several hour gaps between. Labor is not considered fully complete until 6 hours have passed since the last puppy was born.
- You can feel her belly for movement or more contractions.
- Change bedding often to help keep her and the other babies clean and from inhaling fluids.
- Labor should not last more than 24 hours total. If she seems in distress, **call us immediately*
Post Whelping:
- Keep the whelping area clean and dry changing bedding often.
- NO visitors until puppies have weaned!
- Monitor puppies daily for weight gain! Please reach out to us for a chart, but puppies should ALWAYS gain grams daily. If a puppy is failing to thrive, call us!!
- Mom will have a hefty appetite, feed several times a day puppy food and supplements.
- Watch for any abnormalities with babies.
- Mom will have discharge for weeks following birth but should NOT have a foul odor.
- Mom should go back to being hungry and going potty by the next day after birth. If she becomes lethargic or has a high temperature, call us as she needs to see a vet or ER vet immediately.
---
Caring for Newborn Puppies (0–3 Weeks Old)
Newborn puppies are fragile and rely 100% on mom. If there is no mom, congratulations, you are mom now!
If mom is present and healthy:
- Let her do the work — feeding, cleaning, stimulating elimination. The exception to this is a puppy failing to thrive. This pup should get supervised time on the nipple every 2 hours with your help.
- Monitor mom does NOT lay on or crush the puppies.
- Keep the whelping area warm (about 80-90°F for the first week, then slowly lower to normal temperature until weaned).
- Handle puppies minimally for the first 2 weeks except for weighing and basic checks.
- Change bedding often so it stays clean and dry!
- Mom will likely eat their poop and pee- yes it is gross, but normal.
Warning Signs:
- Cold puppies (life-threatening).
- Puppies not nursing or losing weight
- Constant crying or being pushed away by mom.
**Notify us immediately if you see issues!**
Bottle Feeding Orphaned Puppies
If there’s no mom, you become the puppy's lifeline.
Housing:
- They must be kept in a room at temperatures 80-90 degrees on a heating pad!
- Pup must be contained to a small area away from ALL other pets.
- The pup should be handled by 1-2 adults only- NO CHILDREN!
Feeding:
- Use ONLY a vet-approved puppy milk replacer (no cow’s milk!).
- You may use syringes or bottles based on puppy preference.
- Keep them warm before and during feeding — cold puppies cannot digest milk. Cold milk cannot be digested.
- The milk should be warm, not hot! If using powdered formula, it must be fully dissolved. Mix using directions on the can.
- Stimulate puppies to potty after every feeding (rub their genitals with a warm, damp cloth).
- Do not OVER feed! If bellies are large, round, and hard, they have eaten too much! Limit feeding!
- Follow the feeding schedule below
General Schedule:
- 0–2 Weeks: every 2–3 hours
- 2–3 Weeks: every 3–4 hours
- 4 Weeks: start introducing gruel.
Feeding Amounts:
This will vary by breed- please get this info from us!
Caring for Puppies Aged 4–8 Weeks
Between 4 to 8 weeks, puppies are going through major developmental milestones.
They are learning how to eat, play, socialize, and adjust to the world around them!
This stage is critical for their long-term health and behavior.
Feeding:
4–5 Weeks: Offer gruel!
This should be a mixture of canned ground puppy food and puppy formula. It should be mostly liquid with minimal canned food to start.
Offer 2 times a day to start.
Puppies should still be nursing from mom!
5–6 Weeks: Offer gruel mixed with kibble!
Gradually reduce amount of liquid in the gruel and begin adding small amounts of kibble.
Offer 2-3 times a day.
6–8 Weeks: Offer canned puppy food mixed with kibble.
Gradually reduce amount of canned puppy food and add more kibble.
By 8 weeks, pup should be eating kibble fully!
Water: Fresh water must always be available.
Socialization:
Expose puppies to sounds (TV, vacuum, music, conversations).
Start gentle handling daily (ears, paws, tail) to prepare for future grooming and vet visits.
Introduce new toys, safe surfaces (grass, carpet, hardwood) for exploration.
Begin meeting new people after proper quarantine and vaccinations (limit to safe/healthy guests).
Puppies at this age should only meet fully vaccinated, healthy adult dogs for short sessions after slow introductions.
Health Care:
Deworming: Every 2 weeks until 8–10 weeks old (typically 3 cycles total).
Vaccines: Begin vaccines around 6-8 weeks of age, then boost every 4 weeks.
Monitoring: Watch closely for diarrhea, coughing, nasal discharge, or signs of lethargy.
Potty Training:
Start teaching good potty habits early!
Bring puppies to their potty area immediately after waking up, after eating, and every 2–3 hours.
Praise heavily for going potty outside or on puppy pads.
Safe Environment:
Puppy-proof the area: remove electrical cords, small objects they can swallow, sharp items, toxic plants, etc.
Create a safe playpen or puppy-proofed room — puppies should not roam the whole house!
Never leave puppies unattended outside or in unsafe spaces.
Playtime & Toys:
Offer safe, puppy-appropriate chew toys (NylaBones, Benebones for appropriate sizes).
Avoid rawhides, pig ears, and any toys small enough to choke on.
Always supervise when playing with toys.
Special Notes:
Puppies can tire out quickly — they need lots of naps during the day.
Keep play sessions short and positive.
Be patient — puppies at this stage are still learning everything!