Essential Care for Newborn Puppies: A Beginner's Guide

When caring for a puppy, there are several key aspects to consider to ensure its wellbeing.

Firstly, it's crucial to maintain warmth and protect against drafts. Newborn puppies have limited ability to regulate their body temperature within the first week of life, so the room temperature should ideally be kept between 20 to 25 degrees Celsius.

Inside the womb, puppies develop at a temperature of around 38.5 degrees. Even though the mother's body temperature may decrease slightly before giving birth, the wet and vulnerable puppies are still exposed to a significant challenge upon entering the world.

Newborn puppies are particularly susceptible to colds and flu. However, within the first 48 hours after birth, there may be no immediate signs of a severe infection that they cannot overcome.

Newborns grow to about seven to ten days old before they can effectively raise their fur to form a protective layer, which means their ability to regulate body temperature is poor, often fluctuating with the surrounding environment. By the seventh day, they do gain some heat regulation, but it remains ineffective until around four weeks of age. Therefore, during this period, pet owners must provide a warm nest for the puppies and ensure they receive additional warmth. If a puppy is found to be away from its mother, it should be gently placed back. If a puppy is inadvertently crushed under the mother, it should be carefully removed.

Ensure the puppies receive adequate colostrum.

Upon birth, a newborn puppy has only 29% of its immunity. However, after absorbing the mother's colostrum, its immunity can increase to 77%. The colostrum, especially in the first three days, is rich in transferable antibodies, which can protect the puppy for up to 6 to 8 weeks, providing the best natural defense against illness before vaccinations are administered. If a puppy is unable to access colostrum or if there is a strong competition for milk, leading to uneven development, the puppy's mortality rate can be high, especially for the weaker individuals.

Ensure the puppies have enough sleep and rest.

After birth, puppies spend most of their time sleeping and nursing, with minimal activity in the initial weeks. It's not until the third week that they start to move around more, wobbly and exploring. During the first three weeks, it's best to limit interaction and avoid frequently removing them from their mother's side.

Manage the weaning process effectively.

Typically, a mother dog's milk production peaks around 21 days postpartum and then gradually decreases. Meanwhile, puppies grow rapidly and their increasing nutritional needs cannot be met solely by breast milk. Starting from the 10th day of life, supplementation should be introduced, including water and highquality feed.

In addition, it's important to trim the puppies' nails.

When nursing, puppies have a reflex to grasp and may scratch the mother's abdomen. It is necessary to use baby nail clippers to trim the puppies' claws to prevent such incidents.