How to avoid the death of newborn puppies?

Generally speaking, the first two weeks after birth are the dangerous period for the little babies. During this time, dog owners must carefully take care of their puppies.

Puppies usually open their eyes at 14~18 days. After opening their eyes, puppies are less likely to be accidentally crushed by the mother. However, during the first two weeks, puppies still live every day in the same place with their mother. All dog owners must pay special attention to the puppy’s situation inside the cage.

1. Do not easily take the puppy away from home

During the first two weeks after birth, the dog owner should check the puppies’ condition every two hours. If it is not necessary, do not take the puppies out to play or to the animal hospital, because animal hospitals are public places with many germs. Unless the puppy refuses to eat or drink, there is no need to take a newborn puppy away from home.

2. Pay attention to weather and keep warm

Dog owners also need to pay attention to the weather changes. For example, if the puppy is born in winter, keep the puppy warm, such as when the mother dog goes out to eat or play with the owner. If she does not return to the nest for too long, the puppy’s body temperature can easily drop too low. If born in summer, the whelping area can become moldy due to poor ventilation, leading to bacterial skin infections. Besides that, the birth process itself will not vary because of the climate.

Dogs

3. Be careful the mother dog may accidentally crush the puppies

When arranging the whelping area, the owner should pay attention to the fact that the towels or straw placed at the bottom of the dog bed should not be too soft, as the mother dog might crush the puppies.

Although the mother dog and puppies like to lie on soft and comfortable straw or towels, if it is too soft, puppies can easily crawl into gaps. The mother dog may not see them and when she turns over or steps down, the puppies can easily get injured or die. Therefore, dog owners must pay special attention to this point when preparing the whelping area.