Dalmatian (Detailed Introduction)

       Although dog pregnancy lasts only a short three months, this period is very challenging for them, so what we can do is to try our best to ensure that the puppies born survive safely. How to improve the puppy survival rate has become a matter we need to pay attention to. So, how exactly should we handle it? Let's discuss together.

       1. Proper feeding to ensure the “Pregnancy Stage”.

       Pregnant bitches should be given fresh, high-quality, palatable, and nutritionally comprehensive diverse feed. In the early pregnancy (before 35 days), they can be fed by general feeding methods. From 35 to 43 days, 43 to 52 days, and 52 to 62 days, the feed should be increased respectively by 10%, 20%, and 30% based on the original amount. Especially in the later stage, attention should be paid to increasing easily digestible feed rich in protein, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins. After 35 days of pregnancy, an additional feed should be given daily to meet the physiological needs of the mother and fetus.

       2. Strengthen nutrition to control the “Nursing Stage”.

       1. Strengthen the nutrition of lactating bitches. The amount of milk produced by the mother directly affects the development of puppies, so it is essential to supply the mother with fresh, high-quality, easily digestible and absorbable feed to ensure enough milk.

       2. Keep warm and prevent wind: Puppies have poor heat retention within one week of birth. The room temperature should be between 20–25℃. At this time, caregivers need to strengthen supervision. If puppies are found away from the mother, they should be promptly returned to under the mother. Similarly, puppies pressed under the mother should be taken out in time.

       3. Ensure sufficient colostrum intake: Newborn puppies should drink colostrum as soon as possible and in sufficient quantities to supplement antibodies inside their bodies.

       4. Fix nipples: If puppies do not suckle consistently on the same nipple, strong ones will snatch food from weak ones, causing uneven development and a high mortality rate, especially among weak puppies. Help them find nipples with more milk to suckle, so they grow evenly and have a higher survival rate.

       3. Timely initiation of feeding to control the “Supplementary Feeding Stage”.

       A normal mother’s milk production usually peaks about 21 days after delivery and then gradually decreases, while puppies grow rapidly and milk alone fails to meet their increasing needs. Starting from the 10th day of growth, supplementary feeding should be implemented. Water supplementation: start at 10 days old. Feed supplementation: choose highly nutritious, easily digestible, and absorbable quality feed such as millet porridge, milk, bone broth, etc. Around 15 days, rice water can be poured into a small plate for puppies to lick. Around 20 days, porridge can be given; at 25 days, add feed to the porridge. The feed amount should increase from 20–30 grams daily gradually to 200–300 grams, divided into 3–4 supplementary feedings per day.

       4. Timely weaning to control the “Weaning Stage”.

       Normally, puppies are weaned around 45 days old, fully leaving mother’s milk to live independently. Puppies often show restlessness, poor appetite, slow weight gain, illness, or death shortly after weaning. Therefore, nutrition and management of weaned puppies must be strengthened. They need adequate sunlight and good ventilation environments. Preferably, they should be weaned without leaving their original nest and continue group living. The feed for weaned puppies must be nutritious and high-quality, with the formula (%) as follows: corn 40, bran 20, rice bran 10, soybean cake 19, fish meal 7, bone meal 3, salt and growth factors each 0.5.

       5. Strengthen management to control the “Disease Prevention and Control Stage”.

       Strengthen daily feeding management, maintain environmental and drinking water hygiene, and feed high-quality feed are important measures to improve puppy survival. Before delivery, the mother’s nest should be thoroughly disinfected, lined with soft and clean straw. Extra attention should be paid to hygiene during puppy feeding initiation and weaning. Deworming and vaccination should be timely: puppies should be dewormed for the first time around 20–25 days old, with the second deworming at 40–45 days old. Vaccination is done at 45 days for the first time, followed by another injection after two weeks, ideally 2–3 times in total.