Golden Retriever (detailed introduction)

Newborn puppies have fragile physiques; even a common cold can be fatal to them. Therefore, properly arranging the care for newborn puppies and providing them with a suitable living environment is very important. Of course, raising them must not be careless, whether it is feeding or corresponding nursing work. The ones we need to care for are not only the puppies but also the mother dog, which is equally important.

1. Living Environment

First, it is very important to provide a suitable living environment for newborn puppies. After the puppies are born, if the mother dog behaves well and carefully takes care of the puppies, then just let the puppies stay with the mother in a prepared whelping box. If the mother dog is unstable, to avoid crushing the puppies or other accidental injuries, it is best to prepare a separate nursery box for the puppies, allowing the mother to enter only when nursing or bringing the puppies out to feed. The nursery box can be made of thick cardboard, wooden box, or styrofoam box; its size should be as wide as the mother dog can lie down horizontally, with shredded newspaper or towels on the bottom; the shape should allow the mother to enter and exit while keeping the puppies from falling out.

For puppies born in winter, special attention must be given to the temperature inside the nursery box. Because newborn puppies’ body temperature regulation is not well developed, the temperature inside the box is best maintained at 25℃ and must not be below 20℃. Also, the box should not be placed where temperature fluctuations are too great. Furthermore, the nursery box must always be kept clean, and soiled or urine-wet shredded newspaper or towels should be frequently removed and replaced.

Puppy Nursing Is Very Important

2. Nursing and Feeding

Newborn puppies usually have low immunity, and mother’s milk can effectively supplement their nutrition and improve their immune system. Especially the first milk (colostrum) within the first three days contains large amounts of maternal antibodies. Absorbing colostrum protects the puppy for 6 to 8 weeks, which is the best defense before vaccinations. Mother’s milk is not only rich in nutrients but also provides the puppies with disease resistance. So, if the mother produces enough milk, letting the newborns exclusively suckle from their mother is best. The mother can take care of the entire nursing process with you assisting. If there is insufficient mother’s milk, artificial feeding can supplement but can never completely replace mother’s milk. The limited milk must still be distributed to all puppies.

Before nursing, first wipe the teats with a warm towel, gently squeeze the nipples to let some milk flow out, then take the puppies out of the nursery box to let them feed. Feed every 2 hours in the first week, every 3 hours in the second week, every 4 hours in the third week, and by the fourth week, the puppies will start to sneakily eat their mother’s food.

Sometimes puppies cannot find the nipple or cannot hold it. The owner should place the puppy in front of the nipple and guide it to suckle. You can also first insert the pinky finger into the puppy’s mouth to practice sucking, and while the puppy’s mouth is still open, help it latch onto the nipple.

It is best if each nipple can be equally suckled by puppies, and each puppy can get enough milk, so they do not show significant size differences in the same litter.

While nursing, the mother dog licks the puppy’s anus and genitals to stimulate urination and defecation. If the feces accumulate in the body, puppies can easily get sick. If the mother dog does not do this, the owner must use toilet paper or gauze to stimulate the excretion area to help the puppy relieve itself. Usually, the mother also licks away the puppies’ excrement. If a puppy gets dirty, you can wipe it clean with a warm towel.

For newborn puppies, providing a good living environment and ensuring sufficient mother’s milk to boost immunity are very important. Therefore, the owner must handle proper feeding and keep the living environment clean.