| Caring for and Raising Puppies |
Caring for and Raising Puppies
The raising of puppies can be an exhilarating and rewarding experience. It can also be an experience wrought with frustration if some guidelines aren’t adhered to or if certain aspects of the duty are overlooked. There are a number of things that you can do for the puppies and their mother to help make their first days, weeks, and months together healthy and happy ones.
The mother dog will spend the first few days after giving birth with her new puppies. It is important to check on the mother and the pups to ensure that the puppies are being kept warm enough and are being well fed and to make sure that Mommy is producing enough milk and is comfortable.
If the mother leaves the puppies it will be very important to monitor their temperature closely. It is imperative that the pups be kept warm and their area should be kept at a temperature of ninety degrees Fahrenheit for the first four days of their young lives. The temperature can be decreased gradually after that. Remember that a large litter will still need to be kept warm, but that the puppies’ body heat will help keep them warm as they huddle together.
The mother will be very protective of her pups and may display signs of anxiety when people come around the puppies. Some dogs will move the puppies from place to place in an effort to hide them from predators. This is instinctive behavior. Keeping the mother and her pups in an enclosed box may curb this problem as the darkness will ease the mother’s mind and make her feel that she’s found an ideal location for protecting her babies.
During the puppies’ first month there should be little need for the owner to do much of anything for them. They will be cared for exclusively by the mother during this time. The owner’s role should be one of monitoring the pups’ progress and growth rate. The puppies should double their weight in about a week. By two weeks of age the pups will be alert and attempting to stand on their own. By the time they’re a month old the pups should all be able to walk, play, and run around. Now the fun starts!
By about four and a half weeks, the puppies should be eating solid food. One way to train them in doing so is to start feeding them a mixture of canned or dry dog food mixed with a little water or milt to soften it. The pups will lap this up like they are drinking, but will be taking food in at the same time. Day by day the amount of liquid being used should be reduced until eventually the pups are eating the canned or dry food on its own.
One activity that a new mother will engage in will sometimes alarm dog owners. In an effort to teach her pups how to urinate and defecate, mother may lick the pups’ hindquarters. This stimulus will make them “go.” The mother will often eat the pup’s excrement. She does this to both keep the pups’ area clean and eliminate the scent of her pups’ droppings that could alert predators in the wild. The pups will sometimes mimic this behavior and eat each other’s excrement for a short time. Most puppies will cease this behavior by the time they are weaned.
|
A Brief History of Seeing Eye Dogs No one knows when the concept of using assistance animals for the blind first came into being. It is suggested that dogs have been used in such a ...
read more
Adopting a Dog There are lots of ways that people choose a new family dog. Some may search the newspaper for advertisements from breeders who are selling new puppies others find breeders via listings on ...
read more
Allergies – Dogs May Suffer Too Many people don’t realize that their dogs, just like human beings, can suffer from allergies. In fact, about twenty percent of the dogs in the United States alone suffer ...
read more
Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) in Dogs The canine distemper virus (CDV) causes a highly contagious disease in dogs known as distemper. Dogs who contract distemper suffer damage to their gastrointestinal, central nervous and respiratory systems. ...
read more
Caring for and Raising Puppies The raising of puppies can be an exhilarating and rewarding experience. It can also be an experience wrought with frustration if some guidelines aren’t adhered to or if certain aspects ...
read more
Choosing a Good Hunting Dog Dogs have been bred for the purposes of hunting with humans for centuries. Whether hunting for food or sport, various breeds of dog have been used to help flush the ...
read more
Choosing a Responsible Breeder It is an exciting time when you get to bring home a new puppy. He quickly becomes part of your family and you create a bond with lots of cuddling, trips ...
read more
Choosing Healthy Foods for Your Dog Today’s pet food market is larger and more diverse than ever before. While this offers a large number of choices in various types of pet food, it also presents ...
read more
Click and Treat is For The Dogs! Becoming the first major improvement in dog training since choke chains and spiked collars, click and treat has quickly revolutionized itself in becoming a big hit on the ...
read more
CPR for Dogs Anyone who has been to a CPR class is familiar with the basics of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. First you’ll check to be sure the patient has a clear airway, then check to see ...
read more
Dental Care for Dogs Some people don’t realize that dental hygiene is as important for dogs as it is for human beings. Just like in people, dogs’ teeth can gather plaque after eating. When plaque ...
read more
Dog Accessories Dog ownership carries with it the burden of a number of other purchases. In order to properly care for a dog and to comply with certain local laws, the owner must have a ...
read more
Dog Clothes Some people love to make their dogs as cute as can be. For these folks there are dog clothes. Cute sweaters, doggie tee shirts, dog booties, stylish bandanas, and precocious little hats are ...
read more
Doggie Hygiene Washing your dog is important, but not as important as some people think. Healthy dogs actually don’t need to be washed all that often, but humans prefer to bathe them so that they ...
read more
Dogs in American Animation One of the most beloved subjects for the creation of cartoon characters in America is the dog. Countless dogs have graced movie and television screens as animated characters – too many ...
read more
Dogs in the Cartoons America loves dogs in films and on television. We also seem to love dogs in the pages of the Sunday funnies and in animation. To list all of the cartoon dogs ...
read more
Finding a Dog Breeder If you’re in the market for a purebred dog, you’ll need to find a breeder from which to purchase the animal. This can often be as easy as opening the classified ...
read more
Flying With Your Dog There are many requirements that a pet owner must meet before traveling by air with a dog. While specific regulations will vary by airline, most airlines work with the same general ...
read more
Heartworms in Dogs – What They Are What to Do Heartworms (Latin name Dirofilaria immitis) are parasitic worms that are common in both dogs and cats. Like their name suggests, they live in the dog’s ...
read more
Hepatitis in Dogs Hepatitis, a disease of the liver that is seen in several animals, including humans, is caused by a viral infection. Canine hepatitis is caused by the virus designated CAV-1 which is seen ...
read more
Hip Dysplasia in Dogs A fairly common degenerative disease in dogs, canine hip dysplasia, is often misunderstood. Many mistakenly think that the ailment is a form of arthritis, but that is simply not the case. ...
read more
Hollywood – Gone to the Dogs? There is no question that people in America love dogs. One look at popular culture in our country will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Americans have ...
read more
Housebreaking a New Puppy Although it doesn’t sound like the most appealing job in the world, housebreaking a new puppy will play an important part in bonding with the newest member of your family. It ...
read more
Incessant Dog Barking Dogs bark for a number of reasons. Sometimes these can be good reasons such as to warn of an intruder or to express fright or pain. Sometimes these can be “bad” reasons ...
read more
Intestinal Parasites in Dogs Dogs (and cats) often fall victim to several common intestinal parasites known as worms. There are a large number of different types of intestinal worms, but dogs are most commonly affected ...
read more
Introducing Your New Puppy To Your Dog Buying a new puppy is one of the most important decisions you and your family can make, especially if you already own a dog. It may be a ...
read more
Kennel Cough in Dogs The condition commonly known as “Kennel Cough” is one of the most prevalent infectious diseases that dogs can contract. The disease is not serious in most cases, however, and often resolves ...
read more
Leptospirosis in Dogs Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that can affect a dog’s blood, liver, and kidneys. The bacteria that cause the illness are carried primarily by rats and other rodents, but dogs that are ...
read more
Lesser-Known Dog Breeds Have you ever seen a beagle? Sure you have. What about a basset hound? Of course! How about a Polish Owczarek Nizinny? Didn’t think so. Its one of many unfamiliar breeds of ...
read more
Microchips Help Lost Dogs be Found There is not much of anything in the world than the sight of a child who is grieving a lost dog. Teary-eyed and depressed, yet hopeful, she goes around ...
read more
|
|
|
My Dog Space - a social community for all dog breeds
Disclaimer: The Publisher has strived to be as accurate and complete as possible in the creation of this website, notwithstanding the fact that he does not warrant or represent at any time that the contents within are accurate due to the rapidly changing nature of the Internet.
This site is a common sense guide to Caring for and Raising Puppies. In practical advice websites, like anything else in life, there are no guarantees of income made. Readers are cautioned to reply on their own judgment about their individual circumstances to act accordingly.
This site is not intended for use as a source of legal, medical, business, accounting or financial advice. All readers are advised to seek services of competent professionals in legal, business, accounting, and finance field.
Any perceived slights of specific people or organizations are unintentional. |
