How To Take Care Of A Puppy: 10-Step Guide For New Pet Parents (2024)

FAQs

How To Take Care Of A Puppy: 10-Step Guide For New Pet Parents? ›

Make sure you provide for all your new puppy's needs: a safe living space, a comfortable sleeping area, balanced nutrition, clean fresh water, socialisation, training, play, exercise, identification, desexing, and preventative health care.

Make sure you provide for all your new puppy's needs: a safe living space, a comfortable sleeping area, balanced nutrition, clean fresh water, socialisation, training, play, exercise, identification, desexing, and preventative health care.

For instance, a mother with newborn puppies will need very little assistance from you. She will need a very quiet warm place, preferably a whelping box, plenty of food and fresh water and opportunities to leave her puppies for short periods of time to eliminate.

According to the American Kennel Club, puppies younger than 10 weeks cannot be left alone for more than an hour. From 3-6 months, they should not be left longer than their age in months (for example, 3-month-old puppies cannot be alone for longer than 3 hours).

Puppies should not be taken away from their mother and sent to their new homes too quickly, as they learn important social rules and behavior from their mother and siblings. Puppies should not be separated from their mother if they are younger than 8 weeks old, and it may be illegal before this in many states.

From day 29 to 49 puppies will venture away from the whelp box sleeping area. They will not go far, but they will begin to explore. At this time we expand their area to add a play and eating area in the daytime. This is the time to move them out to the kitchen and family room area, where life is happening in the home.

The ideal minimum time that the puppy should be able to separate from its mother is 8 weeks. Still, many ethologists also claim that the puppy should be with its mother until 12 weeks of age. We must point out that the longer a puppy is with its mother, the better its development.

Puppies can hold it a little longer while they are sleeping. You will still need to make (at least) one trip halfway through the night for puppies under 4 months old, and maybe a little after that for some pups. Remember to set a (gentle) alarm for 4-5 hours after your puppy's bedtime.

While you may eventually want to let your dog sleep in bed with you (or your kids), it really is best if your pup starts out sleeping in a crate — you can always let them in the bed later, once they're fully potty-trained, sleeping soundly, and happily acclimated to their crate.

How often do newborn puppies poop? ›

For the first few weeks after birth, your newborn puppy will pass stool approximately every two hours. In general, this happens a half hour after eating. However, your puppy can also get constipated. Observe your pup and stimulate him if he does not regularly evacuate stool.

The traditional age for puppies to leave their mom and littermates and go to their new home has been eight weeks of age. At eight weeks of age most puppies are able to eat well, no longer need to nurse or eat supplemental formula, are mobile, and are aware of their world.

Many breeders encourage food intake by offering highly palatable products, such as ice cream, homemade mixtures (for example, mix one can of evaporated milk, one can of water, three egg yolks and one-quarter cup of Karo syrup; heat, then let cool), puppy-milk replacers or a growth-and-lactation commercial cat food.

Ideally, newborn puppies should sleep with their mom until they're 3 months old. Puppies might survive separation at 4 weeks, but that comes with a set of short-term and long-term problems.

There is nothing wrong with cuddling and playing with your new puppy, but try to limit picking them up. Continually holding your dog can make them begin to feel as though they are human and can encourage behavior that causes dominance struggles within your home.

While they are now much more resilient than they were just a few weeks ago, it's still important to continue to avoid things that could make them sick. On walks, keep to paved surfaces like sidewalks and parking lots. Stay off of grass or dirt trails where the urine or feces of unvaccinated dogs are harder to avoid.

To keep your puppy healthy and happy while you're away, follow this general rule: Puppies younger than 6 months: Leave them alone for 2 hours max at a time. Puppies older than 6 months: Leave them alone for 4 hours max at a time.

Crate training is necessary for when your canine is a puppy—sleeping in a crate at night teaches puppies how to control their bladder and bowels since they don't like to relieve themselves in the same space that they sleep. Kennels are also excellent for the times that no one can be home to supervise your new puppy.

In general, puppies shouldn't be picked up, carried around or played with until their eyes are open and they can walk easily. This is around three weeks of age. Until then an adult may hold a puppy and allow a small child to pet it carefully.

How do I keep my newborn puppy warm at night? ›

Make sure your box or crate is in a quiet space, that's warm and large enough for movement and lots of little puppies! Bedding & Lining - You'll want to line the box with clean absorbent bedding or makeshift whelping pads.

You will need: A whelping box. An absorbent material for the whelping box, such as newspapers (but these may become sodden quickly and often stay wet and cold), puppy pads, incontinence pads or vetbeds. Clean towels or paper towels to help clean up during labour.

A whelping heating pad is crucial to have on hand next to and in the whelping box. While you clean the whelping box after the birthing process, you are going to need to place the new puppies onto a safe heating pad so they stay warm. The whelping box must also be warm to prevent illness.

A small box with blankets and a heating lamp is ideal. Keep the lamp at a fair distance so the environment does not overheat. A heating pad and blankets can also work, just make sure the heating pad is well-covered to prevent burns.

It's generally not a good idea to leave newborn puppies alone with their mom at night. Puppies are vulnerable to many health problems and can easily become separated from their mother in the dark. If you must leave them alone, make sure they're in a safe, warm place where they can't fall or get stuck.

Once a dog gives birth to her puppies, two different hormones contribute to her motherly instincts. The first is oxytocin, sometimes called the “love hormone.” It's what drives a mother dog to nuzzle her puppies or wrap around them to keep them warm while nursing.

Most puppies do best in a crate with a soft and suitable bed or bedding tucked inside. Crates keep your little guy corralled and away from temptations and dangers while you get some shut-eye too.

Puppies under 6 months of age shouldn't stay in a crate for more than three or four hours at a time. They can't control their bladders or bowels for that long. The same goes for adult dogs being housetrained. Crate your dog until they are able to be alone in the house without accidents or destructive habits.

How long can 10 week puppy hold pee at night? ›

As a guideline, new puppies up to 10 weeks old typically can't hold their bladder for more than an hour. Dogs between 10 to 12 weeks old can usually hold it for around two hours.

8-10 weeks: Take them to potty every 60 minutes during waking hours. 10-12 weeks: Take them to potty every 90 minutes during waking hours. 12+ weeks: Take them to potty every 120 minutes during waking hours. Overnight: Take them to potty every 3-4 hours overnight or during crated periods.

When it's time to crate your puppy at night, place the toy inside the crate with her so she can snuggle up to the reassuring smells of her canine siblings. A toy with a virtual heartbeat and warmable insert mimics the reassuring sound and feel of your puppy's mother.

Toy-breed puppies will need 4 to 6 meals per day for the first three months of their lives. Medium-breed puppies will require three meals per day, and large-breed puppies typically need 3 to 4 meals per day. Though the breed is an important consideration, metabolism and energy levels can vary by up to 30 percent.

For the first 2 weeks of life, after feeding, the pups should be stimulated to urinate and defecate by rubbing the area between the back legs with a warm wet cotton ball. This simulates the mother's clean-up efforts.

On the first night, and for about three weeks, have the puppy sleep in a dog crate next to the bed. Line the base with blankets so that it is cosy and drape another blanket over the top to help it feel more secure. Give the puppy the stuffed toy that has its littermates' scent on it to snuggle up to.

Puppies, unlike older dogs, don't have fat reserves. Therefore, they can't go longer than 12 hours without food. This is particularly true for toy breeds that are prone to hypoglycemia (a drop in blood sugar), which can lead to serious complications. Puppies are also more susceptible to dehydration than older dogs.

Not all have the instinct to nose the puppies to the center of the whelping box for safety. Smothering, crushing, and laying down on the puppies can be prevented by installing railings that help prevent the dog from accidentally lying on a puppy that may have slipped behind her.

What foods help mom dog produce milk? ›

Milk thistle is one natural supplement known to help nursing mothers with their milk-making. Other dogs benefit from taking zinc while providing for their pups. In small doses, apricot can also increase milk production. Whatever you decide, it's always best to run it by your vet before you begin supplementing.

Wait at least 2-5 days after giving birth to bathe your momma dog, and keep her time away from pups as short as possible.

So, how long do dogs bleed after giving birth? When you continue to see bloody discharge a couple of days after delivery, there is no need to panic as that is completely normal! This discharge is called lochia. According to VCA Hospitals, lochia discharge is normal for three to seven days following birth.

Puppies under three weeks are going to need your help to go to the bathroom. This is how you do it. Newborn pups don't have the control to pee or poop on their own. Without their mom around, they'll need your help.

What exactly is “l*ttermate syndrome” and is it real? Littermate syndrome can occur when two puppies adopted from the same litter grow up together in the same home. In some cases, these sibling puppies form such a deep bond with each other that they fail to properly socialize with people and other dogs.

Recovery of Maternal Behavior Problems in Dogs

Your dog will recover as soon as her hormones level out, which takes 4 to 6 weeks in most dogs. Regular visits with your veterinarian will keep your dog healthy and happy.

Between 6 and 8 weeks of age, your puppy will need to visit the veterinarian for its first puppy vaccines, deworming, and an examination. 2 The breeder or adoption group might have administered its first vaccines and deworming and taken the puppy to the vet.

As long as your puppy is 10 weeks old or older at their second vaccination, they will be immune to distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus one week after this vaccination. So, one week after their second vaccination, your puppy can be walked in public areas, and usually attend puppy classes.

Ignoring them at night won't help them build confidence and may make them worse which isn't what anyone wants. They need to be taught how to be independent slowly. We would never recommend ignoring your puppy when they cry at night, especially in their first few nights.

Where should puppy sleep on first night? ›

On the first night, and for about three weeks, have the puppy sleep in a dog crate next to the bed. Line the base with blankets so that it is cosy and drape another blanket over the top to help it feel more secure. Give the puppy the stuffed toy that has its littermates' scent on it to snuggle up to.

Some breeders will begin potty training a puppy before they are old enough to be adopted. When you bring an eight-week-old dog home, you can start puppy house training by taking him out to go to the bathroom on a regular basis.

A crating schedule will help you raise a wiggly eight-week-old puppy into a dog who is full of good habits (chewing on appropriate items, settling quietly, going to the bathroom where you want) and free of bad habits (house soiling, indiscriminate barking and chewing, and other destructive behaviors).

DO stay mindful of the amount of time you leave your dog in her crate. Puppies and younger dogs don't have as much bladder control, so the maximum time for an 8- to 10-week old puppy is 30–60 minutes.

Do puppies need water at night? Unless your puppy is unwell or suffering from a medical condition, you should avoid leaving water out for them at night. Most puppies over the age of 12 weeks can go without water for 8 hours, but it's inevitable that you may wake up to a mess every now and then.

Where Should Your Puppy Sleep? While you may eventually want to let your dog sleep in bed with you (or your kids), it really is best if your pup starts out sleeping in a crate — you can always let them in the bed later, once they're fully potty-trained, sleeping soundly, and happily acclimated to their crate.

That being said, many people find the first few months of a puppy's life to be the most challenging. During this time, puppies are learning how to behave and interact with their environment, and they require a lot of attention, socialization, and training.

Give your dog plenty of opportunities to go to the toilet in an appropriate place. Take them out when they wake up, after every meal, after playtime, before bed, before you leave them and when you come back, and then every 45 minutes.

After your puppy's third round of vaccinations at 16-18 weeks, they are finally ready to go to the park. In fact, at this stage they should be fully protected against the worst of the puppyhood diseases. That means puppy can say hello to unfamiliar dogs now, too.

We recommend that puppies receive a minimum of 3 rounds of vaccines in the first year, and for ultra protection against Parvo, we recommend puppies receive a 4th round of vaccine. Ideally, the first round of vaccine is administered about 6 weeks of age.