Newborn Puppy Care: What You Need to Know

Give Your Puppies a Good Head Start in Life

Caring for a newborn puppy is a time-consuming and difficult job, but it's so amazing (and rewarding!) to watch them progress from helpless tiny babies to vibrant, robust pups.

This article will cover the basics of newborn puppy care. For the first four weeks of their lives, puppies depend on their mother for warmth, nutrition, waste elimination, and hygiene. During this critical time, you should also be observing them carefully. Be sure to consult your veterinarian immediately if you have any concerns about a pup's health.

Keeping newborn puppies warm

From birth until about 3 weeks, puppies cannot regulate their own body temperature, so you must carefully guard against chilling, which can be fatal. Keep puppies indoors, off cold floors, in a draft-free room that's between 70-80 degrees. The puppies get their best heat from mom, but if you have orphans your room temperature should be about 80-85 degrees. Indirect heat from warm water bottles or heat lamps may also be used.

A large animal carrier lined with towels makes a nice, safe bed for newborn puppies. For the first two weeks, place a towel over the top to avoid drafts. If a pup has no litter mates, place a stuffed animal inside the carrier.

During the first week, normal temperature should be between 95-98 degrees, increasing gradually each day. At three weeks, the temperature should be 99-100 degrees. After this time, it should be close to the normal temperature for an adult dog (101.5).

Keeping newborns clean

During the first 3-4 weeks, the mom dog licks her puppies to keep them clean, and also to stimulate elimination. Because newborn puppies usually do not spontaneously eliminate on their own, you'll need to help them with this if the mother's ill or absent. Using a warm, moist washcloth, gently stroke the genital/anal area before and after their feedings. If they don't go, try again in an hour.