Watch each puppy individually during the first days. A photograph of the whole litter cannot tell you whether everyone is nursing and gaining. Arrange the first examination and a way to obtain prompt help for a weak puppy before the birth.
Measure warmth where the puppies lie
Newborn puppies cannot yet regulate temperature well. For their first four days, roughly 29.5–32°C is a guide for the puppy zone without sufficient maternal warmth; it is not a requirement to heat the entire room. The mother needs access to a cooler area.
Measure at bedding level and consider the heat source's position and burn protection. Ceiling-level air temperature does not describe the puppy's resting place. A heating pad is not automatically safe because it feels comfortable to an adult hand. Overheating is also harmful; continual crying does not automatically mean more heat is needed.
Colostrum and the first nursing
Colostrum transfers maternal antibodies. Early intake matters because the intestine's ability to absorb them falls rapidly after birth. A puppy that cannot nurse normally needs prompt veterinary assessment, rather than waiting until the following day.
Watch each puppy: does it find a teat, maintain a latch and actively suck? Lying beside the mother is not enough. Repeatedly losing the teat or being pushed aside requires understanding the cause. Access, maternal health or the newborn's condition may be involved. Milk replacer supplies nutrition but is not an equivalent substitute for colostrum's immune protection.
[6] AKC — Raising Newborn Puppies · [7] Society for Theriogenology — Neonatal Care
Assessing weight gain
Weigh each puppy regularly using the same scales. Approximately 5–10% body weight gain daily is a common neonatal guide, but individual trends and condition matter. Failure to gain or weight loss needs timely assessment.
For example, a rise from 100 to 108 g is 8%. This illustrates arithmetic, not a standard Pomeranian birth weight. Compare equivalent intervals and consider feeding and scale precision. An entry such as '08:00, 108 g, active nursing, settled afterwards' means more than a number alone. Never average the litter: larger puppies' gains can hide deterioration in a smaller one.
[1] Merck — Management of the Neonate in Dogs and Cats · [2] VCA — Caring for Newborn Puppies
Behaviour between feeds
Healthy, well-fed newborns generally sleep quietly between nursing. Failure to suck, persistent unusual crying, difficult breathing, marked weakness, a painful distended abdomen or persistent diarrhoea warrant urgent help.
A quiet puppy is not necessarily well: weakness can also reduce movement. Observe whether it actively seeks the mother and joins nursing. If the whole litter changes, assess the mother and environment too. If one changes, do not dismiss it as simply the smallest. Deterioration should not wait for the next scheduled weighing, and extra formula cannot correct every cause.
When supplementary feeding is needed
Use an appropriate canine milk replacer. Cow's milk and improvised mixtures do not provide equivalent nutrition. Excess volume or excessively fast flow increases regurgitation and aspiration risk.
The vet decides whether a puppy needs supplementation, complete hand rearing or investigation of weakness. Amounts depend on weight, the product and maternal milk intake; one shared portion does not suit every puppy. Prepare formula according to that product's instructions. Tube feeding requires practical training and a clinical decision, not copying a video. Clarify storage, equipment cleaning and an overnight schedule as well.
Do not force-feed a cold or poorly breathing puppy
Chilling impairs nursing and digestion. Controlled stabilisation and warming come first; feeding a cold, weak puppy risks aspiration. Never shake or swing a newborn to remove fluid.
For weak breathing or unresponsiveness, follow immediate veterinary instructions. Adult dog resuscitation protocols should not simply be transferred to newborns. Even after improvement, describe the birth and everything already done. After difficult delivery or caesarean birth, information about anaesthesia and the puppy's initial condition is particularly useful to the team.
[4] RECOVER — Newborn Resuscitation Guidelines 2025 · [6] AKC — Raising Newborn Puppies
Early examination and daily surroundings
Arrange an early examination of mother and litter, usually within 48 hours; a weak puppy needs help sooner. Assessment includes congenital problems and the ability to feed normally.
Keep bedding dry, wash hands before handling and limit visitors. Avoid repeatedly moving puppies for photographs. Without maternal care, discuss support for urination and defecation. Warmth, nutrition, cleanliness and undisturbed sleep must all be provided: correcting one cannot compensate for a serious problem with another.
[2] VCA — Caring for Newborn Puppies · [3] VCA — Feeding Orphaned Puppies
Sources and further reading
- Merck — Management of the Neonate in Dogs and Cats ↗
- VCA — Caring for Newborn Puppies ↗
- VCA — Feeding Orphaned Puppies ↗
- RECOVER — Newborn Resuscitation Guidelines 2025 ↗
- AKC Gazette March 2023 — Canine Neonatal Resuscitation ↗
- AKC — Raising Newborn Puppies ↗
- Society for Theriogenology — Neonatal Care ↗
A reference guide from Bruno ·
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