A slight drop in weight is normal because the colostrum has laxative effect and cleans the puppy’s intestines from mekonium. Should the bitch have plenty of milk, the puppies may drink their weight. The puppies do not require special attention from the breeder. During the first 14 days, they are in their vegetative phase and spend all of their time eating or sleeping. They are isolated creatures that do not feel anything except their needs, not even their littermates. When they whimper they are either hungry or cold or need to be relieved. We can help them by massaging their bellies and genitals.
The bitch needs an unrestricted amount of quality food and enough liquid. She leaves the puppy box only for short periods during the first two weeks, so the food and water should be available in the litter box. Be careful with the water bowl - a puppy can drown.
Thermo-regulation is not fully developed during the first 14 days and the mother keeps the
puppies warm with her presence. It is advisable to use soft and furry pads as a mat to help keep puppies warm and to crawl. Vet Beds or DryBeds are ideal as the fibre does not absorb liquids and keeps the mother and puppies dry and warm.
It is
not advisable to cut the nails of the puppies in the first two weeks, especially not on the back legs, as they help the puppies to move and get to the milk source. They also use the nails as support when sucking the milk.
Puppies instinctively move in circles. The reason is that wild bitches deliver puppies in a hole. By moving in circles, the puppies cannot move out of the hole and put themselves in danger. The circular movements are combined with searching movements when the puppy moves its head from one side to the other and seeks the mother’s body. If it cannot find the mother, it whimpers and the mother helps it to get close to her.
Created by Monika Tusanova
TUSANI © 5/2007, all rights reserved. Author of codes: Richard Tušan © 7/2007 5/2015
Translation
Petra
Krejcova NYATHI, 2010