Whelping and Raising My Puppies for their First 8 to 12 Weeks of Life

Introduction: My Journey Begins

• I conduct genetic tests and have vet checks with vet approval before I decide to breed any of my dogs. It is important to me that I breed only the healthiest of puppies. I pay great attention to testing, temperament, conformation, and pedigree when I decide to pair a male and female together, only pairing those who complement each other.

• A week before the puppies are due, I get the moms a puppy count X-ray, so I know how many to expect in case there are complications. Once that X-ray is done, I go into what I like to call Puppy Watch. I am no longer my own person; I am The Whelping Machine hahaha.

• I often get asked about whelping and the delivery process. Potential puppy families want to know how my puppies are raised and what their first few weeks of life are like.

  
  

The Whelping Process

• I get moms accustomed to their whelping area a week prior to their puppy count X-ray. It helps for a smoother transition and a stress-free whelping environment. Mom's comfort and happiness are a priority.

- Setting up a whelping area: I have a bedroom that is my "nursery." I have a camera, whelping box with additional rooms, all of my supplies, and of course a TV.

- Gathering essential supplies: Whelping box, heating pads, small scale for birth weight, suction bulb, pen and charts, rubbing alcohol, scissors, towels, pads, calcium, canned puppy food for mom, bottles and formula just in case, my phone to keep time, and I am certain I have missed a few things.

• Once the mom starts showing labor signs, she and I sit in her whelping box, turn on a TV show, and wait. Early labor signs can last up to 24 hours, so she is closely monitored until the actual labor signs begin.

- Observing the mother giving birth: This varies per mom and if it's her first litter or not. New moms and some that have a hard time chewing the cords will need assistance. Sometimes I will have to open the birth sac myself and cut the umbilical cord. Some moms will lick and clean the puppies while others are interested in disposing of the placenta. I will take over the cleaning and stimulating with a towel. On some occasions, I will have to use the suction bulb to remove fluids from a pup's nose.

- Immediate care for newborn puppies: It is very important for a new puppy to be warm. I have heating pads for warmth. Some moms wait until all pups have been delivered to start the bonding process, and some moms bond right away. After all pups have been born and latched, I will step out for a little while to leave the mom and puppies to experience bonding time. I closely monitor with the camera at all times.

The First Week: Adjusting to New Life

• Daily routines during the first week are pretty much the same for all litters unless there are complications or a puppy is struggling and I need to step in to supplement feedings and such.

- Monitoring the mother and puppies: It is important to make sure mom is eating and drinking well with no signs of any problems. Mom should be attentive to her puppies by cleaning and nursing. Puppies should be latching and eating. They should be active in rooting around looking for mom.

- Feeding schedules: It is important that puppies eat at least every 2 hours. I always keep food available for moms. They never have an empty bowl.

• Watching their development is tedious in this first week.

- Key milestones in the first week: Weight gain is to be closely monitored, at least once a day for the first 2 days unless there is a puppy not growing well; they should be monitored several times a day. Initial behaviors at one week should be actively eating, latching, rooting around, and not much noise. A noisy pup is an unhappy pup.

Weeks Two to Four: Development and Socialization

• Puppies' eyes start to open around 2 weeks of age. They are born blind and deaf. They will start to be able to hear in this time frame as well. They are often startled by sudden sounds and loud noises. Funny enough, they are even scared of their own bark at first. 🤣

  - Introducing scents and sounds: It is important to start expanding their environment at this age. They are learning their environments now. It is important to allow for new noises, smells, and textures at this age. I also start litter training them at 4 weeks.

  - Handling practices: I handle my puppies from the day they are born. In the beginning, it is to weigh, do little check-ups, and make sure all their fingers and toes are on right haha. At this age, handling is more important in other ways. Handling puppies early on helps in building trust and affection. I start cleaning their faces, shaving booties, and checking ears and mouths to get them used to it.

• At 4 weeks, I start the introduction to watered-down solid food; I call it puppy mush. Some puppies are so excited for the weaning process, and others take a little longer to catch on.

  - It's a gradual transition: It's important to never take the puppies away from mom all of a sudden. That is damaging to mom and puppies. Choosing the right puppy food is also really important to ensure the puppies thrive. I always feed my moms the puppy food during their last half of pregnancy and through nursing until puppies are weaned. I feed puppies the exact same puppy food I had been feeding mom.

Weeks Five to Eight: Exploring and Learning

• 5 to 8 weeks is all about playtime, manners, and exercise.

  - Importance of playful interactions: Having an active puppy that experiences different toys, different textures, and fun things to chew on and do is key to encouraging physical and mental growth. They are allowed extended time away from mom to work on their own personal growth. At this time, they come out and start learning to play with the older and bigger dogs and start to move around a lot more. Often waddling around, bumping into each other, and falling a lot while getting too excited and trying to run.

  - Activities and games: I like using treat puzzles, dangling toys to tug on, mini stairs, and puzzles to climb through to get to me calling for them, using their names if they have been given one. It's equally important to work on activities with them at this age that stimulate both body and mind.

- Observing reactions and preferences: They are developing individual personalities at this time. Some will be more outgoing, while there may be a shy sibling in the bunch. One may be quicker to learn certain things, while another may be happy just snuggling up and being held. It is at this time I can assess who needs more work in what areas and offer advanced help if needed.

• Health check-ups and early interventions.

    - Vet visits: My puppies visit my vet at 7 weeks, where they will be microchipped, given vaccinations, and health evaluations. My vet thoroughly evaluates each puppy, taking care to note if there is anything of concern or to keep an eye on.

    - Dealing with common issues: I always do worming with products given to me by my vet and will monitor each puppy's health post-vaccine to ensure a quick response if there is a vaccine reaction. That is why I will not let my puppies go to their new homes immediately after a vaccination.

Preparing for Forever Homes

• Socialization with extended members of my family and my other dogs is really important. It teaches puppies to play nicely, when they're being too rough or an unwanted behavior is being exhibited by them.

- Hosting visitors: Having positive experiences with new people is key to a more outgoing and brave puppy. My puppies meet children, elderly, men, and women. They are sometimes introduced to foreign objects like walkers, canes, crutches, etc.

- Early training tips: My puppies are being taught basic commands and taught what behaviors I encourage. I always train with redirection and positive reinforcement.

• Finding the right homes is my priority. I want to ensure that my puppies will be brought up in a loving environment and that they are a good fit for a particular family to help promote lifelong family members. I keep in contact with all of my puppy families and thoroughly enjoy seeing pupdates and pictures from them.

- Assessing potential owners: I have a contract, and I actively screen for responsible pet ownership.

- The role of a great goodbye: Ensuring a smooth transition for the puppies is so important to them thriving. I send them home with a lot of familiar items with smells of home. They get treats, toys, a bag of their normal food, and a blankie that smells of mom and siblings.

Conclusion: Reflections on the Journey

• I've learned so much over the years about breeding and puppies. I am continuing to grow and learn with each litter. There is always a new experience or situation that teaches me something, and one should always be open to learning.

• I am so proud of my program and of my puppies. I have met so many wonderful people over the years. I put all of my heart and soul into my dogs and my puppies. There are amazing times, and there are times I never want to go through again, but I wouldn't change what I do for anything.

  
  

Final Thoughts

• I will always love every puppy I have ever brought into this world. I have an emotional attachment to every one of them, and I consider all of my puppy families a part of my family. If they have questions, I am more than happy to answer them. I share in their joys and their sorrows. I hope I have helped some future or past puppy parents understand how their puppies were raised. I hope I have offered some insight into my life and my day-to-day.

• If you have any questions or comments or want to talk about anything, feel free to reach out. I love talking about Shih Tzu!