Newborn puppies are similar to newborn babies. They must be fed more often and they require more sleep than older puppies. It is important that the newly born puppies start to nurse right away. Their mother’s milk contains important nutrients that protect the puppies from illness. If this first milk is not received by the puppies within 12 hours, their stomachs will not take in the nutrients contained in the milk. They are at their most vulnerable right after birth, however, most mothers instinctively know how to care for them. Should she decide to ignore one of her litter, as sometimes happens, it can be cared for by you.

The first 36 hours after birth is the most crucial time in the newborn puppy’s life. If the mother abandons this puppy, you can become the mother. Make sure the puppy is put in a comfortable box or bed with a heat lamp. The temperature should be maintained at 97 degrees the first week of his life. The second week it can be lowered to the mid 80s and the third the 70s should be fine. A newborn puppy does not produce body heat. This usually takes a couple of weeks. Without the mother to keep him warm, he could become too cold and catch pneumonia.

There are several commercial puppy formulas available for newborn puppies. Do not feed them cow’s milk as this does not contain the nutrients they need for a good start. Bottle feeding is one way you can feed them. There are also bottles available commercially for this. Unlike human babies, puppies should not be fed while lying on their backs. For the first 48 to 72 hours they should be fed every two hours. You should burp them after each feeding by placing them on your shoulder and gently patting their back. Be very careful when bottle feeding, making sure the hole in the nipple is not too large. The puppy could suck milk into it’s lungs and drown or cause it to get aspiration pneumonia. If this happens, he can develop a bacterial infection in the lungs which could be fatal.

Barring any problems, by the time your adopted puppy is 4 weeks old, you can start mixing a combination of puppy food and formula in a blender to feed him puppy cereal. In a couple of weeks, he can be fed just the puppy food moistened so he has no problem eating it. You can also start training your puppy at around 5 to 6 week as to bathroom habits and simple commands such as sit. This requires patience and repeating the training consistently. Some puppies tend to catch on faster than others. If you don’t lose patience, they will begin to obey. Praising the puppy for good behavior is important. Just as with a child they learn good behavior is rewarded.

Whether you decide to use puppy pads to begin potty training your puppy or just taking him outside, the key to success is consistency. Providing him something to chew on at this stage is important also. Their teeth are developing and they will chew. So better to have them chew on something you provide than to let them decide for themselves. Raising a newborn puppy can be quite a job but it has it’s rewards. Raising them from birth can truly make them man’s best friend.