Looking Back
Our precious puppies are now one week old. We have had a busy week caring for Echo and helping her care for her babies. Echo suffered loose stools for a few day which a common occurrence after whelping. She also took a couple days to get an appetite. We put Echo on a diet of boiled chicken and rice with an added probiotic supplement. Echo didn’t want to leave her puppies so I fed her inside her whelping box. She recovered quickly after a couple days of this diet and is now eating well on her regular diet.
Neonatal Period
The puppies are in the Neonatal Period which is from day 0 to day 14. During this period, puppies spend their time eating and sleeping. On day 3 we began ENS (Early Neurological Stimulation) which continues through day 16. We preform ENS daily during our weigh-in time. Research shows these tiny struggles and stresses in small doses are good for puppies. Benefits from ENS include greater tolerance to stress, greater resistance to disease, faster adrenal system, stronger heart rate and stronger heartbeat. This is a gift that a breeder can only give their puppies during the 3 to 16-day window.
Puppy Twitches
Feeding
Before puppies are born, they receive immunity and everything they need to grow from the placenta. After birth newborn puppies do not possess immunity. A mothers first milk called colostrum is a protein-rich, nutritious, balanced, and protective food. The special milk provides passive immunity which can last several weeks and protect them from various infections and diseases. For this reason, the first twelve hours after birth it is vital for the puppies to nurse frequently and build up their passive immunity. (Passive immunity is the short-term immunity which results from the introduction of antibodies from the puppy’s mother. Compare with active immunity – the immunity which results from the production of antibodies by the immune system in response to the presence of an antigen)
Puppies are born with their eyes and ears sealed shut; they cannot see or hear. They have to rely on “smell” and “touch” to find their mother. Puppies are born with a natural instinct to nurse but as the days pass, they have become more proficient at it. The puppies are now experts at nursing! As you watch the video below, listen to the cute little sounds the puppies make as they nurse – so precious !
Echo is an amazing, attentive mama. She has a large litter of eleven babies and is not able to feed all the puppies at once. She has done an amazing job feeding her babies and cycling them through. She is very dedicated and stays with her babies around the clock.
With a large litter, we have to keep a close eye making sure all the puppies are getting their fair share of milk. We weight our puppies daily and keep records to track their progress. Some of our puppies are putting weight on quicker than others but, all our puppies are gaining weight daily. Good job Echo!
For the first two weeks of their life newborn puppies spend their time eating and sleeping.
LOOKING AHEAD TO WEEK TWO
- Much the same as week one – Eat, Sleep, Repeat!
- Puppies will continue growing
- Puppies still crawl; hind legs will become stronger
- Eyes should begin to open towards the end the week – so exciting !!!
