Will a Female Dog Take Care of Its Litter?

Most mama dogs take care of their puppies very well. They're just doing what comes naturally. There's always a chance that a dog won't have maternal instincts, or fail to produce enough milk to feed her babies. The mother might fall ill, requiring veterinary care and separation from her pups. That's when you must step in and care for the litter.

  1. Birth

    • Roughly 24 hours before the puppies arrive, the mother dog begins producing milk. She becomes restless, and soon thick mucus discharges from her vagina. Within hours the discharge becomes thinner, meaning birth is imminent. Her contractions begin. You should have a whelping box or other quiet, clean area prepared for her delivery. Once she settles in to an area after labor begins, don't move her. Puppies arrive encased in the placenta, which the mother licks off as each one arrives. She bites off the umbilical cord and consumes the placenta. If the mother isn't clearing the placenta off the puppy, enabling him to breathe, you must step in and gently wipe the material from the nose and mouth. If the mother doesn't sever the cord, Illinois-based Hilltop Animal Hospital recommends tying it off with a thread 1 inch from the puppy's body, cutting if beyond the tie. Then apply a drop of iodine to the cord's end to prevent infection.

    Nursing

    • Puppies should begin nursing not long after birth. It's important that they receive the rich, first milk known as colostrum. It's full of antibodies to protect them. Check your dog's nipples regularly to make sure they're not inflamed. If anything's amiss, call your vet. Also make sure all of the puppies are nursing frequently. During their first two weeks, puppies basically sleep and eat. If the puppies cry excessively, it's likely they aren't eating enough. Examine them and the mother dog to make sure all's well with nursing and milk production. If not, contact your vet immediately. You might need to start supplemental feeding, or find another nursing mother to care for the pups.

    Considerations

    • The mother dog should go out for short periods to relieve herself. If she refuses to stay with the puppies, you need to make sure they stay warm. Hot water bottles placed under blankets or a properly secure heating pad can help. Some mothers might also move their puppies around. If this might endanger the puppies, confine the mother and puppies to a small room or put them in a large crate, depending on the size of the mother.

    Orphaned Puppies

    • If their mother dies or otherwise can't care for her puppies, bottle-feeding becomes necessary, unless you can find a substitute nursing mother. You must also ensure that the puppies stay warm. Ask your vet about the best canine milk replacer for your puppies. She can provide you with milk replacer, or you can purchase it at pet stores. Newborn puppies require feeding every few hours. You can start feeding milk replacer with a syringe, changing to a bottle as the puppies get bigger. After feeding, you'll need to stimulate the puppy's elimination system, much as his mother would do. Use a gauze pad or soft washcloth dipped in warm water to gently rub the urinary and anal areas. This simulates the mother's licking. By the time the puppies are 3 or 4 weeks old, they eliminate on their own.