Having a dog is a big responsibility. You need to learn how to properly care for a dog before you consider adopting or buying one. If your dog gets pregnant, you should plan carefully and learn everything you can about postnatal care before she gives birth. Like people, dogs need special care while pregnant and after they give birth. For example, the nutritional needs of your dog will change once she's given birth to her puppies.
Instructions
Make sure your dog has access to fresh, clean water at all times of the day. Keep an eye on her water dish and refill it frequently. She needs to have extra fluids to produce milk for her puppies. The more puppies, the more milk she'll need, so the more water she may drink.
Choose the food you feed your dog carefully after she's given birth. She needs food that will help give her the energy she needs to care for her pups. Feed her puppy food while she's nursing. Puppy foods are nutrient-dense and will give her the extra nutrients she needs to recover from pregnancy and nurse her puppies. Any other food you feed her between meals should have a high-protein content, such as eggs and lean meats.
Feed your dog more frequently throughout the day. She'll need to eat more food than normal while she's nursing, and it's healthier to feed her more frequently than to feed her larger meals. For example, if she normally eats three meals a day, feed her five meals a day with normal sized portions at each meal.
Keep a bowl of your dog's regular dry food out at all times. This is referred to as free-choice feeding. Your dog should be able to eat this food whenever she feels the need, so make sure there's always some food in the bowl. However, the bowl doesn't need to be filled to the top. One third to half full is plenty.
Start feeding your dog her regular diet once her puppies are weaned onto puppy food. Once the puppies stop nursing, your dog won't expend as much energy or need as much nutrients throughout the day. She can return to her normal dog food and her normal feeding schedule.