Things You'll Need
- Whelping box
- Puppy bed
- Puppy formula (optional)
- Puppy dishes
Instructions
Environment and Hydration
Keep mother and newborn pups warm in a comfortable place. Making a whelping box helps. This is a home made from a box for the pups. A good whelping box keeps mother from crushing the pups and contains them in one area. This is especially important for Poms, since they are particularly tiny and fragile pups. Make the box before the mother goes into labor, so she can birth in it as well.
Keep the pups warm. When they lay with mother, her body temperature will keep them warm, but when she is not around, or if pups are away from their mother permanently, it is important to keep temperatures about 95 degrees Fahrenheit for the first three weeks, then drop them down to about 75 degrees. You may choose a safely placed infrared light for this job.
Keep mom hydrated. She needs plenty of water to keep her milk supply up. If there is no mother, keep your puppies hydrated. It's a good idea to give them access to water at all times. Be careful that the bowl is small enough for the tiny Pomeranians.
Hand Rearing
Hand rear your Pomeranians if mother's milk is dried up or if she is unable to nurse. This tends to happen with older Pomeranian mothers. Purchase commercial puppy hand-rearing milk or use the recipe below.
Mix hand-rearing formula, if making your own. Combine 1 cup whole goat milk, 2 egg yolks, 1 teaspoon honey or white corn syrup and 1 teaspoon cold, pressed flaxseed. If your pups are weak, add 1/2 cup whipping cream. Mix and serve at the same temperature each time. Do this with commercial food as well. Temperature changes can harm a Pomeranian newborn's stomach.
Feed your puppies every three hours, 24 hours a day for the first three weeks. Pups should sleep between feedings, cry very little, have no undigested curds in their stool and gain weight steadily.
Help puppies defecate within 24 hours of birth. It is absolutely necessary for a Pomeranian pup to defecate at least once during this period. Use a cotton or wool wad moistened with baby oil to moisten puppy's bottom. You may need to gently rub the area around the newborn's anus to induce a bowel movement. Be patient. Some puppies take longer than others to pass a movement. You may have to help pups do this for the first few weeks.
Check the puppies' stools often. If you see undigested food particles in their stool, cut back on any whipping cream you might have added to the homemade formula, or add more water to the commercial food.