All reputable breeders are aware of the breeding date of females and are able to provide appropriate dog care during the pregnancy. Many will count six weeks from the breeding date on the calendar, and then begin pre-whelping dog care. Usually, the females are brought into a special whelping area for lots of TLC. She is put on a special diet of high protein, wormed and has a bed that will become her nest when the babies arrive. Over the two weeks, she is handled a lot, groomed and the closer to the due date given lots of time to sleep and relax.

Food For The Pregnant Mother

Up until the last two weeks of the pregnancy before the mother whelps, she can be fed her regular diet. She will go through a streak where she eats and eats, almost as if she cannot get her fill. But two weeks before she is due, it is a good idea to allow her “all you want to eat” puppy food with high protein, as this is the time when the puppies grow the most. As she gets closer to whelping, she will eat less, but this is not a sign of concerns over dog health, it is perfectly natural. Typically the day of delivery she will not eat at all – but some of the dogs will eat all that day and even during delivery. Most breeders will know how their female reacts during pregnancy and her behavior is a signal with regards to dog health issues and dog care during this time.

It may be important to carefully monitor the female's bowel movement during the pregnancy. A small amount of natural or lamb and rice canned food may be added to the kibble to help keep stools soft and the digestive system working well. Avoid foods with lots of corn or preservatives as these can cause allergic reactions in both mom and puppies.

Worming During Pregnancy

Worming is the most important thing for a breeder to keep up on. Most breeders worm at least two weeks before the puppies are due as part of their dog care pre-whelping routine. The female is weighed at this time to adjust the dosage correctly. It is important for dog health to not over medicate or under medicate with regards to the wormer. Some of the top wormers are Pyrantel and Ivermectin. Pyrantel is often used on the  pregnant mother instead of Ivermectin, as it is kinder on her system and gentler on the puppies.

Pyrantel is safely used with pregnant females, and can be used with dogs, cattle, horses, sheep, and pigs. It is used for the treatment of roundworms, in addition to hookworms, threadworms, and pinworms, being repeated 2 to 4 weeks apart in order to eliminate all stages of the parasite. Many vets prefer the brand Nemex for pyrantel worming, but it is a common wormer and can be found in most animal stores. 

Roundworms and Puppies

Roundworms enter the system of the embryonic development and live puppy through the infected mother, so this is why worming the mother two weeks before delivery should be routine.  This can be repeated every two weeks with the puppies until they are taken home by their new owners.

Dog care during pregnancy is more than just good management, it also includes looking after dog health issues as well as the relaxation and comfort of the mother and the puppies.

The newborn puppies have safely arrived and mom is doing fine. Tired, but fine. Now what? Is the hard part over – not by a long shot. The next day or so is just as important as the birthing with regard to puppy care, especially if you have a new mother or a mother who cannot adapt to motherhood. Each puppy may need individual attention, and if the female isn't doing it the owner will have to.

The Puppies' First 24 Hours

When a newborn puppy arrives into the world, it cannot see, hear, or control its body temperature. If it gets too cold, it’s digestive system will become stressed and it can develop diseases, if it gets too hot, it will die.

Heat lamps sometimes are necessary if puppies are born in the winter, or keeping the birthing room climate controlled during the hot summers is just as necessary. There are also many insulated electric heating pads for the mother and babies to lie on, as they need a temperature from 85 to 90 degrees for the first five days of life. At the end of the fourth week, they can easily survive in 75-degree weather.

Each puppy needs to have constant temperatures, which means ensuring they stay the appropriate distance from the heating or cooling source.

Mother's Milk and Dog Nursing

When puppies are first born, the milk they nurse from their mother is called “colostrum.” This is highly important for the development of the immune system of the puppy in order to prevent diseases, and needs to be nursed within the first 24 hours. The mother only produces this important ingredient for a short time after birthing. Many breeders will put newborn puppies on a mother with older puppies. When this happens the newborn puppy does not get the colostrum they need, and will develop more diseases than normal down the road, or die in a short time.

What Is A Fading Puppy?

Some new statistics show that puppy mortality is 17.4% before weaning, falling to 4% after weaning. More puppies died during their first week than at any other time, with weaning the second highest mortality time. By the time most puppies are twelve weeks old, they are out of most of the danger.

A puppy will be termed a fading puppy if one or more of three things occur after being born:

• The puppy becomes chilled due to lack of warmth
• Hypoglycemia occurs due to lack of sugar from the mother's milk
• Dehydration occurs

Fading puppies typically fail to thrive, eventually stop nursing and die shortly after birth. Owners can, with proper puppy care, help prevent these tragic and unnecessary deaths by monitoring the puppies during the first few hours to ensure they all feed and stay warm.

Developmental problems may also occur within the puppy, such as a malformed heart. After a few days of fighting to live, they will eventually die anyway. These problems began in the mother’s uterus or are genetic in nature and there may not be any possible treatment.

Some newborn puppies develop an infection and can die. Probably one of the major causes of infections is umbilical cord infections which develops into septicemia, a neonatal disorder due to the presence of cutaneous abscesses in the mother. Breeders often clean this area with Iodine immediately after the puppies are born, cutting the cord with sterilized scissors after clamping the cord off to prevent this infection from occurring.

Puppy Feeding and Water

For a day or so after whelping the mother will not be hungry, only nibbling at her food. She should have all the puppy food she wants located close by. Also, keep cool and clean water available, changing it two to three times a day if needed.

Most veterinarians say to offer a bowl of milk with white Karo syrup to the mother. This is not only to jumpstart her system, but to build up her calcium level so she will not become ill. This can be provided twice a day, in addition to some canned lamb and rice food to keep her energy level up until she feels up to eating on a daily regime. Occasionally vets will recommend mixing some canned with dry food to encourage the female to eat and keep her digestive system moving properly during the time she is recuperating from whelping.

The breeder or owner of the female has a huge responsibility for each individual puppy and overall puppy care, especially in the first few weeks. Newborns will require a lot of attention, both from Mom as well as from the breeder if they are to thrive and develop in the healthiest fashion.