Puppy Care Guide

Features of Week 1

1. Sight — Newborn puppies cannot open their eyes, so they can't see anything. Their eyelids will remain closed for the first 10 to 14 days.
2. Smell and Nursing — Puppies rely solely on their sense of smell to locate their mother and find her teats for nursing.
3. Hearing — Their hearing develops slowly. They are born unable to hear and will only begin to perceive sounds after approximately five days of age.
4. Umbilical Cord — The umbilical cord, which connects the puppy to its mother, will typically fall off naturally around five days after birth.

Temperature Regulation

• Environmental Temperature — For the first two weeks after birth, you must maintain the room temperature at approximately 27°C (81°F).
• Warming Safely — Be cautious when using items like heated mats or hot packs, as puppies can easily suffer burns from direct contact.
• A Gentle Warmth — You can provide frequent, gentle warmth by wrapping a towel soaked in warm or lukewarm water around the puppies' designated nesting area or placing a warm compress near them (making sure the puppies cannot lie directly on a heat source that is too hot).

Assistance with Elimination (Bowel Movements and Urination)

• Newborns can't eliminate on their own. In the wild, the mother dog instinctively licks the puppies' perineal area to stimulate urination and defecation.
• If the mother isn't doing this, you must gently rub the puppy's belly and genital/anal area with a soft, warm, and damp cloth or cotton ball after each feeding. This vital step stimulates elimination and prevents serious health issues.