Newborn Puppies

Newborn pups are tiny, blind, deaf and entirely dependent on warmth and milk. For the first fortnight your job is simple to describe and demanding to do: keep them warm, keep them fed, and know the weight of every single one.

Everything in this collection is chosen for those first weeks, from bottles and feeding syringes through to identification collars, accurate scales and the worming and nutrition products that follow soon after.

Identify, Weigh and Record

In a litter of similar looking pups, memory fails fast. A set of coloured identification collars fitted loosely from day one lets you track each pup individually, and they need checking every couple of days so they do not become tight as the pups grow. Weigh at the same time each day on puppy scales that read in single grams and keep a written chart. Consistent gain is the clearest sign a pup is thriving, and any pup that stops gaining should be watched closely and discussed with your vet.

Supplementing a Pup That Needs Help

Even with an attentive mother, big litters and quiet pups sometimes need topping up. A small nursing bottle with an appropriately sized teat suits most pups with a sucking reflex, while syringes give you fine control for very small amounts. Use a purpose made milk replacer mixed and warmed to the instructions, never cow's milk, and feed with the pup lying on its stomach rather than on its back. If a pup will not suck at all, that is a same day conversation with your vet rather than something to push through.

Raising your first days old litter? Explore the RPBA collection of newborn puppy supplies to cover feeding, warmth and monitoring from day one.