The Need to Care for Newborn Puppies

Animals have instincts and we wittingly call it animal instinct. Yeah right. It is what keeps them surviving without being taught. On instinct, male dogs can identify female dogs ready for mating. On instinct, an expectant bitch can give birth without the help of a midwife. On instinct, they can take care of her newborn puppies on her own. But can they, really?

Some breeders stick to no intervention during whelping or postnatal care for reasons that raising the litter is intuitive and automatic for the bitch. Some breeders, though, believed that Mother Nature can accept a helping hand especially during emergencies to avoid puppy losses. I agree with the latter.

Accordingly, animals live on the proverbial expression, “survival of the fittest.” But experience shows that those puppies that survive don’t necessarily follow to be the fittest, strongest or the best ones. The first week of a dog’s life is the most critical stage of its life. Thus, early care and the environment of the neonatal puppy are of extreme importance. Bitches with first time litter tend to be more restless, flighty and nervous. Their behavior can put the newborn’s lives at risk for they might step or lay on them or do the unspeakable like eat them! Human intervention can save the lives of the little ones until the dam learns to care for her young ones.

Nature runs on its own laws but we are part of it. Sometimes, we let nature run on its own but at times, we need to intervene to help it. How much more can we lend a hand for caring the newborns of dogs living under our roofs? Plus, only we, humans, know how to green our pet animals for a healthier and eco-friendly lifestyle.