Dog Breeding 101 Caring For Pups
Dog breeding requires you to pay attention on proper caring for pups. When your puppy is already 3-days old, you will need to decide whether you will dock-a-tail or remove dewclaws. This should be done at exactly 3 days after birth so that it will heal quickly and nicely.
If you’re dealing with purebred pups, you should record the birth date of the pups. Try to keep a record book so that you will have a list of all the puppies, including the dead ones. The pups should be registered and so you need to prepare the registration forms. Buyers of the pups will surely look for the registration once they purchase them. The registration form should be submitted as early as possible because the registries are processed in about 6 weeks.
For the first 2 weeks, pups are usually kept clean by the mother dog. But still, you need to ensure the cleanliness of the whelping box. The bedding should be maintained clean at all times and so you need to remove the dirty and messy beddings at least twice daily. On the third week of the puppies, they will already eliminate and so your task will double.
After a month, the pups are already more active and so the space of the box is insufficient. Get a larger pen for them to play on so that you can still ensure their safety. Keeping the pups is vital because in just a matter of hours, pups can devastate a garage or a room.
Weaning food is usually introduced on the fifth month. Since the puppy food is a bit dry, you need to mash it up a bit. Put a little warm water and leave it for 2 hours; then feed it to the pups.
On their sixth month, you need to take the puppies to the vet for their vaccinations and de-worm. The vet will check for hernias, heart murmers, and testicles of the males, eye problems, and deafness. It is very important that pups are checked for any defects or problems because in a month or so, you will be giving them to the new owners.
Let your pup socialize. Temperament tests are now available and you can subject them to such test. Your pup should not be aggressive because it might frighten potential buyers.
When the pups reach their seventh month, you can now call the individuals with deposits. Get all the necessary paperwork done and sort them out. Contracts like that for the neuter/spays should be prepared as well as the pups’ pictures.
As you may have noticed, the seven months seem pretty right? Well, that is, if you don’t encounter any problems. For instance, if one of the puppies has a hernia or heart murmer; or if a puppy is deaf… what will you do? What if your puppies have temperament problems? What if the mother dog dies or gets mastitis and other infections? What if the puppies are suffering from fading-puppy or swimmer-puppy syndrome? You should always prepare yourself for the worst.
Caring for pups when you’re into dog breeding is also like taking care of a child or baby. The pups require much attention and you need to help the mother dog in taking care of them. If you’re prepared, there is no situation that you can’t handle, no matter how difficult it is.