How To Take Care Of A 4 Week Old Puppy

When your puppy is about four weeks old he will start to be weaned from his mother s milk and should be gradually introduced to commercial puppy food.

How to take care of a 4 week old puppy. You cannot do this with toy dogs but with large breeds it works great. Introduce solid food by offering a small amount four times a day watch the puppies carefully as they learn about the world of eating solid food. By the fourth week the pup should be able to walk. Unless the puppies are orphaned a four week old puppy s development still depends on him receiving most of his nutrition from mom.

Most puppies generally receive their first vaccinations around six to eight weeks of age with boosters every three to four weeks until they are about 16 weeks old. However if the puppy in your care has been separated from his mother or if the mother dog has rejected her young or cannot produce enough milk caring for the pup is up to you. Healthy puppies typically gain between 10 to 15 of birth weight each day. There are important goings ons between mother puppy and siblings strengthening the case for puppies staying with their mothers as long as possible early on.

During the first few weeks of life a puppy s primary activities are feeding keeping warm and developing social skills. The ideal weight for a puppy that is 4 weeks of age depends on its breed. Your puppy will also need the basic vaccinations that all puppies get starting at 8 weeks old. Talk with the veterinarian about spaying or neutering your puppy to prevent unexpected litters and ask about treating your puppy for worms.

If the first three weeks of life were the sleepyhead phase this is the phase of awakenings. You can also choose a heating lamp or heating pad as long as the heat source isn t too hot and the puppy has the opportunity to get away from it if needed. Remove uneaten food after every feeding and throw it away. The shavings coat the poop and absorb the pee so it doesn t get tracked around.

Don t feed cow s milk as this can upset your puppy s digestive tract. At around 4 weeks you can remove the heating source as long as the puppy is in a warm environment such as your home. How much should a 4 week old puppy weigh. A booster should be given 3 or 4 weeks later.

You ll need to warm formula to body temperature testing it inside your wrist to make sure it s not too hot. You ll need a special bottle with a nipple and puppy milk replacement formula. Leave blankets or towels in the nesting area for the pup to warm up in. Get your puppy regular medical care and vaccinations.

In the initial few weeks of your puppy s life you should expect to see their body weight double or triple.