3 Tips For Caring For A Puppy That Was Too Young To Leave Its Mother
Posted on: 22 May 2015
Puppies should be cared for by their mothers until they're at least 8 weeks old. During those initial weeks, mothers provide for their nourishment and their discipline. In fact, during the first 8 weeks, a puppy will learn important rules about its behavior.
Unfortunately, when puppies are removed from their mothers too early, they miss out on valuable training. If you've recently obtained a puppy that was too young to leave its mother, there are some things you can do to help it develop properly.
Brace It
When mama dog handles her puppies, she braces them up against her body. This is the way she controls their movements and gets them to comply. You can mimic the same behavior by bracing your puppy. This is particularly helpful when you're trying to get your puppy to do something new, like wear a collar or take medication.
Directions
- Kneel on the ground in front of the puppy.
- Place the puppy on your lap.
- Brace the puppy by carefully placing your left hand on its neck
- Use your right hand to care for the puppy.
Soothe It
Young puppies need to be soothed. Their mothers do this by licking them. This is also how mothers stimulate their puppy's digestive tract. If your pup is younger than 8 weeks old, it may be missing out on the soothing touch of its mother's tongue. You can replicate the mother's tongue by using a soft cloth.
Directions
- Place your puppy on your lap.
- Slowly rub the cloth on your puppy.
- Be sure to rub each leg and paw.
- Roll your puppy over on its back and rub the entire length of its belly.
- Repeat this technique several times a day.
Pin It
When puppies become too rambunctious, mothers will provide proper discipline. They usually do this by pinning their puppies down. If your puppy becomes too rambunctious, you can calm them down by providing them with firm support.
Directions
- Kneel on the ground.
- Carefully place the puppy between your legs.
- Apply gentle but firm pressure until your puppy calms down.
Puppies that leave their mothers too young may miss out on the early training they would have received. You can help your puppy develop by becoming a surrogate for that training. Use these simple techniques to help your pup develop properly. In addition to these tips, you should talk to a veterinarian about potential health problems that can affect puppies when they've left their mother too early. Click here for more info on pet care.
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