I love German Shepherds and I’m sure that you might too. So, the mother of the german shepherd newborn puppies takes care of their little ones by themselves and we should avoid interfering at the early stages when the GSD puppies are newborn.
How to take care of newborn German Shepherd puppy? Well, I’ve answered this question below in detail with proper knowledge step-by-step.
I know!
I know that we are very excited whenever we see a newborn puppy but there is a proper way to grow your pup from the initial weeks.
And I’ll be also sharing the best & cute newborn german shepherd puppy pictures, videos with you all, be with me till the end I’ll share those too.
All the questions that keep on hunting your head to grow a newborn GSD are all listed below as a detailed guide step-by-step.
Let’s start!!!
Table of Contents
How to take care of newborn german shepherd puppy? (5 Things you should know)
The newborn puppies are born blind, deaf, and toothless. They are very weak and are not developed fully to take care of themselves, and hence we need to take some additional attention and care.
It’s also one of our opportunity to take right care of the GSD mother so that the puppy gets the right start in life.
Is your GSD pregnant? Is your GSD ought to give birth to the cute little puppies?
Here’s a guide that you should follow:
1. Before Birth Phase
‘Nesting’ a behavior before delivering the puppies a female German Shepherd starts developing it. She looks out for the best safe & private place so that she can give birth to her babies.
For their comfort, you can help them, by providing them a big cardboard box that is spacious and with clean newspapers, blankets, or towels on the floor.
(Be careful your pup might get entangled and suffocated in the blankets, make sure that the blankets are tight enough )
2. Temperature
Well, you should know that the newborn pups and unable to adjust the temperature of their body, and hence the temperature of the room where they are born is very important.
Follow this table for maintaining a perfect room temperature for the puppies.
| 1st week | 30° – 32°C |
| 2nd week | 26° – 28°C |
| 3rd week | Around 22°C |
If they don’t be in the box for any reason, you may provide them a warm source by placing a heating pad or a heat lamp. Make sure that the heat lamp is at a safer distance above the box.
Keep the humidity level between 55% – 65% to avoid the puppies’ dehydration. But do not exceed 65% which can cause humidity diseases.
3. Birth
After the puppy is out of the mother litter to make sure that every puppy is breathing properly. Have a proper eye on the puppies and make sure that the puppy is not under the Fading puppy syndrome.
When they are out, I mean 1 GSD puppy at a time…
According to Purina ‘Puppies are usually born within 20 minutes of each other, but it’s quite normal for mum to have a rest during delivery, and may not strain at all for up to two hours between pups.’
Mostly after the birth, the mother cuts the umbilical cord and starts licking her pup’s body so that the GSD puppy body is dry. And rarely in a few of the cases, the mother doesn’t know what to do as she gets exhausted while this whole process, it’s your duty to take the puppies towards the mother’s mouth so that she starts licking.
Plus you should have a clean towel by your side so that you can also clean the puppy. In addition, if the pup sounds blocked, use a baby ear syringe to gently clear its throat and nasal passages.
To identify each puppy, you can tie yarn or thread around the neck. I’ve seen many pet parents doing this on YouTube.
4. Nutrition
As the puppies are born they are not certainly licking milk, they are licking the yellowish substance called ‘colostrum’ which helps to keep their body nourished. This helps to support their immune system as it carries their mother’s natural immunoglobulins.
In fact, 80 to 90 % of newborn puppies who could not help from colostrum face death.
During the initial days, you need not to worry, the puppies will themselves go for licking the milk from their mother’s nipple.
The lactating time period is about 2 months.
However, maternal intolerance may happen for various reasons. In this case, you should find another feeding mother or artificial feeding. Purchase a baby bottle or syringe for feeding, if you don’t find a feeding mother.
If the litter is abandoned or orphaned, inquire about it to your vet to prescribed milk formulated for German shepherd puppies.
Make sure you weigh the puppies at least 4 times a week. If the weight is stagnant and not gaining more weight, you should go and consult your vet.
5. Hygiene
Well, one of the important things, you should keep the place where they live clean and hygienic. Replace the surface, clean and disinfect at least once a day. Proper care of hygiene is important to keep your GSD pup healthy. Keep the pup’s bed clean.
When the puppies are born they start urinating with the help of their mother, as she licks their genital parts to encourage them to eliminate.
But how to perform this without the GSD mother?
Well, you just need to use a cotton ball, towel, or a washcloth to massage gently near the anal region. Use the suction bulb syringe if something is preventing the puppies’ nasal passages.
After the 45 days of their life, they can have a bath.
Caring Newborn German Shepherd Puppy Step-by-Step
A German Shepherd litter consists of around 4-8 puppies and the average is 6. As I’ve also mentioned above at some point that as the pup is born they are attached with umbilical cord and that is chewed off by the mother and she spends a few mins licking her babies.
You can also go for consulting by a vet for your GSD pup if you are totally new to this and have zero knowledge.
GSD puppies are nursed by their mother by keeping them warm, and the puppies will either sleep or lick the nipples of their mom.
Let’s discuss, about GSD puppies step-by-step.
Newborn German Shepherd Puppies
Most of the things I’ve covered in the start itself mostly in the ‘Birth’ section and more. Just check that if the newborn german shepherd puppies are able to breathe or not, and if you find some pups are feeling difficult to breathe make sure you use a suction bulb syringe to suck out the blockage and clear its airways.
They can crawl, and due to this, they are able to lick from their mom’s nipple to suck milk. During the 1st week, they often eat every two hours.
1-2 Week Old German Shepherd Puppy
As they grow, you start seeing changes in them, but during the first week, there will be no such massive change. They are the same…
Puppies start gaining weight (they’ll bulk up) because they usually eat and sleep with their eyes are still closed.
Check their weight daily, so that you know that the puppies are going well on the weights.
Week 2, you’ll see that the puppies will open their eyes for the first time, but still, they are not able to see very well. As the GSD puppies develop their eyes switch from blue to brown as they grow.
Now instead of crawling the puppies will start using their legs which will not stand ideally but they will try to stand, and at the moment you’ll observe that they are not able to stand on their shaky legs.
3-4 Week Old German Shepherd Puppy
Yes, at this stage you’ll start discovering few changes, pups ears open, and are able to hear the sound. They are now able to stand on their legs but are not that well developed to run around the house.
You’ll start seeing some rapid changes in their body during the third week.
Baby teeth will start showing up during this week and still the major percentage of food, nutrition is dependent on their mother. But you’ll also notice that the german shepherd puppies start showing curiosity in solid food.
Most of the things they do are done by themselves, they are quite independent and would do what they like.
They would be able to urinate and defecate on their own, and they would not take the help of their mom.
And here comes the beginning phase of socialization (End to 3rd week to start of 4rth week)
- A crucial stage, things that the puppy will learn in this stage will shape his personality. They may involve the other puppies in inept play and show body language such as tail wagging for the 1st time.
- Plus, they would also show a little bit of adventure and courage for the first time.
You’ll also see that they will start making relationships with the other mates, their mom, and humans.
Here in this stage, you should treat your pup gently and start exposing them to humans in a very good manner so that the pups don’t feel a threat when they come to humans.
Try to build a great relationship, we all love puppies they are so cute and loving, it is also said that…
“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself.”
Their brains start developing, they try to learn new concepts, and this time you can mold their habits. You can train them in things like crate and potty training.
A curious week for the puppies, they are now able to walk properly and play with their family.
As time passes you’ll see that their teeth are more grown, you can start offering them soft but solid food.
Recommended – Top 10 Best Dog Collar for German Shepherd
5-6 Week Old German Shepherd Puppy
They’ll be getting bulkier, grow in size. Puppies might show signs of more complex behaviors towards their other den mates and would learn important skills like bite inhibition, and would gently be exposed to new people, sounds, and sights.
Pups would further be weaned off the mother at this point, gradually moving onto a fully solid diet.
In the 6th week, you would see them being more independent of their mother but will not leave the den and would fully be weaned off their mother milk and would move to solid thinks (not completely) like dog food solely.
Starts adapting social things rapidly plays with humans and starts building a bind with humans too.
And from the end of this week, you’ll see the pup’s bodyweight is increasing and getting bigger day-by-day.
7-8 Week Old German Shepherd Puppy
During this time as they have been curious previously, they start getting a fear period, they show fear towards new things.
Make sure to get his fear out by some easy tasks. For example: If the puppy feels scared with any one of the family members, the whole life the puppy would be afraid of that family member and would never trust him the whole life.
But we can prevent this, as I’ve explained in the above socialization section above that make sure you introduce your pup to humans in a gentle way so that they feel don’t feel that humans are intimidating.
8th Week…
At his phase, they are ready to be homed and their body weight is around 12-15 pounds, 6-9 inches tall. Ears will begin to erect and upright over the coming weeks.
- Are fully independent of their mother.
- Completely weaned.
- Having some basic socialization & training.
And from here new owners are expected to continue to train and socialize them as they are still in the critical period of development.
Cute German Shepherd Puppies Images & Video
Check these few pics of cute Cute German Shepherd Puppies. And I’ve also embedded an amazing YouTube video, make sure you watch it.
I hope that these images are enough, now watch this amazing video! Watch out these cute little GSD puppies when they are born!!!
OMG, they are so cuteeeeee! When I first watched this video I really had no words man. Such an amazing moment.
10+ Facts about German Shepherds
Fun Fact: The majority of German Shepherd puppies born, the first pup will be a male (typical male always impatient).
Moving on to the facts section…
- The breed has developed for herding.
- They are exceptionally intelligent and loyal.
- GSD ranks 3rd in the position for most intelligent dog breeds in the world.
- They are amongst the most popular dog breeds in the world.
- GSD has been a success in film and TV. The title character ‘protagonist’ of the adventures of Rin Tin Tin is one of the famous German shepherds in any creative medium but there are many more such as inspector Rex, Jerry Lee from Jim Belushi from the k9 movie and Sam from I’am legend.
- They have participated in 2 world wars.
- They are greedy, so be alert towards bad eating habits.
- German Shepherds are strong dogs but experience health problems.
- Since the breed is officially recognized their fur has generated much controversy.
- They are not aggressive dogs by nature.
- They are 1st guide dogs in history.
- GSD can also live with other animals in your home.
- They are USA 2nd most registered dog breeds.
Conclusion
So, in this post, I’ve covered How to take care of newborn german shepherd puppy? And have shared 5 pointers which are significant and in the latter part I’ve shared that how to take care and have made a step-by-step section to take care of GSD puppies.
I hope that this post has delivered a good piece of content and made you satisfied. Hope you enjoyed it!
Now, I would be happy, if you share this information with your friends. Your one share would make my day.
