Welcome To Deb's Tzu Hobby Breeder of CKC Canadian Kennel Club Shih Tzu Puppies

• Make sure the puppies get warm and dry as soon as possible after they are born. When they are still wet their temperature can drop rapidly. Put them under a ceramic lamp (if the bitch will let you take her puppies away, if she is hesitant, put the 'ready box' in the whelping box with her so that she can see her babies.), or use a heated pad or a hotwater bottle filled with warm water (covered with a towel). Warm a chilled puppy gradually! Don't feed a chilled puppy until he/she is fully warmed up! If a chilled puppy feels dehydrated a little glucose water can be given.
• When the bitch has finished giving birth, return the puppies to her (after cleaning up).
• It's very important that the puppies receive the bitch's first milk. This first milk, colostrum, contains antibodies to all the diseases the bitch has encountered in her life and also those she has been vaccinated against. This will help to protect the puppies against infections. The ability of the puppy to absorb these antibodies will cease after 24-48 hours.
• Determine the sex of the puppies. Male puppies have a 'button' just below their umbilical cord stump, female puppies have a 'button' much further down and between their hind legs.
• Check the puppies for any defects. Look in their mouths to check the roof of their mouth for any abnormality. If you have any concerns you should consult your vet.
• You should weigh the puppies every day - or at least during the first two weeks. A healthy pup will increase its body weight by 5-10% per day. Therefore, weighing pups is very important. Failure to gain weight may be the first sign of disease or fading puppy syndrome. They should have doubled their weight at the end of the first week.

• The first 36 hours of your puppy's life are the most critical for its survival.
• Puppies are born in a very immature state. Their body temperature is low and they can only keep up their body heat by lying against something warm, either the bitch or a heat pad.
• Newborn puppies are never still, they twitch and jerk and stretch. This reflex action is called activated sleep. A pup which lies completely still is likely to be in trouble, as is the pup that is constantly crying.
• The umbilicus should be carefully inspected for evidence of inflammation or infection.
• Try not to disturb the bitch and her puppies too much, but do check every two hours or so to see if everything is OK - especially if it's the bitch's first litter. Keep a close eye on the bitch. If she appears to have a temperature take her to your vet.
• Make sure the bitch is eating and drinking well. Dedicated new mothers may neglect their own needs. Try and feed the bitch in the whelping box with her puppies, you may even need to coax her a bit. Ensure the bitch has a high protein diet and that the quantity is increased accordingly. Feeding and looking after puppies is hard work and the bitch will need an increased ration of high protein, high calorie food. The ration size will need to increase as the puppies get older and their milk consumption increases.
• Give the bitch ample opportunities to go outside to relieve herself - she may be reluctant to leave her babies.

• Puppies have instinctive reflexes: crawl, seek warmth, & they nurse.
• New-born puppies are unable to urinate or defecate by themselves. The bitch will stimulate them to do so by licking their rear end and tummies. Some bitches are not as contentious as others, it is a good idea to check that she is performing this task adequately. Without this stimulation a puppy will die. You can mimic this action by dampening a cotton wool ball with some warm water and rubbing the puppy's urinary opening ('button') with a gentle back and forth motion. To encourage them to defecate, rub in a circular motion under the base of the tail. Keep going until you get results, sometimes this process can take a few minutes.
• If the puppies are to be 'docked' and their dew claws removed, this should be done between days 3 & 4. It is illegal for a lay person to perform this procedure, please consult your vet. If your vet is not able to assist you, the 'Council For Docked Breeds' (URL: http://www.cdb.org/) should be able to provide you with information on vets who can help.

• Some puppies loose a bit of weight during their first day, and possibly don't gain weight on their second day but will catch up during their third day and fill out rapidly after that. In so long as the puppies appear well in all other respects, don't worry. If however you feel there is cause for concern, you could 'top' the babies up with a bottle for a couple of days (this is in addition to them feeding from the bitch).
• A healthy new-born puppy is either sleeping or sucking. He should feel plump, warm, round and firm and will make low 'contented' murmuring noises.
• If a puppy appears to be apathetic or cries constantly, something is wrong (consult your vet)!
• Abnormal pups are limp to pick up, have a damp, wrinkled, cold skin, purplish tummies and feet, and may utter a persistent, plaintive (seagull-type) cry, or may be silent and chilled.
• If the bitch can't handle the feeding of her puppies, you might want to take care of two or three feedings each day.
• Feed the puppies a commercial artificial bitch's milk (like WHELPI or Lactol). Use a syringe and 'drip' the milk into the puppy or a baby bottle with a soft teat - check the size of the flow, the milk should drip from the teat at a drop per second. If it is too fast the puppy will choke.
• Don't overfeed the puppies (when it is full, bubbles come out around its mouth).
• Don't forget burp the puppy and give to the bitch to be cleaned.

• Umbilical cord drops off.

• The puppies eyes will start to open. Their sight is still very blurred and they won't be able to see clearly for some time to come.
• Make sure the eyes are clean, look for any signs of pus.
• Teeth begin to erupt.
• Trim the puppies nails with some small scissors. Puppy's nails can be very sharp and will scratch the bitch's teats. Trim their nails every week.

• The ear canals begin to open.

• The puppies will tolerate changes in temperature better now. However they still need to be kept at an even temperature and away from draughts.
• Now is the time to worm the puppies. Puppies should be wormed at 2 + weeks of age and then fortnightly until 12 weeks of age. Consult your vet for a suitable product

• Now is the time to introduce the puppies to solid food. Take the bitch out of the whelping box when you feed the puppies (otherwise she will eat their food!). Offer the puppies a small mouthful of scraped beef (steak scraped with the back of a spoon so that a fine meat paste is produced). An alternative would be some previously soaked puppy kibble or commercial 'puppy porridge'. Put the food directly into the puppies mouth and let him/her suck it. Puppies soon get the 'taste' for non milk foods! Feed a couple of times per day for a few days. Once they have got into a routine of having solid food, offer them four very small meals per day. At this stage the bitch will still provide their main nourishment.
• The puppies will now begin to bark, wag their tails, bit, paw and growl!.
• The puppies should now be up on their feet (they are quite wobbly!) and will start to explore their surroundings a bit. They can now urinate and defecate without the help of the bitch.
• The puppies need to be handled frequently and be introduced to other people, sights and sounds (within the household!) Ensure that visitors do not expose the puppies to germs. (Here at Powerscourt we use an germicidal/virucidal (VIRKON)impregnated mat for visitors to walk on, surgical rub for their hands and a large clean towel to separate puppy from the visitors clothing!)

• Ear canals should have completely opened by now.
• The puppies should be out of the whelping box now and into a playpen in the kitchen (or somewhere equally suitable). Here they will be able to toddle about and play with some freedom. They will also be subjected to household comings and goings which will be good for them during their socialisation phase
• Weaning can begin in earnest now. Take the bitch away from her puppies and offer them four small meals a day. The puppies' first attempts at eating will be messy! They will climb in the bowl, spill food everywhere and generally not eat very much! Once they lose interest in the bowl let the bitch back in to them. She will clean up any spilt food!

• Worm the puppies again!. At this stage it is also appropriate to worm the bitch with a suitable product.

• The puppies should be completely weaned now. They should receive all their nourishment from food rather than from their mother. However it is permissible to allow the bitch to give the puppies the occasional feed should she so desire.
• Don't leave food down permanently, this is un hygienic
• Make sure you offer the puppies water to drink. As they move over to solid food and rely less on the bitch they will need water to replace the fluid they had in the form of milk. Ensure the water container is not deep or a puppy could fall in and drown
• Once the puppies are on solid food the bitch will no longer clean them. Usually the puppies will move into a corner of their box to urinate and defecate.

• Worm the puppies again!.

• The babies should be fully weaned and eating four good sized meals a day. Stick to regular mealtimes.
• The puppies will now be very active and will be playing for a few hours a day. They will be very rough with each other and there will be lots of ear tugging!
• The bitch's job is now almost complete. You should gradually start to integrate the bitch back into the family and away from her babies. She must of course have access to them, but don't force her to be with them if she doesn't want to.

• At this stage (subject to the weather!) babies can play outside in the garden. Do check to ensure the garden is 'puppy proof' i.e. no gaps in fencing and hedges etc. Also check for plants that are harmful if eaten!

• Worm the puppies again!
• If the puppy is going to a new home now is the time to say goodbye.
• Depending on the type of vaccine your vet uses, puppies can receive their first vaccination against the common canine infectious diseases now.

• The puppy should be happily settled in his/her new home now.
• He/She should be eating four good meals a day.

• The puppy can receive the second vaccination against the common canine disease now. (The first if he/she has not started the Primary Course of Vaccinations).
• Worm the puppy again!

• The puppies are twelve weeks old now, they should be fully vaccinated and ready to go outside for their first walks and to puppy training classes etc..
• Worm the puppy again!

Sire                                       

Mr Blue Sky Baja Bound
BLU & WHT

Sire
Classy Paws' Blueberry Blizzard                                    BLU

Sire
Angel's Nik-Nak             

BRDL & WHT                            

Sire
Maripen Bo Jangles                                  BLK

Dam
Angel's Sensational Sasha Superstar                                       WHT

Sire
Maripen's Rowdy Rambo                                      LVR

Dam
Calli Paige Hopper                                    BLK & WHT

Dam
Jaidyn Acres Of Willow Rose                                         BLU & WHT

Sire
Marty's Fung Fooie Dewey GLD & WHT

Dam
The Many Faces Of Epiphany
LVR & WHT

Sire
Ch. LeaReen's Double Parked  GLD & WHT

Sire
BISS Am. Can. Ch. Raptures Parked On A Cloud

Sire
Ch. Sophisticate Dancin On A Cloud

Dam
Ch. Raptures Tapiko At LeaReen

Dam
BIS Can. Ch. Raptures Magic Dancer ROM

Dam
Texas Grown Lily Of The Valley (USA)                                    WHT

Sire
Louise's Colby

GLD & WHT, BLK MARKINGS

Sire
Cc's Mister Big Stuff

LVR & WHT

Dam
Paumels Chase N Shelly West

GLD & WHT

Dam
Misty's Specail Valentine

RD & WHT

Sire
Third Charm Samson

RD & WHT

Dam
Sadie Sanchez

BRDL & WHT