# New here and need help/3 week old GSD



## MrsNnr (Jun 27, 2011)

I have a 3 week old German Shepherd, Father was a long hair and Mother a short hair. The Mother of the puppy abandoned it when it was two weeks old. I would like this puppy to have a chance at a good life. I am taking him to the vet in a couple of days, until then do you have any advice/tips/or experience? TIA


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## WarrantsWifey (Dec 18, 2010)

What is your food regime for this pup?! How often and what are you feeding it??


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## MrsNnr (Jun 27, 2011)

4x a day wet mixed with dry Merrick's Puppy food. Also milk replacement.


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## sagelfn (Aug 13, 2009)

Hopefullly a breeder will be on this soon.

Here's all I can offer Developmental Stages

Here are 2 threads on raising singleton pups with lots of helpful info
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/thinking-about-becoming-breeder/149422-so-you-want-breeder.html

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...35-please-tell-me-what-do-only-one-lived.html


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## WarrantsWifey (Dec 18, 2010)

Do you have a warm area set up for the puppy, since the puppy can't regulate it's own tempature, it needs a warming area, like a hanging heating lamp on one side of the sleeping area or if no lamp is an option, I've heard of a heating pad on one side of the bed... The sleeping area should be kept around 80 degrees. 

At 3 weeks, the puppy should still be on the bottle and fed in an upright position. Every four hours is about how often the puppy should eat. Mush between meals is good for the pup. I don't know the right ratio or how to make it, somebody should have better advice on that. Make sure to rub the puppies back to encourage burping, kinda like babies, but stick to rubbing, kinda like how the momma would lick their back....

Speaking of licking, your gonna be responsible for cleaning the puppy. Wipe the puppy's anus and genitals with a cotton ball moistened with warm water to imitate the sensation of the mother's licking after every meal, this will stimulate his peeing and pooping.

And last but not least, love, loads of it. :wub:

If your doing most of this great!! Hope some other people have stuff that I have missed!


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## MrsNnr (Jun 27, 2011)

Thank you so much. As for the cleaning of the genitals to stimulate how long do we need to do this for? He is already peeing and pooping on his own. Several times a day.


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## WarrantsWifey (Dec 18, 2010)

If the pup is pooping and peeing on it's own, GREAT! Make sure you designate a pooping/peeing area SEPARATE from where you feed the pup. Just keep up with cleaning it's area for now..... I'm not sure how long until they can start managing on taking care of that chore. Maybe Camspack will chime in on this thread....


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## MrsNnr (Jun 27, 2011)

Thanks for all your help. We just got him yesterday. Last night I put him in a crate with a blanket and the other half newspaper at about 10pm. He did not go in his area at all until being let out at 6am, he also did not whine at all like I expected to him if he had to go-we kept him in our room.


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## WarrantsWifey (Dec 18, 2010)

So for background purposes, can you explain how you came to get this puppy? Since you just got him last night??

Please, stick around. Have thick skin, there are going to be some critics here, but you are going to get the BEST info for the pup HERE.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I don't think anyone would criticize someone for taking a 3 week old puppy because it's mother has abandoned it

good that he is pottying on his own, I've fostered kittens younger than this, (which I think are easier than puppies) 

Carmen gave some great advice to someone who also in your predicament, let me see if I can find her suggestions ...


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## WarrantsWifey (Dec 18, 2010)

Thanks Diane! I sure hope everybody is helpful, usually they can be! 

BTW, Can we see a picture of this little monster?? :wub:


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

found the post,,it's a little lengthy, but kodiak is about the same age I think, and carmen gave some good suggestions on what to feed
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/stories/161339-poor-kodiak.html


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## MrsNnr (Jun 27, 2011)

I completely understand and am ready for all concern/advice/criticism/etc. I just want the best for this pup that has had an undesirable start. 
A friend has a male and a female GSD, she "thought" the female could not reproduce when she got her. A couple days after getting the female she found the male and her in the backyard mating. Then came the puppies. When she told me the mother stopped feeding them and caring for them at 2 weeks I became concerned. She then was telling me that she just started getting them food from the dollar store and they seemed ok. I was over yesterday and she had the one puppy left, said she gave away the others because she was overwhelmed. I offered to take him in and to get him the help he needs. She is now scheduling her female's spay, or so she said.


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## WarrantsWifey (Dec 18, 2010)

Thats amazing of you for stepping in for that puppy! I'm glad you saw he needed more than he was getting. Good for you! Hope you get more advice on here!!


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## MrsNnr (Jun 27, 2011)

*Bear-3 weeks and 4 days.*

Here he is. Taking a nap.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

oh my gosh, he's sooooo cute!!!!


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## WarrantsWifey (Dec 18, 2010)

WOOOOW! Now that is a CUTE puppy!!! :wub: :wub: :wub: You are LUCKY!!! :wub:


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## MrsNnr (Jun 27, 2011)

Thanks!


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## vat (Jul 23, 2010)

I have no advice but what a cutie pie! Wishing you the best of luck.


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## Mom2Shaman (Jun 17, 2011)

I also think it is great you took the pup to give the best possible care. Little one deserves it. I will keep your baby in my prayers along with a couple other little ones with shaky starts on here.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi MrsNnr, 

I moved your thread to the Breeder section, lots of good, helpful folks here to guide you with your new pup. I have no experience in this area, just want to say good luck!


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

okay got to vent some here -- 

this sounds like total disaster ville -- was the dam adequately fed so that she was producing ample milk -- or was she in a chronic dry state where the pups were irritating her by pulling on her 

you said the owner of the dam became overwhelmed and gave away all the pups minus the one you took at 3 weeks of age . 

the mother "abandoned" the pups at 2 weeks of age ? so when did the other pups leave ? 

I wonder if the dam was malnourished or over stimulated , not given a private restful spot to concentrate on her youngsters --- or how young was she when the pups were born . 

not only did the dam not bond or care for the pups (?) neither did the person who was responsible for their care at least to 7 weeks of age --- at the least she could have fed them , held them together as a litter , and had the adult enter the room and interact with them even though she was not a caring maternal type female .

Carmen
Carmspack Working German Shepherd Dogs


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## MrsNnr (Jun 27, 2011)

I am not sure about her set up for the mother or the care. I'm assuming it wasn't good since she was giving away all the puppies, feeding them dollar store crap, and didn't know what to do with them. When I was over she had him in a travel dog crate and said that is where she had been keeping all of the puppies. So the puppies weren't even with the mom.

I know we have a long road ahead of us, just hoping that all is not lost and he can make a good outcome in the long run.


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## WVGSD (Nov 28, 2006)

Lots of puppies have a rough start in life and this one is very lucky that you became involved. Since he is just three weeks old, he has not had had the benefit of a full maternal antibody level of protection. We don't even know if the mother had been appropriately vaccianted. I recommend that you speak with your vet about vaccinations and, especially in light of his very young age when separated from his mother. The best thing that you can do is be EXTREMELY careful where he goes and what he is exposed to. If friends come to visit, ask them to remove shoes before coming in to the house. I would also ask them to wash hands to the elbows before handling him. When you go to the vet, ask them to wipe down the exam table before you place him on it and do not let him touch the floor. Don't take him to many places that you can not adequately protect what he is exposed to as his immunity level may be lessened by his current situation. 

There are some single antigen vaccines available and your vet might want to start a regimen with this in consideration of his age. For example, the puppy might just receive a single parvo injection on one visit and a distemper vaccine on another visit. Once the puppy reaches the age of six or eight weeks (depending upon his condition and your vet's expertise), he could be given a standard puppy vaccine regimen (distemper, hepatitis, parvo and parainfluenza).

Thank you for giving this puppy a much better chance at a good start in life.


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## Silvermoon (Apr 2, 2011)

What a cutie pie!! Good luck and congrats! He was meant to find you. any names yet?


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## idahospud49 (Jan 28, 2011)

Oh he's precious!!!


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