How to Feed and Support a Stray Puppy

What To Do

1. Check your surroundings.
   – Do you see the mom or other puppies?
   – The family should be kept together. Moms can be protective of their pups, so if mom is dangerous or shy call your local animal control or ASPCA for help.
2. Provide a clean, warm, dry place/shelter.
   – This should be big enough for mom and the puppies.
   – Mom knows how to care for her pups best!
3. Report a found dog.
   – Contact your local ASPCA, animal shelter, or veterinary office and report a found dog and litter.

Helpful Tips for Feeding & Caring For Young Puppies

1. What you’ll need to feed them:
   – Syringe, bottle, nipples, a milk replacer made specifically for puppies (do not substitute with cow, soy or any other types of milk) and an infant or gram scale for weighing them.
2. How to feed them:
   – Feed them with their belly down – never feed puppies on their back!
   – One week old puppies need to be fed every two hours. As they grow each week, add one hour between feedings. (i.e. Week 1 – every two hours, Week 2 – every three hours, etc.)
   – Puppies should be eating 10-15% of the body weight at birth per day. This will gradually increase to 25% as they grow.
   – Puppies can transition to gruel (wet puppy food mixed with milk replacer) at 3-4 weeks of age.
3. More helpful tips:
   – Weigh puppies daily to monitor their growth.
   – Puppies open their eyes and ears between 10 and 14 days old.
   – Colostrum is a special milk made by mom that helps protect babies from disease.

Additional Resources

For advice and resources on raising kittens or puppies contact your local animal shelter or veterinarian. Please visit the following websites for more information: aspca.org