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01 · Foundations & Planning16 articles01 · Foundations & Planning11 articles01 · Foundations & Planning15 articles02 · Mating to Birth15 articles02 · Mating to Birth14 articles02 · Mating to Birth14 articles02 · Mating to Birth16 articles03 · Raising the Litter15 articles03 · Raising the Litter15 articles03 · Raising the Litter13 articles04 · Placement & Follow-Up18 articles04 · Placement & Follow-Up13 articlesThroughout · Kennel Operations16 articlesThroughout · The Breeding Dog’s Life8 articles

Elisa Hedman

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The normal newborn puppy

What a healthy newborn puppy looks like and does — reflexes, temperature, sleep patterns, and the vet check recommended in the first 48 hours.

February 9, 2026

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I’m planning my first litter
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I don’t know when to mate her
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Labor isn’t progressing
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An illness is spreading in my kennel
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How should I feed her between litters?
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← 01 Foundations & Planning All Responsible Breeding articles Next areaBreeding Goals & Strategy →

← 01 Foundations & Planning All Breeding Goals & Strategy articles Next areaGenetics & Hereditary Health →

← 01 Foundations & Planning All Genetics & Hereditary Health articles Next areaReproduction & Fertility →

← 02 Mating to Birth All Reproduction & Fertility articles Next areaPregnancy & the Pregnant Dam →

← 02 Mating to Birth All Pregnancy & the Pregnant Dam articles Next areaWhelping & Postpartum Care →

← 02 Mating to Birth All Whelping & Postpartum Care articles Next areaThe Neonatal Period →

← 02 Mating to Birth All The Neonatal Period articles Next areaLitter Health & Nutrition →

← 03 Raising the Litter All Litter Health & Nutrition articles Next areaBehavior & Enrichment →

← 03 Raising the Litter All Behavior & Enrichment articles Next areaPuppy Evaluation & Matching →

← 03 Raising the Litter All Puppy Evaluation & Matching articles Next areaPuppy Buyers & Sales →

← 04 Placement & Follow-Up All Puppy Buyers & Sales articles Next areaFollow-Up & the Next Generation →

← 04 Placement & Follow-Up All Follow-Up & the Next Generation articles Next areaKennel Operations →

← Kennel Operations All Kennel Operations articles Next areaThe Breeding Dog’s Life →

← The Breeding Dog’s Life All articles in The Breeding Dog’s Life Back toBreeder’s Library →

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Elisa Hedman

The normal newborn puppy

Where are you right now?

Where are you right now?

Where are you right now?

Where are you right now?

Where are you right now?

Where are you right now?