Hand rearing tiny Chihuahua puppies
Daisy, Ivy, Violet, Rupert and Bertie were just two days old when they arrived at Woodgreen. So, we got straight to work to ensure they had the best possible start in life!
Their poorly mum sadly passed away after giving birth to her babies at a local vet’s. Finding themselves all alone in the world, the Chihuahua Cross Pugs spent their first night with a vet nurse, who fed them round-the-clock. They were signed over to our care the following day. With no mum to nurture them, these tiny newborns were completely dependent on us. We quickly got them cosy in a cat carrier with heat pads and bedding to keep them warm.
Our Fostering and Veterinary teams took turns to bottle feed them every hour. Luckily, Alan and Jackie, two of our experienced hand-rear fosterers, were on standby to welcome the puppies into their home that very day. The siblings were small and weak, so they remained within the enclosed haven of the carrier for a few days. As they became more mobile, Jackie and Alan built a whelping box so they had more room to wriggle around safely. The dedicated foster parents fed them every two to three hours until the pups were four weeks old. At this point, they were weaned on to solid food.
Things suddenly took a dramatic turn when Rupert, the smallest of the litter, was rushed to an emergency vet. Alan and Jackie noticed he struggled to keep down his food and had nasal discharge. It was thought Rupert had an upper respiratory tract infection, so he stayed at the practice for two nights for treatment. As a precaution, his brother and sisters were also given antibiotics, after they too began sneezing. Thankfully, Rupert’s tests showed he didn’t have anything more serious.
The puppies then moved to a new foster home with Lara, where Rupert quickly recovered. As hot water steam is known for clearing airways and preventing congestion, our Veterinary team suggested Lara placed Rupert and sister Violet – who also sneezing a lot – securely in the bathroom while she had a shower. It worked wonders and we were confident they were over the worst. It was Lara’s first time caring for a bunch of lively puppies, but she took it all in her stride. Giving each sibling some one-on-one time, Lara continued her guests’ all-important training and socialising. This included housetraining, building up their time home alone, basic handling and getting them used to wearing collars, harnesses and leads. Thanks to the devoted care from our wonderful fosterers, the puppies flourished and transformed into independent youngsters.
It was incredible to watch their journey and development, especially when their little personalities started shining through. We captured and documented their journey each week. We watched as they became more mobile, from starting to wiggle and opening their eyes, to walking and trying to find their balance. It was amazing to be part of it. Our fosterers are the true heroes for giving these little ones the care and support they needed to thrive.
A happy ending for the puppies
Two months after stepping through our doors, eight-week-old Daisy, Ivy, Violet, Rupert and Bertie were ready for the next chapter in their lives. They didn’t have long to wait, either. All five puppies soon found the perfect new families – and we hear they’re getting on great! Violet’s new family tell us: “Violet has a new best friend in our other dog, Chelsea. They’ve got a great bond already – Violet is the first dog Chelsea is happy to share her ball with!”