Make sure the puppies get warm and dry as soon as possible after they are born.
ALWAYS have Clavamox Pills and Oxytocin on hand for the mom
as never fails you will need this in the middle of the night when the vet office is closed.
I would also strongly advise having Clavamox unconstituted on hand for pups !
When pups are still wet, their temperature can drop rapidly.
The pups must be kept in an environment of 70 F or 21 C with a heating pad on medium in center of the whelping box.
With this set up, pups are warm and cozy and mom is not overheated and will be comfortable.
Rule of thumb is:
if you see pups all spread out = whelping box is too warm
pups all piled up and crying = whelping box too cold
If pups are lined up and quiet = whelping box temperature is just perfect.
We use a 24" heating pad (that does NOT automatically shut off) covered in a towel in a bin
Or incubator (as of 2023) and put all newborn pups in a bin, to warm and dry, if mom is not upset.
Never allow a chilled puppy to feed until they are fully warmed up, as their systems will shut down if the pups are chilled.
When the bitch has finished giving birth, return the puppies to her (after cleaning up the whelping box area).
AND AFTER taking mom outside to exercise and to potty, she may even pass a placenta or suprise you with a puppy.
Always bring a hand towel just in case and flashlight if night time.
Walking her outside to potty durhing whelping, can stimulate whelping, usually done, between pups being born.
It's very important that the puppies receive the bitch's first milk. However if necessary
pups can survive up to 4 hours without nursing and still receive colostrum so don't panic.
This first milk, colostrum, contains antibodies to all the diseases the bitch has encountered during her life time and also those diseases that she has been vaccinated against.
This exposures will help to protect the puppies against diseases.
The ability of the puppy to adapt colostrum, will cease after 24-48 hours.
Colostrum is very concentrated, it doesnt squirt like milk does.
Milk comes in, on Day 2 to Day 3.
Some breeders like to give Fenugreek to bring in more milk or
Breeder's Edge Oxy Momma
In over 30 years of breeding, I have never given calcium, or any other Fad thing "newbie" breeders so often like to do
AND I have large healthy litters from Show and Performance Champions. THAT being said I also only breed healthy
robust dogs who are structurally and mentally sound dogs.
I find "some" people that decide to breed, really want to feel needed by their moms
and will fill their need by interferring, more than they should, which can cause loss of pups and sick moms
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, such as a Cleft lip as in photo.
Look in their mouths to check the roof of their mouth for any abnormality.
Puppy with any defects will be euthanized and NOT sustained. Bottle Feeding Pups
Njoy Chin, removes dewclaws (front and rear if there) shortly after pups are born.
Many owners don't trim the dewclaw for months, until they grown into Puppie's legs
and puppy is in agony before owners remember to trim them, so are best to be removed..
Front declaws often get pulled or caught and ripped off. WE avoid this tragedy on Day 1.
ALWAYS check puppy for REAR dewclaws.
Some breeders 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.
Njoy Chin have never done this practice, as we can easily tell by looking
who needs extra help to get on a nipple to nurse.
We do NOT believe in heroic measures to save an unhealthy puppy.
We only want the strongest, healthiest pups to go to loving pet homes.
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.
During the first week we also apply specially made Newborn Puppy Collars to help us keep track of individual pups.
First Week -
The first 36 hours of your puppy's life are the most critical for its survival.
We identify each puppy by Velcro collars which we make and sell. This helps us keep track of who is who.
Puppies are born in a very immature state. They can not regulate their own body temperature.
They can only keep up their body heat by lying against something warm, either the bitch or on 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 and is usually the pup that is constantly crying.
The umbilicus should be carefully inspected for evidence of inflammation or infection which is RARE.
We designed and built an ideal whelping box to provide mother with a safe environment
to whelp and raise her pups in, because there was nothing on the market that could do this.
When thinking about a whelping box for toy breeds it must keep drafts
(yes even in the house) out of the box, and mess from mom's tail
and during whelping kept contained and also easily able to sanitize material.
You will also need a base for your whelping or puppy box, again to keep mess contained
but also easy to sanitize and to keep your box from moving around.
You will also want your whelping box in a square shape, to fit beside your bed or in a corner.
This box is a 22"x22" box with 6" sizes
I have fitted this box in a raised Cage to contain mom and pups safely
as well as have it raised, so I am easily able to reach and help mom.
My Box also gives mom enough room to be comfortable any way she
wishes to lay down to nurse their pups. This design also allows mom room
to leave the box and pups and have a break laying outside the box.
My Box is made of plastic material that is easy to sanitize
and will not hold bacteria, or smell, unlike the wood ones you see people using.
Njoy Chin pups have their own puppy nursery, in a bedroom right next to ours, set up for comfort and ease of care.
I not to disturb the bitch and her puppies too much, but I do check every two hours or so, to see if everything is OK
This is when nanny cams, come in very handy, or Nest online cameras especially if it's the bitch's first litter. Nervous owners = Nervous moms, try not to interfere too much and give mom
Her privacy so that she can focus on caring for her pups.
Do not keep mom and pups in a busy communal area, as that is very stressful
for the mother, even if she appears OK or happy to see you, her body and mind will be stressed as it is her instinct
to protect her pups from harm and intruders. While she knows you, she can't control that "knee jerk" rush
that adds stress into her system and onto the pups. Always have a quiet, private area to house mother and pups while she is still nursing her pups.
If the mom appears stressed or unable to settle and look comfortable, she may need to see the Vet.
This is usually a sign she may have a puppy still inside of her.
We have had our mom's pop out a live big puppy 24 hours after appearing to be done whelping and live a healthy life.
However in one other case 12 hours later and no puppy and knowing and feeling some still inside
I have had to do an emergency C-Section. Make sure the Vet administers anesthetic and then GETS CUTTING the bitch open
otherwise you will loose the retained pups because of anesthetic is getting to them ! Vets will NOT tell you this.
WE have worked 15 minutes on pups and brought them around. No puppy is "dead" until it is WARM and "dead". Try to get Vets going quicker !
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, as long as she is not food aggressive, you may even need to coax her a bit.
Ensure the bitch has a high protein diet and that the quantity is increased accordingly.
Njoy Chins are on a quality RAW food diet.
Feeding and looking after puppies is hard work and the bitch will need an increased ration of RAW diet.
Some believe you also should feed calcium to mother. We have not done this, but it would not hurt to have cottage cheese or yogurt on hand during whelping, to offer mom or even calcium suppliment (espeically if you go on forums and read this is needed.LOL).
The ration size will need to increase as the puppies get older and their milk consumption increases.
I personally always make sure mom has a full dish every 2 hours. If she leaves it, I toss out.
Give the bitch ample opportunities to go outside to relieve herself.
she may be reluctant to leave her babies so coax her with a baby
but make her go outside and move around.
Pups 1-3 day of being born -
The first week we begin to perform Bi-Sensor Stimulation our pups to ensure they receive the
proper amount of stimulus and positive outcomes resulting in calm, confident, well rounded puppies
Puppies have instinctive reflexes: crawl, seek warmth, and 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 their tails.
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 (or sponge feeding)
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. You can consult your vet but usually you will waste money as this puppy will not survive.
Usually these pups make a "gold fish" gulping air movements.
You may find a puppy squished by the mother. Do not scold her, because generally she has done so, because she can sense there is something wrong with that puppy.
Abnormal pups are limp to pick up, boney, 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.
Most females will be fine, but If the bitch can't handle the feeding of her puppies, you might want to take care of two or three feedings each day.
It is always wise to have 2 moms at the same time, whelping, so that one female may help the other by taking more pups to raise.
You can supplement puppy feeding with goats milk, or a commercial substitute like esbilac puppy milk replacer from the Pet store.
Use the "sponge" method, so you can't over feed the puppy and pups learn to suckle.
Don't forget burp the puppy and give to the bitch to be cleaned
or you stimulate the gentiles to void and defecate with a damp cotton ball as newborns can't poo or pee on their own and will die if not stimulated to pee and poop.
We have never ever substituted feeding a puppy, but many breeders like to be more involved and will do this extra work.
Pups day 5-7
Umbilical cord drops off. By the end of the first week the puppies will be more mobile
and will crawl around on their bellies
and have a good sense of direction when moving towards the mother dog.
The mother will leave the puppies briefly several times a day
and the puppies will be OK with this. Handle the puppies daily for short periods,
never completely removing them from the puppy area.
Pups day 10 to day 14 day
At 2 weeks of age once eyes open
they can generate their own body heat and can keep warm.
pups spread out are too warm
pups on top of each other they are too cold
pups laying together but are spaced = just right
temperature in their whelping box.
However I still keep their heating pad on and cover their
area to contain the heat in the Whelping/Puppy Box and keep drafts out.
Ear canals also begin to open up.
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.
Exposure to breeze or any chill will cause the puppy to get the snots and possibly
Eye discharge.
Trim the puppies nails with some small blunt scissors.
Puppy's nails can be very sharp and will scratch the Mom's Nipples.
Trim their nails every week to keep them comfortable.
Sunday, is "nail day" at my place, so I have a routine and won't forget.
By the end of the second week the puppies should be walking with a fair amount of stability.
The sharp puppy claws may need to be blunted to avoid injure to the littermates.
The puppys eyes will start to open slightly and they will begin to have sense of smell towards the end of the second week.
They are starting to notice noises and when people arrive. Handle the puppies daily and for longer periods.
Pups are sure getting larger and larger now.
Their whelping box is replaced with a "puppy box" that gives the
pups room to move around and mom to lay down to nurse the growing pups.
Pups day 14
*Pictures of Puppy being dewormed
Puppy being weighed for it's dose of Strongid T (All puppies may have round worms)
Worm the puppies! At this stage it is also appropriate to worm the mom with Strongid T.
We do day 14 day 15 and repeat day 25 and 26 mom and pups.
At this time if pups are kept where there is a door opening or closing and a draft, they can get snotty noses appearing to have a cold.
This will be deadly if not treated with liquid Clavamox right away !!!
RARE but do keep a feel of mom's nipples to make sure none are hard
During weaning. If hard and hot, this could be the beginnings of mastitis.
this can happen during the weaning process as pups are not nursing as much
but milk production doesn't lesson. I always have Clavaseptin and or Clavamox pills on hand
because as soon as a nipple feels harden, I will pill the mom to avoid Mastitis.
Never squeeze or milk that nipple, as that will only encourage
milk to come in, and create more problems such as in the photo above.
Pups day 14 days
The puppies will tolerate changes in temperature better now.
However they still need to be kept at an even temperature and away from drafts.
Pups are beginning to move away from where they sleep to poo and pee.
This is the first step in our process to develop clean pups that start to toilet train.
Pups day 24 & day 25
*Pictures of Puppy being dewormed
RAW goat's milk (not pasteurized, you will find in the health food section of stores.
I take this warm milk and pour into my vitamixer along with RAW meat
and the blood drippings and make into a puree.
Put the food directly into the puppies mouth and let him/her suck it.
Puppies soon get the 'taste' for RAW and wean fast onto it.
Njoy Chin feeds our mom and pups RAW. Our mom wishes to no longer nurse
At this age so she rejoins our family and pups wean right onto RAW mixed with
RAW unpasteurized Goats milk 3.8% we get directly from a goat farmer.
NEVER give your puppy milk when you get them home.
Mammals have a difficult time processing Dairy once they are weaned.
(5 week old Japanese Chin's teeth cutting through)
When pups start to have teeth cut through, that is when mom no longer wish to nurse.
Our pups have limited sight, but good sense of hearing and smell.
They are constantly on the move in the litter area and begin to play and socialize with each other.
Now is the time to worm the puppies.
We use "STRONGID T" Puppies should be wormed at 14 days old 15 days old, 25 days old and 26 days of age.
Make sure to worm mom at the same time !!! 1cc per 10 lbs. For pups I use a 1cc syringe (without needle)
Some vets will want to use Safeguard but you can't use that on pups under 6 weeks of age !!!
Consult your vet when in doubt, or your mentor.
As pups reliably potty on paper area, I will expand the box for them.
Our diligence pays off, when our puppy people tell us
that their pups are toilet trained within a few days of coming home.
IF you find your pups have bad Diarrhea (know the difference between gummy normal puppy poops)
then you might be experiencing a bout of Coccidia. DON"T PANIC there is a cure and it is called Baycox 5%
or its generic name Toltrazuril 5% Oral Suspension. As of 2018 you can only purchase online from the USA or Australia
You will see results immediately. Giardia is also a common issue breeder's deal with
and the cure for that is Safeguard or Panacur (Fenbendazole) READ labels before you use or consult your Vet.
Puppy teeth are in and after a week of adding goat milk
will be 100% onto just the RAW food. Puppies will start learning socialization and appropriate chewing
and biting from both their littermates. Before this time, Mom will really discipline them
when they bite her, by growling, holding them down
with her paws and for the most stubborn pups she will do a combination of growl, hold and take in her mouth
to show that she is really serious. All this happens lightening speed and sounds fierce.
People should really take note of this, as when you get puppy home and puppy nips at you, this is unacceptable behaviour
and you need to correct this, forcefully and quickly like what their mom did if you wish for this behaviour to stop.
Also taking the time to show puppy what is desired behavior so they know what to do to please you.
My pups are now eating just RAW diet (no more puree)
they are completely weaned from mom by 4 weeks of age
I feed 4x a day a Full dish, Feeding them as much as they will eat
Until they walk away full. Until the next feeding.
We feed at 0800, 12:00, 5:00pm and last meal 9:00pm
By the time the pups go home they eat 2x a day
0800 and 5:00pm
I designed and built, a lixit bottle "holder" for the pups, that we use
in their puppy box, so that the pups have plenty of fresh, clean water 24/7
that they can't play in, or contaiminate or tip over.
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 after 3 weeks of age
and be introduced to various sights and sounds (within the household!).
I do not allow any visitors until puppy pick up day. However if you do,
ensure that visitors do not expose the puppies to germs.
Once pups starts eating solid food, the mother no longer cleans it up
Now it is up to the BREEDER to keep the box/nest very clean.
To start our pups onto a path of being "clean" pups
(meaning not messing all over the house)
We apply the "Bijou Method" of training, that we developed.
The pups are given a sleeping, playing, eating area which is plush and comfortable.
The other end of our box has paper or potty trays, we encourage them to target to potty on.
Once the pups are successful with only pottying on the papers or tray
then we expand the puppy box to be 4'x8'
Potty training like we do our Japanese Chin, we were told by Toy Breeders, is impossible to do.
We love to do the "impossible".
Pups day 28
Ear canals should have completely opened by now.
The puppies should be exposed to a variety of noises now. We take "desensitizing" very seriously
and we have a program in place, to rotate a variety of startling noises
and vibrations, creating normally negative stimulus,
following up with a pleasant experience such as play, cuddling or feeding times.
Our program, combined with the bio-Sensor program has proven very successful in developing
confident, well adjusted puppies. Now the pups are able to toddle
about and play and learn also how much pressure they can bite each other with.
They will test limits with each other. They will also be subjected
to household comings and goings, which will be good for them during their socialization phase.
All our Champions and pups have been raised on: RAW
In 2017 we decided to wean all our puppies onto RAW food.
We could not ignore that more dogs of all breeds, have been having reactions and issues on kibble.
Especially kibble with feathered protiens (chicken, turkey etc).
We felt it was time to spend the money, and the time, to put our Japanese Chin on RAW.
Since starting on RAW our pups have not had loose stools, have healthy GI's
and their bladders have been healthier as well and tartar free teeth.
We can't deny all the amazing results of being on RAW.
You may wish to check our FOOD Link for more options and any updates.
Pups day 30 to day 40
*Pictures of Puppy being dewormed
Worm the puppies again!. At this stage it is also appropriate to worm the bitch with a suitable product.
Once the puppies are on solid food the Mom will no longer clean them.
Usually the puppies will move into our poo/pee area of their box, to urinate and defecate at 5 weeks of age.
We have a separate section in the whelping box that the puppies eventually climb into and use to toilet in.
This is the second step in toilet training our puppies.
Pups are noisy (loud piercing barking),
messy (because mom doesn't clean them), needing constant human touch and play (for socialization),
need to be cleaned with fresh papers and area washed every 2-3 hours (to help them develop into clean pups).
They are also the cutest looking like little teddy bears.
Pups day 35
Pups receive their first bath and blow dry. *Click here to read more about grooming
It is time to Implant the Puppies with their permanent Identification.
A Microchip the size of a grain of rice is implanted
between the pup's shoulder blades, just as a vaccination is done.
This microchip when scanned will produce a number unique to that puppy.
There is no way to alter the number or remove the chip without doing surgery.
This chip number can be read by any shelter's scanner and will assist you in identifying your puppy.
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 the softened food down permanently, this is unhygienic. 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
The mom's job is now almost complete.
We gradually start to integrate the Mom back into the family and away from her babies.
She must of course have access to them, but is not forced to be with them if she doesn't want to.
Pups day 42 Pups day 30 to day 40
*Pictures of Puppy being dewormed
Worm the puppies again! Pups start to really fight and play with each other, learning pain threshold (bite inhibition).
From this day on the breeder will have limited sleep, as the pups like to play and bark early in the morning and late into the night.
Pups day 49
Around 5-6 weeks of age their tails start to curl up over their backs properly.
Anytime I am with them I'm also coaxing those tails to lay on the "judge's side"
By 4-5 weeks of age, the pups will only use the paper area to toilet on or provided potty Trays.
We are in the process of traying papers, and various potty trays to see which works best.
We keep our puppy box clean, this week, only needing to change the potty area 1x a day.
Their sleeping/eating/play area is kept spotless, as are the pups.
Checking their bottoms often for any poop that can catch on their butt fur.
The babies are fully weaned and eating four good sized meals a day. Stick to regular mealtimes while Toilet Training
As soon as puppy is toilet trained, you must leave food and water down for them 24/7 to avoid GI upset, bloat and torsion like we do.
IF your puppy or adult develops any GI issues on the food
we recommend then it is time to consider feeding RAW
if you have not continued with RAW that we weaned them onto.
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!
Puppies will also receive a Health Certificate from our vet to attest to the health of your puppy.
Pups day 49
At this stage the puppy box is extended, so the pups get a bigger play
area and the pups learn to be "clean" by pottying farther and farther from
where they eat and sleep.
Mom is now 100% not involved with her pups, as she begins to "tuck up"
Winter Time Puppy Play Area
This is the puppy box I had specially fabricated
with toys to stimuate their puppy brains and muscles
At this time I also add the panel to make an offical potty area !
Well "proof is in the pudding"
Our pups at 8 weeks of age, are now only using the potty area
(lined with newspaper) to pee and poo in
I was trying out the paper pee pads, but found the pups just wanted to eat those.
Their play/eat/sleep area is kept spotless !!
My goal in doing this extra work is that by the time our puppy people
get their puppy home. Puppy will already be trained to only pee and poop
on newspaper or pee pads and or hold it, until they can get outside
as they do not pee or poop where they eat or where they sleep.
So believe it or not, what goes on from the time of birth
to the time you buy the pup plays a big role, in their young life
and also what issues, a puppy person, might have to deal with.
!! Our Custom Built Puppy Yard !!
This yard provides different surfaces and challenges for our pups
to build confidence and strong muscles to be physically fit.
Nothing is too good, for our Puppies
Pups receive their second bath and blow dry.
Pups are also introduced to having their nails Dremelled.
Up until now, they may have just heard the dremel working. *Click here to read more about grooming
NEW 2015
Puppies will NOT have their first vaccination from us
Your puppy comes with maternal antibodies, that will provide puppy
with protection/immunity, for Distemper, Adenovirus Type 2, Parainfluenza, Parvo
until puppy is 16 weeks of age minimally (most often longer)
until puppy receives their first vaccine.
If you wish to do a series of "3" vaccines
then puppy will need one starting at 9 weeks of age
3-4 weeks apart the first year.
Puppy will need a vaccination 12 months later, and then not again for 3 years. *Read more about Vaccinations 'before' you immunize.
Puppy Package
Pups day 49
Now is the time for us to say goodbye....... and..... for you to say "hello" to your new family member
Refer to our Transporting Page for more information about having your puppy transported to you.
Njoy chin sends our pups home with Collar that fits and a leash if you are picking puppy up.
Our contract does stipulate that our "Njoy" name appear first on our puppy's registered name
to reflect that we bred that puppy and aid others in following our amazing lineage.
Our pups remain in our name until new Owners spay/neuter their puppy and send us proof
of such along with a family photo of their Njoy Japanese Chin.
New owners agree to have their pet puppy altered prior to 12 months of age.
Once we receive proof of alter, and family photo, registration
papers will be emailed or snail mailed out to their new owners.
Pups day 49 -
The puppy should be happily settled in his/her new home now.
*Pictures of Puppy being dewormed
