My puppy was taken from mom too early. How do I care for her?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! While not ideal, this can be ok as long as she is fed a milk replacer formula until she is about 6 to 8 weeks when she starts eating kibble or canned food. They usually can do ok by themselves. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor baby! I would have Billy dewormed and a stool checked for parasites. At 7-8 weeks you need to start his puppy vaccines (DHPP). At this time he should eat canned puppy food and you can add puppy formula for a week or 2. I do not think he needs to be bottle fed at 4 weeks. Good luck

Hello. Cali should be eating a puppy food on her own, either a moistened dry or canned. At thus age, she should be screened by your veterinarian for intestinal parasites & receive appropriate treatment/medications. Vaccinations start at 8 weeks of age. Other than this, lots & lots of love. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! 3 weeks is young. I’d recommend a puppy milk replacer and bottle feeding for another week or 2. Then mix the puppy milk replacer in with canned puppy food and gradually add dry food over a couple of weeks. I like Purina proplan orhl’s puppy foods. Good luck!

Hello. I do not know if it is illegal to take a puppy away from its mother at 6 weeks of age, but it is a very common practice. By 6 weeks, the puppies are large enough to eat on their own, & may actually be tearing up the mother's breasts as they aggressively nurse. Now, puppies do seem to develop better social skills if they are left with their siblings until they are 8-12 weeks, but this does not mean your pup will have any problems. Do not feel bad. I am sure she will develop into a great dog, especially since you are already so concerned about her welfare. Do not listen to people on social media. Only the loudest & nastiest comments will come through. Care for her as any puppy, have your vet check her out as soon as possible to make sure she is healthy & parasite free, & obtain vaccinations as your veterinarian recommends. You will do great. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! How old are her puppies? If they are under 4 weeks then you will need to bottle feed the puppies. If they 3-4 weeks start offering canned puppy food along with bottle feeding and have them fully weaned by 5-6 weeks. Without forcing Cali to nurse them there aren't any other options. I would suggest not breeding her again and have her spayed since she is unwilling to continue to raise the puppies and this likely will be a repetitive behavior. I hope this helps and I wish you all the best!

Expose her as much as possible to the different sights and sounds of the home and yard. This will help acclimate her to different environments. You can "puppy proof" and area, but try not to make it too sterile for her. When feeding her, take the bottle away early every now and then and hold her in an uncomfortable position for brief periods of time. This will impart various coping skills and teach her how to deal with frustrations. Ideally, she should be enrolled in puppy socialization classes very soon. The best way for her to learn how to be a dog is to play and tumble around with other dogs. A vaccinated and healthy adult female dog can also be used to teach manners