How To Take Care Of Newborn Puppies. The temperature under the heat lamp in the whelping box should be around 85F for the first 2-3 days and then can be dropped to 75-80F depending on the surrounding temperature. Newborn puppies are able to maintain a body temperature about 12F warmer than the air temperature.
Puppies are cute and playful and everyone wants to have them but there is a lot of intense grooming into their development in the first few weeks. The temperature under the heat lamp in the whelping box should be around 85F for the first 2-3 days and then can be dropped to 75-80F depending on the surrounding temperature. When they are first born they should look around eagerly for a teat.
A temperature of 70-75F on the far side of the box is fine.
Raising them requires patience and commitment. Usually the mom dog does this but you will need to do this for a neglected puppy. When they are first born they should look around eagerly for a teat. Newborn-orphaned puppies are very fragile.