Getting a new puppy is no small task. It takes time and there are SO many things that have to go into it when you are considering buying a new baby, especially an English Bulldog. This is definitely not our first litter, but I keep thinking about how similar they are to newborn human babies. I wanted to share a fun but true list of how similar they are:
1. They need to eat at first every 1 1/2-2 hours the first few days and then every 3 hours after that, around the clock. It's basically on demand at first. Ask me how I know ?? IF mom doesn't have enough milk, I am having to weigh them and figure out how much they need in order to supplement them.
2. Mom has to lick them in order to stimulate them to go to the bathroom the first few weeks (thank goodness humans don't have to do that), but if they don't, you will go through a TON of wipes (we go through several cases!). Just like an infant, they don't like the cold wipe on their bottoms :)
3. Sometimes they can cry like a real human baby
4. They grow exponentially their first few weeks of life, especially their first year of life.....just like a human baby.
5. Sometimes (especially if you have to feed them a bottle), you will have to burp them. Yep, over the shoulder just like a human baby. They don't care for it too much......neither do human babies!
6. Sometimes they can spit up, if they have had too much to eat. Sometimes they forget to breathe when they eat, and it comes out their nose.......so I have to use a baby nasal aspirator to clean them out and then wipes. OH.MY.WORD! Do they HATE that.........just like a baby!
7. Puppies are just like human newborns in the way that they are dependent on smell and taste their first few weeks of life. Human babies are NOT born blind and deaf but their eyes are not focused for a while. Same with puppies. They are born blind and deaf and even after their eyes open at 12-14 days, they don't focus for a while after that.
8. If mom's milk is not adequate enough, or you have a baby runt (like we have) that is not latching or nursing well, then you need to make up a batch of high fat puppy milk replacer formula. I will do a different post with that recipe in it!
9. Puppies teethe, chew, gnaw just like human babies when they are teething. OH man! Are their puppy teeth sharp! We call them "shark teeth". Their poor mommy!
10. Just like human babies, they need to be kept warm after they are first born. Human babies are swaddled and since we keep mom & babies separate during nursing time, we have to put them under a heat lamp, check the temp and gradually acclimate them to room temperature........
11. Puppies, especially bulldogs, just get so excited and happy to be fed and drink milk. Sometimes that means that they eat way too much and yes they get belly aches, just like human babies. So we have the infant mylicon handy if they have a belly ache!
12. Just like human babies, puppies have to go to the vet for their regular check ups as newborns/babies and get their shots/immunizations!
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