The hand raising of newborn toy dogs is time consuming, tiring but most of all an accomplishment of devotion. Yes it can be done. No doubt you will be frazzled and irritable but it does not last forever.
There are many reasons why this must be done. Perhaps your dam has had eclampsia or a Caesarean birth with complications or a premature birth where puppies have not developed their sucking reflex. For whatever reason you are responsible for bringing these tiny lives into being. I will give you fair warning, however, every one you save will be doubly precious and very hard to part with. Their temperament is especially calm and they will be strongly "bonded" with you.

I weigh every newborn twice a day on a gram scale for the first two weeks. This early handling makes for a placid pup.
The pups most at risk for mortality include the following:

Whelps that are 20% below birth weight of their litter mates.

Whelps that feel cold to the touch and are limp or conversely cry constantly and crawl aimlessly. I usually suspect an infection in a very vocal puppy. This can be an e-Coli or herpes virus to name a few. . . In a distressed puppy under 6 days of age I usually start them on a liquid form of Ampicilin or cavulonic acid. One caution here, however, if a crying whelp feels well rounded and is feeding it could be simple overheating. Some breeders think if warmth is good hot must be better. Use common sense here.

Whelps that are chilled. A cold pup is a gagging pup and is soon a dead one. Since the exact cause can not always be ascertained here is the recipe step by step for any ill neonate.

Remove pup from dam and put under your clothing in direct contact with your skin.

Constantly for the first half hour rub coat upwards to it's neck. While doing this turn pup over every few minutes to ensure lungs are drained

Now the hard part. The only chance of survival is for you to master the art of tube feeding. Your baby will need a feed once each hour with a glucose and sterile water solution at ½ ml. per 1 oz. (30g) of body weight. This may take 2 to 3 hours depending on the condition of the pup and after slow warming next to your skin. In 3 hours most viable pups will be wiggling and cheeping. Tube feeding is not difficult if the proper size tube is used. Your Vet should be happy to demonstrate. For those who are not in travelling distance of his/her surgery I can send diagrams, tubes and detailed instructions.
However if you have a respectful relationship with your Vet he is the man/woman to see. Please do not wake a professional at 3 in the morning with a moribund pup and expect miracles. Discuss these things before whelping takes place.

If all has gone well your squirming baby is ready for his first milk feed. I start mine with goat's milk equally diluted with sterile water for the first three feeds. These are given every 2 and one half to 3 hours.
Pup should be fed with a marsupial teat in a sitting up position. If wrapped in a hanky and placed on a pillow on your lap things will go well once pup has learned to suckle effectively. Sometimes this takes a feed or two. (Remember breast feeding your first babe?) You will teach each other what feels right. Apologies to male breeders out there but you get my drift.

By Carla Timmins
PET AND WILDLIFE