Hello from MO.

Just a quick introduction as I am looking for some good advise, info and support as I attempt to hand raise a pair of shih tzu puppies. I'm a lifelong animal person and an experienced boxer lover for the past 12 years and I volunteer for our small local shelter as well as serve on our local humane society board. I'm a long time member of a forum devoted to boxers and know how valuable the information posted by knowedgeable breed lovers can be. I hope you'll go to your health/whelping box section to see if anyone can give me some advise for these 5 day old puppies!

Oh gosh poor babies, right well first of all welcome to the forum

I had a litter last year and Mum got really ill with a uterus infection so i had to hand feed the puppies from day 2 for around a week.

I tried everything and every type of bottle for puppies on the market but couldnt get to grips with them nor could the puppies so i went to Mothercare baby store and bought some bottles for premature babies and they worked a treat ( the flow and size were perfect).

Everyone told me to measure the milk out ( Welpi ) for the age and breed and feed what was recommended but i just filled a bottle and let them fall asleep on it, i also weighed them twice daily and they gained on both weigh ins

Are the puppies not with mum at all ?? If not the best thing to do is pop them in box or one of the small canvas carriers with a heat pad and a soft fleece for them to snuggle into, works a treat.

Also as you will know they will need to be made to urinate at least every 2 hours and also poo but i found i could only get mine to poop around 3 times a day and they were fine with that.

This is just from my own experience and i wish you all the luck in the world, would it be possible at all to find a surrogate mum ??

This is a litter where mum didnt want to know so kept them in this...

Welcome aboard Sue.

I wish you lots of luck w/ your puppers. Shids are a very unique breed. They have a bit of every personality in them.

Pics are a must though.

Great advice from Fluff

I have no experience with puppys at all but wish you loads of luck

Hopefully if you follow Fluff's advice all will go smoothly

The puppy bottles seem to be working okay and I don't have any stores with preemie supplies in our little town so I'll have to stick with them for the time being. I googled the Welpie formula and see it is a UK product. Might be hard to get here in po-dunk rural America. The pups seem to really like the goat milk formula and it has firmed up their stool from really runny to much more formed (but still soft). The boy will have his eyes open soon I think! I can see him working them a lot and their tiny ears twitch a lot now too. My boxers are very amused with them and like to snuffle them. I keep a baby gate in the doorway to the bedroom I have their little box in so the boxers don't get to them without my supervision. I feel like the dog snuffing and nosing might be good for their socialization though so I let the boxers 'help' me when it's feeding time. lol It was very tiring to be up so much last night. I think I'll be a zombie for the next week or so! Thanks to all who have offered well wishes and advise! I appreciate it!

Good luck, please keep us updates

Good lu yes pics are a must.ck and

good luck please keep us updated

sounds like you are doing really well with a little help from the big fur babys

How are they today ???

Keep your fingers crossed tonight! We have found a doxy bitch with 4 pups and are going to see if she will accept the little shih tzus! Lord I hope so! I'm waaaaay to old for this every 2 hour feeding that turns into a 30 minute feeding/potty marathon! They spent the day with our shelter manager because I was scheduled to take a good friend for her radiation treatment today and I have a shelter board meeting tonight. If the doxie won't take them, they will come back to me in the morning. PLEASE little doxie, take these babies!

I wish you and your little shids all the luck sue

Oh i hope so too, the best way is to cover the pups in the other pups wee and poo so she gets the same scent as the others xx

So far, so good! Tot, the doxy mom has accepted them! She starting washing and cleaning them right off and very soon they were nursing like little champs! I'm so very relieved, both for them (especially) and for me to get a full nights sleep! I know they aren't out of the woods yet, but their chances are far better than before! Thanks for all your good wishes and support!

That is the best news ever, im just so happy for you and of course the puppies

Well Done you

Excellent news.

Hope all is still well xx

What fab news so pleased for you all

all is going good!

I heard from one of the 'rescuers' a while ago that the puppies continue to nurse and the doxy bitch is caring for them as if they are one of her own! Mother nature continues to amaze me!

Brilliant news!

Great news, let us know how they get on.