Day 1
Your Boxer puppy or puppies will be nursing from the dam. During the first few days it will not be milk; it will be Colostrum. This is a highly nutritional fluid that gives vital antibodies to the puppy. The puppy will sleep almost all the time, when not drinking. The Boxer pup will also make soft noises. As long as the puppy's body is warm and you feel him or her breathing naturally, all should be fine.
A puppy this young will not be able to eliminate on its own. The mother will lick the pup to stimulate the expulsion of bowel or urine. Do not be shocked if the dam then eats this.
The newborn Boxer puppy will have its eyes closed. They will stay this way for about 10 to 15 days. The umbilical cord will still be damp and certainly not ready to fall off.
Day 2
It is perfectly normal for a Boxer puppy to lose weight on its 2nd day of life. Carefully watch for any Boxer newborn that seems to be getting pushed out of the way by other pups and unable to drink from mom. If this is happening, remove the other puppies after they feed and allow the hungry puppy to nurse alone, not bothered by their brothers and sisters.
Day 3
Talk to your veterinarian regarding
docking the tail, if you have decided to do so. This is often done on day 3. This decision should be carefully thought about. In addition, the Boxer puppy's cord will be dry and just about ready to fall off. Dewclaws, if removed, are usually done so on this day by your dog's experienced veterinarian.
Week 1
Puppies should be weighed each day. This can be done by preparing a small basket, lined with a soft and clean towel. The basket can be placed on the scale first, with the weight noted. Then, the puppy should be placed inside the basket. Subtract the weight of the basket to have the exact weight of your Boxer puppy. There should be an increase each day. If not, be sure to immediately contact your dog's veterinarian.
Nails grow very quickly and should be trimmed as often as each day if needed. A clotting solution, such as Kwik Stop should be used in case the quick of the nail is cut by accident (something to carefully avoid). Trimming the nail of the puppy each day = trimming off only a small section; just the small "hook" of the nail.
As the pup matures, many owners find that a grinder tool works much better than a clipper. Some dogs need to learn to tolerate the noise, but once they do, grinding down nails can be fast and easy.
Week 2
The
eyes of the Boxer puppy may begin to open. This is a slow process in which they will open bigger and for more time each day. Puppies will still be nesting near mom. You should take a bit more time to handle the puppies. This is done to slowly allow the mother to become used to you holding them and for the puppies to begin bonding with you.
Week 3
The Boxer puppy's eyes should be completely open. Ears will be open now, as well. The ear canal should be fully formed. This is a bit of a noisy time, as the Boxer puppies will begin to find their "voices" and begin to bark.
A 3 week old Boxer will have an urge to leave the whelping box. They will have an instinctual urge to eliminate outside of their resting and sleeping area. One side of the box can be removed, with newspapers placed right outside.
A 2nd box can be connected to the 1st whelping box. This will allow the pups to have room to romp around and play. This will also give the Boxer mom time to rest without her puppies jumping all over her. Allowing the puppies to play with each other in a safe and comfortable box is a necessary part of the first socialization they need.