Wow, this poor pup should really be with his Momma now, but since that isn't an option, there's a lot of work ahead of you! First off, he needs to be weaned. If he's taking the bottle, that's great, but when he turns 5 weeks old, I would start mixing the food so it's more like a gruel (oatmeal like texture). Then, you can start mxing in puppy food, and by 6 weeks old, he should be on the puppy food and eating on his own. But, that is only half the equation.
After he is completely weaned, there's the socializtion period. (6-12 weeks old) This is so important, and this is why reputable breeders would NEVER let the pups go before 10-12 weeks old. This is the stage where the Momma dog teaches the puppies how to be dogs (like interacting with each other, etc.) So, since the Momma isn't around to do this, you'll have to socialize your pup. Once he has all his shots, you can start introducing him to other dogs. They learn so much from their littermates!
I wish you good luck. There's lots to learn (especially here at YT) so keep reading, and learning! |