Run through this once a day — morning is best.
- Weigh every puppy. Write it down. Compare to yesterday.
- Check temperature of any puppy that seems off.
- Gum check — pink, moist, capillary refill under 2 seconds? Good.
- Watch each puppy nurse/eat — verify they all get their share.
- Check eyes and nose for discharge.
- Check stool — formed, or getting loose? Any blood? Sickly-sweet smell?
- Parvo check — is any puppy suddenly “quiet” + not eating? That combination = call rescue immediately. Don’t wait for diarrhea.
- Count puppies. Yes, literally count them. A puppy can get wedged behind something.
- Check the heating setup — is half the box warm and half cool so they can choose?
- Clean bedding — damp or soiled bedding chills puppies fast.
- Text your rescue coordinator an update if anything is in the Monitor zone. They’d rather hear about it early.
Parvo watch: a puppy that is suddenly “quiet” + not eating = call your rescue immediately. Don’t wait for diarrhea.