Most people who raise Tibetan Mastiffs start with puppies, but very few people choose puppies that have not yet been weaned. That is because an unweaned Tibetan Mastiff is extremely fragile. The best advice is usually to let the mother dog care for it, especially within the first three days after birth. After about seven days, the puppy can be supplemented with some artificial feeding, using infant milk powder in place of the mother’s milk. If warmth, hygiene, and other conditions are handled well, the little Tibetan Mastiff can still grow up successfully.
First of all, it is generally best not to raise an unweaned Tibetan Mastiff by yourself, because the survival rate is quite low. Before the puppies are born, the mother dog’s nipples should be cleaned, and extra hair may be trimmed away so the puppies can nurse more easily. Under normal healthy conditions, each newborn puppy will try to push forward and drink milk shortly after birth. During the first two days, the puppy absorbs antibodies from the colostrum that protect it through the first six to ten weeks of life.
The mother dog produces colostrum for about five days after giving birth. It has excellent nutrition and antibodies, and nothing except specialized puppy milk formula can truly replace it. After five days, the level of nutrition and antibodies gradually drops. If the Tibetan Mastiff puppy is only three days old, and it is possible, one practical approach is to hold the mother dog still so the puppy can feed before letting the mother move freely again. Feed four to six times a day. Once the puppy is more than seven days old, the chance of successful artificial feeding becomes much higher. If natural feeding is impossible, you can prepare skim milk powder for the puppy, still feeding four to six times daily. The surrounding temperature must not be too low, and the puppy must be protected from mosquitoes and flies. You also need to wipe the puppy’s bottom manually to stimulate defecation, using a cloth strip dipped in warm water. This also helps keep the puppy clean.
The most important thing for an unweaned Tibetan Mastiff puppy is warmth. Indoor temperature should stay above 23 degrees Celsius. If the room temperature falls below 21 degrees, use a small electric blanket or hot water bottle to increase warmth, but always wrap it in a towel to prevent burns. Under normal conditions, puppies are much like human babies: most of the time they sleep and nurse. If the puppy cries or seems restless, check whether the temperature is too low, whether the mother dog is cleaning away urine and stool on time, and whether milk supply is sufficient. For weak puppies, artificial help may be needed so the smaller puppy can eat first, or receive some formula by hand.
You can raise a Tibetan Mastiff from puppyhood, but it is usually best not to start with one that is too young because the survival rate is lower. Even so, during feeding you must pay special attention to hygiene, temperature, and food proportions. Once the Tibetan Mastiff reaches adulthood, dietary restrictions can gradually be relaxed and the proportion of meat in the diet can be increased.