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My 2-week-old puppy whimpers in sleep. Is it hungry or dreaming?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

I have a 2 week old pup along with its mother. It was her first litter and 1 out. Of 3 survived. I do not know if the mother has plenty of milk or not because she is a bad eater. Why would the pup whimper even in its sleep? How do I know if it’s hungry?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on November 17th, 2017

Unfortunately puppies are very fragile, and some out of a litter may not survive. It is very important for the mother to eat so she can provide enough milk for the puppies, and it's possible that if she is a bad eater, she does not have enough energy to produce enough milk for the puppies leading those two to die. She needs to be on a high quality puppy formulated food to meet her nutritional needs when nursing puppies, and I would put her on a puppy food right away. You will slowly have to mix it in with her regular diet over a couple of days so she does not get sick from the sudden change in food. Weigh the puppy daily, and if it's not gaining weight each day, you will need to supplement it with puppy formula. You can get that from a pet store or grocery store, and I recommend KMR. You would know if the puppy was hungry if it was crying all the time, not just whimpering in its sleep. Puppies and dogs dream, and they can make nosies in response to their dreams, so that may be why he's whimpering. A vet visit for both would also be a good idea just to make sure everything is ok. I hope this helps!

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