Puppy Time line

This is a resource on what to expect if you have puppies.  This is also a great guideline if you are purchasing a puppy from us and you are curious as to what is currently happening in the life of your new baby. 

Week One (Days 1-7)

DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES

  • 90% of time spent sleeping
  • 10% eating
  • Susceptible to heat/cold
  • Instinctive reflexes: crawl, seek warmth, nurse
  • They can right themselves if placed upside down
  • Needs stimulation for urination/defecation
  • Rapid development of central nervous system
  • Rectal temperatures 94-97 degrees Farenheit
  • Pups may lose 10% of weight after birth, but should start gaining again
  • Weight should double by end of week

CARE OF THE PUPPIES

  • Chart weight daily (2 x daily first 2 days)
  • Examine puppies daily
  • Trim nails weekly
  • Keep whelping box around 85 degrees Farenheit (this means if it's hotter than that out, put a fan in the room or turn on the air conditioning, if it's colder than that get a heat lamp to put above the whelping box)
  • When you handle the puppies, it's a good idea use a towel when you hold them. The puppies urinate upon stimulation and will inevitably find your attention stimulating!
  • If your breed requires tail, ear, or dew claw docking, schedule this with your vet.

CARE OF THE BITCH

  • Keep dam on fluids for first 24 hours (i.e.. chicken broth, etc.)
  • Feed three full meals a day after that
  • If puppies are fussy, supplement bitch with Vitamin B complex
  • Check mammary glands twice daily (looking for signs of mastitis -- swelling, hardness, pus, etc.)
  • Keep an eye on vaginal discharge (looking for signs of infection)
  • Make sure bitch eats, drinks, and relieves herself -- once her mothering instincts kick in, you may have to force her to leave the puppies to do these things.

 

Week Two (Days 8-14)

DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES

  • Eyes should open around days 8-10
  • Ears should open around days 13-17
  • Temperatures should be around 97-99F

CARE OF THE PUPPIES

  • Keep whelping box around 80-83F
  • Begin holding puppies in different ways (applying light stress)
  • Trim nails weekly

CARE OF THE BITCH

  • Bitch should get three times her normal amount of food

 

Week Three (Days 15-21)

DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES

  • Teeth begin to erupt
  • Puppies stand up and start walking
  • Begin to lap liquids
  • Defecate/urinate without stimulation
  • Start becoming aware of environment
  • Start playing with littermates
  • Develop sense of smell
  • Puppies will start to discriminate as to where to relieve themselves

CARE OF THE PUPPIES

  • Start adding stimuli (toys) to puppies' life
  • Start giving specific stresses when handling (i.e.. pinch an ear or toe gently).
  • Start giving pups milk replacer to lap for one meal a day -- after two days, add some very mushy food
  • Weigh puppies every 2 days
  • Give puppies a dirty shirt of yours to play with
  • Start weekly grooming sessions (brush, trim nails, look at teeth, etc.)

CARE OF THE BITCH

  • Continue as above

 

Week Four (Days 22-28)

DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES

  • Begin to eat food
  • Begin to bark, wag tails, bite, paw, bare teeth, growl and chase
  • Use legs well
  • Tire easily
  • Depth perception starts

CARE OF THE PUPPIES

  • Keep mom with them a lot! Things can get overwhelming at this age and Mom will add stability for them
  • Each pup needs individual attention
  • Offer small amounts of food that is the consistency of cooked oatmeal (puppy food mixed with water and mashed up in a blender)

 

Week Five (Days 29-35)

DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES

  • Group activities and sexual play will begin
  • Dominance order starts
  • Rapid growth/development

CARE OF THE PUPPIES

  • Reduce fluids in puppies' food
  • Make sure other people start coming to see pups
  • Begin weaning
  • Play radio at normal volume near pups for 5 minutes at a time
  • Order Vaccinations

CARE OF THE BITCH

  • Start reducing amount of food to discourage milk development
  • Keep a careful eye on mammary glands

 

Week Six (Days 26-42)

DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES

 

CARE OF THE PUPPIES

  • Offer soft, damp food
  • Chart weekly weight
  • Individual attention crucial -- give each puppy time with you away from litter

CARE OF THE BITCH

  • To prepare bitch for weaning: Day 1 -- no food
    Day 2 -- 1/4 normal maintenance meal
    Day 3 -- 1/2 normal maintenance meal
    Day 4 -- 3/4 normal maintenance meal
    Day 5 -- full amount of normal maintenance meal
  • Keep bitch on puppy food for several weeks to help her recover from the strain of breeding, whelping, and raising puppies
  • Keep careful eye on mammary glands

 

Week Seven (Days 43-49)

DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES

  • Total hearing/visual capacity
  • Will investigate anything
  • Can't respond yet to name

CARE OF THE PUPPIES

  • Pups should be weaned and on regular puppy food
  • Pups can go to new homes

CARE OF THE BITCH

  • Keep careful eye on mammary glands until milk is completely dried up

 

 

Week Eight (Days 50-56)

DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES

  • First fear period
  • Starts learning name

CARE OF THE PUPPIES

  • Don't ship puppies
  • Can start training puppies in small steps

 

Week Nine (Days 57-63)

DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES

  • Develops strong dominant and subordinate behavior among littermates
  • Begins to learn right behavior
  • Motor skills improve
  • Short attention span
  • Start house training

CARE OF THE PUPPIES

  • Continue lots of individual attention

 

 

Sparrows Point, MD             (443) 800-5709          ChesapeakeBayBostons@gmail.com