Birth to 8 weeks

Welcome to the world

Puppies are whelped and raised in our home where we can actively participate in the birth and raising of our puppies.  We are in the whelping box for our girls during labor and birth to help and assist as needed and make the experience as calm and stress-free as possible.  Being there allows our Mama's to be able to relax.  

Week One

Eat, sleep, and grow.  Puppies are born with their eyes and ears sealed shut.  They use their sense of smell and touch to guide them to their mother to nurse.  They are unable to walk, but their legs are strong enough to move them where they need to go.  They can scoot, wiggle and crawl to the warmth of their mother and littermates or the heating mat.  Puppies cannot regulate their body temperature for the first few weeks of life, so they are dependent on us and their mom for warmth.  Puppies are extremely vulnerable the first week of life so one of us is never far from the whelping box 24/7.  We take turns, checking weights, making sure everybody is strong and nursing well.  We also keep a close watch on mamma because so much can happen.  
They receive their first checkup around 2-4 days old when they go to the vet for tail docking.  

Week 2

Puppies have gained and become stronger during the first 2 weeks of their lives.  So we are able to relax a little more as they become strong enough to get out of moms way.  We handle the puppies throughout the day and continue with ENS.  They still spend the majority of their day nursing or sleeping.  Eyes have just opened or are starting to.  Vision is blurry so they still rely mostly on their other senses to get around.  Puppies receive their first deworming around this time.  

Week 3

They start to seem more like puppies at 3 weeks and are spending more time awake!  Ears are open, so puppies start to respond to sound.  We move slowly around them during the start of this week because they may startle with sudden movement and loud noises.  Vision is improving so they respond to movement.  They are learning to sit up and take wobbly steps.  By the end of the 3rd week they start moving away from their favorite sleeping spot to potty.  This is when we introduce the litterbox.  The majority of our moms are okay with stepping away from the box for short periods of time while the puppies are content.  Previously they would only step out to eat, drink and potty.  They receive their first groom at the end of the 3rd week.  They have a lifetime of grooming ahead of them so faces are shaved to desensitize them to the clippers.

Week 4

It's shocking how much they change in the first month.  By week four they are learning that they can bark and growl.  They climb all over each other and wrestle.  They start to tug on moms ears and she begins to correct them when they get too rough.  This is the week we start introducing toys.  The whelping box is extended so there is plenty of room for play.  By the end of this week most have mastered the litter box.  They are interested in food and we begin puppy mush.  

Week 5

Personalities are starting to show!  Puppies are more aware of their surroundings at this age and vision is fully developed.  They are learning how to play and learning important social skills, while becoming familiar with household noses. They are excited to interact with us and like to chew on everything.  The whelping box comes down for a larger play area and depending on weather, we will go outside to see the big world. 

Week 6

Puppies are into everything at this age and full of energy and curiosity.  We continue to add more toys different textures.  and obstacles for the pups to encounter.  We add large balls, moving platforms , slides, toys that move on their own, toys that make noise and anything we can find that will help the pups with their development. Mom and littermates spend a lot of time teaching bite inhibition.  Any outside playtime is always supervised.  

Week 7

Week 7 is spent preparing to head home and lots of play.  We believe in weaning slowly.  Mom chooses to spend less and less time with the puppies.   She still enjoys playing with the them, but she's done with those sharp teeth! Vet visit happens at the end of 7 weeks.  They receive their first vaccine and their microchip and puppy bags are packed.