Developmental Milestones in the Puppy

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Developmental Milestones in the Puppy

By: Dr. Dawn Ruben

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Your dog just delivered a litter of cute pudgy puppies. They seem so helpless – being unable to see and hear. Soon you will see many changes as they begin to grow. Here is a quick overview of the developmental milestones in your puppy's life.

Senses

Pups are born blind with their eyelids sealed shut. By the time they are 2 weeks old, the eyelids are open and the puppy begins developing his vision.

Pups are also born deaf with sealed ear canals. By the age of 17 days, the ear canals are open and the pups begins to hear. By 25 days of age, puppies respond to sights and sounds.

Elimination

Puppies are unable to voluntarily eliminate urine and feces, and their mother must lick the genital area, stimulating elimination. By 23 days of age, the pups are able to eliminate without help.

Walking

Puppies start out life squirming and 'swimming' across the floor.

By 16 days of age, pups begin the rudimentary first steps of walking.

Eating

By the time a puppy is 4 to 6 weeks of age, he can start eating solid food and can be safely weaned around 8 weeks of age.

Teething

As the pups begin eating solid food at 4 to 6 weeks of age, the first teeth begin to erupt. The canine teeth usually erupt at 3 to 4 weeks of age and the incisors erupt at 4 to 6 weeks. The baby premolars also erupt at 4 to 6 weeks of age.

These first teeth are temporary and are soon replaced by permanent teeth. The front teeth, incisors, are replaced with permanent teeth around 3 to 5 months of age. By 6 months, the permanent canines erupt. Permanent premolars erupt at 4 to 6 months and the molars erupt at 5 to 7 months of age.

Your pups are growing quickly. Be aware that by the time most puppies are 6 to 8 months of age, puberty has set in and unplanned pregnancies are possible, so be ready to take precautions or consider spaying or neutering.

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1Caring for Newborn Puppies
Delivering and caring for a new litter can be an overwhelming task for any mother. Even though your dog will probably do a great job caring for her babies, there are some things you can do to help.
Read More
2How to Puppy Proof Your Home
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Read More
3Orphaned Dogs - Their Mental and Social Needs
When a young dog finds himself without his mom, he risks missing important social skills that only his mother can provide. Knowing what he needs can help you try to be the best replacement mom possible....
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4Picking the Right Food for Your Puppy
Your puppy needs good food and plenty of it. At this stage of his life, he’s not likely to pig out, but he needs a balanced diet to nurture his growing bones, teeth and muscle, to maintain his hair coat...
Read More
5Weaning Puppies
Whether the puppies are being cared for by their canine mother or are being orphan raised, the method and timing of weaning can have lifelong effects on the babies.
Read More
6What to Expect in Your Puppy's First Eight Weeks
A puppy's relationships with his mother and littermates during the first 8 weeks of his life determine his personality and what kind of companion he'll be. His mother will provide for his basic needs and...
Read More

Developmental Milestones in the Puppy

Developmental Milestones in the Puppy

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