Here is the scoop on all things Pupster. Pupsters are born blind deaf and toothless, who knew right?!. Their eyes and ears are closed, so they rely on smell and touch to navigate their surroundings. During this time they get a whole lotta eat, sleep, poop, repeat going on;) They cannot regulate their temperature until they are about 3 weeks old, so the majority of the time mommy snuggles with them and only leaves for short potty breaks. In addition to not being able to regulate their temperature very well, they get around like drunk blind peeps. Since they cannot support their weight for the first two weeks of life, they do the army crawl or wobble around on their bellies. All this wobbling, paddling and pushing helps to build strength in their legs and gets them on their way to walking. Fun fact on newbies or gross fact on newbies is this!! Not only are Pupsters born blind, deaf and wobbly, they also cannot potty on their own! They also rely on mommy for the milk-bar and to stimulate them to potty and keep them clean. Sorry if that’s some big-time TMI. 😉
Puppy Development
Newborn Pupster Development
Birth to 2 Weeks
Puppies eat, sleep, snuggle, poop and double in weight during this time;) Their eyes will begin to open in the second week of life, usually between 10-14 days of age. It is different from pupster to pupster within the same litter. However, they won’t be able to see clearly at first. The eyes will gradually open wider, revealing grayish-blue eyes with a hazy appearance. Which is why we wait until they are 3 weeks old to take their updated pictures. It is difficult to get good pictures while the eyes are in the various opening stages. Puppies’ eyes will continue to develop over the next several weeks, reaching full vision around eight weeks of age. They are also mastering the army crawl in getting around. Most pupsters will be able to stand on their legs between days 15-21. They usually begin to walk with a wobbly gait around 21-28 days of age (hence the drunk peeps reference earlier).
2 to 4 Weeks
Eyes and ears open, and they start taking their first steps. After 14 days of age, physical changes open up a whole new world. They begin to see, hear and walk. By the age of 21 days, they begin to explore the world and learn about being dogs. This is when the socialization process begins. Pupsters are learning how to interact with other dogs by interacting with her momma and litter mates. This is also when pupsters start eating gruel, start to bark and growl, and explore their play area. Human socialization is important at this time as well. That’s why the whole HAL crew gets daily puppy play and snuggle in!
4 to 6 Weeks
At this point, mom wants some free time from those milk bar babies and leaves them to get some much-needed mom time. She typically doesn’t go far and will check on them regularly, but keeps those boobies at bay for a bit. This is when we start feeding them 4 small meals a day of pupster gruel, and start the weaning process. We let our moms decide when to wean and follow their lead. Some moms nurse a little longer than others. Pupsters have playtime outside every day at this point and are introduced to other areas of the house, yard and toys.
6 to 8 Weeks
This is when rough and tumble pupster playtime is in full force! This is a crucial time for pupsters to be with other dogs and their litter mates. Their teeth are coming in and those nails are sharp. This is when they start to learn about bite inhibition and proper play. Pupsters are also weaning form mom and are started on kibble. They spend several hours outside in their pupster play yard. They also have lots of toys of different kinds, slides, wagons, as well as a romp around on different surfaces to feel with their pupster paws. They have mastered the use of the doggy door from the monkey see monkey do learning process and the following mommy. The milk bar has magic powers and those pupsters will follow it anywhere;) Nice dog door puppy training hack! Once the doggy door is mastered, they love it. This is when we get our pups used to being groomed and handled regularly, as well as spend time in the crate. This is also when they have a visit to the vet and their second grooming and nail trim to get them ready to go home!
Go Home time!!
We have done our best to give your pupster the best possible start! Now it is your job to help your pupster meet its full potential and get the proper training from the start.
If you have any questions feel to email us at heather@haleslabradoodles.com
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