Transitional Period
Nova’s puppies are now two weeks old and have entered the Transitional Period from day 14 to 21. Each litter is different and enters the next period, the Critical Socialization Period, when the puppies “first startle” at a sound.
The first twelve weeks of a puppy’s life are incredibly important. This is an almost magical time during which a breeder has the power to influence the outcome of a puppy’s life based on what we choose to teach them. By doing the right things at the right time, we can give your puppy the best possible start.
Daily Cleaning
Newborn puppies are susceptible to disease. For this reason, we need to maintain a clean environment for them. We place the puppies in the basket while we clean and disinfect their whelping box.
Milestones
When raising puppies, we watch for milestones to gauge their progress. This week, Nova’s puppies achieved two important milestones.
Weigh-In
The puppies’ first milestone this week was doubling their birth weight. We pay close attention to this milestone because when a puppy isn’t gaining enough weight, it signals a potential issue. With Nova only having five puppies to feed, her pups gained weight more quickly than our larger litters. Three puppies—yellow, orange, and black—doubled their birth weight during the day seven weigh-in, while the other two puppies—pink and blue—achieved this milestone on day eight.
Eyes Opened
Another milestone was reached later in the week—eye-opening. The puppies’ eyes opened between Days 10 and 14. Our Pink Collar Girl was the first puppy to open her eyes on Day 10.
So exciting!
ESI
DAY EIGHT – SOIL
Watch each puppy’s reaction when they smell the soil.
Such a Dedicated Mama
The puppies still require stimulation (lick) to void. Observe as Nova cleans each puppy before settling down to nurse.
During the upcoming week, the puppies will start going potty on their own. We will set up a sleeping area and a potty area in their whelping box.
Socialization
We expose our puppies to human touch from birth. We always consider the mother’s comfort level, as we don’t want to impose unnecessary stress on her. Nova stays nearby, watching over her puppies as they interact. This week, two of my grandsons visited to interact with Nova’s puppies. Sometimes, little hands aren’t so gentle—this serves as a teaching opportunity for children to learn to be gentle and to respect animals.
Looking back at week two
Looking Ahead to Week Three
- ENS exercises will continue until day 16
- Puppies will continue to eat and sleep for most of their day
- Sight will become clearer
- Ears will open, and they will begin to hear.
- Puppies will practice walking on all four legs, strengthening their hind legs.
- They will become more aware of their littermates and start to interact
- Puppies will start to vocalize
