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How Puppies Develop
The Neonatal Period 0-14 days |
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First moments of new life,
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Birth is a stressfull and hazardous time for a puppy, for 9 weeks he has developed in the protected environment of his mother's uterous provided with a constant temperature and nourished by his mother's body. |
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Puppies are born in a very immature state |
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When puppies are born they are in an almost totally dependent state, they cannot see, they cannot see hear, cannot control their body temperature have very limited mobility and cannot defecate or urinate without stimulation. However puppies are born with a good sense of smell, taste and touch and the ability to cry. |
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Licking a newborn pup into shape |
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New born puppies are less developed than new born babies but grow and develop very rapidly, doubling their weight in the first week of life. |
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Newborn pup - just minutes old still wet with birth fluids |
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As soon as her puppies are born the bitch will quite literally "lick them into shape", her constant and quite rigorous licking stimulates the puppy to cry, clearing the air passage and encouraging them to breathe. Licking also cleans the puppies washing away the birth fluids whilst licking around the anal and genital areas encourages the puppies to clear waste products from their bodies. |
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The mother cleans and stimulates her newborn pups with vigorous licking |
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At birth puppies will seek the warmth of their mothers body and search for a teat attracted by the smell of milk, although in very young puppies mobility is limited to wriggling their body from side to site. Puppies have a strong suck reflex from the time of birth. |
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Pups just hours old now clean, dry and filling out from their first meals |
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If a puppy becomes stressed either by hunger or unpleasant
sensations such as excessive heat or cold he will cry loudly. At this
age puppies must feed and be toileted every two hours and between feed
will sleep pressed together or cuddled up to their mother for warmth
and comfort. |
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Pups at 7 days old well filled and contented |
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At birth a puppy's temperature will be between 96 and 97 degrees F (35.5 and 36 degrees C), the puppy cannot control his own temperature and is totally dependent upon warmth from his mother or another source for survival, puppies are very susceptible to hypothermia (chilling) and hyperthermia (overheating). |
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Contented pup at 9 days old |
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Puppies are born blind, their eyes are undeveloped and the upper and lower eyelids are fused together. Puppies eyes start to open at about 12 days old, all puppies eyes are blue when they first open. When his eyes first open a puppy's vision is very limited, he cannot see more than light and shade and cannot focus. Very young puppies should be protected from bright lights. |
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The mother stimulates her pups to empty themselves by licking |
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Puppies are born deaf, their ears flaps are limp and lifeless and their ear canals are sealed up, the ears begin to open at about 10 days. A puppy's hearing is very accurate as soon as the ears are open. |
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Pups are totally dependent upon their mother in the first weeks of life |
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From birth puppies are very touch sensitive and seek out soft things against which to lie for comfort . They respond to being gently handled and it is at this early age that the foundations of socialisation are laid. |
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Isis sits up to feed her 7 day old pups |
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