Puppy Observations
- Posted on 14th February 2010
- in Grace 2010
- by jvfairbanks
Not everyone knows, but Puppies are born without sense of hearing and with their eyes closed. They need to be warm to process their food. They crawl, but can’t walk.
It is amazing in slightly more than two months from the mating, they are born. It is also amazing from the time they are born in about 2 months, they are ready to leave the nest. Much has been written about the importance of developing puppies nerves, muscles and brains during this period.
This is why all I do is stare at just born puppies, I am sure. I watch them twitch, jerk and move while they sleep knowing it is developing their nervous system and muscles. It is just so cute, it melts your heart!
A whelp is overflowing with everyday miracles I don’t want to miss. The Kizers are the same way. A whelp does not happen every day and should be treated and enjoyed for the miracle it is.
From watching the birth, to all the steps as the doodles develop including watching the cord dry up and fall off to watching them grow plump and vigorous at the milk bar to carefully check the temp of the whelp box. This is important time.
Crawling and making little noises must be observed. Crawling very well at the 2 week mark the puppies then start walking around mid way of this coming week. Then, woosh! It turns into a full out gait by the third week. Of course you have to watch that as they begin to chase each other; that must be watched.
Each week holds a miracle and something new. This along with the eyes opening, but not seeing clearly until the next week is the stumble bumble puppy new-ness that one must study instead of doing dishes right away. Dishes can wait, puppies are developing!
The doodles this week also will have hearing opened up to them. This is when one puppy makes a noise, and then looks around like, what was that? Not realizing it was their own voice. They should hear clearly around the fourth week. The noises and the first who said that should be observed.
This week the Grace and Chief doodles opened their eyes, Hello World! Their eyes start out bluish in color and then slowly turn as their vision and retina develop. That is the first leap of the puppy making their way to their forever home. That must be observed.
But there is much to do in-between! You MUST handle the puppy everyday, checking their toes, ears, tummy. It is very hard work and spouses must take care of the children and take their family to dine out. 🙂 Don’t laugh, I am not kidding.
Everything the puppy is exposed to now will help him or her become a more healthy, socialized adult. This is where the Kizer socialization team (the kids) step in. Not wanting the puppies to be over stimulated they must go to school to give the puppies a break, contrary to them thinking mom is getting a break from her chores, she has a hard job of developing those puppies and overseeing their care. Although I am sure they would make a good case of staying home from school to care for puppies with a future web designer, organic berry farmer/marketer and a vet in the family they must keep their grades up. 🙂
The next week we should see some teeth starting to come in and more mouthing and play emerge. At the end of the third week, they will start imitating their mom and lapping water and then a shift happens. But, I don’t want to get to far ahead.
So here we are in what I call the nesting phase. Besides the physical development there is also social development and mental development to consider. This is part of what our secret recipe is for making a great Australian Labradoodle puppy. At the end of the 4th week depending on the puppies we move to the puppy play pen for safe exploration and social development. Play helps stimulate the mind. Yet another reason laundry can wait. But just for about another week, as then food will be introduced. And laundry seems to multiply as with input comes output.
