Puppies Are Growing Up!
By three weeks of age, your puppies will have their ears and eyes open. They will be starting to toddle around and may be quite noisy! Your cleanup chores will increase dramatically, and the pups may need to start with some food supplements. Discuss what to feed with your veterinarian or an experienced breeder. Many breeders move pups of this age to a whelping box that provides for a separate area where pups can go to eliminate, possibly with wood chips or shredded paper. The bitch will often help guide her pups to use that area.
Singletons, or puppies that are the only ones in their litter, need extra attention and socialization. They miss out on the important littermate interactions that help dogs fit in with other dogs. The dam is important, but other mature dogs that are gentle with puppies can be valuable “nannies.”
Learning about the World
At this time, the pups start to become little sponges of information. They need to be exposed to a number of people and experiences — always keeping their safety and health in mind! Friends of a variety of ages should come over and gently handle the pups after first washing their hands and removing their shoes to prevent tracking in any disease agents. Pups should be exposed to various surfaces to walk on, such as carpet, linoleum, and outside in a clean area.
Many breeders play music or tape recordings of city sounds, sirens, and storms so that these sounds are not frightening to the pups when they go out into the world. Puppies should have little playground areas with things to climb over, crawl through and under, and play hide-and-seek around.
This is an ideal time for pups to start learning about crates, taking short car rides, and being taken out separately for play and attention. Exposure to dog-savvy cats can occur now, but only under supervision. Remember, your job as the breeder is to produce the best possible puppies and then prepare them as best you can for their future lives with their new families!
