The Second Week (Day 8 Through 14)

The Second Week (Days 8-14)

Contents

By now life should be settling into a routine. You are caring for your pups’ mom and she is caring for them. This second week of life is the middle of the neonatal period. They are still closed off from the world for the most part but you can see their development before your very eyes. What you cannot see is the massive brain development that is going on inside.

Normal One-Week Old Puppies Your pups’ eyes will open this week. Our pups’ usually open around Day 10 but other breeders tell me theirs open as early as Day 7. Regardless, as soon as you see the inner corner of their eyes begin to crack open, darken the room somewhat and stop taking flash photos of the pup’s faces. Normally, they would be in a den that has limited light so these are the conditions you are trying to replicate until their eyes are open and functioning. We want to avoid shocking their brain with sudden and/or bright lights until those neural connections are developed. Your pups still cannot hear but are now starting to raise themselves up on their legs. They are still nursing lying down but may stand on their rear legs while doing so. They can smell their dam and move toward her from quite a distance. In the second and third week of life, puppies’ normal body temperature rises to 97 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. They have slightly more control over their body temperature than they did last week but are still at risk for chilling. They need a draft-free environment with a stable temperature around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Weighing and Examining Pups Continue to weigh your pups twice a day. While weighing them, check their bodies over, cuddle them, breathe into their noses and give them the occasional kiss. Look for sores, rashes and swellings, all of which are abnormal in pups this age. Check their eyes to be sure there is neither puss nor swelling around their opening eyelids. If there is, use hot compresses on the eye and get the pup to a veterinarian for antibiotic creams. Infections are rare at this age but can permanently damage neonate eyes. Your pups should gain significantly in weight this week. For example, golden retriever pups will gain another pound and now weigh three pounds by the end of the week. At this point, you may have a growing disparity between the largest and smallest puppies. If the large puppies do not weigh more than three pounds and the small puppies are strong, then do nothing but move the small puppy to the rear teats. Private Nursing Sessions However, if the large puppies are growing too quickly or if the smallest pups are really falling behind, give the smallest pups private nursing sessions. Pack the larger pups in a laundry basket with a heating

1 | Page © Avidog International LLC 2013 The Second Week (Day 8 through 14) pad and sheepskin. Take them out of hearing of the dam if they are crying. Let the smallest pups nurse until they fall asleep. Repeat this from one to three times a day, if needed.

Puppy Development: Biosensor and Novel Scents Continued Continue Bio-sensor, pie-plate problem-solving and novel scent exercises throughout this week.

The Dam Your primary job during this week is to take care of the dam. She will be feeding and cleaning the puppies without much needed on your part. So, your job is to keep her well fed, well rested and clean. Remember to check the dam’s breasts three or four times a day, checking for hardness, heat or redness. See the information from last week on mastitis for specifics. Up until now, your bitch should be nursing lying down. She should learn how to roll back on her side so as to expose all of her nipples to the puppies. If she does not, encourage her to nurse on both sides and teach her to roll back and expose the lower nipples. Stay with her and pet her to keep her in that position. When you see her do it without your presence, praise her quietly.

Feeding This week you should begin to feed the dam a mid-day meal so that her breakfast and dinner meals are not too large. She should be receiving grains in two of her three daily meals, as well as a high protein, moderate fat diet. We use Dr Harvey’s Canine Health (grains and vegetables) in combination with a raw meat diet but you can use oatmeal, bulgar, quinoa or other grain. Be sure to use higher fat meats (beef, lamb, pork, etc.) for most of the meals. Maintain her supplements at last week’s levels.

Environment Puppies now have some control over their body temperature so you do not have to be as concerned about heating or cooling the room they are in. However, they are still weeks away from having adult control over their body temperature so be sure there are no drafts. The pups will continue to pig pile if they are cold and move away from each other if they are hot. Add soft, safe toys to the whelping box. We use large children’s plush toys to give pups things to crawl over and under. We will also put smooth rubber objects in the box so the pups experience another texture and odor.

Visitors We are generous with visitors and allow them to see the pups as soon as the mom is comfortable with their presence. Hygiene is important so ask visitors to not come from a dog show or training event. Ask them to wear clean, non-doggy clothes as well. They must remove their shoes outside the house and immediately scrub their hands and arms. There is no need for Clorox or other toxic cleaner but hot water and soap are essential. As delighted as they may be to see the puppies, visitors should be quiet and respectful around the dam. These are her babies and she has put a huge amount of energy into them. She must feel comfortable with the people you allow near the puppies. Some dams are very watchful, keeping an eagle eye on visitors, while others enjoy showing off their babies. Let her call the shots during visits.

Visitors should be warned that puppies are stronger than they look and they must hold them firmly by the body. Even adults should be sitting down when they hold puppies to avoid drops and falls. Despite the hazards, smelling and being held by new people are great developmental opportunities for puppies.