Emma scott 
Around the age of 1 to 8 weeks, Newborn Puppies will be highly dependent on its mother as it requires special care for nutrition and socialization. The mother will provide her pups with the nutrition they need until they are fully weaned and no less dependent on the mother for survival.
In the coming weeks, the puppy will develop from its childhood into a young puppy. Once physically able to do so, they will begin to socialize in their environment. From interacting with their peers to humans, the period of 4 to 7 weeks is the ideal time to introduce your puppy to several people who will handle them gently.
- Caring for a Newborn Puppy – Newborn to One Week Old
1 To 8 Weeks Newborn Puppies Physical Development
At 1 week old, the puppies’ eyes are still closed. Puppies’ eyes will begin to open in the 2nd week of life, usually between 9 and 15 days of age. However, newborn puppies will not be able to see clearly at first. The eyes will gradually open wide, revealing brownish-blue eyes with a hazy appearance. Pups eyes will continue to develop over the next several weeks, reaching full vision at around 8 weeks of age.
The puppy’s ear begins to open around the time the eyes open, usually around 12 to 14 days of age. Puppies’ hearing will continue to develop until the new puppies are about 5 weeks old.
Newborn puppies cannot fully support their own weight for the first 2 weeks of life, so they crawl on their stomachs, paddling and pushing with their feet and gaining strength. Most newborn puppies will be able to stand up on their forelimbs at around 5 to 7 days of age and will begin to use their legs at about 2 weeks of age. They usually start walking with a staggering gait at 18 to 22 days of age.
Puppies need to be stimulated to defecate and urinate for the first several weeks of life. The mother does this by licking the anus and genital areas. If you are nursing an orphaned puppy, you can use a warm cotton ball or damp cloth to stimulate the area. Puppies gradually develop the ability to defecate and urinate at around 3 to 4 weeks of age.
Puppies are born without any teeth. Canines’ baby teeth, or “milk teeth,” will begin to appear between 3 and 4 weeks of age and continue to develop until about 8 weeks of age.
1 To 8 Weeks Newborn Puppies Behavior Changes
For newborn puppies, the first 2 weeks of life are all about eating and sleeping. After Almost 14 days of age, physical changes open up a whole new world. They start seeing, hearing, and walking. By 21 days of age, they begin to explore the world and learn about being dogs.
This is also when the process of socialization begins. Puppies learn how to interact with other canines by interacting with their mother and littermates. Human socialization with gentle behavior is also important at this time.
Around 7 to 8 weeks old, the first “fear period” will begin. This is a time when most puppies are afraid of new things. Anything you can offer them before this time can help the fear period go by more smoothly.
Health and Care
The mother will still take care of most of her puppies until they are fully weaned between 5 and 8 weeks of age. However, after 3 to 4 weeks of age, her puppies will become less and less dependent on her.
You may find that the puppies hang out of their little “nests” and try to see more of the house. It may be best to keep the mother and the puppies in an exercise pen when you are not at home.
The 1st few weeks of life are a time of vulnerability for newborn puppies. If a baby puppy is not growing at the same rate as its littermates, it should be seen by a pet vet as soon as possible. In addition, any symptoms of illness, no matter how subtle, should be taken seriously.
1 To 8 Weeks Canines Food and Nutrition
For the 1st three weeks of life, newborn puppies are nourished by their mother’s milk. If the puppy is orphaned or needs supplemental nutrition, puppy formula can provide essential nutrients.
After about 3 weeks of baby teeth erupting, puppies may be ready to be weaned. The mother may start this process naturally as she feels the puppy’s teeth pricking her nipple. A good way to switch puppies to dog food is to bring some canned puppy food or soft puppy kibble (use warm formula or water to soften the kibble).
Be sure to choose a dog food for growth. You can encourage puppies to eat it by tasting it with your finger. As the puppies get used to the puppy food, they will gradually nurse less and less. Most puppies are completely weaned by the age of 6 to 8 weeks.
Newborn Puppies Training and Socialization
Newborn Puppies between 1 and 3 weeks old are still too young to respond to training or socialization. In 3 to 4 weeks, they should be able to see, hear, walk and urinate/defecate on their own. Although their brains are still developing, they are capable of learning certain things.
Of course, it is still very important for these young newborn puppies to remain with their mothers and littermates until they are eight to 12 weeks old. At 3 to 4 weeks of age, you can begin to introduce the crate and begin some basic potty training. Even if the puppies are getting home between 8 and 12 weeks of age, you can begin to lay the groundwork for training.
The time between 4 and 7 weeks of age is an early socialization window. Although the pup must remain with its mother, she is now ready to be exposed to new sounds and sights. It should start meeting humans of all ages and appearances. This includes a child who knows how to act around dogs and will gently handle a puppy.