What To Expect While Raising Your Litter

New breeders may not be able to wait for their litters to arrive. However, at the same time they may also be very nervous about what to expect while raising their litters. This is perfectly understandable especially if the breeders have never had a single puppy let alone an entire litter of puppies. The needs of the puppies will vary dramatically from the time they are born until the time when they go to their new homes. The breeder will also have a great deal of responsibility during this time. The care, feeding and socialization of these puppies rest in the hands of the breeders. This article will provide information on what breeders can expect while raising a litter of puppies.

Breeders who have notions of playing happily with their puppies will have to put these thoughts aside for a little while. During the first week of life puppies will spend approximately 90% of their time asleep and the remaining 10% of their time eating. Ideally the puppies will be nursing for their nourishment but if this is not possible for some reason, the breeder will have to intervene to provide nourishment that is comparable to the mother's milk. During this time the puppies will be very susceptible to both heat and cold and will need to be near their mothers in a climate controlled environment. They will have a few natural instincts leading them to crawl, huddle against the mother for warmth and nurse. However, they will need stimulation to urinate and defecate. The bitch will usually provide this stimulation for the puppies but if she is unable to, for any reason, the breeder will have to provide this stimulation. A warm cloth can often be used for this purpose.

The eyes of the puppies will open in the second week as will the ears. This is a good time to begin getting the puppies accustomed to being held. It is also a good time to starting regular nail trims. This is important because puppies exposed to this type of handling will be more compliant to grooming and veterinary care as older dogs.

The fun of raising a litter of puppies really begins around week three. This is when the puppies first start to interact with each other. They can now stand up and walk around, show an interest in their surroundings and no longer require stimulation to urinate and defecate. There little puppy teeth start emerging around this time and they learn to drink water or other liquids from a bowl.

In the fourth week, puppies continue to socialize and learn to play with each other. They start to chase each other, bark, wag their tails and even growl or show their teeth. These early interactions with each other will teach a puppy how to socialize with other dogs. They will also learn important skills such as bite inhibition. The puppies will enjoy playing with each other but will tire quickly and continue to sleep often. Puppies will also begin eating food on their own during this week.

The fifth week in the life of a puppy is filled with more playtime. However, dominance play begins to emerge and some puppies develop alpha personalities while others remain more submissive in nature. Noting these characteristics as they emerge will help the breeder to place each puppy in an ideal home. For example more dominant puppies should be placed in households where they will either be the only dog or the existing dog has a submissive personality. This will help to avoid conflicts when the puppy goes to a new home.

The growth of the puppies continues in weeks six through eight. By week seven the vision and hearing of the puppies will be complete. They will also begin to become more inquisitive around week seven which will lead to a fear period around week eight. This is all natural and most puppies go through these stages. By week eight the puppies should be eating regular puppy food.

There is much debate about when puppies are ready to leave their mother and littermates. Some breeders believe as early as seven weeks is acceptable. However, if the puppy will be shipped to a new home it is important to wait until the puppy is at least ten weeks old.