The First Seven Days: what goes on?

Early Nursing + Lung Development

The moment that a puppy emerges from it's placenta sack, a miracle occurs. An open mouth gasp fills two small, previously empty lungs with air for the very first time. This has to be one of my favorite moments of the entire puppy-rearing process. Watching that baby take it's first few breaths is both a magical captivating sight! Soon after those first breaths are taken, we use an aspirator to clear the puppy’s nostrils and throat to remove any excess fluid. Then, we assist the puppy in latching on to a nipple to begin nursing.

Umbilical Wound Cleaning

[Above] Chewy’s umbilical cord dries up after a few days.

After a puppy is born, we usually assist the Momma in removing the placenta sack, excess fluid, and umbilical cord. Naturally, the mother would chew this connection off, but a little extra help by way of medial scissors I’m sure is welcome. Over the next several days the mom will lick and chew the remaining tissue, cleaning the wound. This tissue eventually dries up and falls off within the first five to seven days, just like humans!

Tail Docking

For our families who choose to have their puppy’s tail docked, we usually perform the operation on day two or three. Completing this process at this time makes it virtually painless for the puppy and plays out very similarly to the removal of their umbilical cords.

[Above] Cedar pictured at age 16 weeks, tail docked.

Nutrition + Exponential Neural Growth

The first week of the puppies life is almost solely dedicated to soaking up as much nutrients as possible. Their bodies are loaded with both physical and neurological growth. Within the first five days of a puppy’s life, they are experiencing the world around them for the very first time in a completely new way. As they become aware of their bodies and environment, neural connections are made and motor skills begin to develop. The pups will lean on their instinct to feed and relate to their mother during this time. So much growth occurs, that the pups usually will double their birth weight by day seven. The sweet Momma will rarely leave the puppies alone during these first seven days. We use a dog-specific heating pad to help keep the puppies as warm as possible, even while mom is eating, drinking, or temporarily distracted by a toy. It is super important that the mom is with the puppies as much as possible during this time, as they are essentially helpless. The puppies eyes and ears will remain closed until roughly day 17.