First three months

Your puppy: the first three months of life

Regardless of breed, all puppies develop in the same way, going through the same stages from infancy to maturity. These stages are not only interesting, but also necessary to know – so you will be aware of what your puppy is capable of at one time or another in his life. Although all puppies develop in the same way, the rate of development can vary greatly depending on the breed. In general, small breeds develop faster and reach maturity at one year of age. Larger breed dogs may take longer, up to 18 months.  

From birth to two weeks

During these first few days, your puppy, just like newborn babies, will only sleep and suckle milk. However, he is able to crawl and if he gets cold, he will look for his brothers, sisters or mother to keep warm. On the 10-14th day, he will open his eyes, however, his vision in the first two weeks is still very weak.

Third week

Your puppy will start teething, he will learn to walk and drink. By the end of the third week, he will develop a sense of smell. Most likely, your breeder will teach the puppy to endure even the slightest amount of stress. However, if he didn’t, don’t worry – even if you just take the puppy and hold him in different positions, this will be enough. This will accustom your puppy to human hands and help to adapt to life more easily in the future.

3 – 12 weeks: socialization

This is a very important period for your puppy. To grow up healthy, happy and balanced, he needs to gain experience with people, other dogs and the world around him.

First stage: 3rd – 5th week: Your puppy will begin to react to loud noises. This is important for his mother: she can stop feeding by grumbling at any time at her discretion. By the fourth week, your pet’s hearing, vision, and sense of smell will improve. He will bark, wag his tail and pretend to bite his brothers and sisters. He will also start eating solid food and stop going to the bathroom where he sleeps. In the period from the 4th to the 5th week, he will play catch up with me, his teeth will erupt, he will begin to growl and carry various objects in his mouth. 

Second stage: 5th – 8th week: Your puppy’s facial expressions will become more expressive, vision and hearing will function more coordinated. He will begin playing games with his siblings and by week 7 will be fully prepared to move into a new home. By the end of the 8th week, he will become curious and will actively explore the world around him. However, at the same time, he will become more circumspect. In the last week before you take him home, he must be separated from the family and taught to communicate with people. And he needs at least 5 minutes of attention every day. Between weeks 6 and 8, your puppy will begin to get used to you and your family and the sight, sounds and smells of his new home. As soon as he crosses the threshold of your house, you need to start teaching him to go to the toilet on the street or in a special tray.

Third stage: 8th – 12th week: Your puppy will experience a strong desire to like as soon as he realizes his place in the new family. You will learn new games together and wean him from the habit of biting during the game.