puppy timeline

[mzbogart]

does anyone know the typical timeline or growth timeline for puppies. like, at so many weeks they should be weaned or so many weeks they should have their eyes opened. Thank guys
:)

[Scooby4]

Puppy's usually have their eyes open by 1 -2 weeks. They stop nursing at about 6 weeks. The mother will let you know when she wants to stop nursing them!:rolleyes: You may want to start them out on canned soft foods after 6 weeks to help in "weaning" them. Avoid giving them milk. Just water!
Puppy's should be fully ready to put up for adoption by the 8 weeks. Some can go as early as 6 weeks but I'd make sure the person knew how to handle puppies this young. If it is going to be a child's dog I would wait the full 8 weeks.
Now when the puppy actually gets out of the "puppy stage" will depend on the breed. At one year most breeds are "mature" and fully grown. However, larger breeds can take longer to fully mature. They may continue to grow up to a year and half to reach full size. I know from my own experience that Golden Retrievers can take up to 2 years to get out of "puppy stage". They can be pretty destructive and high strung until then!:eek: However, once they mature they are the BEST matured dogs around!:)
Good luck with the puppies!!!

[lv4dogs]

Some dogs (like ones that are over motherly) & certain breeds (like aussies) can be known to let ther pups nurse for as long as they want.
If the mother does not start getting restless with the pups nursing at 5 weeks (maybe a week or 2 longer for very small breeds or if their teeth are not developed at all yet) of age you should step in.
Start seperating the mother & puppies more often and offer moistened kibble frequently to the pups. When they are 6-7 weeks old and the mother is still nursing & often you should remove the mother completely. Of course keep a very close eye on them & make sure they are eating the kibble.

[Pit Chick]

Between 2 1/2 weeks is when the eyes will try to start opening and weaning just depends on mom's tolerance for those sharp teeth on her boobies.

When we've had rescued litters we start introducing them to food at about 4 1/2-5 weeks depending on how fast they've developed by then (i.e. walking, teeth coming in) and how tired mom is getting of nursing them. We get puppy weaning formula and mix it with dry puppy kibble until it's nice and mushy and let the pups "play" in it. This has seemed to be an effective transition from mom's milk, kinda like switching a dog's food, it's best done gradually. They shouldn't go anywhere before 8 weeks old because 1) they need the social interaction from littermates to learn bite inhibitions and social skills and discipline that only mom can give 2) they need a set of puppy shots in them before going out into the world and being exposed to who knows what.