Milestones in a Puppy’s Development
If you’ve found an orphan puppy, you won’t know exactly how old he is.
But you need to make an educated guess so you can determine the kind of care he’ll need. A two-day old puppy needs a completely different of kind care than a three week old. Once you’ve figured out his age, you’ll know if you need to stimulate him to potty or start housebreaking him.
Please remember that this chart is only general guide. Every puppy matures at a different rate. Larger breed dogs tend to mature earlier than small dogs.
Newborn through Day 7 |
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Newborn |
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Day 2 |
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Day 3 | Umbilical cord falls off |
Day 5 | Begins to crawl around |
Day 7 |
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Days 7 to 14 |
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Day 14 |
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Days 14 to 17 | Begins walking wobbly |
Days 14 to 21 |
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Days 17 to 21 |
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Day 21 |
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Days 21 to 28 |
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Day 28 |
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5 weeks | Should receive gentle human handling |
4 to 5 weeks | Housetraining begins |
5 to 7 weeks |
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Week 6 |
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Day 45 | Should have 28 puppy teeth |
8 to 9 weeks |
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8 to 10 weeks |
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8 to 11 weeks | Fear imprint period - traumatic events will likely cause fear for life |
Week 12 | Chasing things |
Week 14 | Adolescence begins |
2 to 5 months | Permanent front teeth emerge |
4 to 5 months | Permanent first premolars emerge |
Month 5 | Permanent canines (fangs) emerge |
5 to 6 months |
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5 to 18 months | Females have their first heat |
Month 6 | Permanent second premolars emerge |
6 to 7 months | Permanent second and third molars appear |
6 to 14 months | Males lift leg to pee |
Month 7 | Cutting permanent teeth |
36 months | Large breeds considered mature |