Observe the incredible development of a puppy inside its mother's womb, noting the remarkable changes it goes through in its first few weeks of life. Despite the short gestation period of approximately 9 weeks for dogs, an amazing transformation occurs during this time before the puppy takes its first breath as a newborn. Join us to learn about the extraordinary journey of a puppy, from its time in the mother's womb to its entry into the expansive world beyond.
Let's explore this journey together!
BEFORE BIRTH:
Week 1-2:
Woohoo!
Today my egg is fertilised in the fallopian tube and I can start my big journey.
Together with my future brothers and sisters, I leave for the womb. We distribute ourselves nicely, so that no one is alone, and nestle up tight in the soft uterine wall.
I divide from 4 to 64 cells and immediately get a head and spine!
Week 3-4:
By the 19th day, I snugly nestle deeper into the uterine wall. Regrettably, this might cause some discomfort for mummy, but it's only temporary.
Moving into the fourth week, significant developments unfold – my head enlarges, my eyes form, and my first vertebrae emerge.
I'm undergoing rapid growth, nearly tripling in size.
Surprisingly, at this stage, I measure approximately 15mm, equivalent to the size of a hazelnut!
Additionally, my organs begin to form.
If mummy's owners wish to catch a glimpse of us for the first time, the vet can facilitate this with an ultrasound.
Week 5-6:
I'm starting to resemble a real puppy more and more, with teeth, toes, nails, and whiskers emerging. My organs are fully developed now, so I can take care of myself. My skin color begins to show.
Mummy is feeling a bit uncomfortable as she's gained weight, and we're quite active in our cozy little space.
The most exciting part is that we're beginning to differentiate into boys or girls, and guess what?
I'm a boy!
I lucked out with a prime spot in the womb – right in the middle, where the most nutrients are.
This makes me the strongest among my siblings.
By the end of the sixth week, I weigh around 6 grams and measure 45mm.
Week 7-9:
Now, mummy's owners can see me clearly through ultrasound since my skeleton is fully formed.
They can even feel me when I gently kick.
Mummy's belly is nearly hairless, making it easy for me to find the feeding spot.
The last few weeks are tough for her, but I'm almost ready!
I channel all my energy into growing, growing, and growing some more.
Eating becomes a challenge for her due to our increasing size, but a more nutrient-rich diet can help. From day 57 (the beginning of week nine), I can safely enter the world, though I usually wait until 60 to 63 days.
I can't wait to start playing!
AFTER BIRTH:
Newborn to 2 weeks:
Hey there, world!
Well, I can't really see or hear anything just yet. In fact, for the first week or two, we're all blind, deaf, and toothless. Plus, we can't control our own body temperature.
My siblings and I rely on mummy and each other to stay warm, so we snuggle up together in a cozy heap.
It's been a busy couple of weeks of growing, so I spend about 90 percent of my time snoozing!
All the energy I manage to muster goes into getting bigger, and in just the first 10 days, my weight has already doubled.
I'm not quite strong enough to hold myself up yet, but I can manage to wiggle around a bit using my front legs.
Week 2 to 4:
In my second week of life, there have been many changes. Both my ears and eyes have opened up, giving me a whole new understanding of the world around me.
Mummy looks just as wonderful as I expected, and so do all my adorable fluffy siblings.
We're all beginning to communicate more with little yelps, whines, and barks.
And guess what?
By week three, I managed my first wobbly walk!
This stage marks a period of rapid physical and sensory growth for us puppies.
We're starting to interact with each other and even sneakily sample food from mummy's bowl.
I'm also getting better at controlling my bathroom needs and moving away from our sleeping area when nature calls.
Week 4 to 8:
I've been told that from week three to about week 10 is a crucial time for socializing, where I'll form attachments that will stay with me for life!
Around four weeks, mummy's milk started to decrease, and now I'm eating a lot more solid food.
By the time I'm six weeks old, all my baby teeth have come in, which makes eating much easier.
During weeks six to eight, it's really important for me to learn to accept others as part of the family.
By the time I'm ten weeks old (they say this happens from about week eight to 12), I might start feeling a little anxious meeting new people, so I appreciate it when my owners are extra careful with socializing during this time.
Staying with my brothers, sisters, and mummy till eight weeks old is helping me learn all sorts of important things: how to control my biting, how to understand and respond to typical dog communication, and where I fit into the doggy world.
Now that I'm eight weeks old, I'm ready to meet my owners and move into my own cozy home!
How thrilling!
