Birth – 4 weeks
Born blind and deaf and totally dependent on “MUM”.Tucked up snug in a safe and warm whelping room, nursing almost continuously and monitored 24/7
Eyes open around 14 days and activity starts. Introduced to soft food around 23 days. Receive first worming.
4 Weeks – 7 Weeks
Becoming much more active and starting to explore
Starting to play with toys and each other
Discovering their voice
Eating 4 meals a day and requiring milk from Mum less and less
Receive 2nd worming
Learning to use puppy pads
Weather permitting exploring the big wide world outside
Spending time meeting people and other dogs in the kitchen and meeting the scary Hoover, Television etc and lots of new noises, floor surfaces, textures, toys and experiences
Regular grooms on the grooming table
Receiving first visits from their new families
7 Weeks – 12 Weeks
Completely Independent of Mum
Micro chipped
Visit the vet for a health check and first vaccinations
Receive 3rd worming
Eating 4 good meals a day
Ultrasound Scanned on the www.PupScanProject.org for normal healthy joint development
Groomed and trimmed in the proper Breed style
Learning to walk on a lead
Leaving home to join new families
Registering with new vet and having an introductory “wellness check”
Settling into new home
Introduction to crate training
Annual Pet Insurance arranged
16 Weeks – 6 Months
Continuing to learn every day
Growing at a rapid rate so careful provision of a good diet and safe activities essential
No long walks, stairs or slippery surfaces
Reducing meals from 4 a day to 3 a day
Receive an Adult Worming dose
Attending lots of training classes and in the case of a show puppy, entering Baby Puppy Classes at shows
Very regular grooming to keep that puppy coat under control (fortnightly rake though with a coat king will help a lot)
Teething time so lots of tough chew toys to help teething and attention to ears, which may be hot and uncomfortable and start to fly (sit in a peculiar shape or angle)
6 Months – 9 Months
Reducing meal frequency to 2 a day
Reducing high protein puppy food levels to a lower level for slow steady safe growth
The vulnerable development time when joint damages can occur, triggering serious lifelong joint conditions. Extra care to provide safe controlled exercise and activity
Still no long walks, stairs, jumping from the car / grooming table or slippery surfaces
Extra attention to grooming as the coat begins to change from Puppy fluff to adult coat – regular rake with a coatking to help remove the old dead puppy hair
Females may experience their first season
Now fully housetrained and performing simple tasks and commands
Show puppies regularly showing and gaining their confidence
9 Months – 15 Months
Now eating 2 meals a day for life
Can begin short walks, but no jogging, Biking, long distance hikes and still no jumping from the car or grooming table
Time to decide if you wish to risk annual vaccinations (please see link)
Starting to grow up
Starting to develop sexual maturity
Coat becoming harsh and correct adult texture so much easier to manage
Can be an irritating “teenage stage” when boundaries are pushed.
Time to re-establish your status as “The Boss”
Now classed as a Junior for Show purposes
15 Months – 24 Months
Old enough for BVA Hip Scoring and Eye Testing if required
Skeleton starting to mature and vulnerable growth plates closing
Exercise tolerance increasing, including longer walks and faster work
Full Adult height
Full Adult Coat
Females almost fully mature
Males may take until 4 years of age to reach full maturity
Classed as an Adult from 18 months of age for Show Purposes
