Pictures of the current litter of Molly’s 2 week old puppies are posted below.
We’ve started daily bottle feeding for Molly’s 2 week old puppies and we hold them often in addition to daily ENS and our other puppy duties (or rather pleasures!). Scroll below the pictures for more information on what we are doing with these puppies and how they are growing up.
Out of the Whelping Box
We moved Molly’s 2 week old puppies out of the whelping box and into a pen yesterday (at 1 week 6 days). For the next 4 or 5 days, they will remain in this pen on a “cushy” surface. We layered a 1 1/2 inch thick piece of memory foam with a whelping pad, washable bed pads, and a second whelping pad on top. This surface enables them to best strengthen their little wobbly legs as they navigate the hills and valleys of their “floor”. The top layer is a textured whelping pad which gives them good traction so that they don’t slide around as they learn to walk.
The foam pad has been the foundation for puppies since shortly after birth. In addition to making a comfy “bed”, the memory foam gives a layer of protection. It is not uncommon for momma dogs to accidentally lay on a puppy. With the foam in place, the puppies will cry before they are injured. Often the moms will jump up, but the most common scenario is for us to rush over and pick up the mom to rescue the pup. At about 2 weeks 4 or 5 days, puppies are big enough so that they are no longer in danger of being squashed. Being lied on by momma is probably the most common way that breeders loose puppies. Therefore, we are vigilant to be with our litters around the clock until this is no longer a danger.
Eyes and Ears Are Opening
At around two weeks of age, puppies are beginning to open their eyes. With some litters, their eyes are wide open at 2 weeks. Other litters take a little longer and their eyes are only partially opened and will be fully opened by 16 days.
Puppy ears are also starting to open. Just after 2 weeks, they will discover their voices. It is interesting to hear them at this stage as they “practice” barking and making noises.
The Moms
The moms are now spending more time away from the puppies, leaving them for two or three hours at a time. Right around two weeks, we take down the whelping box and set up a pen for the puppies. One end of the pen has a section for the mom to step over a barrier that is too tall for the puppies, but allows mama dog to have access in and out as she pleases.
The moms are eating a huge amount of food when nursing a litter of puppies. In order to keep their weight on, we let them eat as much as they want. For larger litters, this is often about 4 times as much as they normally eat. The moms also need access to a lot of fresh water. Making enough milk for larger litters takes a lot of nourishment.
What We Do With Them at This Age
We will continue with daily ENS (early neurological stimulation) until puppies are 16 days old. In addition, puppies are handled often every day. Our overnight visuals come to an end at 2 weeks unless there is a puppy that is behind developmentally who needs additional monitoring. We are continuing with probiotics, but the weighing of puppies will only be done twice a week at this point unless there is a puppy that is smaller than most. Small puppies is not uncommon. They usually catch up by the time they go home.
If the litter is large, we will begin bottle feeding at around 2 weeks. If the litter is small or if the mom produces an exceptionally large amount of milk, we will only bottle feed once or twice just before three weeks of age. Bottle feeding these chunky babies isn’t necessary nutritionally, but we feel that it further enhances the puppy/human bond.
Puppies also take their turn being carried around by one of us starting at this age. I will often be doing other household chores while having a 2-3 week old puppy in my arm.
Making Plans to Pick Up Your Puppy
It is now time to start making plans for picking up your puppy. Contact us when you have made tentative plans before booking flights. We schedule 2-hour appointment times. If you are particular about when you come, let us know as soon as possible so that your preferred time slot doesn’t get taken by someone else.
For more information on how we raise our puppies, see our Raising Puppies page.
We’ll continue keeping you posted on how Molly’s 2 week old puppies are growing on a weekly basis. See our Available Puppies page to get to pages of Molly’s puppies at other ages.