Puppies are perfect – regardless of the dog breeds! Their tiny toes, little squeaks, and newborn puppy smell are a recipe for love that will last a lifetime. And this is no accident, their mother needs to fall in love with them and take care of them while they’re helpless and fully dependent. But if you’re planning for your female dog to have newborn puppies, you might not know what to expect… aside from cuteness! For instance, did you know that most puppies are born with their eyes shut? Here’s some information about what to expect when raising newborn puppies and managing puppyhood.
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When do puppies’ eyes develop?
Puppies’ eyes develop from just four weeks gestation. During their time in the womb, puppies eyesight continue to develop, just like their other organs. However, their eyes remain closed while they are in the uterus and newborn puppy’s eyes only open until after birth.
The reason why it's so important for their eyes to remain closed for the first few weeks after birth is that their development isn’t yet complete of a puppy’s life.
Why are puppies born with their eyes closed?
You might think it’s weird that puppies are born with their eyes shut and so are completely blind. But actually, this is the case in the young of many species. The reason why it’s so important for their eyes to remain closed after birth is that puppy’s eyes develop after birth as well, but other puppy senses work perfectly.
While their eyelids are closed, the fragile eye tissue inside is protected. Newborn puppies cannot tolerate bright light yet, and may get eye infections if not protected. Once the eyes are fully developed, the puppies eyes open when ready and they can take in their surroundings.
When do newborn puppies open their eyes after birth?
So, now you know that puppies are born with their eyes shut, but when do puppies open their eyes for the first time? As dog owners, you will notice from 2 weeks of age, you’ll notice your puppies eyes open.
Every puppy is different, so they may open their eyes as early as 10 days, or as late as 21 days. However, even though their eyes are open, don’t expect them to see much right away! Puppy’s eyesight will go through eye development as they age, so that they can take in foreign objects and their surroundings. While they do so, keeping them in a dimly lit location is good pet care.
The reason why it's so important for their eyes to remain closed for the first few weeks after birth is that their development isn’t yet complete of a puppy’s life.
How much can puppies see?
When a pup first opens their eyes, they can’t see very far and what they can see is very blurry. Don’t worry, though, they’ll still be able to find their mother and siblings using their other senses and instinct. As they get to know you, they’ll start to recognize you too, even if they can’t make out the detail of your face yet. Their vision will improve gradually between the age of 2 and 8 weeks, at which point they’ll have developed the eye reflexes of an adult dog.
Why are puppies born with their ears closed?
Just like with puppy’s eyes, the structures within a newborn puppy’s ears are incredibly fragile. This means that they are very sensitive to sound and can be easily damaged by loud noises.
For this reason, a puppy closs their ears until the ear canal and associated apparatus are fully mature and functional. Different breeds take different times to fully develop their ears, especially when adjusting to their new world.
When do puppies open their ears?
At around 3 weeks of age, a puppy’s ears open, exposing the ear canals to sound and allowing them to hear for the first time. Unlike their vision, which takes a while to improve, a puppy’s hearing is very good as soon as their ears open. In fact, as soon as their ears open they can hear much better than humans can!
When should you worry about your puppy’s development?
Just like babies, toddlers, and children develop at different rates, so all puppies are different too. This means that a puppy eyes and ears could open at around two weeks old, whereas with others it may take a little longer.
If your pup’s eyes aren’t open by three weeks, or don’t open their eyes or ears by 4 weeks, it’s worth making an appointment for a veterinarian to check them over.
Similarly, if their eyes and ears open at the right time, but they seem to be completely blind or deaf, this is something to mention to your vet, just in case there’s a problem. Bear in mind that it’s tricky to perform a detailed examination of young puppies, and it’s not easy to assess their hearing and vision. So, your veterinary care might examine them and then arrange another appointment for reassessment a few weeks later.
Summary
Knowing the milestones of a normal puppy development should help you spot when there’s a problem. Why not check out our blog posts on when puppies lose their teeth and 10 questions to ask a vet about your new puppy? If you’re worried that one or more of your puppies aren’t developing as they should, book a check-up with your veterinarian.
FAQ
If you touch a newborn puppy, which isn’t fully formed, your scent will transfer onto them. This could cause the mother dogs to reject them because she doesn’t recognize their smell. Therefore, if the puppies are well and feeding, you should avoid touching them until around three weeks of age.
A two weeks old puppy may have just opened their eyes, or they may be just about to. However, their vision will still be blurry and they’ll still be deaf. They’ll spend most of their time sleeping, only waking to feed from their mother.
Puppies can fully see at around eight weeks of age. Prior to this, their vision is blurry.
A 3-week-old puppy’s ears and eyes may both be open, or if they aren’t, they soon will be. 3-week-old puppies are a little more mobile and spend less time sleeping.
