Devon & Freddie's Pups - 2 Weeks Old

Did You Know? The Fascinating Development of a 2 Week Old Puppy

A lot has changed in just seven days. Last week they were sealed off from the world, no sight, no sound, nothing but warmth and milk. At two weeks old, the doors are beginning to open. This is the transitional period, and the changes happening right now are some of the most dramatic in a dog's entire life.

Did you know… their eyes are opening for the very first time?

At around day 10–14, those sealed eyelids begin to part, a milestone that didn't exist last week. The world is still a very blurry place, and true focus won't come for another couple of weeks, but this is the first time a puppy has ever seen anything at all. It's one of the most exciting moments I watch for in the whelping box.

Did you know… their ear canals are about to unseal?

While the eyes are just opening, the ears are right behind them, the ear canals typically unseal between days 14 and 21. For now, the world is still silent, but that's about to change dramatically. Within days of their ears opening, puppies will startle at sounds for the first time and begin to locate Devon by her voice as well as her scent.

Did you know… they are taking their very first steps?

Last week, puppies could only paddle with their front legs in a swimming crawl. At two weeks, the back legs are beginning to push, and those first wobbly, uncoordinated steps are starting to appear. They're not pretty, but they're a huge leap. By week four, the pups will be running and tumbling around the pen.

Did you know… they still can't toilet on their own — Devon does it all?

Puppies at this stage haven't yet developed the reflex to eliminate independently. Devon must lick their tummy and bottom after every feed to stimulate urination and defecation, without her, a puppy can become dangerously bloated.

Did you know… their first teeth are getting ready to come through?

Puppies are born completely toothless. Around the two-week mark, the first deciduous (baby) teeth begin forming just beneath the gum line. They won't break through until around week three, but the process is already underway. Those tiny needle-sharp teeth will eventually signal the beginning of weaning, a big transition for both the pups and Devon.

Did you know… now is when handling really starts to matter?

Research shows that brief daily handling during this exact window produces calmer, more confident adult dogs with stronger stress responses. I spend a few minutes each day gently holding each pup. It's not just bonding time, it's laying the neurological groundwork for the dog they'll become.

Did you know… I weigh every puppy, every single day?

By two weeks, a healthy pup should weigh roughly two to three times its birth weight. I weigh the puppies daily at this stage because even a single day without gain or any weight loss can be an early warning sign that something is wrong. Catching it early makes all the difference. The scale is one of the most important tools I have right now.

Did you know… their personalities are already beginning to emerge?

It sounds early, but by two weeks you can already start to notice differences between littermates, which pup pushes to the front, which one is more settled, which one vocalises most. These early traits aren't fixed, but they offer the first faint glimpses of individual character. I love watching this unfold with every litter.

Did you know… they are starting to interact, not just exist alongside each other?

In week one, littermates were simply warm bodies to huddle against. By week two, with eyes beginning to open and movement improving, the very earliest social awareness is stirring. Pups may begin to orient toward each other, touch noses, or react to a sibling's movement. True play is still weeks away, but the social wiring is switching on.

Did you know… Devon is communicating with them and they're talking back?

Two-week-old puppies have already developed a range of vocalisations, whines, cries, soft grunts that signal hunger, cold, or discomfort to Devon. Studies show that Devon responds differently to each type of call, moving toward distress cries and adjusting her behaviour accordingly. It's a full two-way conversation, long before a single bark or tail wag ever appears.

Week two is the week the world cracks open. Eyes that have never seen, ears that have never heard, legs that have never walked all of it beginning at once. It's the part of raising a litter I find most extraordinary to witness, every single time. And Devon? She takes it all completely in her stride.

Subject to viewings, all of our puppies have found their forever homes!