Whelping and Raising Puppies: Week 6

At six weeks, the pups have now fully developed their vision and hearing, but are still too young to respond to a name. They are ready to investigate anything. They should be starting to wean or be nearly weaned. Putting a weaning bra on the dam promotes her to spend more time with the puppies, but they are unable to nurse. Some dams want to spend more time with the pups, but they cannot.

A white snap-on onesie.

By putting a snap-up shirt on the dam, she will spend more time playing with the puppies.

A mother dog is standing across a tiled floor with a onesie on.

You do not want them constantly trying to nurse at this age, stimulating milk production.

A dam is wearing a onesie and standing across a tiled floor. In front of her is a line of puppies.

By putting a snap-up shirt on the dam, she will spend more time playing with the puppies. You do not want them constantly trying to nurse at this age, stimulating milk production. The shirt is an easy way to stop the puppies from nursing, and works well. These shirts come in a variety of sizes from a children's department store.

Three puppies are playing in a kitchen next to a wooden whelping box.

The puppies are getting free time to run around the 20' x 20' kitchen, and play with the other dogs...

The right side of a white with black Puppy that is reaching out to sniff the back of a cat. The cat is bigger than the pup.

...and meet the cat. Their world is gradually getting larger...a little at a time, so as not to overwhelm them.

Two puppies are sniffing the brush side of a broom on top of a white linoleum floor.

This is the age they start to love to explore new things.

Six small black puppies are gathered towards the end of a fenced in area inside of a house.
Six puppies are inside of fenced area of a room. There is a potty area and a separate play area in it.
The back of a fenced in area in a room. There is a paper potty area with pee on it in the back.
A girl is sitting cross legged leaning against a wooden whelping box and a puppy is sitting in her lap.

Spending time with the puppies.

A girl is sitting in the puppies play area and the puppies are walking up to her.

The puppies getting a chance to roam the kitchen under watch.

Two puppies are standing under a table near there Whelping box.

The puppies playing with toys in the kitchen.