Whatever the breed, all puppies develop in the same way; they pass through the same stages from infancy to maturity. Not only is it interesting for you to know about these stages, it is also important that you should be aware of what your puppy is capable of at any particular time of his life.
Although puppies follow the same pattern of development, speeds can vary depending on the breed. Generally speaking, smaller breeds develop faster and attain maturity before they're a year old; larger-breed dogs can take as long as eighteen months to develop fully.
During these early few days, just like a new-born baby, your puppy will just sleep and suckle. But he'll be able to crawl. If he's cold he will seek the warmth of his brothers and sisters or his mother. Between 10 and 14 days, his eyes will open but his sight is weak for the first few weeks.
Your puppy's teeth will begin to come through, and he'll learn to walk and drink. By the end of the third week, his sense of smell will develop. The breeder of your puppy should subject him to mild stress, but this isn't anything to be alarmed about. Simply picking him up and holding him in different positions is defined as mild stress. This will get your puppy used to human handling, and help him to cope later on in life.
This is a critical time for your puppy. If he's to develop into a happy and healthy and well-balanced dog, he needs to experience humans, other dogs and his surroundings.
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