Probably on top of the list of most adorable creatures ever, puppies surely know their way to every person’s heart. They might not do much other than eat, play, and sleep, yet their owners and any other person who sees them are just covered in admiration for their little creatures.
People have grown so fond of dogs and puppies that there are now multiple dog charity organizations worldwide that cater to their needs of rescued dogs. So, if you’re looking for a meaningful way to spend a special occasion, or just wanting to help puppies in general, you can check these groups.
And, if you’re already thinking of adopting a rescued puppy, or even buying the one you’ve been eyeing for so long, here are some fun facts to help you!
Dog Fever is On With These 8 Fun Facts on Puppies
If you spend a lot of time with your puppies, you would think that you already know everything there is to know about them. But we assure you that this is not the case!
Here are some fun facts about puppies that will make you fall in love with them even more.
Photo by Chevanon Photography
- Puppies’ Eyes Only Open After Ten Days
If it’s your first time seeing a newborn puppy, do not be scared of their firmly shut eyes! This is completely normal. Their eyes will only open when they’re 10 to 14 days old. And even after their eyes open, they will only develop full eyesight at seven weeks.
Like most newborn animals, puppies are also born toothless. Their teeth will only start growing in two to four weeks. These baby teeth will be replaced by adult teeth when they reach four months old. At this stage, a chew toy will greatly help these puppies!
Other than having closed eyes and no teeth, puppies’ ear canals are also closed when they are born.
And while these senses take a while to develop, the case is different with the sense of touch. A mother’s lick and nuzzle are the first sensations felt by puppies.
Photo by: Pixabay
- Puppies Can Be Identical Twins
A dog’s litter can depend on their size. Smaller breeds like the Yorkshire Terrier give birth to less puppies, and big ones have more. But all these puppies usually have different genetic make ups. Twins are some rare exceptions!
The first-ever recorded identical twin puppies were Irish wolfhound puppies in South Africa. Cullen and Romulus were attached to one placenta, so they had to be delivered via C-Section. They had five other siblings who were attached to one placenta each.
You can know more about these equally adorable pups here: First documented identical twin puppies born – YouTube
Photo by: Mateja Lemic
- Puppies Learn From Their Mothers First
Before puppies learn tricks from their owners, they will first develop their behavior through the help of their mothers!
From day one until they grow a few weeks old, puppies will know what’s right and wrong through their mothers. These mother dogs will bark or snap at their puppies who show a glimpse of stubbornness. Their actions will also be the ones that will be imitated by their offsprings as they navigate their way through puppy-landia.
As puppies play with their siblings, they will then develop social skills that they’ll be using once they get out of their mother’s embrace and into the bigger world.
Photo by Andrew Kota
- Some Puppies Are Delivered via C-section.
Dogs usually give birth the way most mammals do, but some breeds like the English Bulldog is an exception. Their puppies can only be delivered through C-section.
Even with a different birthing method, these puppies still reach their full size within one to two years, the same period that other puppies do. Just make sure that they get the care they need! On their first days, these puppies will sleep for 15 to 20 hours a day.
Photo by Jozef Fehér
- Dalmatian Puppies Are Born Without Spots
It’s hard to tell Dalmatian puppies on their first day – they are born completely white! Their spots will appear slowly as they grow older.
This change in color fur is the same across almost all dog breeds. Their dots, stripes, and patches can change in color as they get older, widely affected by their breed.
Some puppies are even born with green fur, but this eventually changes in color after weeks!
Speaking of Dalmatians, watch the classic One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961) – IMDb for your next movie night!
Photo by: Wikimedia Commons
- All Puppy Noses Are Unique
Puppies’ cute little noses are not just made for bops – they are actually the counterpart of human fingerprints! Each one has patterns and creases unique to a single puppy. Genetically-related puppies might have some similar pattern, but no two are exactly the same!
Photo by: Tuan Nguyen
- Puppies Like Baby Talk
As much as we love talking to puppies, puppies love baby talk too – even if they don’t particularly understand what we’re saying. What they actually enjoy are hearing well known voices and having someone talk to them. These conversations make them excited!
You can even start inserting some commands and tricks as you talk to puppies. At two months old, they can already learn to sit, stay, or stay down!
Photo by Hilary Halliwell
- Puppies Become Considered As Adults At One Year Old
Since the first year of a dog is already equivalent to fifteen years of humans, a puppy is already considered an adult once it turns one year old! And while fifteen is still a teenage year for humans, the same is just not the case for dogs.
Dogs usually live for 10 to 14 human years, so you can imagine how long that life must be in dog years!
For a more accurate dog age calculator, you can use this website for free: Dog Age Calculator: How Old Is My Dog In Human Years? | Dutch
Photo by: Julissa Helmuth
Frequently Asked Questions on Puppies
When can I take my puppy to the dog park?
Taking your puppy to the dog park is more of a concern of their vaccines instead of their age. You can bring them to parks as soon as they start running, but you would not want to risk them of contagious diseases! So, it is best to bring your puppies to parks and other public places once they’ve already completed their vaccine.
How can my puppy stop from chewing everything?
Puppies are not aware of what they should chew and what they should not. Once they see something exciting that may have the tiniest hint of being a food, they are bound to chew on it. So, it will be up to you to hide things that might be dangerous to your puppies if they chew on it. You would also want to invest on chew toys, so your puppies will munch on them instead of other objects they can find lying around!
Do I need to groom my puppy?
There’s no need to groom your puppy immediately, but they will eventually need it after some time. Getting them to experience nail cutting and baths will help them get used to it when they get older. It’s better to keep the grooming time short, though, as you would not want your puppy to be bothered by having to stay still for too long.
