Puppy Development

Newborn through 1-week Old Schnauzer Pups
Puppies of all breed are born with eyes shut and ears folded in, essentially blind and deaf at first birth. They rely entirely on their mother. Newborn Schnauzers are born with pink noses and feetpads that will turn black or chocolate as they grow! Most of their time is spent nursing and cuddling their puppy siblings. As they sleep, newborn pups will kick and twitch. This strengthens those wobbly baby legs and prepares them for walking later! As with many breeds, Schnauzer puppies have their tails docked and declaws removed in the first 3-5 days after birth. This is done early while the cartilage is soft. Waiting until later in life is a painful and expensive surgery best avoided.

2 to 3-week Old Schnauzer Pups
Puppies usually open their eyes around 10-14 days old. The fun begins with little peeks of puppy eyes and within a day or two, they are fully opened. At first, the puppy's eyes will appear hazy or glossy. This disappears after a day or two. Right around the same time, their puppy ears are opening and now they can detect movement and sound! Early stages of social skills are starting as they wobble, walk, and stand to take in the world. They are still entirely dependent on their mother at this stage, but it's hard not to love these clumsy Schnauzer steps.

4 to 5-week Old Schnauzer Pups
With the sights and sounds of their environment available, puppies of this age tend to be a bit scared and shakey. This is their fear response kicking in. It is normal for them to cry and yelp at the smallest things. Most of the time, the puppies grow out of the wimpy phase. This is a critical time for socializing and hands-on is the best way to build confidence in their world! Roughly in this timeframe, Momma Schnauzer starts weaning the toddling puppies. This is a good time to introduce puppy mash and vitamins!

7 to 8-week Old Schnauzer Pups
This is the stage everyone loves! The puppies are more comfortable and grow brave in the face of common household activity. Some puppies may still be a little shy and it's crucial to build positive confidence. They can run, chase, bark, and play. You will see lots and lots of Schnauzer puppy wrestling and tumbling. By now, you should see them acting on a more personal level, seeking affection and attention. These curious puppies are given more (supervised) room to roam. We find this is a great time to introduce playtime in the yard! We make sure to provide plenty of toys for these teething puppy days, too!