During the first two weeks of a Sheepadoodle’s life, significant developmental changes occur. Keep in mind that individual puppies may vary, and this is our journey with our sheepadoodle puppies at Sheepadoodle Dynasty.
For a list of our available puppies, please click on this link.
Week 1: Birth to 7 days
- Birth: Sheepadoodle puppies are typically born with their eyes closed and ears folded. They are completely dependent on their mother for nourishment and warmth. Standard sheepadoodles range from 8 ounces to 14 ounces at birth. They can have anywhere from 3 puppies to 11 puppies.
- Weight gain: In the first week, the puppies focus on nursing and gaining weight. They may double their birth weight during this period. Every day, they gain about 1.5 to 2 ounces.
- Development of senses: Though their eyes remain closed, the puppies start to develop a sense of touch and taste. Their sense of smell also begins to develop. They even recognize the hooman mom who bottle feeds them regularly.
- Sleep and eat: Newborn Sheepadoodles spend most of their time sleeping, cuddling with their littermates, and nursing from their mother. The mother plays a crucial role in cleaning and caring for the puppies. She licks them to help them pee and poop.
Week 2: 7 to 14 days
Eye and ear opening: By the end of the second week, the puppies’ eyes start to open. They start out as a barely opening to becoming bigger as they age. All sheepadoodle puppies open their eyes at different times; however, after 2 weeks, most of them should have their eyes opened, even if it’s just slightly. Ears may begin to unfold, allowing them to hear some sounds.
Increased mobility and Communication
While still wobbly, the puppies start to gain some mobility. They may attempt to walk on all four legs! Their wobbly legs remind me of a drunk person stumbling home at 2am. Puppies may start to make small noises such as whimpers, grunts, or tiny barks. They also begin to interact more with their littermates and the environment.
Listen to this little puppy snoring away while sleeping
Socialization
The mother and littermates become increasingly important in the socialization process. Sheepadoodle puppies start learning basic behaviors through interactions with their siblings. They can also sense and smell their hooman mom and will wobbly walk over to her.
During these early weeks, we monitor our sheepadoodle growth by weighing them and ensuring that they’re all growing. We keep a steady watch over them to make sure they’re all gaining weight, are warm 24/7, and are growing as anticipated. We record their weights in our daily journal. We individually bottle feed all smaller sheepadoodle puppies to ensure optimal health. As the weeks progress, the puppies will continue to grow, develop, and become more active, eventually reaching milestones such as fully opening their eyes, standing, and starting to explore their surroundings. Check in at our Week4 updates for more information!