Week 3 · the transition week · roughly days 15 to 21

This is the week puppies start noticing the world. They still sleep and nurse most of the day. But eyes are usually open now, sounds get their attention, and a wobble to the edge of the nest actually goes somewhere.

Weeks 1 and 2 followed Boots and her litter. From here the series is general. Use it for any litter, or for the puppy you’re hoping to bring home later.

What You’ll See

• Eyes following a slow hand or someone walking past
• A startle when a door shuts or the aircon kicks on
• A few shaky steps, then a flop back into the pile
• Littermates becoming company, not just a heater
• Short bursts of curiosity, then deep sleep

What you won’t see yet is a trained puppy. That’s fine. Nobody should be rushing lessons this week.

Keep the Nest Easy

A puppy who can hear and see can also get startled. Eyes opening isn’t a reason to turn the room into a party.

• Soft, washable bedding
• A corner away from the main traffic in the house
• Aircon or fan aimed past the nest, not into it
• Mama free to come and go
• Soft light, no flash

Short, Pleasant Handling

Puppies start to notice whose hands they’re meeting. So a short, nice hello is worth more than a long, exciting one. Wash your hands. Talk before you touch. Support the whole body when you lift. Put them back while they still look comfortable.

If a pup squirms hard, or mama comes over and hovers, that’s your cue to stop. Don’t scold anyone. Put the pup back and let the room go quiet.

Mouths get busier too. A pup might chew a sibling’s ear or your sleeve for a second. That’s exploring, not bad manners. Gently move the mouth off your skin and let them go back to the pile.

Let the House Be Normal

A Filipino home already has plenty of sound: rain on the roof, a motorcycle going past, the neighbor’s videoke. You don’t need to add more on purpose. If a sound makes the whole pile flinch and stay tense, close a door or move the nest a bit. What you want is a puppy who startles, looks, and settles again.

The clock is about the same for every size this early, from a Chihuahua to a Labrador. One plan works for all of them.

Week 3 Checklist

• Nest is clean, soft, and out of the draft
• Mama can rest without an audience
• Handling is short and gentle
• Few visitors, no flash
• Normal house sounds, nothing staged
• You watch more than you direct

Next Week

Week 4 is about the socialization window, and why it opens earlier than most people think.

Keep Reading

• Week 2: Newborn Puppies: What Changes (and What Shouldn’t) — Boots Litter Update
• Week 4: Why the Socialization Window Starts Earlier Than Most People Think
• Puppyhood, Adolescence and Adulthood: How Dogs Grow Up, and Why Size Matters