My Puppy’s Journey
My
neighbor is a dog breeder. When she told me her dog was
going to have puppies, I knew I wanted one. But would I
be able to take care of my very own dog? My neighbor said
that she would answer all my questions. I only had to provide
time and love.
My neighbor called me just hours after the puppies were born. When I first saw them, I was shocked. All the pups looked nearly the same, like a row of guinea pigs in a pet shop.
Right away I spotted the puppy I wanted. She had a stubby nose, and her eyelids seemed to be glued shut. Her floppy ears were pressed against her head. Her little legs dangled out in every direction. She didn’t have much fur yet. She was beautiful!
I visited her every chance I had. I was amazed at how much she and her brothers and sisters had to struggle just to stay alive.
For the first three weeks, the pups depended totally on their mother. They couldn’t even go to the bathroom. The mother would gently lick their bellies so that the puppies could relax and relieve themselves. For their meals, they would suck milk from their mother.
The thing they needed most was warmth, so they nestled close to their mother’s body.
The breeder kept track of the puppies’ temperatures. Sometimes she used a heat lamp or heating pad to give them extra warmth.
When my puppy was almost two weeks old, she opened her eyes to see her new world. A few days later, she was able to control her own body heat. The muscles in her legs grew stronger. So did the muscles in her mouth. As I watched my puppy lapping milk from a bowl, I longed for the day when I could take her home.
Her
brain kept developing, too. It told her to keep her home
clean. I was proud of my pup when she wobbled away on shaky
legs to find a bathroom spot away from her sleeping area.
My puppy was starting to explore everything around her. When she was excited, she would let out a little yip. I spent hours watching her chase her own tail and shadow.
At one month old, my puppy loved to play with her brothers and sisters. The breeder said that the pups were learning how to get along in life. Sometimes they would play too roughly. Their mother would growl and pull them away, but she never hurt them.
When the puppies’ teeth came in, their mother would throw up soft food for them to eat. I thought this was disgusting, but my neighbor said it is a natural part of animal survival. The breeder also gave mushy dog food to the pups. This got them used to food that wasn’t from their mother. They were being weaned from their mother’s milk.
After
five weeks, my puppy’s fur had grown in. I was thrilled
to see how she would perk up her ears and wag her tail when
I talked to her. She had just one more step to finish before
I could take her home. She had to learn how to behave 
around
people.
It was the breeder’s job to get the pups used to people. One at a time, the breeder would bring out the pups to play with her family, who were firm but kind. This taught the pups that humans, like the pups’ mother, are caring and are also in charge.
Finally, after eight long weeks, I was able to take my puppy home. I had watched her grow from a weak and helpless puppy into an independent little dog. Now she needed me to teach her right from wrong, to love her, and to protect her. I was glad I had decided to bring her into my life. She would truly be my best friend.
