Dandie Dinmont Terrier Puppies

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is a small-sized dog breed that was bred for hunting small game. It is a lively, independent, and dog breed that does well as a companion dog. The appearance of this dog is distinctive with a long body and short legs. The head is large and covered with a soft and hard mixture of hair that flows down to their cheeks.

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier can give birth to 4-6 puppies at a time and their development process is interesting to watch. In this article, you will learn about the puppy’s development in different weeks and their behavior in those stages.

Newborn

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is born completely deaf, blind, and toothless. They also cannot generate their own body heat, so the mother keeps them warm and cozy. Before the puppies are born, make a comfortable and warm place for them to stay with their mother.

Since the puppy cannot produce body heat, it might die of hypothermia if kept away from the mother. For the first two weeks, all the puppy does is eat and sleep. Their brain function while waking up is the same as when they are asleep. The bitch feeds, cleans, and protects the puppies from any kind of danger.

Neonatal Stage (0-2 Weeks)

From birth to two weeks is the neonatal stage of the Dandie Dinmont Terrier puppies. This is one of the most vulnerable periods of any puppies as they have to rely completely on their mother from feeding to cleaning. The puppies only have a sense of smell and touch so they use that to get to the mother and other littermates when they go a little far.

Since the puppies are not able to defecate or even pee on their own, the mother licks the belly to stimulate them to do so. Do not handle the puppies unless it is completely necessary as the mother will look after all the essentials of her kids. They should only be fed mother’s milk for few weeks as it contains colostrum which will protect the puppies from many health problems.

Transitional Stage (2-4 Weeks)

The transitional stage is one of the interesting and beautiful stages to watch. The Dandie Dinmont Terrier puppy’s eyes and ear canal start to open by the second week and are well developed by five weeks. Their baby teeth also begin to appear and by one month, you can see them sampling solid food from the mother’s bowl.

By the third week, the puppies start to stand properly and also can wag their tails. They now start playing with their littermates by playfully biting, jumping on each other, running, etc. They also start forming their own vocabulary by whining, barking, and yelping to communicate with one another.

Socialization Stage (4-12 Weeks)

The socialization stage is a time for your Dandie Dinmont Terrier puppy to socialize with people and other dogs. Take them out in the park, or in a place with people and dogs when they get around 6-8 weeks old. Introduce them to different people and dogs, so they become well-behaved and comfortable around strangers.

Six weeks old is the perfect age to start training your Dandie Dinmont Terrier puppy. Start from basic like calling their name, teaching them minor commands like sit, stop, come, etc. Week 8-10 is quite fearful period for the puppies, so training with treats, praise which helps to encourage the puppies is recommended.

Juvenile Stage (3-6 Months)

The puppy face changes to more adult-like face as the Dandie Dinmont Terrier puppy enters the juvenile stage. They are very active at this stage so to utilize their energy, engage them in different activities like dog’s sports, jogging and hiking with you.

The puppies also become chewy at this period due to the replacement of new teeth their gums become itchy. So invest in some chewy toys to avoid the destruction of any valuable kinds of stuff in the house.

Feed them high quality puppy food that contains all the nutrition required for your dog.

Adolescence Stage (6-12 Months)

The Dandie Dinmont Terrier hits puberty when it reaches 6 months old and now it can be called an adult dog. The female will have her first heat at the age of 6-7 months and the male starts showing interest in females. However, keep in mind that it is not the right age for involving your dog in any kind of breeding. They are not physically as well as mentally ready to give birth. So, wait till they reach 18-20 months old.

By 6-8 months, your Dandie Dinmont Terrier puppy would master the basics, so advanced training should be started. Continue their socialization with different people as well as dogs. It will help them be comfortable around strangers and dogs.

Switch the puppy food to premium adult dog food. Go for a branded manufacturers whose products are approved by FDA (Food and Drug Administration).

Vaccination Chart for Dandie Dinmont Terrier

Vaccination cost for Dandie Dinmont Terrier

The cost of the vaccination for Dandie Dinmont Terrier is between $75-$100 for DDHP and for rabies is between $15-$20.

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• Dandie Dinmont Terrier