From Whelp to Wean: The Arrival

This week has been nothing short of magical — the puppies have arrived!

My whelping box is now alive with tiny squeaks and wriggles.

Puppies weighed in between 182-224gms at birth, their eyes and ears still sealed shut - nature’s way of protecting them while their nervous systems finish developing.

Even so, they already know exactly what to do: crawl with surprising determination toward Poppet’s warmth and milk.

Watching them, I’m reminded how incredible it is that survival instincts kick in from the very first breath and how naturally Poppet adapts to motherhood.

Milestone Moments

The moment of birth never loses its wonder for me. Hearing those first squeaks and seeing the pups take their first breaths is breathtaking.

Physiologically, it’s a huge shift — their lungs suddenly take over oxygen exchange, and circulation reroutes away from the umbilical cord.

And while I’m busy monitoring, Poppet is the true expert here. She instinctively cleans, stimulates, and settles her newborns with a calm efficiency that makes me feel like I’m just her assistant.

From Milk to Mush

For now, nutrition is beautifully simple: Poppet’s milk. It’s rich in antibodies and perfectly balanced for growth. The colostrum she produces in the first 24–48 hours is liquid gold, packed with immune protection that sets the pups up for a healthy start. Watching them latch and nurse with gusto is both reassuring and entertaining — especially when one rolls over in a blissful “milk coma,” looking like it’s had the best meal of its life.

Preparing for the Future

Behind the scenes, I’m already laying the groundwork for their future. The whelping box is kept scrupulously clean, I stick to routines for weighing and monitoring, and I keep detailed notes on each pup’s progress. To the casual observer, it might look like a sleepy pile of fur, but I know these first days are critical for shaping confident, healthy puppies who will soon be ready to explore the world beyond the box.

Future Parents

For those of you eagerly awaiting your future family member, Week 1 is a reminder of just how dependent puppies are in their earliest days. Right now, they are fragile, blind, and deaf, relying entirely on Poppet and the environment I provide. This stage highlights why responsible breeding matters: careful monitoring, veterinary support, and early handling all contribute to the healthy, well‑adjusted pup you’ll eventually welcome home. It may look like all squeaks and snoozes, but every cuddle, every weigh‑in, and every ENS/ESI exercise is part of shaping the confident companion who will one day curl up on your couch. Think of this as the “behind‑the‑scenes” work that ensures your pup’s first weeks are safe, nurturing, and scientifically supported.

Socialisation & Bonding

I start gentle handling from day one, because socialisation begins earlier than most people realise.

With Poppet’s calm acceptance, I can introduce the pups to human touch in short, reassuring sessions.

This is also when I begin Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) and Early Scent Introduction (ESI).

• ENS involves simple exercises like gently holding a pup in different positions or lightly tickling their paws, which research shows helps improve stress tolerance, cardiovascular health, and resilience later in life.

• ESI is equally fascinating — I briefly expose the pups to safe, novel scents each day, encouraging brain development and enhancing their scenting ability.

These little interventions slot seamlessly into our cuddle routine, and I love knowing they’ll give the pups a stronger start.

Health & Care

In these early days, my focus is on two essentials: feeding and warmth. Because puppies can’t regulate their own body temperature yet, I keep the whelping box at a cosy 29–32°C, gradually lowering it as they grow.

I check their bellies to make sure they’re full after nursing and weigh them daily to confirm steady growth.

At the same time, I’m caring for Poppet, who has worked so hard to bring her litter safely into the world. She gets high‑quality food, plenty of fresh water, and lots of praise and attention. I do a daily health check on Poppet to check her mammary glands daily to ensure her milk supply is flowing well and to catch any early signs of mastitis and watch for any unusual vulval discharge for signs of infection.

Honestly, she’s the producer, director, and catering team all rolled into one — I’m just here to support her.

Puppy Personalities Emerging

At just a few days old, the pups are still very much in their neonatal stage — their world revolves around warmth, milk, and sleep. Most of what I see now is reflex-driven: rooting for a teat, wriggling toward the heat source, or dozing in a pile. While it’s too early to pin down true personalities, these tiny differences in drive and comfort-seeking often lay the groundwork for the unique temperaments that will shine through in the weeks ahead.

The miracle of birth is humbling, but it also makes me laugh.

Seeing a pup snoring mid‑feed or wriggling like a wind‑up toy brings endless smiles.

These early days are all about survival, bonding, and wonder — and if the squeaks and wiggles are anything to go by, we’re in for an entertaining ride.

Puppy Spotlights — The Toybox Trio

Winnie (Big Ted)
Winnie made quite the entrance, tipping the scales at 224g — the heaviest of the trio. Her father’s rich red colouring is already evident, setting her apart visually from her apricot siblings. Behaviour‑wise, though, she’s right in step with the others: calm, content, and consistent. While some pups in other litters might already be showing bold or bossy traits, Winnie is simply thriving alongside her siblings without standing out as dramatically different.

Teddy (Little Ted)
Teddy was the smallest at birth, weighing in at 182g, but he’s proving to be just as steady as the rest. His apricot coat is soft and warm, and he nurses with quiet efficiency. Often the smallest pup is the squeaky, spirited one, but Teddy is showing the same reliable, even‑tempered behaviour as his littermates. He’s catching up nicely in weight and seems perfectly content to follow the same rhythm as the others.

Jemima
Jemima arrived at 220g, just shy of Winnie, and she looks set to inherit Poppet’s apricot colouring. She’s happiest snuggled close to mum, but when she wriggles forward to nurse, she does so with the same calm determination as Winnie and Teddy. While some pups might already stand out as the “gentle soul” or the “confident explorer,” Jemima is showing the same consistent, even‑tempered behaviour as her brothers.