We all love puppies, right? It’s near impossible for any dog lover not to, surely. Wriggly, fluffy, loving and extremely cute – why wouldn’t you love them? And they’re not just adorable; they’re interesting, too. Read on to find out some of our favourite facts about puppies.
1. Puppies are born with no teeth (then get baby teeth which they will lose later)
You might expect puppies to have tiny teeth when they’re born, but did you know that they are born with no teeth at all? This is one of our favourite puppy facts!
Because they are born with no teeth, another interesting puppy fact is that they will eventually develop and then lose their first set —which is why they are often called ‘baby teeth’. Your puppy’s baby teeth will begin to fall out at about 3-4 months of age, and they will have all their 42 permanent adult teeth by the time they are 6-7 months old.
2. Newborn puppies are born blind and deaf
Puppies are born totally helpless and their eyes and ears are completely shut at birth. Their eyes begin to open when they are between 10 and 14 days old, with their eyesight fully developing at about 7 weeks of age.
3. Puppies are natural heat seekers
While they are blind and deaf when they are born, a puppy will use a combination of body heat detection and scent to find their mum – and so get food and warmth. She will lick them and wash them and stimulate their sense of touch as part of the bonding process.
Touch is a puppy's very first active sense. Because they rely so heavily on touch and licking to communicate with their mother, this behaviour carries over as they grow. If you've ever wondered, "why does my puppy lick me?", it is often an extension of this early touch-seeking behaviour - they are simply communicating, gathering information about you, or showing affection!
4. Puppies can be twins
There are often many puppies in a litter, each genetically unique – but did you know that puppies can be twins? The first confirmed case of this was recorded in South Africa in 2016, with vet Kurt de Cramer delivering them via Caesarean section. Although it’s likely that there have been other unconfirmed cases of genetically identical canine twins, this was the first officially recorded instance of identical puppies being born.
5. Their coat colour may change as they grow
A bit like human hair, the colour of puppies’ coats may change as they get older. Patches of colour can shift and grow, and how they do so can depend on breed. Dalmatians, for instance, don’t develop their famous spots until they are two or three weeks old. If your pup is purebred and you know the parents, then with a basic knowledge of genetics, you’ll be able to more or less predict their final appearance, but for mixed breed pups, it can prove more a bit more of a puzzle.
6. Estimated 1.2 million puppies born worldwide every day!
An amazing fact about puppies is that the number of pups born each day drastically overtakes the number of human babies that come into the world, with approximately 1.2 million pups born every day compared to 370,000 babies. That’s roughly 3 times as many puppies as humans!
7. Puppies double their birth weight after the first week
If all goes to plan, and your pup is growing healthy and strong, they will double their birth weight after their first week of life. Twice the size in just a week!
8. Different dogs become adults at different ages
While all the very many breeds are the same species (Canis familiaris), the age at which they reach maturity varies by breed and size. Small dogs like Chihuahuas or Yorkshire Terriers for instance, can be physically mature at about 9 or 10 months old, while large breeds like the Great Dane or the Bernese can take up to 2 years+ to reach maturity!
9. Largest litter ever recorded was 24 puppies
One of the most almost unbelievable facts about puppies, this amazing fact is recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records! Born in the UK in 2004 to a Neapolitan Mastiff called Tia, the 24 pups were born by caesarean section, although one was unfortunately still born and three others died in the first week.
10. Puppies can be born green
It seems strange, but it’s true… Puppies can be born green. Although the colour isn’t permanent – fading after a few weeks - there are a few recorded cases of light-coloured puppies being born a surprisingly verdant colour. Veterinarians think that the unusual colour is caused by a green bile pigment found in the dog’s placenta mixing with the amniotic fluid.
If you liked our facts about puppies, why not take a look at 15 amazing dog facts?
Puppy FAQs
Purina Editorial Team
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