BIJOU STANDARD POODLE'S
PUPPY DEVELOPEMENT CALENDAR

Puppy Development Calendar

Puppy Development Calendar
Litter Born:	Dam
Puppy/Litter:	Litters Development Stages
Sire:	Sire
Dam:	Dam
Breeder:	Bijou Standard Poodles (What we are doing)
~CAUTION~ Graphic photos Picture of New Borns Video of pups being born Video of Pups Being Born *Video of Pups Being Born	... New Born Standard Poodle Make sure the puppies get warm and dry as soon as possible after they are born. When they are still wet their temperature can drop rapidly. Put them under a ceramic lamp (if the bitch will let you take her puppies away, if she is hesitant, put the 'ready box' in the whelping box with her so that she can see her babies.), or use a heated pad or a hotwater bottle filled with warm water (covered with a towel). Warm a chilled puppy gradually! Don't feed a chilled puppy until he/she is fully warmed up! If a chilled puppy feels dehydrated a little glucose water can be given. When the bitch has finished giving birth, return the puppies to her (after cleaning up). It's very important that the puppies receive the bitch's first milk. This first milk, colostrum, contains antibodies to all the diseases the bitch has encountered in her life and also those she has been vaccinated against. This will help to protect the puppies against infections. The ability of the puppy to absorb these antibodies will cease after 24-48 hours. Determine the sex of the puppies. Male puppies have a 'button' just below their umbilical cord stump, female puppies have a 'button' much further down and between their hind legs. Check the puppies for any defects. Look in their mouths to check the roof of their mouth for any abnormality. If you have any concerns you should consult your vet. You should weigh the puppies every day - or at least during the first two weeks. A healthy pup will increase its body weight by 5-10% per day. Therefore, weighing pups is very important. Failure to gain weight may be the first sign of disease or fading puppy syndrome. They should have doubled their weight at the end of the first week. Pups will weigh one pound per week on average. By 8 weeks of age pups should weigh 6.5 lbs- 8 lbs on average.
First Week -	The first 36 hours of your puppy's life are the most critical for its survival. Puppies are born in a very immature state. Their body temperature is low and they can only keep up their body heat by lying against something warm, either the bitch or a heat pad. Newborn puppies are never still, they twitch and jerk and stretch. This reflex action is called activated sleep. A pup which lies completely still is likely to be in trouble, as is the pup that is constantly crying. The umbilicus should be carefully inspected for evidence of inflammation or infection. Try not to disturb the bitch and her puppies too much, but do check every two hours or so to see if everything is OK - especially if it's the bitch's first litter. Keep a close eye on the bitch. If she appears to have a temperature take her to your vet. Make sure the bitch is eating and drinking well. Dedicated new mothers may neglect their own needs. Try and feed the bitch in the whelping box with her puppies, you may even need to coax her a bit. Ensure the bitch has a high protein diet and that the quantity is increased accordingly. Feeding and looking after puppies is hard work and the bitch will need an increased ration of high protein, high calorie food. The ration size will need to increase as the puppies get older and their milk consumption increases. Give the bitch ample opportunities to go outside to relieve herself - she may be reluctant to leave her babies.
Pups 3-5th day of being born - *Graphic Pictures of Dewclaws & Tail Before and After	Puppies have instinctive reflexes: crawl, seek warmth, & they nurse. New-born puppies are unable to urinate or defecate by themselves. The bitch will stimulate them to do so by licking their rear end and tummies. Some bitches are not as contentious as others, it is a good idea to check that she is performing this task adequately. Without this stimulation a puppy will die. You can mimic this action by dampening a cotton wool ball with some warm water and rubbing the puppy's urinary opening ('button') with a gentle back and forth motion. To encourage them to defecate, rub in a circular motion under their tails. Some puppies loose a bit of weight during their first day, and possibly don't gain weight on their second day but will catch up during their third day and fill out rapidly after that. In so long as the puppies appear well in all other respects, don't worry. If however you feel there is cause for concern, you could 'top' the babies up with a bottle for a couple of days (this is in addition to them feeding from the bitch). A healthy new-born puppy is either sleeping or sucking. He should feel plump, warm, round and firm and will make low 'contented' murmuring noises. If a puppy appears to be apathetic or cries constantly, something is wrong (consult your vet)! Abnormal pups are limp to pick up, have a damp, wrinkled, cold skin, purplish tummies and feet, and may utter a persistent, plaintive (seagull-type) cry, or may be silent and chilled. If the bitch can't handle the feeding of her puppies, you might want to take care of two or three feedings each day. Feed the puppies a commercial artificial bitch's milk (like WHELPI or Lactol). Use a syringe and 'drip' the milk into the puppy or a baby bottle with a soft teat - check the size of the flow, the milk should drip from the teat at a drop per second. If it is too fast the puppy will choke. Don't overfeed the puppies (when it is full, bubbles come out around its mouth). Don't forget burp the puppy and give to the bitch to be cleaned.
Pups day 5-7	Umbilical cord drops off. By the end of the first week the puppies will be more mobile and will crawl around on their bellies and have a good sense of direction when moving towards the mother dog. The mother will leave the puppies briefly several times a day and the puppies will be OK with this. Handle the puppies daily for short periods, never completely removing them from the puppy area.
Pups day 10 to day 14 day Pictures of nails clipped Instructions on clipping nails	The puppies eyes will start to open. Their sight is still very blurred and they won't be able to see clearly for some time to come. Make sure the eyes are clean, look for any signs of pus. Teeth begin to erupt. Trim the puppies nails with some small scissors. Puppy's nails can be very sharp and will scratch the Mom's teats. Trim their nails every week. By the end of the second week the puppies should be walking with a fair amount of stability. The sharp puppy claws may need to be blunted to avoid injure to the littermates. The puppy’s eyes will start to open slightly and they will begin to have sense of smell towards the end of the second week. They are starting to notice noises and when people arrive. Handle the puppies daily and for longer periods.
Pups day 14 *Pictures of Puppy being dewormed	Worm the puppies! At this stage it is also appropriate to worm the bitch with Strongid T.
Pups day 14 days	The puppies will tolerate changes in temperature better now. However they still need to be kept at an even temperature and away from draughts. The ear canals begin to open. Pups are moved from the smaller pool into their Whelping Box. Pups are beginning to move away from where they sleep to poo and pee. This is the first step in our process to develop clean pups that start to toilet train. We researched and designed and now manufacture a Puppy/Whelping Box specifically designed to help pups toilet train and learn to be clean puppies.
Pups day 24 & day 25 *Pictures of Puppy being dewormed	Puppies will be able to handle some soft, moist puppy food. They still do not have teeth so kibble is not acceptable. They have limited sight but good sense of hearing and smell. They are constantly on the move in the litter area and begin to play and socialize with each other. Now is the time to worm the puppies. We use "STRONGID T" Puppies should be wormed at 2 + weeks of age and then every 10 days (back to back) until 12 weeks of age. Consult your vet for a suitable product and routine after you get your puppy home.
Pups day 20 to day 30	Puppy teeth are in and the litter can start on soft foods on a more continuous basis, and by the end of the month they should be able to start on dry food Puppies will start learning socialization and appropriate chewing and biting from both the mother and littermates. Offer the puppies a small mouthful of softened (with warm water) their kibble (dry food). Put the food directly into the puppies mouth and let him/her suck it. Puppies soon get the 'taste' for non milk foods! Feed a couple of times per day for a few days. Once they have got into a routine of having solid food, offer them four very small meals per day. At this stage the bitch will still provide their main nourishment. The puppies will now begin to bark, wag their tails, bit, paw and growl!. The puppies should now be up on their feet (they are quite wobbly!) and will start to explore their surroundings a bit. They can now urinate and defecate without the help of the bitch. The puppies need to be handled frequently and be introduced to other people, sights and sounds (within the household!) Ensure that visitors do not expose the puppies to germs. (We use an germicidal/virucidal pregnated mat for visitors to walk on, surgical rub for their hands and a large clean towel to separate puppy from the visitors clothing!)
Pups day 28	Ear canals should have completely opened by now. The puppies should be exposed to a variety of noises now especially during feeding times to associate disturbing noises to pleasant experiences to build confidence. Now they will be able to toddle about and play and learn also how much pressure they can bite each other with. They will test limits with each other. They will also be subjected to household comings and goings which will be good for them during their socialization phase Weaning can begin in earnest now. Take the bitch away from her puppies and offer them four small meals a day. The puppies' first attempts at eating will be messy! They will climb in the bowl, spill food everywhere. Once they lose interest in the bowl let the bitch back in to them. She will clean up any spilt food! Pups are weaned by mom partially chewing her kibble and dropping it for the pups to eat. All our Champions and pups have been raised on: Kirkland Signature Dog Food Chicken & Rice Item # 25347 $26.62 You may wish to check our Food Link for more options.
Pups day 30 to day 40 *Pictures of Puppy being dewormed	Worm the puppies again!. At this stage it is also appropriate to worm the bitch with a suitable product. Once the puppies are on solid food the Mom will no longer clean them. Usually the puppies will move into our poo/pee area of their box to urinate and defecate at 5 weeks of age. We have a seperate section in the whelping box that the puppies eventually climb into and use to toilet in. This is the second step in toilet training our puppies. Pups are noisey (loud peircing barking), messy (because mom doesn't clean them), needing constant human touch and play (for socialization), need to be cleaned with fresh papers and area washed every 2-3 hours (to help them develop into clean pups). They are also the cutest looking like little teddy bears.
Pups day 35	The puppies should be completely weaned now. They should receive all their nourishment from food rather than from their mother. However it is permissible to allow the bitch to give the puppies the occasional feed should she so desire. Don't leave the softened food down permanently, this is un hygienic Make sure you offer the puppies water to drink. As they move over to solid food and rely less on the bitch they will need water to replace the fluid they had in the form of milk. Ensure the water container is not deep or a puppy could fall in and drown The mom's job is now almost complete. We gradually start to integrate the Mom back into the family and away from her babies. She must of course have access to them, but is not forced to be with them if she doesn't want to.
Pups day 42 *Pictures of Puppy being dewormed	Worm the puppies again! Pups start to really fight and play with each other, learning pain threshold (bite inhibition). From this day on the breeder will have limited sleep as the pups like to play and bark early in the morning and late into the night.
Pups day 49	... The babies are fully weaned and eating four good sized meals a day. Stick to regular mealtimes. Pups will have had a visit to the Vet for a physical check up. The puppies will now be very active and will be playing for a few hours a day. They will be very rough with each other and there will be lots of ear tugging!
Pups day 49 Puppies Get Microchipped	At this stage (subject to the weather!) babies can play outside in the garden. We check to ensure the garden is 'puppy proof' i.e. no gaps in fencing and hedges etc. Also check for plants that are harmful if eaten! It is time to Implant the Puppies with their permanent Identification. A microchip the size of a grain of rice is implanted between the pup's shoulder blades, just as a vaccination is done. This "microchip" when scanned will produce a number unique to that puppy. There is no way to alter the number or remove the chip without doing surgery. This chip number can be read by any shelter's scanner and will assist you in identifying your puppy. Everyone has read our Puppy Layette and gotten the needed tools to raise a great puppy Puppy Package Puppies can go to their new homes. Now is the time to say goodbye.
Puppy Package Pups day 49 Pictures of vaccination being given. *Read more about Vaccinations 'before' you immunize.	Puppies get their first vaccination against the common canine infectious diseases now.
Pups day 49 -	The puppy should be happily settled in his/her new home now. He/She should be eating three to four good meals a day.
Pups day 59 *Pictures of Puppy being dewormed	The puppy can receive the second vaccination against the common canine disease Pups Day 70. (Consult with your Vet to determine a proper vaccination schedule). Worm the puppy again!
Pups day 91	The puppies are 11 weeks old now, they should have "3" vaccinations before they are ready to go outside for their first walks and to puppy training classes etc..
Day 112	The puppies are 14 weeks old now, they should have their final of the "3" needed vaccinations and be ready for puppy classes and fully immunized for the year except for their Rabies vaccination. Rabies is usually done at 4 months (16 weeks) of age. The Rabies shot is good for 3 years (ask your Vet or do some research on the internet about it). You may wish to start on Advantage Flea control or Revolution. Revolution requires blood samples prior to receiving the topical drops that also prevent flea and heart worm, if heart worm is a problem in your area. You can read more about flea control here *Heartworm, flea & Tick Control.You are the paying customer (the one in charge) so make sure you fully understand what you are putting on your puppy. IF you require treatments then we reccomend Revolution topical 1x a month treatment which prevents against heartworm, roundworms, hookworms, fleas, ticks, and even mites when used as directed.
Puppy at 112 days old or 16 weeks of age	The puppies are 16 weeks old now and should have their Rabies vaccination now and be done with the Vet visits & vacciantions for the year. Development of Puppy For Owners 7 to 12 weeks Puppy needs 20 to 22 hours of sleep to grow and develop his body and mind. This is the number one neglected aspect of raising our precious new friend. It is often why uninformed owners have a puppy exhibit ill temper; the aggression can be due to sleep deprivation. Think about how you feel when you don’t get your proper sleep. Now place yourself in an environment where it is difficult to communicate to another species . . . Oh no, they just let the neighbor kid alone with you! I believe you get the idea. Well, you take a breed or line of dogs that is strong-willed and ZAP, the puppy nips to express that it just wants to sleep! Unfortunately, many of the pets you pay with your taxes to have euthanized at the county animal shelters became "nasty" dogs because an uninformed parent used the puppy as a living "child entertainment center". Please pass this reasoning on to anyone you know who is considering a new puppy. The above warning helps you to start to see the world as a puppy. Hopefully, you have looked long and hard to find the right character in your new canine companion. His family tree is brilliant with individuals of strong breed character whom have led faithful and outstanding long lives with their owners; his sires have proved themselves as breed champions or obedience wins. You found a breeder with the attitude about breeding dogs that you found ethical and reputable. So, you met the parents of your puppy or at least the mother, and they were of the character you hope to develop in your new friend. Do not be alarmed if the sire lives some distance, perhaps even a continent away, it is the better breeder who utilizes the world’s pedigrees. The mother should be a nurturing jewel of a lady. You asked to see her off lead in an open area or in the house. She listened respectfully to her owner and played gently with your children and came to great and sniff you. That’s the type of willingness of cooperation that you wanted in your new puppy. Perhaps the mother is also a champion or obedience title holder. The most important thing is she is loving and stable. She instills her temperament in the puppies as she nurses them for six weeks. Puppy is confident and curious. He is bold, yet sensitive. He comes from a long line of outstanding "best friends" that the breeder was happy to tell you stories about as they showed you pictures and health test reports. This new little friend is very proud to be your new pet and that attitude is what you capitalize upon to help you in training. Understanding an intelligent, well-bred puppy’s outlook is your first assignment in learning to allow this bond between man and dog to evolve respectfully. You watched his temperament testing and you know about his desires and fears. He is canine, a pack animal. You are now the pack leader. Big responsibility if this is to go without a lot of mistakes! Second important lesson: the puppy’s mistakes are YOUR mistakes! My pups generally test with an excellent response to voice requests. It is important to talk to your puppy. Vary your tone, to the point of exaggeration, to reflect the meaning of the communication. Bark your displeasure and coo your praise. Not until dogs are much older do they understand individual words. At this age, tone is your key A special note must be made here as recommended by Dr. Dunbar, "avoid names that begin with s, sh, or hissy sounding tones." In nature, these sounds mean danger. Snakes hiss, cat’s hiss even people say shhhh when they want an action to stop. That’s what you communicate to "Sassy" or "Chanel." There are successful pets by these ssss sounding names, but could they have been even better not having to overcome this handicap? The puppy looks at you timidly as you are calling him to come, but you keep saying that sssss sound. "Samson come, Samson it’s ok, Samson come," yet all the time you look like a nice person. The puppy remembers you feed it, but it better just urinate to show submission so you know it’s not a threat and you can stop saying that sssss sound! In further training the commands to sit, stand and stay (as well as the politically incorrect "shut up") will all be that much more work for your puppy to decipher from his own name. Actually, you should only use your dog’s name with a command when you want an action to be performed. "Jake sit, Jake shake," would be correct. "Jake stay," is incorrect. In this case you may ask for the dog’s attention, praise the eye contact, then give the command firmly, "stay." The second biggest mistake new owners make after bringing the cutie home is letting the puppy run around everywhere. Never would I allow a pup to leave the kitchen the first few days unless he’s directly on his way outside. If you would like my formula for no mistakes in the house, read on. You must be fair in training your puppy. Some pups hold grudges and give you another hurdle in training. This trait is usually reported during the temperament test. Other pups take or require more instruction or correction. You will be able to tell from your results how much pressure to apply. Reward with love, and for monumental accomplishments, FOOD. Camera One Canine Actors in San Diego recommends, "Play for 5 minutes, train for 5 minutes," and keep alternating, especially when the pup is young. This sets the mood of training as a fun time with the owner. But at 7 or 8 weeks of age what the puppy has to learn are the basic house LAWS. Your pup will have no problem understanding his own area if it is strictly defined. Remember you are setting the rules that are to be followed (or ignored from time to time) for the next 10 to 15 years. So please be strict the first few months so your adult dog is a pleasure and comfortable in anyone’s home. A few slips of following the guidelines will be setting your pet up for a few slips of the laws in the future. Keeping your pup in the kitchen is fair training. You have given strict boundaries. Everyone in the house knows it. Your spouse respects the law; the children respect the law. And if no one breaks the law your pup will be content in his new home. Only adults are in charge of making certain the pup’s schedule is kept. They are the ones that take him to the outdoors for relieving himself. Remember, I said this is how we make no mistakes. Everyone likes to gather in the kitchen and kitchens usually are not carpeted. This is why I recommend this central, high use room. People do not gather in the laundry room or the spare room in the basement. That is why the kitchen is fair. Children can play with the puppy in the puppy’s space while a parent prepares meals, etc. Taking the pup to another room (say to watch television) one night and not the next is asking for a lot of howling. Taking the pup every night in to another room is asking for your first accident. The puppy is too young and you can not watch television and the bottom end of the puppy at the same time. The goal here is no mistakes. The puppy is sleeping a lot at this age and if he is wide awake perhaps you could adjust his schedule so he is going to sleep as the household winds down for the day. For my pups I recommend an exercise pen made of strong gauge wire at least 32’ high and having a door. Set this in a corner of the kitchen, giving up about 4’ by 6’ to your new project. This is temporary and useful for about the first 6 to 8 months. Remember – no mistakes. House law number 2 is never, I said NEVER, lift the puppy over the top of the exercise pen! Make certain your spouse knows this law, that the children know this law and that Aunt Matilda visiting from Canada knows this law. If the pup is shown just once this new way out you might as well fold up the spacious pen right there and then. And then training just became unfair. Second choice is the dreaded crate training method. My pups are too smart and sensitive to enjoy living in one of those things. So, make certain everyone knows the LAW. Always use the door to put pup in pen or to take him out. Have the pen set up before the puppy comes home. Also you may have his food made and waiting in the fridge. You may warm it to room temperature when he gets there. Nothing will make a pup in a new situation more comfortable than you having control over his space and showing it to him (everything set up) and the aroma of his food being gently warmed and served will be just what a puppy needs. Ahhh, sigh, he’s home. Thinking like a puppy some more, make certain that half the exercise pen is covered in newspaper for his toilet and the other has a nice blanket, lots of toys, a hanging water bowl and a spot to place the food. Once he has eliminated on the papers and has become a bit calmer, give him his food near his bed. Tell him calmly how proud you are to welcome such a fine intelligent member to the pack. As a reward for "pottying" in the right spot (I say, "Go potty on the papers – good puppy") give the pup his first food reward in your pack. As he is checking this food reward by licking and nibbling say some low tone encouraging words. Go ahead and cover the urine or feces with a sheet or two of paper. Knowing that all this is ok will make him comfortable and relaxed. Taking him to the back yard to "potty" may be useless these first few days. An important notion: a new area to explore is to be used as reward for understanding the laws so far. If each area is introduced slowly and only after the first room is understood, you will be well on your way to bragging "no mistakes!" Do not rush the process. This has been a detail of the first 7 to 12 weeks. As you get closer to 12 weeks you will note the pup stops defecating in his exercise pen between walks outdoors. Then, the urination will be more controlled as well. Some house training manuals say to regulate the amount of water for the puppy. I believe fresh, clean purified water (not conditioned by water softener or chlorinated) should be available at all times. Please feed and water from stainless steel dishes. For the water I recommend a galvanized 2-qt. bucket held by a 3 or 4-inch double snap to the side of the exercise pen. Catalogs that carry the pens will have these buckets available. The snap you will need to buy at the hardware store. The water being held to the fence this way prevents the bucket from spilling the water everywhere. If the pup spills his food he can eat it off the floor; if he spills his water, besides being a big mess, he is without water. Studies show that dogs prefer water cool (not cold) and 3 to 5 inches deep in their pail. 12-14 weeks Puppy should be staying "clean" all night and most times between outdoor exercise and relief. If you have had no mistakes so far, you may start one room at a time rewarding your puppy for perfect pack behavior. Your "cave" is to be respected and a slow introduction to each room is key to maintaining respect from your adoring pup. Always take puppy out to "Go Potty" every 2 hours (at the least) when pup is out of his pen. Share some evenings with the puppy. Have puppy lay by your side quietly as you read or watch television; play a little fetch in the family room, or help you add a web page about him to THE RING OF POODLES. If he’s been trustworthy, let him now venture to a NEW room with you! All the time you should tell him that he has earned your trust. Tell him, "I trust you now in this new room – follow me." Do not enter rooms with the puppy that you wish to be dog free. And make certain the behavior you allow him to carry out while you are watching TV (or reading, etc.) is going to be what you will put up with when he grows another 50lbs! Remember to be fair in training to build trust. Now is a great time to introduce basic obedience. My line of poodles trains easily with food reward. I have never seen this method have problems with the dogs that I produce. It does have critics but those critics aren’t training my poodles! So, I speak from experience – FOOD WORKS! A puppy kindergarten class with minor agility aspects would be nice for you to attend if you have found the best class possible in your area. Not the closest, not the cheapest, but the one that the top dog sport competitors are sponsoring or attending. This takes a bit of research and maybe some driving will be involved. It is worth the extra effort to learn from the best right from the start. You’ll learn the proper footwork and body language to help train your "blank slate." Keep it simple, fun-fun-fun, and non-demanding. Don’t go too fast. Learn one command thoroughly before going to the next. It is good to take your pup along to strange places. Be cautious about letting him sniff around dirt and shrubs where other dogs may have defecated. Pups are VERY suseptible to Parvo virus. Do not let your puppy sniff other dogs and vice versa instead distract with a ..watch me... command and a light jog in the opposit direction and praise for eye contact. Your puppy is most vulnerable to viruses and disease at this age. Just explain to other dog owners that you are being intelligently cautious! Pick your puppy up off the ground if another owner doesn’t respect your non-contact requests. NEVER yank puppy away and say "NO" or you will create a puppy that is aggressive towards other people and dogs. Use happy distraction instead. Skip the puppy kindergarten "classes" where they believe that letting all the pups run together in a free for all is teaching them important manners. Some pups may need that -- not yours. You were smart to locate a puppy to buy that stayed with its mother and litter through six weeks of age. Your puppy learned important lessons then. Not in the midst of a bunch of pups of questionable backgrounds all on different vaccination schedules. Investigate the course instruction. Puppies should be kept on lead, with a buckle collar with focus on their owners. Each is learning and focused, NOT sidetracked by a riot of pups running loose and out of control. And NOT corrected sharply on a "choke style" training collar with strict Hitler-like criteria to be met. Look for a calm, well-run class with lots of food reward. Your pup’s spirit is already high and happy. He is well adjusted, daring and enthusiastic. Your mission is to maintain that spirit and guide it under your control. CONTROL is GOAL when I train my poodles. This method at this age has produced first place winners in agility for me. Dependable obedience is achieved with a smile from your dog. Dogs love to have guidelines and boundaries. Dogs appreciate being gently guided by strong, kind hands. 14-16 weeks This time is the most open to learning your dog’s mind will be to learning in his entire life! Whomever your pup meets, whatever he experiences good or bad, will be remembered his entire life. Never board away from you at this critical time. You need to train and introduce good new things these 2 weeks. Be consistent. At no other time in your dog’s life will his brain be capable of absorbing so much. Make certain to spend a lot of time during these irreplaceable 2 weeks with your puppy . . . BECAUSE at 16 weeks everything shuts down! The deciduous or milk teeth begin to shed and you’ll be lucky to maintain things you’ve taught the pup AND keep his mouth happy. 16-20 weeks It’s here! Teething. Do not stress your pup now. Keep everything simple and give him lots of bones to chew. I do not recommend introducing new lessons. Work only on what your pup knows already. Insist only on maintaining house manners, lessons already learned and keeping the teeth on HIS playthings. A note about teeth: remember when you shed your deciduous teeth at age 6 or 7? Twisting the tooth around until it came out. Bothered by the next one coming loose or the new one coming in. Well, your pup thinks about his teeth a lot right now. You can help the proper alignment of the bite by encouraging the top incisors to come out first. If the upper permanent teeth are coming in to place well before the bottom incisors they will hold the bottom ones in better position. If they come in simultaneously, there may be a crashing of the upper and lower permanent teeth. Instead of meshing nicely (the top slightly over the bottom teeth – like your own) the bite could become undershot or wry. It’s good to be aware of this uncommon malady that could be prevented with a little encouragement of the upper incisors to loosen first. Pushing gently with your fingers is all that is necessary to help the process. Most owners don’t pay that much attention to the teeth. If you have read this far you are not just another average owner! Dental problems are rare in a strong line of poodles like mine. And now I just gave you something else to fool with these weeks! At about 8 months Teenage begins. Hold on to your training once again until the "testing" of your limits by your puppy settles down -- oh, at about 14 months of age. 14-16 months Good age to consider option for neutering (ovariohysterectomy for females / castration for males) if necessary. In addition, serious training of several times per week will make a willing star performer of your great dog.