Have you rescued or found a puppy and are unsure of its age? It is possible to make a rough estimate based on its size, but obviously different breeds grow at different rates. The easiest way to determine a puppy's age is to check their teeth, observe their behavior, and take them to the vet.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Examine the Dentition
Step 1. Check if he has teeth
A puppy that has not yet had its teeth is a newborn; he probably hasn't even opened his eyes and still spends all his time with his mother. If the dog in question is toothless, it is no more than 3 weeks old.
Step 2. See if he has canines
They are the four longest and most pointed teeth, two above and two below. They are the first to come out: they begin to appear between the third and fourth week of life.
Step 3. Notice if your incisors are out
These are two sets of smaller teeth, located in the front of the mouth, between the canines. They are the second group of teeth to grow in puppies at around 4-5 weeks of age.
Step 4. Check the first sets of premolars
They are the teeth that are located right next to the canines. The first two sets of premolars grow between the fourth and sixth week of the puppy's life.
Step 5. Pay attention to the last sets of incisors and premolars
They arrive a few weeks after the first ones. The last group of incisors grows when the puppy is about 5-6 weeks old, while the last four premolars appear between the sixth and eighth week of life.
Step 6. See if she has full baby teeth
By the eighth week of life the puppy has all milk teeth: they are very sharp. Between the eighth and sixteenth week the dog's head and jaw grow with him, which causes the teeth to be more spaced apart. They also begin to look too small for the puppy's mouth.
Step 7. Notice if the final teeth are erupting
Between 16 weeks and 8 months of age, milk teeth fall out and are replaced by permanent ones. The first to appear are those in front, starting with the incisors, and then continuing in order along the entire mouth. The larger the puppy, the more the tooth change is advanced towards the back of the mouth.
Most milk teeth fall out by the fifth month of life, and the entire final dentition is visible between the eighth and the twelfth month
Method 2 of 2: Observe the Body and Behavior
Step 1. Check if your eyes are closed
Until the second week of life, the dogs are very small and have not yet opened their eyes. They don't move much and stay close to the mother; they spend most of their time feeding and sleeping.
Step 2. Notice if he is starting to walk
The puppies open their eyes when they have reached 2-3 weeks of life; in this period they begin to walk and venture out of the kennel. They become more and more aware of their surroundings and at that point they begin to explore it on their own. This behavior begins to manifest around 5-6 weeks of age.
Step 3. See if he eats solid food
Normally, the puppies are suckled by their mother up to 5-7 weeks of life; a puppy that is transitioning to solid feeding and becoming more independent of its mother is likely to be 5 to 8 weeks old.
Step 4. Notice the growing tendency to chew and play
As they grow older, the little dogs become more and more active; once they reach the eighth week of life, they behave in the way typically associated with puppies: the new teething prompts them to chew on objects, they begin to play more energetically and want to explore everything around them.
- The puppy may also fidget or whine from the discomfort caused by the growth of the teeth.
- He will also spend a lot of time sleeping between playing and chewing activities.
Step 5. Monitor its growth
The puppies develop very quickly between 8 and 16 weeks of age, and then continue to grow visibly in the following months.
Step 6. Notice if the cloak is changing
As it grows, the puppy loses its characteristic soft coat to replace it with the thicker and bristly one of the adults.
Step 7. Pay attention to behavioral problems
Puppies that are between 6 and 12 weeks old begin to want to test their limits: they have more energy and are easily distracted by anything; they can chew on more objects around the house, get away and explore with more enthusiasm.
At this age, the dog may ignore you and forget already acquired behaviors
Step 8. Notice if growth has slowed
Most puppies reach their maximum size between 8 and 12 months; large breeds can continue to grow for another 2 years. A dog under the age of 2 is considered a teenager: he still exhibits typical characteristics of a puppy, such as energy and a tendency to chew on objects, but he also begins to calm down.
Step 9. If it's a female, check if she's in heat
Normally unsterilized females go into heat the first time between 6 and 24 months. This is evident from the restless and tense behavior and the fact that he is easily distracted; in addition, the vulva may swell and produce straw-colored or bloody secretions.
Step 10. Look at the male genitals
If the puppy is a boy, the testicles should fully descend into the scrotum by the seventh week of life. This is easy to understand, as they will be much more visible by then.
Step 11. Take him to the vet
If you can't figure out what their age is based on their teeth or stage of development, your vet will be able to make a fairly accurate estimate by looking at their size, breed and teeth.
