When Do Puppies Open Their Eyes?

There is very little in the world more heartwarming than seeing a pile of newborn puppies. In the newborn stage, they rely on their mothers for warmth and food, as they are born completely blind and deaf. It seems like it would make a puppy vulnerable to be born blind, but there is actually quite a bit of reasoning behind why it takes puppies longer to open their peepers when compared to other mammals. 

Dogs and other similar species have evolved to have very short pregnancies, normally ranging from 58-68 days, or about two months. The advantage of a short pregnancy is that the animal is not weighed down by the unborn puppies for too long, as they need to hunt to provide for themselves and their soon to be newborns. However, the trade off of a shorter pregnancy is that the offspring are underdeveloped when born. This process is ultimately what gives the mother and puppies the best chance of survival in the wild. For other animals such as herd mammals, their newborns hit the ground running as they are able to walk and stand minutes after birth. This gives them the advantage of being able to keep up with a moving herd. 

Don’t puppies need to see? 

Puppies have no need for sight or hearing right after being born. To continue developing, puppies need warmth and milk from their mother. Some mammals' brains further develop in the womb, but puppies' brains and eyes are still developing after they are born. Being born with closed eyes allows their brains to continue to develop, and protects their developing eyes and brain from any potential harm. 

So when does a puppy's eyes finally open? 

Most puppy eyes will slowly begin to open between 10 and 14 days. Whether they begin to open earlier or later can depend on the breed, as well as the individual puppy. With some litters, a puppy or two may keep their eyes closed for a couple days longer than the rest of the litter. 

As their eyes begin to open, their vision is still very poor and blurry. Once their eyes begin to develop further, they will be able to differentiate different shapes and objects, and eventually color. 

Early Neurological Stimulation and Early Scent Introduction 

ENS or early neurological stimulation is commonly used by responsible breeders as a way to begin stimulating a puppies neurological system before they have sight or hearing.

This process works by introducing puppies to mild stressors in a controlled environment, thus affecting how they deal with stressors later in life. The protocol takes advantage of the senses that they do have before eyes open, and typically begins when they are only a few days old.

ESI or early scent introduction is also commonly used by breeders, and consists of introducing different scents to newborn puppies while their eyes and ears are still underdeveloped. This is thought to enhance and improve cognitive abilities later on. Early neurological stimulation and early scent introduction have also been shown to improve a puppies cardiovascular system, immune system, and overall growth!