Raising Chow Chow Puppies: The First Eight Weeks
Decades of experience at Attraction Cyprus kennel
Breeding begins before the birth
For many people, a puppy's story begins the moment it is born.
For a breeder, however, it begins much earlier.
It begins with choosing the parents: studying their pedigrees, health, temperament, and the qualities we hope to preserve or improve in future generations.
Every mating is a decision that carries responsibility.
Having a good male and a good female is not enough. We need to consider what they may contribute together and which possible weaknesses deserve particular attention.
Experience has taught us that some of the most important decisions in breeding are made before the first puppy is born.
And sometimes the right decision is not to proceed with a mating at all.
One week before the birth
Long before the first puppy appears, preparations are already under way.
We carefully prepare the whelping pen, the place where the mother will give birth and spend the first weeks with her babies.
We want it to be clean, safe, quiet and comfortable.
But preparing a suitable space is not enough. We also need to help the expectant mother accept it.
That is why, about a week before her expected due date, we begin sleeping beside her whelping pen.
Our presence is deliberate.
We want her to become familiar with the space, to associate it with calm and safety, and to know that we are close by.
We do not wait for labour to begin before introducing her to an unfamiliar environment.
We try to give her, in advance, the reassurance she will need when that moment comes.
Preparing for a birth is not only about space and equipment. It is also about the mother's trust.
When labour begins
However well prepared you are, every birth is different.
When labour starts, our first concern is to keep the mother as calm as possible.
We stay beside her, talk to her, reassure her and carefully watch how things progress.
Some mothers instinctively know what to do from the very beginning.
Others need help, especially with their first litter.
We particularly remember Bruna giving birth to five puppies: four boys and one girl.
Bruna had the maternal instinct, but not yet the experience to handle every moment of the delivery correctly.
We needed to help with the birth membranes and umbilical cords, and make sure the newborns began nursing.
All five were born within about half an hour.
But not every birth goes so smoothly.
There are moments when a puppy is born and does not breathe.
At such a moment there is no room for panic. It takes composure, knowledge and an immediate response. We are there to try to help that puppy take its first breath, taking appropriate action and seeking urgent veterinary help when needed.
And sadly, there are occasions when a puppy is stillborn.
Then we must manage our own sadness, but above all care for the mother and the surviving newborns.
Once it has been established that resuscitation is not possible, we discreetly remove the stillborn puppy, trying to keep the mother calm and avoid disrupting her care of the others.
These are moments nobody photographs.
They do not appear in the joyful announcements of a new litter.
Yet they are part of the reality of breeding.
A breeder's assistance must be based on knowledge, preparation and cooperation with a veterinarian. Some situations require immediate veterinary intervention.
A breeder is not beside the mother only to welcome new lives. We are also there for the moments when a life needs help—or, sadly, never manages to begin.
The first nights have no timetable
After the birth, the anxiety does not end.
A period of constant observation begins.
We need to make sure all the puppies are nursing properly and the mother has enough milk for their needs.
We monitor their growth and weight. If one is not feeding adequately, we look for the cause and, when necessary, supplement with specially formulated puppy milk and a bottle, following veterinary guidance.
But there is another danger you do not see in the lovely photographs of newborn puppies.
As the mother changes position or sits down, she may accidentally press against a puppy.
That is why we continue sleeping beside them.
We watch the mother, listen for the little ones moving and make sure they are safe.
Waking up several times during the night is not unusual.
Sometimes we barely manage to sleep at all.
But when tiny lives depend entirely on your care, sleep stops being your first priority.
Responsibility does not end when the clock strikes midnight.
The right temperature is part of their care
Newborn puppies cannot regulate their body temperature the way adult dogs can.
That is why we pay particular attention to the conditions in their room.
The temperature must be appropriate for both the mother and her puppies, taking their different needs into account.
As the puppies develop, we gradually adjust the conditions.
We do not simply keep the temperature constant because that is what we have always done.
We observe the puppies and their mother, check the environment and adapt their care to their age and needs.
Especially in Cyprus, where the heat can be intense, controlling the environment is a daily responsibility.
We want the entire little family—our own 'whelping team'—to feel comfortable and safe.
Fifteen days: the first great discoveries
At around two weeks, we begin to look forward to one of the most touching stages of development.
Their little eyes begin to open.
Each puppy develops at its own pace, and we watch that progress carefully.
Later, the first tiny teeth begin to appear.
To someone who has never raised puppies, these might seem like insignificant details.
To us, they are small milestones.
Every new ability means their world is growing.
They start moving more, exploring, responding to our presence and interacting with their siblings.
And we are there to witness those small daily changes.
Learning cleanliness from an early age
One of the habits we try to develop from an early age is moving away from the sleeping area to relieve themselves.
As the puppies become more mobile, we gradually encourage them to use a designated area with a puppy pad.
We do not wait until they are two months old to begin.
Training happens step by step, patiently and without pressure.
As they grow, we gradually move the pad towards the exit.
When they are ready, we begin helping them get used to going outside, in a safe and suitable area, to relieve themselves.
We do not expect such a young puppy to have the control of an adult dog.
But we do want them to develop their first good habits.
Because proper upbringing does not begin the day a puppy reaches its new home.
It began much earlier.
Humans must be part of their world from day one
There is a principle we believe in deeply, and it shapes how we raise our puppies.
We cannot expect a puppy to become part of a human family at two months old if, until then, humans have not been part of its everyday life.
Think about that for a moment.
A puppy raised in isolation from human presence arrives at its new home facing much more than an unfamiliar place.
It encounters unfamiliar human figures, voices, movements and, above all, smells.
The entire world in which it is now expected to live may seem strange.
And yet we expect this little creature to adapt immediately, trust us and feel part of our family.
That is not fair.
That is why, in our kennel, human presence does not begin only when the puppies are old enough to play with us.
We are beside them from the first day of their lives.
At first, before their eyes have even opened, their world is made up largely of touch, smells and their mother's warmth.
Our presence is a constant within that world, calm and safe, without disturbing the mother's care.
As they grow, they begin to recognise more stimuli: our voices, our movements and the everyday life of the home.
Humans do not suddenly appear in their lives when they turn two months old.
They are already a familiar part of it.
So when the time comes to leave for a new family, they will naturally still need to get to know and trust new people.
But human presence itself will not be completely unfamiliar.
We consider that one of the most important gifts we can give them.
We do not merely raise puppies that will one day live with people. We raise puppies that learn, from the beginning of their lives, to live alongside us.
Growing up without insecurity
There is something we consider especially important in raising our puppies.
We want them to grow up feeling safe.
We do not want them to have to compete constantly with their siblings to obtain food.
We make sure they all have sufficient access to food, are properly fed and do not feel they must fight for every meal.
The same applies to space, rest and human contact.
We try to create a calm, predictable environment where their basic needs are met without unnecessary tension.
We believe this gives them better conditions to develop the positive aspects of their personalities, rather than growing up amid constant competition and insecurity.
We do not claim that we can eliminate every future behavioural problem.
But we know how important early experiences are.
And we want those experiences to be associated with safety, calm and trust.
The first month and the beginning of weaning
At around one month, we gradually begin the transition from exclusive nursing to supplementary solid food.
Weaning is not abrupt.
We offer suitable puppy food, with a texture adapted to their age, and watch how they respond.
The transition is handled carefully so their digestive systems can adjust gradually.
Meanwhile, the mother continues to play an important role.
We do not treat weaning as a date on the calendar.
It is a process that develops according to the puppies' growth and the mother's condition.
As at every other stage, observation matters more than haste.
The first rules of living together
At around 45 days, we begin to notice even more interesting behaviour.
The puppies become livelier. They play, explore, test boundaries and interact more with one another.
And the mother may begin setting clearer limits.
She may move away when she no longer wants to nurse.
She may react when a puppy becomes overly persistent.
We watch these behaviours with great interest.
We do not intervene in every little disagreement.
We want puppies gradually to learn that living together includes respecting others' boundaries.
But we remain nearby and step in when necessary, especially if an interaction creates danger or excessive tension.
Socialisation does not mean that everyone must tolerate everything. It means learning to live together.
A world of more sounds
As they grow, we gradually enrich their surroundings.
We do not want them to know only our voices and the barking of other dogs.
We introduce everyday sounds, such as television and radio, at a low, suitable volume.
Our aim is to familiarise them with different sounds without frightening or pressuring them.
We watch their reactions and adjust the volume and duration.
We do not try to accustom them to noise by startling them.
We want them gradually to discover that the world contains many different sounds and that not every new stimulus is a cause for concern.
These small experiences are part of preparing them for life in a family.
Their health remains a daily priority
Throughout the first weeks, monitoring their health is a fundamental part of our care.
We watch their growth, nutrition, behaviour and overall condition.
Deworming, vaccinations and necessary veterinary examinations follow the schedule and guidance of our veterinarian.
We take nothing for granted.
A puppy that suddenly stops eating as usual or shows an unusual change in behaviour deserves attention.
Experience helps us notice changes early.
But it does not replace veterinary knowledge.
And at three in the morning?
Someone might think that once the puppies have grown a little, we can finally return to normal sleep.
Not exactly.
Because even when they have begun learning where to relieve themselves, they still need someone to open the door.
And puppies are not particularly interested in what time the clock says.
If they need to go outside at three in the morning, somebody has to get up.
And that somebody is usually us.
That is why we continue sleeping near them.
No longer only to watch nursing or keep them safe.
But also to reinforce the good habits we have tried to teach them.
After all, it would be a shame to spend weeks teaching them where to go, only to let them learn the opposite because we wanted a little more sleep!
Breeding has many beautiful moments.
But it also has quite a few nights with very little sleep.
When their personalities begin to emerge
As they approach two months of age, the differences between puppies become more and more obvious.
One is more daring.
Another more cautious.
One is constantly looking for a game, while another prefers to watch before joining in.
We remember the only female in Bruna's litter.
From a very young age she showed an exceptionally lively personality. She wanted to explore, play and attract the attention of the older dogs.
A little character who never went unnoticed!
Of course, these behaviours are not certain predictions of adult temperament.
But they help us get to know each puppy better.
And that knowledge is invaluable when deciding which family may be the best match.
Choosing the new family
As the time for parting approaches, a different kind of responsibility begins.
We do not simply want people who love the Chow Chow's appearance.
We want people who understand its character and are prepared to meet its needs.
We talk with them, try to understand their living circumstances and find out what they expect from the dog they hope to welcome.
Based on what we have observed, we try to help each family choose the puppy that will suit them best.
Sometimes that is not the puppy that first caught their eye in a photograph.
But the one with whom we believe they can build the best relationship.
Choosing a family is not simply a sale.
It is a decision that affects a dog's entire life.
The first eight weeks are not the end
When a puppy leaves our kennel, it has already had many small but important experiences.
It has grown up close to its mother and siblings.
It has known human presence and the daily life of a home.
It has begun learning where to relieve itself.
It has become familiar with different sounds.
It has begun understanding the boundaries of living together.
And above all, we have tried to offer an environment in which it could grow calmly and safely.
But our work does not end when the puppy leaves.
The new family takes over and continues what we started.
And we remain available with advice, guidance and support.
Because a puppy may leave our home.
Our responsibility towards it, however, never leaves.
Charis and Katerina — Attraction Cyprus
These are some of the real experiences that shaped our philosophy. More stories from our life with Chow Chows appear in our book, “With Eyes Like Velvet.”