Vet’s Timeline: Puppy Development Milestones Month by Month🐶✨

By Dr. Duncan Houston BVSc

From baby teeth and zoomies to first walks and fullgrown confidence—puppyhood moves fast. Knowing what to expect each month helps you support your pup’s health, behavior, and training at every stage.

I’m Dr. Duncan Houston. Below is your monthbymonth vetapproved puppy development timeline—covering behavior, physical growth, feeding, and key training windows.

📆 Puppy Development by Age: Month-by-Month Guide

0–2 Weeks: Neonatal Period

• 👀 Eyes closed, ears sealed
• 🍼 Needs warmth, feeding, and sleep only
• 👃 Scent and touch are primary senses

2–4 Weeks: Transitional Period

• 👁️ Eyes open, begins to hear and respond
• 🚶 Starts standing, wobbly walking
• 🐕 Begins interacting with littermates

4–8 Weeks: Socialization with Litter

• 🎮 Learns bite inhibition, play behaviors
• 🥣 Starts weaning off milk
• 👂 Recognizes human voices and smells

8–10 Weeks: Welcome Home

• 🏠 Ideal adoption age
• 🧠 Begins house training, crate training, name learning
• 💉 First vet check + vaccines

10–16 Weeks: Critical Socialization Window

• 👨👩👧👦 Introduce people, sounds, handling, car rides
• 🐾 Safe dog interactions (vaccinated only)
• 🎓 Start basic training: sit, touch, come, leash

4–6 Months: Teething + Testing Boundaries

• 🦷 Adult teeth come in—chewing increases
• 🚫 Some toilet regressions, independence surges
• 🔁 Repeat training calmly with consistency

6–9 Months: Adolescence Begins

• 🤹♀️ High energy, selective hearing
• 🐕 Social maturity begins—start polite leash and dog park training
• ✂️ Consider spay/neuter consult with vet

9–12 Months: Continued Growth + Settling

• 🧠 More selfcontrol (with structure)
• 🦴 Growth slows, joints mature (but still developing)
• 🧘 Practice calm behaviors—especially after exercise

12–18 Months: Adulthood (Sort Of)

• 🧭 Training consistency pays off
• 💪 Physical maturity for most small to medium breeds
• 🐶 Large breeds still finishing development

🔁 Key Milestones to Track

• ✅ First vaccinations + boosters (6–16 weeks)
• ✅ Crate trained (by 4–6 months)
• ✅ Toilet trained (by 4–5 months)
• ✅ Basic obedience commands (by 6 months)
• ✅ Comfortable with grooming, travel, handling (by 9 months)

⚠️ Red Flags to Watch For

• 😬 Extreme fear after 12–14 weeks
• 🐾 Ongoing biting beyond teething (6 months+)
• 🚫 Toilet regression after 6 months with no medical cause
• 🧠 No response to training cues by 9–12 months

Vet Tip: Early intervention with a vet or trainer is easier than undoing adult behavior problems.

🎁 Essentials for Every Puppy Stage

• Explorer Harness – Fully adjustable for all growth stages
• Bungee Lead – Smooths leash training through puppyhood
• Dual Pocket Treat Dispenser – Train and reward at every milestone

💬 What Puppy Parents Say

“This timeline helped us stay one step ahead—knowing what to expect reduced so much stress.” – Tara & Bean

“We used the checklist every month and nailed crate training, walking, and behavior by 6 months.” – Daniel & Piper

👩⚕️ Want a Custom Puppy Development Tracker?

Send your puppy’s breed, age, and behavior concerns to Ask A Vet and we’ll build a customized milestone tracker + training checklist reviewed by a vet.

Final Thoughts

Puppy development isn’t linear—but it is predictable. Know what’s coming, support your pup through each phase, and use tools designed to grow with them. You’ve only got puppyhood once—make it count.