Baby Dog: 5 Amazing Puppy Facts and 5 Adorable Pictures

Puppies are some of the cutest animals known to man. It’s no surprise that dogs frequently win the prize for the most popular pets in the U.S. They are beloved for their energetic personalities, loyalty, and affectionate natures. Find out more about baby dogs in these five amazing puppy facts, and see some adorable pictures that are sure to bring a smile to your face.

#1: Dalmatian Puppies Are Born Without Spots

Dalmatians are some of the most well-known dogs out there. When you think of Dalmatians, you probably think of the Disney movie where Cruella de Vil plots to steal the tiny puppies to make a new fur coat. While you might have thought those all-white puppies were a mistake, that was not a continuity error.

When Dalmatian puppies are born, their fur is completely white. Their spots do not begin to develop until the puppies are about two weeks of age. A Dalmatian’s spots may continue to develop until the pups are around a year old. If they have any coloring on their bodies at birth, genetically, it is considered a patch, not a spot.

#2: Puppies Have Dreams

If you’ve ever seen a sleeping puppy move its legs back and forth as if it was running, or barking while its eyes were closed, chances are, the puppy was probably dreaming. Scientists say that not only can these baby dogs dream, but they can also dream vividly and similarly to humans.

Like humans, most of a puppy’s dreaming occurs when they are in REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is a deep slumber. Puppies dream more frequently due to the significant amount of time they spend in REM sleep. REM sleep is where we process new information and commit it to memory. Experts believe puppies dream more often because their brains are developing at such a rapid pace that they need REM sleep to process all of their new experiences.

#3: All Puppies Are Born Deaf and Blind

Like many other mammals in the animal kingdom, puppies are born deaf and blind. This is because dogs are an altricial species, and some of their sensory organs are not fully developed at birth. Their ear canals and eyes remain closed for protection for the first 14 to 21 days of their lives.

Fortunately, a puppy’s remarkable sense of smell is completely developed at birth. Even though they cannot hear or see, they can smell their mother and her milk. Newborn puppies rely on their noses to lead them to their mothers to nurse.

#4: Puppies Love to Sleep

If you’ve ever been around a puppy, you probably already know that they spend a lot of time sleeping. It’s one of the things that make the tiny canines so adorable. What could be cuter than a warm, fluffy puppy taking a nap? However, did you know that newborn puppies can sleep for up to 22 hours a day?

Once puppies’ eyes begin to open, they become more active, but they still sleep between 18 and 20 hours a day until they reach 3 to 6 months old. Once puppies reach around six months of age, they sleep about as much as an adult dog, which is between 12 and 14 hours each day.

#5: Puppies Are Not Colorblind

One of the most common misconceptions about puppies is that they are colorblind. Puppies don’t have the same range of color as humans, but they can see some colors. Humans with full-color vision are born with three types of cones, which detect the colors red, green, and blue.

Dogs are only born with two types of cones. Puppies have yellow-blue dichromatic vision, which means they can see yellow, blue, and some shades of green. This means that puppies have the easiest time differentiating between shades of yellow and blue. However, it would be difficult for them to tell the difference between shades of red or green. So, while they’re not entirely colorblind, there are some colors they see better than others.