Newborn puppies and communication?? - Page 1

Has anyone read or heard about studies of newborn puppies (0-7 days) and how they communicate with their mother and potentially each other.  I know that they are blind and deaf (supposedly) but I have been around quite a few litters and their vocalizations and even harmonizations are both beautiful and interesting.  Obviously the mother dog hears each voice and responds to the ones communicating problems or discomfort but there seems to be more to it than that as they sometimes harmonize and "sing" as a group.

Vibrations created by sounds from each pup sounding off likely are felt. Sense of smell is pronounced, in my opinion, and is how a pup finds the mother again when they inadvertently roll away. The 'I'm lost', whimpers from the pup will cause the mother dog to reach over and touch the pup. The pup will respond by casting it's head side to side, zeroing in on the mother's scent. I've seen the mother dog reach as far as she can (without getting up, so's not to dislodge the nursing litter) and keep her nose towards the 'lost' pup, seeming to give the pup the scent of her breath to follow and orient it's self to the mother's whereabouts. I've seen this as early as day one and in many different litters, different dams. I don't interfere when a puppy gets away from the mother, just so they can develop this ability to "follow their nose"....unless a bitch would be clueless and not assist the pup to find its way, which so far, has not happened.

I am sure there is an imprinting of the mothers smell and the puppies smell on the puppy and the mother very early.  The singing that an entire litter does is what intrigues me.  I have had some litters of nine that were spread out in a whelping box harmonize and sing as one when they are happy seemingly with one communal voice.  Kind of like a very early form of the "yodel" as I call it that older dogs do but the puppies are deaf and blind so how do they do it??

Vibrations.

Could be vibrations or perhaps they aren't really deaf at some frequencies  .. a litter of 9 spread out seems like vibration would be hard to feel unless very low frequency.  Could be they can feel vibration in their chest or head at their tiny size like humans can feel 60 hz in their chest cavity at adult size.

Sound reception is more complex than just 'hearing'. Elephants can transmit sounds, inaudible to humans, received by elephants miles away theoretically through their feet. So I think that puppies can pick up sounds from litter mates through vibrations.

Yes, I know about elephants but that is very low frequency which puppies can't make.  I have never seen or read anything about this communication with newborn to two week old puppies .. thought someone else might have.  I have two litters that are 2 days old right now (15 total) and they are doing some singing and I am about as tuned to their voices as their mothers.  Not much sleep for any of us though.  i had another litter of nine last year and they were singers too!  Small litters (2-3) don't seem to sing much maybe because momma is giving them more attention than they want.

Sometimes when new borns spread out and make a lot of noise, it's 'cause they're too hot. Two days old, seems they should be cuddled up together.

Sure .. My puppies both sets are under AC cooling at the moment and are mostly bunching up but sometimes spread out which they are in a zone of temperature they can tolerate by using distance, their momma's body warmth, and by bunching up if need be.  I can tell by their vocalizations if they are happy and comfortable.  Three days old and doing great so if I can get them through the first week most should make it.  More worried about the mommas as they are young and first litters so I get up and feed and water them often so they keep hydrated and well fed for milk production and to help their young bodies tolerate the stress.  Both mommas doing great thus far and one would kill a bear if it tried to harm her puppies .. a very protective mother ..who knew?? .. glad she trusts me.  I try to help them all that I can.

Sounds like every thing is good. Pups just like 'singing' :-)