When Do Chihuahua Puppies Open Their Eyes? Clear 12 Months Stages Explained

There is no doubt that Chihuahuas are the most adorable dog breed ever. Chihuahuas and Chiweenies are the world’s smallest dog breeds with great personalities. When a mother Chihuahua gives birth, her puppies remain fully dependent on her for a few weeks. Newborn Chihuahua puppies, like other newborn puppies, are born with their eyes closed.

When do Chihuahua puppies open their eyes? Most Chihuahua puppies open their eyes for the first time when they are around 10 to 14 days old. Other Chihuahua puppies may take a few more days to open their eyes, however, it should not worry you much. 

A Chiweenie dog is also referred to as a Choxie. A Choxie is a dog crossbreed between a Chihuahua and a dachshund. Just like a Chihuahua, a Chiweenie dog has a great personality and is fun to be around. They love attention and are also playful

If you are interested in knowing when Chihuahua puppies open their eyes then this article is meant for you. In this article, I will discuss when do Chihuahua puppies open their eyes, Chihuahua puppy stages, reasons why Chihuahua puppies are born with their eyes closed, and other interesting facts about Chihuahua puppies.

When Do Chihuahua Puppies Open Their Eyes?

Chihuahua puppies and Chiweenie puppies are born with their eyes and ears closed. Just like other newborn puppies, Chihuahua puppies are born with two active senses, the sense of touch and smell. The vision and hearing senses take a while before they fully develop. So, when do Chihuahua puppies open their eyes?

Most Chihuahua puppies open their eyes for the first time when they are around 10 to 14 days old.  Other Chihuahua puppies may take a few more days to open their eyes, however, it should not worry you much. 

If by chance your puppy reaches the 15th day without opening his/her eyes, then it might be experiencing some challenges when it tries to open its eyes. Help your newborn puppy open his eyes by cleaning his eyes with a clean cloth to remove dirt that may have built up from birth fusing the eyelashes together.

As you are cleaning your Chihuahua eyes, remember to be gentle because wiping them too hard can damage your puppy’s eyes and they aren’t ready to be opened yet.

Also, remember patience is key when dealing with a newborn Chihuahua, give him a little more time to enable him to open his eyes on his own.

If after the 20th day your Chihuahua has not opened his eyes, then it is time to visit your vet to determine the reason behind your puppy not opening his eyes and he may help your Chihuahua open his eyes.

Even though you are excited about the birth of your puppies, do not try to force your newborn Chihuahua’s puppies to open their eyes. Do not rush to meet them. Let their mother take care of them for a while before you meet them.

Chihuahua Puppy Stages

Chihuahua puppies grow rapidly in their first year, after that their body size stops growing.

1 Day Old Chihuahua

A Chihuahua puppy weighs around three ounces at birth. At birth, Chihuahua puppies have their eyes and ears closed. They are not able to stand however they can recognize their mothers through smelling and touching.

1 Week Old Chihuahua

At one week old, a Chihuahua puppy is yet to open its eyes, and still, he/she is not able to hear or stand. They spend most of their time sleeping and feeding. 

At this time you might be wondering when do Chihuahua puppies open their eyes. Do not worry your little one is not yet ready to open his eyes. Be patient, because from the second week you will start noticing some changes in your Chihuahuas.

2 Week Old Chihuahua

By two weeks a newborn Chihuahua has gained twice his birth weight. Also by this time they have started opening their eyes, though are yet to see clearly. A 2 week old Chihuahua puppy should not be exposed to too much light because although their eyes have opened, they are not fully developed to be able to control the light that enters their eyes.

4 Week Old Chihuahua

At 4 weeks most of the Chihuahua organs are fully developed and at this time they can see and probably identify objects. At four weeks Chihuahua can be slowly introduced to drinking water and eating molten food. Also at this time, they can recognize sounds and react to them.

Around the second week, Chihuahua puppies start standing, then by the third week they can move around. By the 4th week, a Chihuahua puppy is playful and can run around perfectly.

8 Week Old Chihuahua

By the eighth week, a Chihuahua puppy is already comfortable eating food and can be weaned off her mother’s milk. At this time also, your Chihuahua puppy becomes curious to explore his immediate environment, therefore it’s the appropriate time to separate them from their mothers to make them more independent.

At this age, a Chihuahua puppy is growing rapidly and he/she requires more food supplements to satisfy their nutritional requirements.

At three months Chihuahua puppies are extremely active and remain awake during the day and sleep well during the night. It is in 3 months that you can start training your Chihuahua.  

At four months Chihuahua puppies are more aware of their surroundings and may start protesting when left alone. Teething starts at this age and most puppies start having an increased urge to chew things.

Chihuahua puppies enter the adolescence stage when they are six months of age. At this stage, female Chihuahua dogs may have their first heat.

At 9 months Chihuahua puppies stop gaining weight. Teething also stops at around 9months of age. By one year a Chihuahua dog is recognized as an adult.

Why Are Chihuahua Puppies Born With Their Eyes Closed

Chihuahua puppies like other puppies are born with their eyes closed. This is because their eyes are not fully developed at birth and it will take around one month to fully mature. At around 10 to 14 days Chihuahuas start opening their eyes, though they see blurry objects at first. As time progresses their eyes will mature and they will be able to see clearly.

One more reason why Chihuahua puppies’ eyes are closed for a few days after birth, is to protect them from dust and particles that may damage their delicate eye membranes. As the tear duct, which is a natural eye cleaner, develops Chihuahuas eyes are closed to allow ample development of the eyes.

Final Verdict – When Do Chihuahua Puppies Open Their Eyes

The final verdict on when do Chihuahua puppies open their eyes is that it takes 10 to 14 days for a Chihuahua to open his/her eyes.

 As from the 8th day, puppies start to open their eyes, however, their eyesight remains poor until the fourth week when they are fully matured.

Even though Chihuahua puppies do not see clearly during this period, they are able to recognize their mothers and their siblings because of the sense of touch and smell.

It is normal for newborn Chihuahua puppies to have foggy eyes (Glaucoma) during the first days of opening their eyes. This doesn’t mean that your puppies are blind. With time their eyes will clear and they will change to a darker color.

Be careful to check your newborn Chihuahua puppies to ensure that by the 20th day they have all opened their eyes. If not so, take them to a veterinarian to establish the reason why your puppies are having some difficulties opening their eyes.

 I hope this article has answered your question on when do Chihuahua puppies open their eyes and that you have learned other interesting information about Chihuahua and Chiweenie dogs.

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Rajkumar Ravichandran

Welcome to Learn About Pet. My name is Rajkumar Ravichandran and I love all pets, travel, and amazing food. I write about my passion and personal experience caring for multiple pets in this blog! ❤️