Weeks 6 and 7

At this point, the puppy will  begin to look more like the adults of his breed. His emotions will become apparent, too: He’ll whine to show fear, whimper when hurt and bark when he's excited or wants attention.

The mother's role evolves to that of pack leader as her brood matures. Her pups are weaned now, since they have teeth and can eat solid food. She is affectionate and playful with them, teasing them with toys and showing them when to bite and when not to. She lets them know she's the dominant dog and corrects them sharply if they misbehave.

Your puppy's appetite for exploring his environment and learning new things will benefit tremendously if he is given a variety of simple toys to investigate at this stage. He will also play rough and tumble with his littermates, stealing and sharing toys. By this point, he should be spending a short time each day alone with a human, playing gently and learning to relate one-on-one in a safe, trusting situation.