# Best age to take puppy home?



## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

The truth is there is no "one size fits all" time line that applies to every litter. They're ready when they're ready. 

I have a list of behaviors that I look for in my litters that tells me they're ready to take on the world. Sometimes they're ready at 47 days, sometimes 49, sometimes 52 and sometimes 56. Each litter is different (even by the same parents) and you have to treat them in accordance to the feedback and responses they're giving you. You can't go by a date on the calendar, and waiting longer isn't necessarilly better.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Since we do our "formal" evaluations at 49 days (7 weeks), our puppies do not go home before that. 7 weeks minimum here, 8 weeks being the norm.


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## telsmith1 (Sep 11, 2006)

Mine leave no earlier than 7 weeks.


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

Eight weeks is the norm for the breeders that I know. As long as the puppies are being socialized, stimulated and the breeder is working with them as individuals, it really doesn't matter when they go home. Different story if they are being kept outside or remain as a litter without socialization to people, other animals, etc.

The 7 week thing is based on some very old studies with beagle colonies I think, so puppies remaining were not socialised properly.

My puppies actively begin "looking" for their own people between 7 and 8 weeks of age. Any puppies that stay beyond 8 weeks are taken out of the litter environment and treated as individual puppies, with their own crates, food bowls, etc. They have mutual play time and individual play time.


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## ErikaS (Oct 1, 2007)

We got Obi when we was 6 1/2 weeks old. 
He was potty trained within a week and knew sit, come and his name by 8 weeks old.


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## Dinsdale (Feb 26, 2008)

Thanks for the answers all.
When we started looking for pups we considered a couple of 10-12 week pups. I'm sure they would be fantastic dogs. But purely emotionally, we wanted to have the "puffball" stage. I was glad when my reading provided some support that our preference was not based solely on unreasoning emotion.
We've had 2 goldens in the past, both exceptional dogs. With our kids in high school and college, my wife and I are positioned to put the time and energy into raising our new pup the way we wish. Just trying to identify any and all factors possibly within our control to tweak things the way we want.


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## goldenmomof3 (Feb 15, 2006)

Most breeders I know do not send them home before 8 weeks. There are numerous reasons for this. Some breeders do PERSONALITY EVALUATIONS at 7 weeks or after and determine which puppy should go to which pet home.

I like the last worming and shots to be right before they go home at 8 weeks and give a day or two to make sure all is well. 

I'm sure each breeder has different concerns. I would be leary of a breeder that says to send them home at 6 weeks.


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## Adriennelane (Feb 13, 2008)

We got Lucy when she was almost 7 weeks old. By the time she was eight weeks old, she was pretty much potty trained and knew "sit," which greatly impressed her Grandma, who is normally a cat person.


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## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

It's against Colorado law for puppies to be sold under eight weeks of age. You might want to check your local laws, since breeders who sell their pups "illegally" may not be as ethical as you might like.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Finn's Fan said:


> It's against Colorado law for puppies to be sold under eight weeks of age. You might want to check your local laws, since breeders who sell their pups "illegally" may not be as ethical as you might like.


Very few States or Provinces have the 8 week minimum age restriction.


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## Ash (Sep 11, 2007)

I don't like mine to go before 8 weeks JMO


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## Kory P (Dec 23, 2007)

ErikaS said:


> We got Obi when we was 6 1/2 weeks old.
> He was potty trained within a week and knew sit, come and his name by 8 weeks old.


We got Benny about the same time and he learned sit, stay, come, paw and down. 
I think it depends on the puppy and his new environment. We got him while me and my g/f were on x-mas holidays, so we had a lot of time to spend with him.
One problem I thought we might have would be bite inhibition. However, from what I have read here, Benny's mouthing habit is consistant with other pups here. 
We all have golden sharks for the first few months!!!!


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## Tahnee GR (Aug 26, 2006)

Ability to learn tricks, housebreak, etc. is not the issue with puppies brought home too early. Rather, they miss out on dog socialization, such as bite inhibition, how to play nice, doggy language, etc.

Many many years ago I brought home the puppy that was to be my first champion, at 5 weeks of age. She was a wonderful dog, smart as whip and a superb obedience dog. BUT, she was not the greatest with other dogs, as she had missed out on some important early socialization.

Also, I differentiate between bites and bite inhibition and the gnawing that a teething puppy will do. My girlfriend's human baby even gnaws on her, especially her collarbone-ouch!


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## ErikaS (Oct 1, 2007)

Finn's Fan said:


> It's against Colorado law for puppies to be sold under eight weeks of age. You might want to check your local laws, since breeders who sell their pups "illegally" may not be as ethical as you might like.


That is interesting. I've never heard that about state laws. I live in Wyoming and we got our pup in Colorado, at 6 1/2 weeks


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## maiapup (Nov 22, 2007)

I prefer to get my puppy at 7 or 7 1/2 weeks, before 8 weeks ideally.

As Linda and others said, the socialization within the litter (and with mom) is important from 1-7 weeks so that the puppies have an idea of how to get along with other puppies and learn their boundaries.

The period between 8-12 weeks is one of the 'critical' socialization periods, at this point, I get my puppies used to everything in our environment, take them to the pet supply store (riding in a cart), have them meet people of all races, uniforms, ages, sizes, etc. I also work with baby puppy behavior classes at Ohio State University Veterinary Hospital, these classes are only for puppies from 8-16 weeks and are conducted by advanced degreed Animal Behaviorists assisted with senior Vet students. We get the puppies used to being examined by 'pretend' veterinarians, used to each other, different objects (unmbrellas, steps, etc.) and teach general manners. It's an extremely rewarding project as it not only helps the puppies but teaches the new veterinarians compassion and animal behavior techniques.

It's interesting to watch the puppies and the behaviors/socialization of them as it pertains to where the participants got them. It does lend itself to all the things we talk about, not being with littermates long enough, being sheltered and not exposed to many different things/people/environments, etc. It's always interesting to get the 'puppy holders', you know those who carry the dog around all the time and never let it be a dog and interact with other puppies, from the first week to the end session, how proud they are when their puppies have shown such improvement.

Depending on where you get the dog and the socialization up to that point, the temperament and health issues we all look for, you can somewhat shape the behavior if they haven't had the best start but if you have an option, why not go with the puppy left with it's littermates for the full socialization period and then work with them from the start on all the other socialization they'll need.

I didn't get my second dog until she was 5 months old. The breeder had been keeping her because she thought she may grow her out and see if she turned out well. She decided she was a bit leggy and asked me if I was interested. It was the same breeding as my other dog (2 years later). This girl had been basically in a kennel in the country and though the kennel was at a grooming shop and she saw and heard a lot of noise/people, when she came to live with me in the 'big city', she was not socialized to the trash truck, to walking on the street (no sidewalks) to walking down the alley with lunging/barking/growling dogs. It took some time to get her comfortable with all of this but she is comfortable by herself or when I walk her with my other dogs (I sometimes walk them individually but more often walk all three together). She is a big 'soft' iin nature, which many people like, I love her, do not get me wrong, but I prefer a bold, confident dog. Would she have been bold and confident had I gotten her earlier, no. She is a soft personality but she is comfortable and not fearful in new situations. My dogs are all used in print work and comercials for a talent agency and she is able to adapt to all different situations, lighting, people, etc. but I worked hard when I got her to socialize her to a number of different situations, things, people, etc.


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