# Best age for bringing puppy home



## Rkaymay (May 12, 2014)

While you can technically take a puppy home at 6 weeks, I would not recommend it. I brought my girl home at 6 weeks (she was a shelter puppy), and we have had to spend quite a bit of time working on proper play, bite inhibition, proper greeting of other dogs... All things the mother and litter mates will teach in those two weeks between 6 and 8. Two weeks doesn't seem like much, but it makes a BIG difference. Yes, they are definitely still adorable at 8 weeks! Even at 15 weeks Z doesn't look like a "real dog" - still very puppy, awkward, and clumsy.


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## Lise123 (Jan 1, 2014)

Puppies are still fluffy babies at 8 weeks. If you get your puppy at six weeks, it might not have enough time with its littermates to learn a few puppy manners.

I took my puppy home at 7 weeks, and he was cute as could be, but I wish I could have taken him home at 9 or 10 weeks. By then, he could sleep through the night and knew a few basic things, like sit, down, go potty, and doin't chase the cat.  Even at 10 weeks, my puppy was still a fluffy little ball of baby love, and I enjoyed him more.

Good luck with your decision!


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

Welcome to the forum. When bringing a puppy home, older is definitely better. At 8 weeks, your puppy will be very much a "puppy." Socialization with mom and his/her litter mates is very important. We brought Max home at 11 weeks, and I think the extra time he spent with his mom and litter mates was a big factor for him being a well adjusted, easy pup. 

The AKC recommends a puppy should go home at 8 to 12 weeks.


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## RetrieverLove (Dec 3, 2013)

I'm a little surprised to hear your breeder allows taking them home so young. I would definitely wait until AT LEAST 8 weeks to bring your pup home, and might even suggest 9 or 10 weeks if you can.

I am not a breeder, just a Golden Retriever owner, but I think pups need to be with their mother and littler mates for socialization, not to mention the breeder's care while they are so young. My breeder had us meet her pups at 6 and 7 weeks, and we took ours home at 8 weeks.

I had wanted to wait a little bit longer but it was right around Christmastime and between her schedule and ours, at exactly 8 weeks was when the pick up day was.

Although they are cute at 6 weeks, they grow so fast, so this shouldn't be your motivation for wanting it so early. Within even just a few days you'll notice them getting much bigger. Although you want to enjoy baby puppy time, once that pup is home, I can almost guarantee that you'll look for teenage/adult time so they settle down a bit, stop with the biting, and you can get a decent night's sleep! Having a puppy is A LOT of HARD work!

Our Golden Girl will be 8 months old this month and she's matured very well to be really sweet natured and calm. Although she was so cute as a little pup she's grown into a beautiful sweet girl now.


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## Pupppy (Jun 4, 2014)

In my country the earliest (legal) time to take puppy home is 45 days (6 weeks), so it is possible, but the breeder also said that it is not a problem to take puppy home later. She just said that the earliest time is 6 weeks.


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## Pupppy (Jun 4, 2014)

And I also forgot to thank you all for answering so quick. If you have more suggestions, I would love to hear them! ))


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

Hi, welcome. Yes, if you can, definitely wait with taking puppy home till he is 8 weeks old. Puppies at 8 weeks are still cute little fluff balls, don't worry. 
He will do a lot better at 8 weeks in a strange home than at 6 weeks old and he will learn faster as well and not miss his litter mates and mom as much. 

Here is a photo of my pup at age 8 weeks old, the day I brought him home( he is 6.5 months old now). See, he was still a cute little fluff ball.


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## Aleksandrina (May 27, 2014)

My breeder said that the earliest she'd let a puppy go home is at 7 weeks.


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## KeaColorado (Jan 2, 2013)

Both of mine came home at 10 weeks. In addition to the other benefits in terms of socialization mentioned above, I found that they were MUCH easier to potty train and slept through the night from day 1 because they have better control of their bodily functions compared to a 6 or 7 week old puppy. 

They were absolutely both cute little fluff balls and I don't feel like we missed out on anything at all 

And gosh, seeing them next to each other makes me realize how much alike they looked as puppies! 

Kea 10 weeks








Little H, 10 weeks


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## Rkaymay (May 12, 2014)

Zelda at 6 weeks


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## Rkaymay (May 12, 2014)

Zelda at 8 weeks. Still as adorable!


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## Pupppy (Jun 4, 2014)

Thank you all for answering!  Still waiting for your answers and thoughts.

I don't want to make another thread, but I have one more question - what is the best way to bring puppy home with car? Should I hold puppy in my lap or should I buy a "cage" for it? I've read that puppy should be held in this person's arms who is going to be the leader in his future herd/cattle? (sorry for my bad English)


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## Anon-2130948gsoni (Apr 12, 2014)

One question I would have is whether your breeder is socializing the puppies at all? If he/she is bringing lots of people over and getting the pups out in the world in safe locations, then bringing the pup home later makes sense. If not...I would still think about 8 weeks minimum for all of the good reasons people have given, but if you have safe places to take the pup and the time to do it, those couple of weeks can be really key in terms of socializing to the outside world?

I transport my dogs in airline crates (the ones with the plastic sides) fastened in with the seatbelts but with the door facing me. That way I can make eye contact and touch them occasionally, assuming I'm not the one driving, of course!


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## goldlover68 (Jun 17, 2013)

Old school...was 49 days....now most agree on 56 days.....but I would not go beyond that...

All of my Golden's have been 49 days except one we had sent to us via airline. The airline required they be 8wks....

Our newest girl we picked up right at 8 weeks....

Good Luck


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

Many have weighed in already. We adopted Tayla at 4 months. She was brought home by her original owner between 5 and 6 weeks. She did not learn proper bite inhibition or play styles from the litter. She is 2.5 years old and a wonderful dog in many ways, but still uses her mouth way to much on us and sister Lily in play. She knows the phrase "No bite" and will take her mouth off, but I think she would have learned it much better as a puppy.


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