 What is the optimum age to bring a puppy home?
#192112 - 04/24/2008 06:09 AM |
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I have always thought that 10 weeks was the best time to seperate a puppy from it's littermates and mom. It has a little extra time to learn dog manners, but not so long that it becomes too "doggy".
Was wondering what the experts on the board thought?
Janice Jarman |
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 Re: What is the optimum age to bring a puppy home?
[Re: Janice Jarman ]
#192122 - 04/24/2008 07:56 AM |
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I think it depends on the litter, some of our litters will really start fighting by 8 weeks and it's truly unsafe for them to stay together. They can get pretty violent!
I think around 9 weeks is optimal. I used to separate them at 7 weeks but I think that time is great for learning dog "etiquette".
I do start crate and leash training and marker training at around 7 weeks, even when they are still with the litter.
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Re: What is the optimum age to bring a puppy home?
[Re: Cindy Easton Rhodes ]
#192155 - 04/24/2008 10:57 AM |
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I figured you would be working with them, if just to get them used to being handled by humans the whole time, so that comes as no surprise.
But,
I didn't realise they started serious fighting so early.
You can tell I've never raised a litter of working pups.
As a matter of fact, most of the pups we have raised are due to Mom being dumped on our farm. And it seemed that 10 weeks was about right to make a really good companion animal.
That's very interesting, Cindy. Thanks for the insight.
Janice Jarman |
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Re: What is the optimum age to bring a puppy home?
[Re: Cindy Easton Rhodes ]
#192156 - 04/24/2008 10:58 AM |
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I usually take mom out of the puppy pen at about 7 weeks. Some moms will get nasty with the pups or repeatedly climb out of the pen at 5 weeks, that is earlier than I like.
I think 8-9 weeks old is the optimal age for them to go to new homes. I like to keep tiny Chihuahau pups a few weeks longer to make sure that they are eating well.
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Re: What is the optimum age to bring a puppy home?
[Re: Cindy Easton Rhodes ]
#192159 - 04/24/2008 11:09 AM |
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I know a couple experienced people who want their pups at 6 weeks and have no problems at all with them (one is on this forum, I'll let him post himself if he wants rather than naming names). Most breeders I know over here will let their pups go at 7 weeks. Some of them will let them go at 7 or 8 weeks if picked up, but won't let them fly as cargo till 10 weeks (which is now also airline regulation with many airlines).
I was always told by the breeders I know and respect to start gradually seperating from mom at 6 weeks, then totally seperated from mom by 7 weeks and ready to go home at 7.5-8 weeks. Pups left over are seperated by crate at 8 weeks, if there are any left over.
I got both my current pups at 7.5 weeks.
I would probably walk away from a litter if the pups weren't completely seperated by 9 weeks. Heck, even Leerburg has the DVD "8 weeks to 8 months" titled that way for a reason :p
Just my $0.02.
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Re: What is the optimum age to bring a puppy home?
[Re: Debbie Bruce ]
#192160 - 04/24/2008 11:20 AM |
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I have zero puppy experience.
I did just copyedit a book by an Aussie breeder, trainer, etc., who actually named what she considered to be the ideal day for the pup to go to the new home. (I was surprised that so much was referred to by specific days.)
I had to do the arithmetic, but her ideal day was at 7 1/2 weeks.
Now reading this thread, I see that others think in pretty precise terms too.
Interesting thread.
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Re: What is the optimum age to bring a puppy home?
[Re: Connie Sutherland ]
#192161 - 04/24/2008 11:33 AM |
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Reading about Cindy's baby dogs beating each other up at 8 weeks....
So the separation time depends partly, then, on working line or not, and maybe even on what kind of work? Or is that simply practical in order not to have your litter kill each other?
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Re: What is the optimum age to bring a puppy home?
[Re: Connie Sutherland ]
#192163 - 04/24/2008 11:37 AM |
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To everyone who has chimed in on this thread so far:
Thank you!!
This has been a real eye-opener for me. I love this forum, I learn so much. I will definitely remember all of this if I am ever going to purchase a pup from a reputable breeder.
I learn new things all the time on this forum. I can see that my ideas were pretty much wrong about the right time to get a pup!
Janice Jarman |
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Re: What is the optimum age to bring a puppy home?
[Re: Cindy Easton Rhodes ]
#192165 - 04/24/2008 11:44 AM |
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... I do start crate and leash training and marker training at around 7 weeks, even when they are still with the litter.
And this.... this would probably make a longer time with the litter different, right? Because it's not really being with the litter full-time any more?
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Re: What is the optimum age to bring a puppy home?
[Re: Janice Jarman ]
#192166 - 04/24/2008 11:45 AM |
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To everyone who has chimed in on this thread so far:
Thank you!!
This has been a real eye-opener for me. I love this forum, I learn so much. I will definitely remember all of this if I am ever going to purchase a pup from a reputable breeder.
I learn new things all the time on this forum. I can see that my ideas were pretty much wrong about the right time to get a pup!
Yeah, me too. I hope that continued breeder/trainer opinion and discussion happens here.
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