What is the best age to get a Golden Retriever pup?
A friend of mine just got a German Shepherd at 7 weeks, is that too young?
I always thought you had to wait 12 weeks for any puppy.

I know that you can't get purebred kittens untilo 12 weeks, but most medium to large breed puppies really need to get the individual attention they need from 7 to 8 weeks of age, so this is a good age for them to start going to new homes.  Of course a good breeder will do the socialisation the puppy needs, so getting an older puppy from such a person won't make much difference for the pup, but it will for you.

Some of the fragile toy breeds don't go to teir new homes until older too.

I would love a retriever but I have decided to wait until I am in my 50's, can reduce my working hours and would have time to train him.  10 years time then!!
:-)
Jacky

Thank you for your quick reply the information was helpful.

I know alot of people totally disagree with me, but i got my golden pup at 6 weeks of age.

  The pup is now 8 and a half weeks, totally house trained (touch wood), he barks at the back door to go out. He is very responsive to training, knows his name very well, knows sit, understands no, and copes with the crate extremely well

  Whether we have been extremely lucky, or because we are putting in alot of time with him, i dont know. But i personally think, getting him young meant that from day one we set down the rules before any bad habits had started.

We're extremely happy with him :D

They say that at 7-8 weeks is a good time to home a dog as it
is in a confident stage. Where as 8-9 weeks they can go through
a nervous stage. 9-10 weeks they go through a bonding stage
and 10-11 weeks they can go through another nervous stage.
But I wish now I could remember where I read that. However with
my breed 7-8 weeks is ideal. As they are truely confident maybe
too much confidence at 7 weeks ha ha.
I suppose some breeders let their dogs go at 12 weeks if they have
fully vaccinated them. But you miss all the fun of having a tiny puppy
in the house.
Nutkin

Think the only reason it is thought best for a pup to say with it's siblings and dam till they are 7 to 8 weeks old is so the learn to comunicate with other dogs, learn canine manners and how to aproach another dog without getting a frosty put down.

best age is 6 - 8 weeks old. a good breeder will have the puppies weaned by the time they are 6-8 weeks old, and they should have received plenty of socialisation. recent breeders seem to be advocating keeping the puppies with mum for longer, but personally I find this pointless, as much early training and bonding can be done in the weeks prior to this, hope this is of help!

Must say I disagree with your point about keeping pups with dam longer.

Most of the probglems that people who come to training class are not with the pups bonding with people, but their need for social skills with their own kind, to avoid interdog agression.

In my own experience at 4 to 5 weeks the bitch spends as little time as she can with her pups, so as to facilitate weaning.  Once they have learnt that they cannot feed off her unless she wants, she will begin to spend some time actually playing with and disciplining the pups, and this is invaluable to a puppy who may be going to a household with no other canine mebers with which to comtinue learning canine etiquete, and may not meet another dog untilmit is around 14 weeks of age and very ill equiped to cope.

The Guide Dogs for the blind are a slightly different case, as they want maximum human bonding, and actually don't really want or need them to be good with other dogs, as they are unlikely to get much time to just be dogs in the ordinary Pet sense, and wanting to go and play with other pups may be a disadvatage in training.

With my own pups at 7 1/2 weeks they are pretty well rounded charachters who know how to respect and interact differently with each canine member of their family, and people of course too.

I must say, it is very interesting to see how my pup will get along with other dogs as he gets older.

  Like i say i've had my golden pup since 6 weeks and he is now 8 and a half weeks. He IS very good with people, and has had a head start with regards to training. However, i dont own any other dogs, neither do i know anyone with one. So in actual fact Bailey has not had any contact with a dog for 2 and a half weeks now.
  On top of that no puppy classes will accept him till a week after his first vaccination. That means his first contact with other dogs is three and a half weeks after leaving his littermates. I have to say that DOES make me feel a little nervous.

Saying that, Bailey is a very laid back kind of dog, and takes everything in his stride. We have carried him round near enough everywhere, and although he hasn't met them, he has seen other dogs, and he shows no signs of being bothered, just has a general passing interest in them.

  The only other downer on us having Bailey early was that when we first got him at 6 weeks he humped ALOT. But that was very easily stopped and we've had no other problems since then.

Sure you will not have too much of a problem, usually they are either worried when put in close proximity of other dogs, or they have no manners and rush straight in without the normal greeting ritual. Fortunately most dogs will tolerate a pup without manners but watch the bitches who sometimes take it on their selves to correct the lack of canine etiquette.