hi all, ive just had a call from the breeder im getting my pup from, they said if i like i can collect him anytime now as they all seem ready to leave. now pup will be a cple of days of 7 weeks, what are ur views?....i dont want to take the pup away if it could affect him in any way!!...but there again, does ne 1 have experience of this where the pup was ok leaving at 7 wks?  many thanks

It depends very much on a number of things but around 8 weeks old is the usual these days. Smaller breeds tend to be rather more forward than the larger breeds so could possibly leave home at a SLIGHTLY earlier age. A breeder would not want all the puppies to go at the same time because of stressing the bitch so would arrange for the puppies to go over a few days before and after this optimum age. Many years ago it was the norm to pass the puppies on at an earlier age. My first dog was only 5 weeks old when I collected him! This is really a little early. It is in the 4 to 8 week period when a puppy needs it's litter mates and it's dam around it to learn to assocate with dogs in a natural manner.

Best wishes, John

We picked up our cocker spaniel pup at 7 weeks, purely because she was coming home with our other dogs and she was the 'bossy' one of the litter, the breeder thought my other dogs might show her who's boss.  We've had no problems at all, she is wonderful and just coming up a year old, no side effects to coming home early!

We collected Obi at 6.5 weeks, but the breed is very forward and he was a very mature pup, and certainly more mature than my Lab X that we collected at nearly 8 weeks.  Depends on the pup, the breed, and how much you trust your breeder...

he is a bullmastiff, im not sure if they are ''mature puppies''. the breeder literally said that they are ready as all they want to do now is get out..lolhe has bred before and showed all pedigree papers etc, so its not his 1st litter, i saw mum and dad too. i know yrs gone by the pups left mum to go to there new homes a lot earlier than these days, but as everyone seems to preach 8 weeks...i wasnt sure if it would be the right thing to do.

we picked our bullmastiff pup up at 7 weeks, and had no problems settling in, was not restless and did not go off his food.

Do you mean over 7 weeks and under 8?  This is what age my pups are now, and they would be ready tom go now, but as it works out aren't going until over 8 weeks this time.  I have often let pups go at a little under 8 weeks to fit in with what suits new owners schedule.  They would be a minimum of 7 1/2 weeks though.  This is a medium size breed, with pups very forward being a Spitz.

Hi Brainless
can't believe they're that old already...doesn't time fly!! Just had a look at the piccys on your website...cute!! I like storm!
Nikki

Hi, I collected my pup the day before she was 7 weeks old.  She is now almost 3 and is a great dog.  I don't think she suffered in any way leaving at that age, although she was a very 'bitey' puppy and I wonder sometimes if she had stayed with her littermates a while longer whether she would have learnt not to bite so much.

Good luck with your pup!

Fiona

Hopefully she and Dusk will be shown, and maybe Star may have a little go, but Dawn is going to be purely a pet.

We let our first three litters go at eight weeks and over.  Then we attended a socialisation seminar which said they were better going before eight weeks.  The last two litters, born after the seminar, mostly went from the age of seven and a half weeks, though some puppies were more towards eight weeks and one actually stayed an extra two weeks after that as the owner was on holiday (too long - both we and she had got very attached).  I definitely wouldn't want them to go any earlier than that.  I can't say I noticed any difference in development and socialisation in any of the pups I saw as adults, from any of the five litters, which could be taken as an argument either for or against letting them go early.  One of the ones that left at seven and a half weeks came back at ten months for a while and just fitted back in with our own dogs as if she'd never been away - she was an only dog at home and she certainly had no problem in working out relationships with the rest of our gang.  We do work hard at early socialisation, as I know Brainless does - they are reared in the house and are exposed to all sorts of sounds and experiences and different types of people.  One of our dogs came from a remote rural kennel as an eight week old pup - he was terrified of the TV, vacuum cleaner and washing machine as he's never seen them before.  I have elkhounds, incidentally.  As Brainless says, they are quite forward.

Hi, I certainly dont consider letting my pups go earlier than 8 weeks, although I have once made an exception and let a pup go at 7 weeks and 6 days, to fit in with a long trip home for pups new family.  Have attended seminars and read up on socialisatin and the need for it to happen early, but I feel this is my respnsibility, not  the new owners.  So my pups get lots of earlly socialisation, noises, household appliances, differnet people (carefully vetted by me, and sprayed with disinfectant!)  Also go to local shops in my arms, and have "mini" car trips, so first car trip out is not for Vaccinations.  they are also taught to stand on a table, used to grooming/bathing routines (and clipping for the Yankees).  They are usually still interacting with Mum at this age (although fully weaned, of course) and benefit from littermates playfulness.  I would be unhapy buying a pup from anyone willing to let a pup go at such an early age, although my breed are both small, and perhaps large breeds are ready sooner?
bye
Gwen

Bullmastiffs aren't very 'mature' pups.
Or not the one I have. Well he's 2years old now.
I rescued him at 2 1/2 weeks and had to hand rear him with the help of my then 14 month old Mastiff bitch.
After saying that I think 7-8 weeks is a good time to collect a puppy.
It will have been taught 'manners' by his Mam and siblings but be young enough to bond with his new family.

Most puppies go at around 7 weeks; it is considered the prime age by some.

Trouble is that somw of the Onsurance companies that ooffer puppy cover won't cover until 8 weeks.  I think they ahve got themselves mixed up with the legal age at which Licensed breeders may sell pups to the public, which is 8 weeks.

Hi tohme,  when you say "most puppies go at 7 weeks" do you mean most breeders you personally know let them go at this age?  Certainly I do not know any  reliable, good breeders in either of my breeds who will let pups go at this age, and when we have discussed rearing etc on this list before the gerneral consensus was not before 8 weeks.
bye
Gwen

I know many, reputable breeders of a lot of breeds (and when I say reputable I mean those who belong to breed clubs, hip and eye score their breeding stock etc) who not only allow but encourage their puppies to go at that age; in fact two just went to the GDBA at that very age!

It is often considered the optimum age at which to get a puppy.

I agree with Tohme too. Most of the breeders (in my breed club) I know let puppies go any time after 7 weeks.
:)

Just shows the difference in the  norm between breeds then, as letting pups go below 8 weeks (and below 12 weeks in a whole lot of toy breeds) is very much frowned on.  I know the theory of the early socialisation guidelines, and the age the fear response develops, but I firmly believe that a breeder can introduce a  whole range of routines to make sure the puppy has a well rounded experience while still in their own home.  I am also not in favour of giving the first vaccination before 8 week, and would be very unwilling to microchip a puppy before that age too.  And then there is the worming question, my pups are just getting  their 3rd worming treatment at that age, and need a couple of days before being ready to move to new homes.  I dont want to worm a pup and hand it over straight away!

How to breeder letting pups go before 8 weeks cope with these questions?
bye
Gwen

I had heard that toy-breed pups were kept by the breeders for much longer (my friend who breeds dalmatians and toy poodles keeps the poodles for about 10-12 weeks - but they are incredibly tiny!), but her dalmatians are more than ready to go by 8 weeks. The usual regime is that they start to leave on the weekend (when most new owners want to collect them) after they are 7 weeks. At this age they have been wormed twice, and are due their next worming at 8 weeks, which we feel is best done by the 'new' vet if possible. Most vets in this area (the ones I've asked, anyway!) don't give the first injection till 10 weeks, especially if the pups are still living with mum because they will still be topping-up and keeping up their levels of maternals antibodies so that the vaccine would be less effective. As for ID-ing, I personally tattoo rather than microchip, and that is done at about 6 weeks.

The different rearing methods are fascinating!
:)

The breeder of my cavallies usually keeps them until 12 weeks as well, but has let me have mine early after I got the my first one from her,as she now knows that my boys are well looked after & socialized & reared the same way as she does herself.

I have also had my BC's early again because the breeder knows how I look after them

I would not let anyone I did not know very well & trust let have any puppy from me before 8 weeks for the bigger breeds & 12 weeks for the cavaliers

One reason I do not breed is I actually hate parting with any puppy :( even ones that I have brought in for my friends abroad before they have had all their Jabs etc but then that is just me I suppose

Exactly what I do, and Vanhala I think does similar, the weekend after 7 weeks, except this time born on a Thursday I said not until after Windsor, but of course weekend suited new owners best, so they will be over 8 weeks. 

I worm pups at 3 and 7 weeks, as I have already been woting the dam in whelp to 3 days post whelping, then they are able to be done again after their first or second jabs, depending what age their vet does them.

In fact our breed code of ethics says not before 7 weeks, which is the consensus the breed clubgs arrived at.

My breed club code of ethics is not before 10 weeks.  Many toy breeds quote a similar age or even 12 weeks.  I feel it depends on the breed and there cannot be a blanket age to cover all.

Joan
Take the rough with the smooth

I collected Obi at 6.5 weeks, vaccinated first at * weeks, then 10 weeks, when he was microchipped also, not a problem as he was never out of our sight.  Can't remember about worming, though we did do it soonish after collecting

I think these last few posts have shown enough range of the "usual" age, that we should all consider our wording beofre making such statements as tohmes "most breeders let them go at 7 weeks " (or words to that effect).  Perhaps we should all get inot the habit of qualifying our statements with wording such as "most breeders I know,"  or "in my breed it is usual" .  Given a blanket statement can be very misleading when someone does a search for the topic.  We have had this come up a few times, and making these firm assertions can steer people off in the wrong direction, as anyone in my breeds willing to let pups go early should possibly be treated with a little suspicion, whereas it is obvious it is acceptable in other breeds.  Similar problems have come up when people have posted that buyers should always beware if pups are not available with KC papers (dpeneds if the pups cant be registered, or if the breeder simply wont hand over reg. for pet only pups) and that breeders who have both the dog and bitch are always to be given a wide birth (yes, it can be a pointer towards a puppy farm, it can also be a pointer towards a top breeder with a largeish kennel, and the best dogs in the breed! And a few other reasons which cropped up to, in that discussion).  We all give our advise for free, and those reading it are abviously at liberty to pick and choose which bits they follow, but they have no way of ascertaining the depth of knowledge or the qualifications of those posting advice.
bye
Gwen

I also think the home with which the puppy is going to has a lot to do with it.

I had both my Briards at 6.5 weeks, which i think was for me the ideal age. With a number of dogs already in the household socialising with other breeds etc was very important. (However, puppies that were going as an "only" dog did not go until a week or so later.)
 
This does not mean it is the correct age for everybody or breed but i personally would let my puppies go at 7 weeks onwards to an experianced owner.

I also have all my pups vaccinated at 6 weeks so socialising can begin earlier (This does however mean normally 3 vacc's compared to just 2). I also used to have to get my pup's vacc asap as we ran a very large boarding kennels and lived on site, and whilst every boarding dog was vaccinated i didnt want to take any risks at all.

It is 8 weeks & over, the age I let my Munsters go.   This is normally the age my patience has run out with them too ;)   I am the breeder, they are my puppies up until they leave me so it is my decision and having seen the personalities of the last litter (All very forward & self assured) this is the best age I feel for the breed to go.

Christine

I feel that we must also be very careful not to tarnish the reputation of others without knowledge of their credentials or acceptable practice in their own breeds.  Some of the posts following my own earlier posting, for example, could perhaps be interpreted as suggesting that my family and I (I am a second generation elkhounder) are not reputable breeders, although that suggestion is likely to have been unintentional :).  The posters do not know us, nor do they have any reason to know us, being as we are a small hobby kennel, albeit one that has been relatively successful in our 26 years in elkhounds.  I believe (without wishing to sound arrogant, and those that do know me know that I am not that sort of person) that my family are at least reasonably well regarded by the majority of our fellow Club members.  I have several proofs of it.  But other readers that are also not familiar with myself and our Club Code of Ethics may question my integrity, and that causes me some distress.

Hi Vanhalla, that was my point in my previous post, lots of people give answers as "absolutes" eg. "it is the norm to let pups go before 7 weeks" or "no reputable breeder will let a puppy go before 8 weeks".  In fact, when following this thread, it is obvious that there are many schools of though on this, and different breeds have different needs and guidelines.  This is why I suggested that when posting answere to this sort of question we qualify the answer by using wording such as "in my own breed"  or "my pups...... becasue...."  This way people can look at the answer and a little background/reasoning behind it. 

bye
Gwen

My pups go at 7 weeks, but I would not let them go before then.  For my Spanish Water Dogs thisis the best time for them to go to their new homes, my Pomeranian's though would not leave my house until they are 12 weeks.  As others have said it depends on the breed.

I consider myself a caring breeder and have allowed my pups to go at 7 weeks for many years now.  When I first had my Spanish I kept them until 9 weeks and this caused REAL socialisation problems, since I have sold them at between 7 and 8 weeks this problem hasn't occured.

we collected our leo at 7 weeks and is the norm for the breed.it depends on the type of dog and when its ready.we collected a boxer at 6 weeks and had no problems with him during his life and another at 8 weeks but she could be funny with dogs she didn't know.
so i think it depends on the breed and the temperment of the individual pup within the litter. the pup that is the boss sooner than the pup that is the shy one of the bunch.
each dog is different even within the same breed / litter so i would let them go as i thought would suit them.
most breeds go between 7 and 8 ready for the jabs etc.

I'd say around 8 weeks. But you're right Marie, I think it does depend on breed and other things. Sometimes toy breeds, at least Chihuahuas are kept by the breeder a little longer just because they're so small and fragile and prone to hypoglycemia if they don't eat well or are picky. And my Dobe to 9 weeks because the breeder wants to keep them till the scabs come completely off the ears...that the ears are totally healed. I think they benefit from staying with their litter mates that long to learn more about bite inhibition among other things. The breeder should be doing a few things to socialize them though in the meantime. I think it's optimum to get them before they're too old so you can start their training and socializing. But one of my Chi's I didn't get until 7 months and she turned out fine....very sociable and friendly and comfortable in strange places. I guess the breeder must have had lots of people coming around. I don't think she took these dogs anywhere with her though. But I sure did when I got her. So maybe some late socialization worked anyhow...even though they talk about that window between 8 and 16 weeks or whatever. My boy Chi I got at 9 weeks. He was so big and pudgy...not at all frail.

But anyhow, can't wait to hear about your pup.

Carrie

i think it depends on a number of factors....

1) the situation you have, ie kennels or raised within home (if in home mum may be ready for the rest)

2) how big the litter is

3) whether the new owners are experienced with the breed and with puppies.

4) the home they are going to

7 weeks is the earliest I let mine go but would obviously keep any smaller pups until later.

At the end of the day I go with my gut instinct. It hasnt let me down as yet but the majority go at 8+ weeks. I have even kept some for couple months to account for new owners holidays circumstances etc

As much as i personally prefer them to go sooner i had a phone call today from a lady with a dalmatian.

The breeder let it go at 5 weeks!!! The pup had never been wormed, and the mum was only wormed prior to mating. Hmmmmmm

IMO this is just TOO early although by the sounds of it, it is hardly a responsible breeder :-(

Unfortunately people like this give the rest of us a bad name :-(

I got Willis at exactly 6 weeks. We have not had one problem with him. He was better off (as a dane) being socialised whilst still young enough and small enough (!) to carry around and learned more from this than sleeping and fighting with his litter brothers :)

Exactly, hanstrips. A rubbish breeder like that doesn't care about the pups' welfare at all, so they cannot be considered 'normal' breeders.