Is 6 weeks too young to take pup from mother?

elainee

Thinking of buying a dog.owner says they are ready to go but they are only 6weeks. I thought it should be more like 12 weeks or is 6 ok???:rolleyes:

star-pants

Minimum, is usually 8-9weeks, older for some other breeds.
6 weeks is far too young to take a pup from their mother/siblings, there's still a lot of social skills to learn and they need their mother still.

What breed is it? (although tbh if someone told me the pups were 'ready to go' at 6 weeks I would be inclined *not* to get one from them. Is the mother still alive? Did he said they are literally ready to go right now?

therewillbe

8 Weeks is the norm. 5 is to early.

therewillbe

therewillbe wrote: »

8 Weeks is the norm. 5 is to early.

Sorry, replace the 5 with the 6:o

votejohn

the norm is at least 8* weeks.

However, my vet got his dog at 6 weeks. its a working dog, so i assume they leave their mothers so early to bond with their handler. His dog was mixed with other dogs immediately after leaving its mother.

The vet said 8 weeks is actually a bad time to take a pup, that 6 weeks or 10 weeks would be better, that pups do not adjust well to change at 8 weeks!!

star-pants

votejohn wrote: »

The vet said 8 weeks is actually a bad time to take a pup, that 6 weeks or 10 weeks would be better, that pups do not adjust well to change at 8 weeks!!

most places you look or most people you ask will say 8weeks is more the norm than 6.
8 weeks does not cause issues to being in a new home, I got my pup at 8&half weeks and apart from initial training all went fine. I know others who have gotten pups at similar age and no issues.

Where was the vet getting the information that 8weeks is bad?

votejohn

oops, i meant to write the norm is 8 weeks!!

Not sure where the vet got his information about 8 weeks not being the best time for change in a dogs development. TBH he's in his late fifties, so I wasnt going to question his level of expertise!!!

I was just reading this research paper by the the association of pet behaviour counsellors for a different matter http://www.apbc.org.uk/article6.htm


and it says the following


Prospective owners can maximise their opportunities to socialise and habituate their puppies by obtaining them at six weeks old, having already made arrangements for the appropriate vaccination programme with a veterinary surgeon. Of course failing to obtain a puppy at exactly six weeks does not automatically lead to disaster, but the later puppies are acquired the more precious time will have been lost and the less likelihood there is of developing a sound temperament.



basically, to ensure that your pup is well adjusted and socialised adaquately, you should take your pup at six weeks and do all the socialisation yourself.

Pups are usually kept with their litter until 8 weeks minimum to maximise canine socialisation, however, there is no guarintee that a dog will recieve other forms of socialisation and exposure at the breeders (other animals, with people, loud noises, different scenarios etc), so if you can socialise your pup with other dogs that will teach your dog how to be a dog, I can see benefits to taking your pup at 6 weeks.

(obviously I can see negative points too, such as the breeder may not know enough about your pups health etc, but if you know what your doing, it can be a good thing!)

star-pants

Ah ok, aye if you know exactly what you're doing then maybe. But in general 8 weeks + is the normal age, as you said 10-12 weeks is also a good age for some breeds. It depends on the dog. I'd rather be safe than sorry though, and I wouldn't take a pup younger than 8 weeks (without good reason).

votejohn

star-pants wrote: »

Ah ok, aye if you know exactly what you're doing then maybe. But in general 8 weeks + is the normal age, as you said 10-12 weeks is also a good age for some breeds. It depends on the dog. I'd rather be safe than sorry though, and I wouldn't take a pup younger than 8 weeks (without good reason).

I know, I'd be the same, the older the better IF its a good breeder thats investing in the pups development.

However, I got a 11 week old pup last friday as a surprise gift. I had nothing to do with choosing her, and my friends got her from a breeder who didnt expose her to ANYTHING, except the other dogs onsite. He didnt handle her or bring her indoors or anything, so now I have a pup who needs a lot of socialisation, quickly before she gets any older. If I had gotten her at 6 weeks I would have had a lot more time to introduce her to all the sights, smells, sounds, and situations of the world!

She's having a hard time understanding what people are, and what they want from her!!!

lorebringer

IMO 10 - 12 weeks is a good time to seperate pups from their mother, up until this they are learning social skills and general doggie etiquette. As long as the breeder is exposing them to other things (being handled, being away from the other pups for a short while etc.) the pup should be fine to leave their mother at maybe 8 weeks. I think 8 is even pushing it and 10 is much better for the pups in the long run.

Of course, very little of this applies if the breeder is dodgy and the dogs are not properly dealt with on a day to day basis.

animalcrazy

We got our puppy at 5 weeks, if I had known she was that young before she made the 3 hour journey here I wouldn't have gotten her, but I didn't find out until the next day. My older dog is teaching her manners though and she's doing great, hardly cried at night at all. I think if you have another dog that will 'Mother' the puppy some bit it's not so bad.

Sigma Force

6 weeks is too young. Will the pup have even had it's first vaccination at that age.

Bonding wise it's rubbish that dogs need to be 6 weeks, how come our collie who was gotten at 3 years bonded perfectly well with us same goes for our dogs that were gotten at 4 and 3 months of age.

With our newest pooch I'm glad I waited until 12 weeks he was still very babyish but if we'd gotten him at say 8 weeks there would of been an extra month of getting up a zillion times in the night with him.

Less than two weeks of having him he learnt his name and bonded with all of us, couple of weeks later he's like part of the furniture.

funkyjebus

yes it must be at least 8 weeks, I not too sure but i think it could be a regulation. Also if the breeder is any goo they won't let you.

votejohn

getting a pup at six weeks won't enhance bonding, your new dog should bond with you regardless of its age, as long as you put the time in.

A breeder shouldn't give you a pup any younger than six weeks. However, if you are very experienced with dogs and know what your doing, I dont see a problem with taking the pup that early. of course the breeder must be sure that you know exactly what your doing, otherwise it is irresponsible to hand over the pup.

Lemlin

funkyjebus wrote: »

yes it must be at least 8 weeks, I not too sure but i think it could be a regulation. Also if the breeder is any goo they won't let you.

A regulation from who?

The IKC don't care about much once they get their transfer fee.

lrushe

8 weeks is best and most good breeders will not release their pups any earlier. In the case of one of my dogs, a Chihuahua, she was kept until 11 weeks old as they are such a smaller breed that most Chihuahua breeders don't like releasing them until that much later.

funkyjebus

mariaf24

Thats just stupid and makes no sense. Try posting on a topic which you're educated in.

Perhaps there is a troll/moran section here somewhere?

andreac

mariaf24 wrote: »

5 weeks or 10 weeks, it's the same thing really.
So cruel :-(

Far from it!!!:mad:

As funky says, dont post on something you obv know nothing about, even 2 or 3 weeks is a big difference in a dogs development, so there would be a huge diff in a 5 or 10 week old pup.

funkyjebus

Lemlin -

I'm not sure, just like I posted. It could be the ISPCA and fall under the Protection of Animals Act 1911 and 1965. But i don't know, I haven't got around to reading the whole thingh yet, its just my two cents.

It is, however illegal in many US states as well as many countries who understand the danger and problems with taking a puppy from its mother before it is developed enough.

pitbull_fanatic

i got my second fella at 5 weeks and i cant fault him. he's very good and does what i tell him. (except for biting the couch when i'm not there!! but he's learning that slowly) he gets well socialised with strange dogs and they have their circle of friends too. i think it is best to leave them with the littermaytes and mother till 12 weeks but some breeds are too strong for the mother at that age when there's about 8 of them jumpin all over her. but once dog is socialised properly 6 weeks is fine