What is the ideal age to bring a new puppy home?

Many people want to know the best time to take a new puppy home.  This topic is top of mind for me because I currently have a litter of six 8 week old puppies.  I helped deliver them and have spent many hours preparing them for when they leave.  This is not my first litter so my answer comes with quite a bit of hands-on experience.

Things happen pretty quickly once a female dog becomes pregnant.  Her gestation time is only about 63 days.  In comparison to a human baby with gestation of about 280 days.  After a puppy is born, his/her rapid development continues as they start developing social behaviors with their litter mates. They jockey for nursing position, mimic fighting, hunting, catching, sexual activity and guarding behaviors.  In this way, the puppies develop the skills they will need later in life.

They also learn the behaviors associated with dominance, submission and basic communication skills.  Managing the timing of these behavior developments is what will make or break a dog for the rest of their life.  An experienced breeder knows each dog very well and most likely has a professional assessment done on each puppy so they know if they were born with a dominant (alpha) or submissive personality.  Once that information is known it is imperative to work closely with the new family to time the release of the puppy to its new home.  Why?  If you keep a litter together too long a dominant puppy will continue to develop dominating behaviors that he/she takes into her new home and that could cause problems right from the start.  The same can happen with too much submissive behavior from a more timid puppy.  He/she needs to get out of the litter and get into her new home so he/she can mature into a well balanced adult dog.

An experienced breeder also manages the amount of human interaction the puppies receive on a daily basis.  This helps develop a puppy’s ability to trust humans which is needed when they leave the litter and make the leap into a human family.  Unfortunately, puppies who are purchased from the shelters and pet stores are missing vital human interaction and often struggle emotionally and socially as they develop into adults. Pet owners need to understand the dog’s deficiencies and work closely with their young dog to help overcome their fears and anxieties.

With all of this in mind, my answer to the question that started this article is this: between 7 ½ weeks and 8 ½ weeks of age seems to be the ideal age for well-bred puppies who have been handled by humans and cared for by their mother to go to their forever homes.  Before that time they haven’t completed the socialization needed to be a well balanced adult dog.  After 8 ½ weeks they could over develop patterns of dominance or submission with their litter mates.

I believe that working with a trusted breeder will help the new owners make the best decision on the exact date.  They know each puppy and are dedicated to making the transition as positive as possible.

Happy Dog = Happy You

Julie