Where does this puppy info come from?

Question

I've seen alot of people answering puppy questions saying that puppies are too young at 6 weeks old to adopt out. Since when? This must be a new-fangled thought in the breeders' world. I suppose you are the same people that have decided that whipping your kids when they're bad is not the "proper" way to handle them. I have three dogs, all taken at six weeks, and they're perfectly fine!

Answer 1

Well people are speaking about ideals when suggesting eight weeks or even longer for tiny breeds. Of course puppies can survive easily even at four weeks but is it ideal? Laws are in effect in some places that make it a misdemeanor crime to sell puppies under eight weeks of age. There is a reason for that.
I raised my youngest pup from 3 wks because she was a rescue and was going to be put down. Yeah, they will be perfectly fine at six weeks and likely so even at four.
But it is more responsible if the person who is breeding their dog keeps it at least six weeks, preferably a bit longer so the puppies can have some adjustment time from mother to new owner and have had their first shots and worming.

Answer 2

Between six and eight weeks they begin to socialize with each other. The learn the basics about biting to hard and how to act and react to other stimuli and they learn this from the mom.

We have had litters that have not had a mom and they have been fine but we have had more behavior issues when dogs are taken from the moms before 8 weeks. Especially when adopted to people that have excuses for not providing the basic training such as crating and simple obedience.

Answer 3

Well hell - you could take them at 3 weeks and bottle feed them and they might still be "fine" - doesn't mean that you SHOULD.

Puppies may be *weaned* at six weeks, but they learn quite a bit about "how to be a dog" during those next couple of weeks.

And by the way - did you know that there are laws against separating puppies from their mothers before the age of 8 weeks in some states?

http://www.animallaw.info/articles/ovuspuppysaletable.htm

An example:

State - Florida

Citation - FL ST § 828.29

To Whom Law Applies - Any person

llegal Age of Puppy for Sale - Less than 8 weeks old

What Actions - Transport into the state for sale or offer for sale within the state

Penalty - Misdemeanor of the first degree as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083

Exemptions? - No

Answer 4

The "6 weeks is too early" coda comes from the Humane Society of the United States, the SPCA, the Board of Veterinary Services, and also from local laws throughout the states in an attempt to help curb the prolific breeding and selling of unhealthy dogs and/or improperly weaned dogs. (In California, for example, it's illegal for a pet store to sell any puppy under 8 weeks of age; it's also against regulations for shelters to adopt out pups younger than 8 weeks.)

Puppies start to lose the immunity from their mother's milk as soon as weaning strats (around 6 weeks), and require at least one DHLPP vaccination before they are considered "healthy" enough to sell. Pups sold early without the benefit of the vaccination are open to all sorts of diseases.

Puppies also begin to learn socialization skills and pack manners from their mothers from week 6 to 10, so pups sold too early do not get the benefit of this instruction, which can lead to training problems and emotional issues later on.

It's not new. It's common sense and good breeding practice.

Answer 5

It depends on the breed. Some breeds are okay at 6 weeks, some aren't okay until 10 or 12 weeks. A lot of it comes from the goal of making sure that puppies get time when they are young and active being disciplined by the rest of their litter and mom. That being said, pups can "leave" whenever they leave. They just need different care, socialization, and observation when they do leave. My last "puppy" I got as a 3 week old who was away from her mother from 5 days old. Due to her health issues, and my work schedule I fostered her for a short period of time and found her a better home, but she's a perfectly healthy, sassy 4 year old dog now who obviously was not with her mother for the "proper" amount of time.

Answer 6

Six weeks is fine for a pet if they are going to good home with an experience owner. If the pup is for show or breeding it is a different matter and they should be 4 months to make sure the pup is of good quaility. Mainly teeth, size and type..Bought a pup one time that was great but the owner did not even start to ween pups. I took the pup then because I did not want these stupid sellers to have this dog another day. He lived to be fifteen years

Answer 7

It is better that puppy stay with Mom for an additional 2 weeks. I am not a breeder. But a reputable one will have the pups stay until 8 weeks

Answer 8

Well, you were one of the lucky ones! I have heard from several people who took pups too early and have had SEVERE problems.

Here is a quote I found that you may find of interest:
"It's really important for a puppy to remain with it's mother and littermates as outlined above. During this time your puppy will learn about pack heirarchy, bite inhibition and proper social behavior within the pack. Taking a puppy home before 7-1/2 to 8 weeks of age really deprives the puppy of much needed training by mom and littermates and will make your job of training much more difficult."

Answer 9

You are correlating two things that have nothing to do wtih each other - minimum age for a puppy and "whipping" your kids. Shame on you for such rhetoric.

Just because you bought from Backyard Breeders who violate the codes of ethics of the AKC and their breed club doesn't make it right. I'm glad that your pups ended up healthy, but this is not the case for many (or most).

You may want to reconsider chastizing people for things that you don't understand or aren't educated on.

Answer 10

This information has been part of the American Kennel Clubs rules for as long as I can remember. It is the same thing for babies they need to have mothers milk for a certain period of time to build the anti-body's in there system to help fight of sickness and deases. There are money hungry breeders out there that let the animals go home early but the rule of thumb has always been 8 weeks before leaving mother. If you do not believe that then ask you vet he will tell you the same thing