Is the puppy too old to buy?!?!!?

Question

I want to buy a golden retriever puppy but I heard that it is too old by the time i get it. It is about 13 weeks or so and by the time I can buy it, it will be about 4months (16 weeks) or so. Is 4 month puppy too old to buy? I heard it is harder to train a older puppy because they are old enough to know the permanant owner. I heard 8 weeks around is the perfect time to buy it. What should I do?!?!

I want to buy a golden retriever puppy but I heard that it is too old by the time i get it. It is about 13 weeks or so and by the time I can buy it, it will be about 4months (16 weeks) or so. Is 4 month puppy too old to buy? I heard it is harder to train a older puppy because they are old enough to know the permanant owner. I heard 8 weeks around is the perfect time to buy it. What should I do?!?! I also don't want to miss the cute puppy time!!!

I accidentally added two same paragraphs!!SORRRY!

Answer 1

You should scratch the whole "buying" idea and adopt a puppy instead.

www.petfinder.com has PLENTY of goldens, puppies included. You're paying less and saving two lives (one dog out, one dog in).

Answer 2

I got a call from a shelter that found a puppy for me when she was 9 weeks old, but I couldn't come out to get her until she was about 4 months old. I was reaaaaaaaally hesitant about getting an "older" puppy (especially since I had turned down an available puppy in the breed I REALLY wanted for being the same age the month before), but I took her home anyway.

......Best decision I EVER made. I love this little dog more than life itself. She's almost 6 months now and every time I visit my mom she comments on how bonded we are and how well-behaved and bright she is.

8 Weeks is the age they CAN go home, but if you pick them up later it's supposed to be better for the puppy because they've had more time to mature and it isn't as much of a "shock" leaving their family. Apart from a wee bit of tugging at the lead (she's a terrier, after all), she is PERFECT....I have NO BEHAVIORAL problems with her and we are inseparable.

Go for it! Go get your baby!!!!

Answer 3

If i got the question right there are really 2 things you're concerned with. One is training and the other is bonding.
Dogs are very resilient. They can bond with anyone at any age even if the person doesn't treat them respectfully. You ever see a blind person with a guide dog. They are inseparable, they know each other better than people married for 50 years yet they don't meet for the first time until the dog is mature - I'm not sure of the exact age but i know the guide dogs are at least a year old- fully trained. So bonding is doable at any age but many dog behaviorist feel 7 weeks is the ideal time that dogs are receptive to "adopting" a human.
Training is doable at any age. The dog i have now i got when he was 16 months old. We train in schutzhund which is a german (in origin) dog sport and he is the easiest dog i have ever trained, he will be a nationally ranked dog in the future in obedience and protection. He's great !!
This book called "Don't Shoot The Dog ,"by Karen Pryor uses food to positively motivate and train your dog. Follow the rules of the book . There are also videos you can buy that show you how it works. You will have a dog who loves to be trained, demands it of you. It will be extrememly enjoyable for you too.
Buy the dog when you're ready to give it the TIME , attention and love it needs. Don't worry about the age. If you bought the dog at 8 weeks (assume this is ideal) but you hardly interacted with ot spent time training---- OR---------- you got the puppy when you were ready at ANY age but spent time with her every day doing things, training, etc. , the second situation would the dog who was strongly bonded to its owner and loved to interact with. Dog training is a socially interactive event in a dogs day ......

Answer 4

That is not too old, and I know some breeders who would NEVER sell a puppy at 8 weeks old. We recently adopted a puppy who was 5 1/2 months old because somebody who bought her from the breeder at 9 1/2 weeks old had returned her because her situation had changed and she couldn't keep the puppy anymore. We have had her for a couple of months now and she is now calming down and doing well. She did not have a lot of socialization and wasn't completely potty trained, but we have taken care of those issues. She has totally bonded with us, no problems there. If you are buying directly from the breeder, make sure the breeder is willing to take the puppy/dog back, AT ANY TIME, if something goes wrong. Any breeder that is not willing to take one of their dogs back is not a good breeder and you shouldn't buy a puppy from them.
And yes, adopting a puppy from a shelter or rescue is great, but sometimes people have to buy them from the breeders too. We have 5 dogs, and 3 of them are rescues, and two are from the same breeder. So we have done both. There are good and bad things about both situations. Just don't buy a dog from a pet store because most of those dogs come from puppy mills who mistreat the dogs.

Answer 5

Funny that we were just talking about this today. We have a 4 month old GR pup.. got him at 8 weeks... and yes, he is nicely acclimated to our home (finally) etc... his personality is just getting started. IMO, as long as the puppy isn't too timid or hasn't been in an abusive situation... I say go for it.
At 4 months s/he is certainly still a puppy and more than willing to chew on things they aren't supposed to and bark at leaves etc... basically act like a puppy. Except their bladder will be bigger and their brain is more mature so they understand things better.
This is just my opinion and I am sure someone will fiercely disagree with me. But the best dog I have ever had was almost 7 months old when I got him....I cringe when I think that I almost passed him up because he was 'too old'.. also, at 4 months those razor sharp puppy teeth are starting to be replaced with the adult teeth, so your playing experience might not be so painful...:)
Good luck with your decision.

Answer 6

No, it is not too old. I purchased my puppy at 12 weeks old. I choose to get a older pup though. Training shouldn't be too much of a problem. Chances are the breeder has already started training. Regardless of the age obedience (puppy) classes are a must. Goldens are good dogs and very smart. Check out this link for more info. Best of luck on your new "best friend".

Answer 7

Have you ever heard the old saying ... "It's never too late to teach an old dog new tricks" ... well, it's true. We got our 12-yr old dog (Rambo) from the county shelter when he was between 1 and 2 years old. He was big and wild looking and his yellow eyes made everyone stay away from him. But my husband really felt something for him (BTW: the staff had named him Rambo). Rambo is amazing. We took him to training classes and he graduated from K all the way thru doggie college! If you take the time and LEARN how to train your dog, you will have an amazing friend who will be an asset to your family. We now have 3 dogs and Rambo helped train the other 2 by example. It is pretty much common knowledge in the dog community that goldens can be a little spirited -- a mix you get from a shelter might be more appropriate if you are a beginner -- although any dog you fall in love with and take your time with can be a good dog. Call around your area and see if you can get in group classes right away. Good Luck with your newest best friend!

Answer 8

Eating weird stuff such as feces, dirt, etc. is called pica. This could be a result of a nutritional deficiency. He should be eating puppy chow, preferably dry kibble. These usually have enough minerals and vitamins so that your dog can be healthy. Some dogs also just start pica because of a nutritional, or physiological problem and get in the habit of it. There are food additives sold by you vet that will make the poo taste awful, but I would try to improve his diet first.

Answer 9

My dog is a rescue from a shelter. He was 6 months old when I got him. I hired a trainer to work with him at my house and in the community because he had anxiety problems and socialization problems with other dogs. It did take a while for him to learn the basics. Obviously I have no idea what may have happened to him before he got placed in the shelter, there could have been abuse or neglect. But in the end, he is a great dog!!!! It just depends on how much time and effort you are willing to put in :)

Answer 10

A dog is never to old to be trained. You are missing some of the critical time to socialize the puppy but as long as the breeder is socializing him and not just leaving him off by himself all the time it should be fine.

Answer 11

What do you mean too old to get it? You realise you're going to have that dog for another decade or more, right?

My youngest beagle is 7 years old and I am still teaching them new tricks. Tons of dogs get dumped in the shelter before they are trained and when they are rescued, they get their act together real quick. There's no such thing as a puppy that's too old.