At what age do you get your puppy?

[halfpipe88]

At what age should you get your puppy and bring them home?  I've heard anywhere from 7 weeks to 12 weeks.  Do the pups learn invaluable lessons from mother in the 8-12 week time that they can't learn from me?  Does a 12 week old puppy bond any less to it's masters than a 7 week old one? 
Richard A Wolters preached day 49 based on some pretty thorough research.  I'm getting a Brittany pup that was born on April 1st and would like to hear some of your experiences.  Thank you.

[ghosthunter]

I have only had Labs, but I got them both at the 7-8 week window. There may be something different for different breeds. Look at puppy contracts on line for your breed and see what the average pick up age is.

There are some dog breeders on here who will post soon.

Good luck

[AspenBud]

8 weeks minimum. Pups need that time with their littermates and mama to learn important life lessons like "if I nip too hard, I might get nipped back."

They don't bond any less at 12 weeks than they do at 8. If anything I like getting a pup closer to 12 weeks. They just seem to turn out better.

Throw anything of Wolters in the burn barrel.

[Bmcox86]

8 weeks minimum

[Arnbo]

My Girl SadieBelle picked me out at 9 weeks. All the other pups were running around
 And she came over and sat at my feet.She turns 7 next month and still acts like a Puppy.

[Heredoggydoggy]

7 weeks at earliest.  8-9 weeks OK.  Later than that, it depends on the pup/breed. 

[WRL]

I usually send pups home at around 7 weeks. If you are getting a puppy after 8 weeks of age, make sure that they have had lots of time away from their siblings. You don't want them bonding to their siblings and you don't want to have a pup turn into a bully.

There is absolutely no reason for a pup to remain with a breeder beyond the 7-8week range unless you cannot do the socializing etc yourself.

A 12 week old puppy who has been socialized etc will bond just as easily to their new owner as  a 7 week old puppy.

Once pups are weaned they spend LITTLE time with mom.
WRL

[Blackjaw]

I don't think there is one right answer to this question. I like to get them at 7-8 weeks so I can start doing 'puppy stuff' earlier, but friends have had success getting pups later (~10wks).

[JJD]

I like 7 - 8 weeks too.
I flew with 2 different pups from back east and they would not allow them on the plane at less than 8 weeks or x amount of lbs.
That was like 7 yrs ago and rules may have changed.

[AspenBud]

A good link on the topic

http://my.execpc.com/~crzy1ess/49daymyth.htm

[wildweeds]

Not a right awnser for this question because of to many variables.If the breeder has them out in the barn and just spends enough time with the pups to throw food at them and then go,those pups need to get to new homes earlier than say a pup from a breeder who spends lots of quality time with the pups as a group,pairs and one on one.I would prefer to look at pointing dog pups at 10 weeks old,Ive been told and believe it to be true that a dog will most closely resemble itself at 2 years old can be seen at the 10 week mark.

[Stilly bay]

 

I always shudder when I see someone with a puppy ( any breed not just sporting) that is under 8 weeks old.

they get taken away from their mother before 8 week mark, that is one less week of mothers milk. its one less week of interaction with its siblings. and one less week with momma who will teach the pup a few things. further more they get thrust into your world  which is a very stressful situation for a pup and IMO they need all the strength they can get for rehoming. most do alright despite leaving home before 8 weeks, but we want to set our dogs up for success and everything they learn in the first few years is the foundation for what they will be in the field.

 I have bottle fed a few pups (and cats) that lost their mothers one way or another and while they were healthy they missed out on socialization with momma and siblings who to some degree help a pup learn how to be pup.

consequently every one of them had some behavioral issues. some had a really hard time interacting with other dogs or cats. you could tell they wanted to play but they just didn't know how, and were more or less shunned by the rest of the "pack" because they thought something was off... kinda like a homeschool kid.
most were overly aggressive or played way too hard with people and others of their species IMO because their mother was never there to keep them in check and put them in their place when they got to rough.

and last: when ever I talk to a breeder that really pushes for a pup to get picked up at the 8 week or before mark it turns me off big time. it gives me the impression they are more concerned about emptying kennel space and cashing checks than they are for the pup's best interest. it makes me wonder what other corners is the breeder cutting along the way or if they even know what they are doing. and its time to walk away towards a better operation.

[Happy Gilmore]

they get taken away from their mother before 8 week mark, that is one less week of mothers milk.

?? one less week of milk? Are you talking about dairy cows or dogs?

[Stilly bay]

they get taken away from their mother before 8 week mark, that is one less week of mothers milk.

?? one less week of milk? Are you talking about dairy cows or dogs?

yeah I forgot they should be weened by then, sorry happy.

I was thinking more about the really small pups you see that are less than five or six weeks old.
I was at petco last week and some kid was dragging a real tiny pup that probably wasn't past weaning age... let alone vaccinated.

[Ireland Farms]

Seven to eight weeks is ideal in my opinion. Staying with their litter mates too long sometimes allows them to pick up bad habits. My rule is a little older for a larger litter and closer to seven weeks for an average or smaller litter. I am of course willing to keep the pup longer if that's what the client wants. They aren't "forced" to pick it up at the seven week mark if they feel longer time with mom and siblings is important.

[halfpipe88]

Great input.  Thank you all.

[benbo30]

I usually don't let my pups go till at least 8 weeks , but I will let them go at 7 weeks if I feel comfortable enough to let them go 1 week early .. most of the time 8 week is the magic number. also making sure they are eating well..and so on

[jagermiester]

The best dog I ever owned and ever knew spent the first 16 weeks with his mother after the other puppies were sold off at 8 weeks. Then, from what I understand there was very little human interaction. Good luck finding someone who will do that for you.

[L-ofalab]

California state law saws 8 weeks minimum. I suppose they have a reason for that. I have bought one that was a day short of 6 weeks, and I still have her she's a great lab with a master hunter title.

[Labs07]

I got my pup at 49 days old!  Bonded great!