Best age to take a pup home at?

I thought I'd put this up to see what was people's opinions on when they should pick up their puppy or when the breeder should let him/her go.

6weeks?
8weeks?
10weeks?
12weeks?

I personally think between 8 and 12 weeks is the best age as the pups learn how to play without going to rough and hurting their siblings (Bite-Control) which is difficult for a human to teach a dog. I think the dog should also be gone before 12 weeks unless the breeder is keeping it, otherwise it gets harder to introduce the pup to the new home as he/she is already bonded with a family...

Now, what everyone else thinks Please

I think the hardest thing to do is pick a puppy before they are 6 weeks old. If you have pick of the litter alot of pressure is put on you to decide which one you want before the other potential new owners have their pick. I am sure it would take someone with years of experience to pick the best puppy in a littler of 8+ before they are 6 weeks old. I agree that all puppies should stay with their siblings till they are at least 8 weeks old but sometimes it is hard to find a breeder that will keep them any longer. another point is there are new owners that want their pups ASAP so pressure is put on breeders to let them go early. Lets not forget all the extra expence of feeding all the puppies too, that can be another reason many breeders let them go early.

We were lucky in that with Bobby, it was my uncle so we got the pick, we visited maybe 4/5 times (I don't remember it much was only 9/10) I think Dad picked the biggest of a litter of 9 (3 died after a few days as the whole pregancy was a shock, she had been hit by a car and vet said no pups ever, they didn't even kno she was pregnant!! they were very unprepared)

My uncle saw one of the brothers, and he's exactly like the father now, a huge, blocky dog, where Bobby is just a bigger version of the mother (Very feminine features)

With Ruby there was less choice, I saw her and the one other bitch in the litter of 6 at six weeks old, she was clearly the better looking pup and was much more out going and was coming up sniffing you while the other was much more reserved... something Ruby could do with a bit more of

I'm happy with my 2 at the moment, I think they're the best of the 2 litters.

But the important one is coming up now in a few months Hopefully i'll have some help with that one! :L

i was lucky coz i had the pups with me..... didnt give them to there new owners til they where 8-9 weeks coz they are still learning from the mother, also i wanted them to be fully weaned and on solids before going.

I remember a lot more from picking Ruby, she was weaned at 4weeks, we saw her at 5 weeks and 5 days and then picked her up at 7 weeks and 5 days (She was born on the monday and we picked her up on the Saturday) One of the brother's went earlier that day and the sister and one other brother was going the next day, then the other 2 the week after

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just something else I thought of, has anyone ever picked a puppy and brought him home the same day? I.e. Not have 2 visits? I always had 2 visits or more.

I heard that a lady was selling a bulldog in carlow. got her number at 4 oclock, left the house at 5, drove 3 and a half hours and had was bringing the puppy home at half past nine. My very first bulldog, I was smitten the minute I walked in the door, putty in her hands, was not leaving without the pup. I also drove all the way to Essex once and came home with a bloodhound, I called in at a friends in wales on the way home and saw another Bulldog (Poppy) the rest is history. Pat nearly went cracked I arrived home with 2 dogs instead of 1. Worth every mile though lol lol

When I'm picking up my puppy I'll have to drive (Well Dad will ) from HolyHead to Sussex It's like 6 hours I think we might take 2 days lol, one day to get down and pick him up the second day lmao.

Harry wrote:When I'm picking up my puppy I'll have to drive (Well Dad will ) from HolyHead to Sussex It's like 6 hours I think we might take 2 days lol, one day to get down and pick him up the second day lmao.

That is a long journey alright all motorway though. It is easy enough to break your journey up on the way there because its just the 2 of you but unless you know someone you can crash with half way home its hard to stay over with a young puppy. I couldnt have done that in one trip it nearly killed me. There was soooo much traffic on the motorways not used to that. Its not that handy driving from Rosslare to Rosscommon either, any way it will all be worth it.......

It's Dublin to Holyhead, then across to like Liverpool/Manchester and then it's motorway straight the whole way down

5.44 = AA route planner to the ACES field, which is the general destination area :L

I went from Rosslare to Pembroke then hit for the M25 but I was calling on friends in Carmarthenshire on way home to look at her bullies. Wouldnt be looking froward to doing that trip again without a co-pilot. LOL

Ah sure I might leave it for 2 years and 6 days until I'm 17 and can drive

yea harry pups go through periods of social development from birth 2 sixteen weeks of age. during the first 6 to seven weeks, they learn from their mother and their littermates from their mother they learn respect and their littermates teaches them social interation and how 2 morderate aggression.7 to 16 weeks those 9 weeks shape their personality making them fearless or fearful outgoing or shy what yea teach them in those 9 weeks they remember 4 life

Thanks Shane

You coming to the walk tomorrow?