The Best Age to Bring Your Puppy Home

You're looking at a cute puppy in a pet store or maybe at your neighbor's house. He's five weeks old and adorable. You want to whisk him away to your new home and start getting him used to the family right away. After all, you've heard that he'll bond better the younger he is.

Think again. The age you bring your puppy home can make the difference between a well-adjusted pet and one who is neurotic, frightened and having behavior problems for the rest of his life.

Old Wives Tales

Back when I was growing up, it was pretty common to get a puppy when he was six weeks old. Plenty of puppy raising books back then encouraged new pet owners to get pups as early as possible after weaning so the new owners could "bond" with their puppy.

In truth, dog experts didn't really know better. We know now that dogs regardless of age bond well with their new owners provided that they have had human contact from birth. What makes the difference in bonding is the amount of time the owner spends with the dog. Both puppies and adult dogs bond equally well. The trick is to spend time with the dog.

Why Younger Isn't Better

Although you might be tempted to bring that pup home early, resist the urge and plan on bringing him home after he reaches eight weeks old. Although many dog experts argue over what age is the right one to bring a puppy home, citing fear periods and other stages of development, most experts agree that you need to wait to bring the puppy home by at least seven and one half weeks old (or eight, if you're into rounding). The reason is simple, the puppy simply hasn't been in the world long enough to learn the correct behaviors from his mom and siblings. In other words, he's learning how to be a dog.

During the time spent between the two or three weeks after he's weaned, your puppy will learn what it's like to play, romp and behave correctly among his "pack" of siblings and his mom. If he's an only puppy in the litter, his mom will help guide him along in how to behave. Without spending those crucial few weeks with his mom and siblings, he may grow up fearful or without much guidance on being a pup.

A puppy who is brought home before he can learn to interact may have a harder time learning, may have behavior problems and may have a harder time becoming house trained (housebroken). He may have a harder time adjusting to you and your home.

Buying From Breeders and Adopting from Shelters

Reputable breeders will not allow their puppies to leave their moms until after eight weeks. Some breeders will go as far as to keep their puppies longer, especially if they are slow maturing or are prone to certain types of health issues. Breeders who are quick to let a puppy go early should be avoided. Even if you adopt a pup from a neighbor whose dog had an unplanned pregnancy, you should wait until that puppy is eight weeks old before bringing him home.

Most shelters won't let their puppies go before they turn eight weeks old. If the shelter does, you may wish to ask what the circumstance is. Often, younger puppies need special care. When in doubt, ask your veterinarian for advice to help you care for such a young puppy.

Be Wary of Commercial Sellers

Some commercial sellers, such as puppy mills, will take puppies away from their moms to ship in time to sell the puppy at eight weeks at some pet stores. Because shipment may take a week or more, puppies may be taken away from their moms several weeks early. When in doubt, ask for shipping records as well as registration records for the puppies.

References

Margaret H. Bonham, Bring Me Home: Dogs Make Great Pets, 2005.