This article will bring you to one of the most important decisions in owning a puppy. We will tackle the various advantages and disadvantages of re-homing a puppy at varying ages and the proper time to bring it home for its new owner.
The moment you could usher in your favorite puppy home is the most exciting feeling a pet lover could ever imagine. But do we really know if we could take care of it like its mother when we could not wait for the right time of re-homing? Probably you are not sure if you can handle a situation like a caring mother dog would do to her litter at such as young age. But, if you are an expert in caring puppies at this age, probably you can.
However, for amateur and first-time handlers and those experts that have no enough time in taking care of young puppies, this could pose a lot of problems. That is why we recommend you read first this article. Similarly, after reading this article, you may be able to tell the right time when puppies can leave their mother and its consequences if it is re-homed at a very young age.
What is the usual age to re-home a puppy?
The average age to take home a puppy is between 7 and 9 weeks old. However, some people are too eager to do it earlier at 6 weeks old. Here is what experts have to say, keep on reading.
Can you take a puppy home at six weeks old?
Some puppies this young have the ability to stand on its own with the help of its owners. Unfortunately, some of them are susceptible to various sickness and diseases compared to when they are separated much older.
Should puppies leave their mother at six weeks old?
Puppies leaving their mothers at this age have the lowest rate of survival, according to experts. As much as you would love to rehome a puppy as soon as possible, that shouldn’t be the case. Additionally, as much as you want your kids to have their furry friend home earlier so that they can play happily as soon as possible, this should have to wait.
Some countries allow the sale of puppies at a tender young age, while most countries prohibit this practice. Puppies are more conducive to illnesses brought about by the lack of vitamins and minerals present in a mother dog’s milk, just like humans. When separated to their mother while still nourishing, puppies tend to lose this nourishment even if you give them instant milk. This is really no substitute for a mother’s milk.
Are puppies weaned at six weeks old?
Most breeders will tell you that a puppy is weaned at six weeks old, and there is some truth to that. Most puppy breeds (including Labradors) start to take solid food at age 3 to 4 weeks. Many puppies are really weaned when they reach six weeks old.
The majority of breeders introduced solid food other than its mother’s milk before puppies turn 6 weeks old. It may be normal as puppies could digest other food, but not as easily as when they are older.
Other facts why puppies should not be rehomed at 6 weeks you probably didn’t know
These are some of the reasons why puppies should not be taken home at a young age you might not be aware of:
- To avoid problems on physiological behavior
When separated too early from its mother and litter, a puppy tends to have behavioral problems such as excessive barking, fearful on walks, aggressiveness on toys and food, destructiveness, most will be more attention-seeking and sensitivity to noises.
- To learn soft-biting
During the early weeks before they reach the 8th week of their age, puppies are “trained”, under the guidance of their mother and litter mates on how to softly bite each other while playing. It is from the 5th up to the 6th week that their bites are more intense, especially to humans. Separating the puppy from its siblings at this early stage will surely make its bit more dangerous.
Age limit allowed by law for selling puppies
What Would You Say If Someone Was Selling These Dogs on Your Street by Popsugar.com
In the United States, there are currently legal requirements in almost the 25 States of the country that govern the sale of young dogs which specify that puppies should be more than 8 weeks old to be rehomed.
Kennel Clubs also recommend this age, most importantly because puppies should not be rehomed even if they are starting to wean but also because they must be continuously supported by their mother in their quest in adjusting to solid food, bites, and sleep pattern, among other reasons.
Tips from Kennel Club for rehoming puppies
Canine breeders are sure to make the proper care for puppies because they are more knowledgeable and has the right tools for doing so, physically and mentally. That is why the Kennel Club (UK) and the American Kennel Club (AKC) are unanimous in recommending that puppies should be over 8 weeks old before rehoming in.
This is because, as AKC has reiterated, that the breeder should be allowed to complete the weaning process of the puppies and see to it that the young dogs are used to consume solid food with ease at this time. You may be arguing that at 6 weeks the puppies are already weaned, but still, they need their mother’s milk more than ever.
Conclusion
Take it from the experts. AKC and Kennel Club (UK) are among the pioneers and the largest organizations dedicated to protecting the welfare and health of all dog breeds in the planet. You may not be hurt and devastated by simply obeying their recommendations about early rehoming of puppies, but it will certainly make you, your children and even your pet safer all the time.
What is waiting for one, two or three weeks more before you take home your favorite puppy if it could be more beneficial both to you and the puppy itself? Better to heed the advice of the majority of the right time to rehome a puppy.
