Why do some breeders............ - Page 1

Why do some breeders let the puppies go at 8 weeks and some 10 weeks and later? I have always received my bundles of joy at 10 to 12 weeks............but I have a friend that is getting his new GS puppy at 8 weeks - isn't that too early - what determines the time - what do the experts say???????

I let mine go at 10 weeks because that gets the puppies past the "fear period" and I know they'll be more stable if I raise them until ten weeks myself. Just my opinion.

8 weeks is pretty much the standard. By that time they should have had their first shot (at 7 weeks) and have been tattooed or microchipped. They are very much prime in most cases to adhere to a new family at that age, and they're cheaper to ship (smaller crate and weight at 8 weeks). If you wait until 12 weeks, it means more shots.. puppy booster and rabies. And they've gotten into a routine perhaps at their breeder's home that they now have to break and relearn. They're little sponges at 8-12 weeks, and learn a lot, so it is preferable to have them in their new homes then, bonding and learning the ropes. It could also be that some breeders like to crate train their pups before shipping them out, in which case they may prefer to keep the pups until they're 12 weeks or so. Mine I prefer to send as close to 8 weeks as possible.

I personally think that eight (8) weeks is appropriate, as one can determine the correctness of each puppy at that time with some degree of certainty. Immunizations are well underway, the tattoos are done, and the temperament evaluation is finished. A "special" puppy or two may be held much longer to see what develops. Altostland, I agree about the bonding issue. They have just left the dam and are mainly bonding with each other and the litter owners and this needs to be redirected towards new owners. That said, young puppies do have very short memory spans but this does increase significantly as the weeks go by. I of course would love to keep them all and watch them live their lives. Bob-O

Personal preferences, based on personal philosophies of puppy raising. Lot of p's in that. I like for them to go to their new home at 8 weeks. At that age, some of my puppies are using their littermate's ears as tug toys, and it's time to go home. Veronica

i got my 2nd shepherd at 6 weeks. she was working lines, and was the best dog i have ever owned!! i think because she was so young she bonded more to me,( maybe?) years back didn't more people let them go at 6 weeks or was 8 always the norm?

I let mine go at 8 weeks if they are picked up in person by their owner - if they are shipped somewhere, I wait until they are 10 weeks, sometimes older. I think 8 weeks is no problem - I would not let them go more than a couple days younger than that. 6 weeks is way too young, and in fact most state laws state 7 or 8 weeks as minimum for selling or shipping puppies. molly

I let mine go at 8 weeks if they are picked up in person by their owner - if they are shipped somewhere, I wait until they are 10 weeks, sometimes older. I think 8 weeks is no problem - I would not let them go more than a couple days younger than that. 6 weeks is way too young, and in fact most state laws state 7 or 8 weeks as minimum for selling or shipping puppies. molly