Are you planning on getting a new puppy and want to know what age they need to be before you can bring them into your home?
Let’s jump straight to it and find out…
What is the Best Time For Bringing Your New Puppy Home?
Most responsible breeders will not let you take your puppy away from their mother until they are eight weeks of age.
This allows the puppy to grow up and develop enough not to be damaged or traumatized by being taken away from their mother and their littermates.
Some dog breeders let people take their puppies home as young as six weeks of age.
But we would not advise that you do this, and if a breeder suggests it, it might be a sign they are not a responsible breeder.
So as we said, from eight weeks old most puppies will be fine, but if they are the runt of the litter, you might want to leave it another week to make sure they are tough enough to survive without their mom.
NOTE – A week before you are due to take the puppy, give your breeder a blanket and get them to leave it with the puppy’s mother and littermates (a good breeder will happily do this for you).
When you take the puppy, take the blanket, and then they have something that feels and smells familiar to cuddle up to at night.
What to Do When You Get the Puppy to Your Home?
There are some important first steps that you need to take when you first bring them home:
- Show them their new potty area and start the process of potty training right away.
- Slowly introduce them to any other dogs you have in your home. The younger the new dog, in many instances, the easier to get the older dog to adjust because the puppy will look to the senior dog for support.
- Feed them four small meals a day with snacks and always have fresh water for them to drink. You might have to show them the water bowl and even put some drops of water on their mouth to get them used to it.
- Take them for a visit to the vet and start the process of vaccinations so they will be safe around other adult dogs.
- Start obedience training with them right away, getting them used to commands like sit and stop.
- Keep their little mouths occupied with lots of puppy-safe, age-appropriate chew toys.
Obviously, there is a lot more to it than that, but starting with these jobs will get you and your young puppy moving in the right direction.
NOTE – Please remember when you bring the new pup home that it is a huge change for them.
Their whole world at this early age has been their mother, their littermates, and their old home, so you need to be aware that it will seem overwhelming and confusing to them.
But don’t worry. With love, cuddles, attention, and some time your young dog will soon adjust to its new home.
Puppies learn quickly. They will soon understand that you are their new family and settle in nicely.
What Expect with the New Puppy?
- So what happens when you get the puppy home?
- What should you expect?
- What do you need to prepare yourself for?
- What should you be thinking about?
- What do you need to do to make the puppy’s life a happy and healthy one?
- How long is the weaning process?
- When can puppies come off their mother’s milk and start eating solid food?
- What are safe chew toys for puppies to play with?
- What are appropriate play behaviors to encourage for young pups?
These are some big questions for new dog owners but let’s get started by watching this short video with some tips and advice on what to expect when caring for and keeping puppies:
Ok… So that is the end of this post looking at taking young puppies away from the mother dog and rehoming puppies to make sure the pups develop safely into adult dogs.
We hope it helps you understand when your puppy’s age is right to bring them home.
How to find a reputable breeder who breeds healthy puppies, how to avoid unscrupulous breeders, and how to manage your pup’s development.
Thanks for reading, and good luck with the new pet pup!
The Pupster Passion Team
