At What Age Should I Bring My
Puppy Home?
Usually any time after 7-8 weeks. Do you have the time to spend with a very young puppy? Will someone be home to housebreak him?
Will an energetic, exuberant 6-month old puppy overwhelm a tiny child, or will
this puppy be better matched with a 6-year-old youngster?
A puppy younger than three months
needs as much or more attention than an infant human and certainly requires as
much or more supervision. A puppy this young has different nutrition and feeding
requirements as well as needing a lot of sleep.
While much can be told at six to eight weeks about the puppy's structure and
movement, a puppy needs to stay with his littermates and dam longer than six to
eight weeks to receive the proper socialization. As long as the breeder is
conscientious about providing human interaction with the litter there is no
reason to bring home such a young puppy. The idea that a puppy must be
brought home by the 49th day is dispelled by this article:
Which sex?
This choice is a matter of personal preference, some people are "dog"
people and some people are "bitch" people. If you are considering breeding, you will need to
buy the very best quality bitch you can find. Bitches make fine pets and if you
are not considering breeding your bitch, you will want to consider having her
spayed. You should be an informed pet owner and research the health advantages
and consequences of spaying.
If you buy a dog there are really no advantages to neutering the dog except that neutering will prevent testicular cancer, not a widespread problem.
A check list:
1. In a male, both testicles should be descended into the scrotum. A dog with
one or more undescended testicles will still make a fine pet but will be ineligible to compete in the show ring. Consult your
veterinarian for advice as neutering a male with undescended testicles is
recommended.
2. Papers the Seller Should Furnish:
You should receive at least a three generation pedigree, signed by the breeder.
A clearly written contract and guarantee
The AKC Registration slip, referred to as "the Blue Slip". A puppy can be registered two ways.
Limited Registration, if the puppy is not to be bred,
has a "disqualifying" fault according to the breed standard or is being purchased only as a companion
pet. This registers the puppy with the AKC but prevents future offspring of this
puppy from being AKC registered. Only the breeder can cancel the limited registration
and provision for this should be included in your contact.
Full Registration, the puppy is considered to meet the breed standard and
possibly be show quality. Conditions for breeding should be included in
your contract and should include the requisite clearances.
3. These records should be furnished:
Date and type of vaccines given. A schedule or vaccine protocol to follow.
Date and type of wormer used. Do not worm your puppy without consulting your veterinarian.
Diet the puppy has been fed and feeding schedule. You should maintain the feeding begun at the breeders and if changes are made any changes should be gradually introduced after the puppy has adjusted to its new environment.