How Many Weeks Do You Have to Wait Before Giving Puppies Away After Birth?

Puppies gain significant physical and emotional benefit from their mothers during their early developmental period of life, up to about eight weeks of age. Separating pups prior to eight weeks can create health and behavioral issues, according to Cindy Moore of K9 Web. Some professionals involved with canine reproduction even prefer to err on the side of caution and wait 10 weeks.

  1. Socialization

    • If you've ever watched littermates play, it's likely some of them got a bit too rowdy and exchanged a few puppy yips and growls. The mother may have even stepped in to break up scuffles that could have easily escalated without her intervention. Such canine communication is critical to puppy socialization, and it's inevitable that it will occur once the babies become mobile and begin to explore their world, according to the Veterinary Pet Insurance website. Removing puppies from their early-life learning experiences can mean the difference between an emotionally fit companion and a maladjusted dog.

    Bonding

    • Puppies learn to interact with people during their second month of life. According to Veterinary Pet Insurance, this period coincides with gradually weaning the pups off mother's milk and starting them on solid food, which is the right time for you to start gently handling them. Additional cognitive pitfalls of early detachment may include separation anxiety and impaired learning ability.

    Antibodies

    • The ASPCA says a mother dog provides all the nourishment a puppy needs during the first month of nursing, including strengthening the pup's immune system with her own antibodies. Because there are age minimums before young dogs can be vaccinated against disease, they depend solely upon the protection provided by mother's milk. Separating mom and pup too early can compromise the lifesaving benefits of antibody transfer.

    State Laws

    • Laws exist for the purpose of protecting puppies from being taken away from their mothers too early, according to the Animal Law Web Center, but the states' laws vary so greatly in age and definition that it is important to know your state's specific legislation. For example, laws in some states are applicable to breeders, retailers, dealers, operators or any combination thereof, while others paint with a broad brush and apply the statutes to everyone. Moreover, the definition of the word "separate" can mean sell, give away, adopt or otherwise transfer to the recipient. Study your state's laws carefully to be sure you're inside the law, and always strive to treat your puppies in the most humane way possible.