How Old Should a Puppy Be When Taken from Its Mom?

While many people are anxious to take a puppy home as soon as possible, several factors need to be considered when making the decision of when a puppy should be separated from its mom. If you take a puppy too soon, it may have separation anxiety and not have enough time to socialize with other dogs. If you take a puppy later, it may be already stuck in a routine and comfortable being with the pack.

  1. Separation Anxiety

    • A puppy needs to be with its mother and other puppies for the first few weeks of its life. Before 7 weeks the puppy is too young to separate from its mother. It could develop separation anxiety, requiring the new owner to work hard to train the puppy to be content by itself.

    Socialization

    • Puppies must have time to socialize with other dogs. A dog that gets a new family at 7 to 8 weeks has had a sufficient amount of bonding and socialization with other dogs. Bringing a puppy home around 8 weeks will also provide the puppy time to socialize and create a bond with its new family.

    Level of Expertise

    • If you are adopting your puppy from an experienced and trusted breeder, there is no time limit as to when you separate the puppies from their mother as long as it is after 7 to 8 weeks. Experienced breeders will be able to properly socialize and wean the puppies as well as provide them with human contact and new environments. However, if you are adopting your puppy from an inexperienced breeder and you have more experience with dogs, the sooner it is possible that you can separate the puppy from the breeder, the better.

    Preparation

    • Just as a family prepares for a new baby by purchasing supplies and creating a special place for them, you need to be ready for your new puppy before bringing it home. You should have at least the basics: food, a cage/crate/bed and newspapers or training pads. If you are not prepared before bringing your puppy home, neither you nor the puppy may have a successful transition.