12 week versus 8 week puppy

ITgirl73

I may have a choice between 8 week old puppy & 12 week old puppy. I know that more people are leaning to keeping puppies with their mother until 12 weeks but would I have issue crate training an older puppy if they are used to sleeping with their siblings?

I love Sean nos

Misleading thread title. Thought this was going to be about puppy fighting.

nhunter100

ITgirl73 wrote:

I may have a choice between 8 week old puppy & 12 week old puppy. I know that more people are leaning to keeping puppies with their mother until 12 weeks but would I have issue crate training an older puppy if they are used to sleeping with their siblings?

You'll have separation issues either ways. It's still better to leave the pup with the mother till the 12th week.

ShaShaBear

nhunter100 wrote: »

You'll have separation issues either ways. It's still better to leave the pup with the mother till the 12th week.

Only if you're sure that the breeders are doing proper socialisation of the puppy.

DBB

If the pup is being reared in a quiet, rural place, and not getting much time in the house, AND is not being handled and socialised much, then I would not take it at 12 weeks... The socialisation period is over at this stage, and if the pup hasn't been exposed by then to a broad range of experiences, adults (men and women), children,strangers, handling, car journeys, loud noises, general hubbub, it's too late, and the chances of lifelong behavioural issues that are extremely difficult to rehabilitate multiply exponentially.
Pups need to come away from mum and siblings at 8 weeks, or at 11-12 weeks... In between is a risky time in their psychological development to expose them to anything traumatic. That said, pups that have been well socialised up to this point will get through it far better than one that hasn't.

VonVix

What breed? I ask because I would be sooner comfortable with taking a 12 week old Golden Retriever over a 12 week old German Shepherd if you are not fully aware of how well socialised these puppies are. Can you meet both puppies and assess their temperaments, for example how sociable, relaxed, confident they are? Plus how comfortable they are with you handling them? How experienced are you in socialising an 8 week old? Lots to consider, not completely a black and white decision in my opinion.

Crate training can go either way with both puppies, it's more a matter of *how* you do it. I crate trained my GSD by always keeping him in the same room as myself when he was crated for the first month or two of him being with us, it helped prevent him from fretting and wondering where I was.

BrookieD

We took charlie at 12 weeks - no issues at all, crate training was a breeze. Although he was being indoor pad trained he took to going in the garden and was house training in a few weeks.