Should you get a puppy at 8 or 10 weeks? What to Know

What about getting a puppy at 8 weeks old?

How do we know that 8 weeks is such a magical age for puppies to go home? When observing a litter of pups, they tend to be very attached to each other and not venture too far from their whelping box until around this 8-week mark. Experts have agreed that puppies tend to go through a critical psychological developmental phase around this 8-week-mark, typically called a “fear period.”

This first fear period is typically around 8-11 weeks. This is simply a phase where your pup is more sensitive to new experiences and may react to the world with more fear and cautiousness than he was previously. This short-lived increase in fear in the domesticated dog lines up with the time that most wolf pups and other wild canines are breaking out of their dens and really exploring the world for the first time.

Should you get a puppy at 8 or 10 weeks?

There is an evolutionary correlation here. A young pup is generally busy playing with his siblings and exploring his den, trusting that his mother will look out for danger. (Read how long puppies miss their mom here.)

However, as the pup gains more independence and begins to venture further from his den, his fear also increases as he must start to learn what is safe and dangerous all on his own.

While it may seem counterintuitive to disrupt your pup’s perfect little home (in his whelping box surrounded by his littermates) right at the start of developmental leap associated with fear and anxiety, there is actually no better time when it comes to bonding and setting the basis for future training.

It is at this age we notice that our pups are both tentative and fearful, but also have an increased drive for exploration and are willing to venture further away from the “nest.” They are predisposed to bond closely to a new pack (i.e. you!) at this age.

As compared to a 6-week-old puppy, an 8 week old puppy often shows a greater drive for exploration and independence. They have noticeably better bladder control and can stay awake for longer periods of time. They typically seem more focused and engaged with humans at this age — following them from room to room and readily responding to cues with less distraction than a 6 week old pup.

Health and Care

Between 6 and 8 weeks of age, your puppy will need to visit the veterinarian for its first puppy vaccines, deworming, and an examination. The breeder or adoption group might have administered its first vaccines and deworming and taken the puppy to the vet. Regardless, you should take your new puppy to your veterinarian within a few days of getting it to make sure it is in good health. Bring any records provided by the breeder or adoption group so your vet can adjust or prescribe a vaccination schedule.

By 18 weeks of age, the puppy should have all its vaccinations. But until then, you need to prevent exposure to diseases. Do not allow your puppy to walk in highly populated dog areas or interact with unfamiliar animals. Your puppy can play with healthy puppies and adult dogs that have been vaccinated and dewormed. Make sure you know the owner of the other dog and can trust that the dog is healthy.

#4 They need the time to bond with their mother

Should you get a puppy at 8 or 10 weeks?

When puppies get to spend more time with their mother, they learn to receive love and protection (and, of course, food) from her. As puppies see their mother as the pack leader, they also learn A LOT from her during these 8 weeks – from discipline to social skills. Once puppies are properly weaned, they become more independent through the direction and support of their mother who encourages self-reliance. Sadly, a fearful mother will produce fearful puppies while a calm mother will produce calm puppies. Therefore, it’s NEVER a good idea to get a puppy from online or a pet store (where they’re supplied by evil puppy mills that breed dogs in horrific, deplorable conditions and treat them like pure commodities). Dogs who are forced to live in overcrowded, filthy, tiny wire cages (or even smaller windowless breeding boxes) are prone to breed fearful, anxious puppies with a host of health issues.

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