Basset Hounds Forum banner

When To Bring Her Home?

4K views 11 replies 9 participants last post by  bubbad 
#1 ·
Good evening all.

After many years without a Basset, we are finally adding one to our home.

We have a deposit on her, but the breeder insists that a puppy must be 9 weeks before going.

My last time around on this (admittedly, this was almost 20 years ago), a pup was ready at 6 weeks.

The extra wait is not a huge issue, but I am curious if 9 weeks is now fairly common, or if this is just an exception.

Thanks in advance for your reply to what will likely be the first of many questions.....

Mark
 
G
#2 ·
Actually, 8-10 weeks is much more typical and I've even seen 12 weeks. Your breeder is doing you a favor by allowing the momma dog to teach the pup important skills like "bite inhibition" and other important social skills. You should be pleased with your breeder on this point!

Good luck and congratulations.
 
#3 ·
"Your breeder is doing you a favor by allowing the momma dog to teach the pup important skills like "bite inhibition" and other important social skills. You should be pleased with your breeder on this point!"


1. the momma does little in teaching bite inhibition it is done to some extent by littermates

2. Human skin is much more fragile than dog hide cover in fur. What is successful bite inhibition with dogs is still to strong with humans so at best a longer stay with the breeder is a step along the way to training bite inhibition.

"When To Bring Her Home?

Contrary to what you may hear there is no diffinative answer just some consideration that need to be made. Again all points are generalization and yes individual dogs do vary.

1 puppy removed from the litter before 7 weeks is more likely to suffer from poor dog to dog social skills with other dogs than one remove later. Also the dog will tend to prefer the company of human to that of dogs.

2. a dog remove from the litter at 12 weeks and latter are more likely to suffer poor dog to human social skills and tend to prefer the company of dogs to humans.

Most breeder looking for a balance dog tend to release dogs in the 8-9 week range. That said there are more important issue at stake than just the age the pups go to their new home.

What are the conditions that the pups are rasied. Are the habituated to the noises of a normal house. If not the dog is more likely to be fearfull of load nosies like the vaccuum. Does the breeder have children?, if not has he/she made sure the dogs have adequit contact with children again to reduce the risk of fear of children later on. The same thing with "men" often the fear of "men" many dogs have has nothing to do with being abuse by a "man" but everything to do with never having any socialization with men durring the "critical period. For more info on critical periods of social development of dogs I reccommend the following;

Puppy Socialisation and Habituation (Part 1)
Why is it Necessary?


Keep in mind that the placement at six weeks semi advocated in the article is in this particular case to service dogs working with the bind. In such cases dog to dog skills are of little importance and human to dogs skills are highly important.

Critical Periods in Your Puppy's Life

The Critical Developmental Stages of a Puppy


While you have the extra time to prepare the follow articles on How to go about insuring proper socializion of the puppy during the critical period are a good place to start.

Puppy Socialisation and Habituation - How to go about it. "Instead of socialisation and habituation being a haphazard affair with experiences occurring at random, as is so often the case, the puppy's exposure to environmental stimuli should be as systematic as possible to ensure the best chance of it developing a sound temperament and capacity to cope in all circumstances."

Countdown to a Crackerjack Canine Companion"Deadline #1 BEFORE You Get Your Puppy -- Puppy Education and Owner Education!
"By the time you bring your new puppy home, say by eight weeks of age, it should already be accustomed to the indoor domestic environment (especially noises) and well socialized with people. Similarly, housetraining, chew toy training and tutoring in basic manners should be well underway. If not, your prospective puppy's social and mental development will already be severely retarded and sadly, you will be playing catch-up for the rest of its life.

...The day you get your puppy, the clock is running. And time flies. Your puppy's critical period of socialization will begin to wane by three months and its most impressionable learning period starts to close by five months. Not surprisingly, most behavior and temperament problems are created during this time. There is so much to teach and nearly everything needs to be taught within just 12 weeks, when you puppy is between two and five months of age.

The optimal time to socialize your puppy is BEFORE it is three months old. Unfortunately, your pup needs to be confined indoors until then. This relatively short period of social isolation at such a crucial developmental time could all but ruin your puppy's temperament. Whereas dog-dog socialization may be put on temporary hold until your pup is old enough to go to puppy school and the dog park, we simply can not delay socialization with people. On the contrary, during the first month, while your pup is grounded at home, socializing with people becomes the Prime Puppy Directive. Without a doubt, raising and training a pup to be people-friendly is by far the single most important aspect of pet dog husbandry.

Capitalize on the time your pup is confined indoors by inviting people to your home. As a rule of thumb, your pup needs to socialize with at least 100 people before it is 3 months old. This is actually much easier than it sounds. Invite a different group of eight men each Sunday to watch sports on the television. (Generally, men are pretty easy to attract and train if you offer pizza and beer.) Each Monday invite a different group of eight women to watch Ally McBeal and Dateline. Catch up on all your outstanding social obligations by inviting family, friends and neighbors to weekly Puppy Parties. On another night of the week invite some neighborhood children. Above all, don't keep this puppy a secret. And of course, the great thing about socializing a young puppy is that it also does wonders for your own social life! "


Socializing Your Puppy

Dog socialization and habituation

[ January 30, 2006, 12:49 AM: Message edited by: Mikey T ]
 
#5 ·
I'm no expert, but the breeder we used really strives to bred dogs with good temperment. They won't release before 8 weeks. Any breeder who's in it only for money (as in keeping their expense low and get the money in fast) would tend towards the low end, so be glad they care enough to have what sounds like a good minimum time. Excellent post above by Mikey T.
 
#6 ·
The optimal time to socialize your puppy is BEFORE it is three months old. Unfortunately, your pup needs to be confined indoors until then. This relatively short period of social isolation at such a crucial developmental time could all but ruin your puppy's temperament. Whereas dog-dog socialization may be put on temporary hold until your pup is old enough to go to puppy school
I agree with this, if you want to err on the side of caution but Roady attended his first puppy class at an outdoor demonstration at 8 weeks and 1 day old. He started puppy class with that same class shortly there after. It has more than a 50 year reputation and most of her referrals are from veterinarians. If I ever get another puppy I would do the same thing; he had two puppy shots at this point in time. I think it's worth the risk to have a well socialized dog. I would bet many more dogs die of having poor temperaments than do of parvo or distemper.

Roady never met a stranger. Here he is a 8 weeks and 1 day with total strangers. Hec I was a stranger too, I just picked him up the day before. ;)


[ February 01, 2006, 10:29 PM: Message edited by: Barbara Winters ]
 
#7 ·
If I ever get another puppy I would do the same thing; he had two puppy shots at this point in time. I think it's worth the risk to have a well socialized dog.
I agree. I get my puppies out as soon as they get home, and the breeder has had them out before that. Socialization is critical; its importance can't be overstated. :)

[ February 01, 2006, 10:44 PM: Message edited by: Betsy Iole ]
 
#8 ·
"I'm no expert, but the breeder we used really strives to bred dogs with good temperment. They won't release before 8 weeks. "

Lets be honest one reason some breeder hold on to the dogs longer has nothing to do with socialization and everything to do with evaluating conformation. The older the dog the more accurate a prediction of its adult conformation can be made.

The main point is if the dog is being socialized and Hibutuated then after the minimum 6 weeks it does not matter how long the dog stays with the breeder.

If the breeder is not socializing and Hibutuating the litter then, why are you buy from this breeder?

Selecting the right genes is only a small part of what is required of a reputable breeder.

[ February 01, 2006, 11:24 PM: Message edited by: Mikey T ]
 
#9 ·
I have always heard 8 weeks min. but as we were looking at 8 week old pups the breeder had a 5 month old we fell for and well she has been a great dog and is now 9 months old. The wait will be well worth it so hang in there and enjoy your pup when you get him/her home! J&S
 
#10 ·
Dozer was 8 weeks old when I picked him up. He is very social. He was the breeders favorite, she took him to town with her everyday from 6 weeks old, so now he likes to go for rides. They also had kids that spent a lot of time with the puppies.
Digger on the other hand was 12 weeks old when I got him. He was born in a barn, and had no personal contact. He was very timid, and I had a hard time getting him use to people. You don't notice it now, but it took some time.
So I beleive it has to do a lot on how they are taken care of by the breeder.
 
#11 ·
Charlie came to live with us at seven months. He's very outgoing, social, and trustworthy with children, adults, and other dogs.

Charlie's dad was Miriam's Spot, and I believe he inherited a good deal of his lovely temperament from his dad. He's a wonderful boy.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top