[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by SweetViolet

Amen...you took the words right out of my mouth!

Being an American...and an old one at that...I can tell you that it was not always 12 weeks for American pups. In the 80s, when I was breeding Collies, conventional wisdom said "8 weeks." In the 50s and 60s, when I was growing up, it was "6 weeks or as soon as they are weaned, whichever comes first."

I got Puddin' at 6 weeks. That is when the breeder was letting them go. Should I have said "No, I want a 12 week old puppy?" I expect I would still be Yorkie-less had I taken that attitude.

Puddin' is healthy and well-adjusted. She plays well with Bella, the slightly older pup of another YTer and I expect she will play well with Cash and June when they come over. The vet who said they bond well with their owners at the 8 week age is absolutely correct. Puddin', at 13 weeks, is now moving into an independent stage where she wants less cuddling and confinement and more freedom...not, for me, the ideal time to introduce her to a new family and expect her to bond.

In all truth, I think 6 weeks is too young, but I also think 12 weeks is less than optimum as the pup is transitioning into an independent and exploratory stage. I think 8-10 weeks is ideal as the pup has an emotional need for closeness and cuddling at that time which improves bonding. I don't know why we can't teach them to be socialized or to attenuate their bite...Puddin's doing just fine in those regards.

We need to remember there are no absolutes in these matters. What is right in one situation may be wrong in another. Others may view the teachings of the mother dog as being more important than optimum bonding with the new owners, but I don't. Until recently, American puppies regularly went to new homes at 6 weeks of age and grew into happy, healthy, well-socialized dogs. I think the right age depends on a wide range of factors, and I think the pup's ability to bond with the people it will be living with for the next dozen years trumps what is described here as the mother's teachings.

I know this is an unpopular point of view, but that's how I feel.

In many states it is illegal to sell a puppy before eight weeks old.

Back in the 50's and 60's we also thought cigarette smoking was safe and didn't use seatbelts.