[Corfield]

We generally let them go at 7.5 to 8 weeks onwards if they are going to experienced dog owner homes.

There is real controversy as to when is the best time but we are swayed by the fact that by 7.5 weeks the puppies are weened and very well socialised with our other dogs, environment and mum. The sooner they get to their homes the sooner they get to socialise with their "family" before the fear imprint period ends around 12-16 weeks.

There are guide and police dog trainers that prefer a puppy at seven weeks to 12 precisely because being chewed to pieces in a litter for an extra few weeks is a lot less productive that the work they can do with a younger puppy that's been well socialised in the litter to seven weeks and learnt more than enough from its litter mates.

Now if you are dealing with an inexperienced owner with young children it is a different kettle of fish.

You have to try and find the right balance and i am not going to bad mouth people that take the view that holding onto puppies to 12 weeks is a bad thing - it isn't.

you have to bear in mind that the first 4 weeks of having a litter are not anything like the fun to be had wit ha litter that's 4-12 weeks (poo aside!) There are selfish motives at play to keeping a litter beyond 8 weeks and of course people breeding for show may want to hang on to [puppies in order to assess which they wish to keep or which they want to try sell for a higher price because of their show potential.

So swings and roundabouts.

If you can't have a sensible discussion with the breeder about the right age to home a puppy you are certainly not talking to a good breeder that knows their stuff.

Lot of emotion in dog breeding and buying. Logic and science don't always win out ...