# Puppy adoption age



## Leisa (Jan 27, 2005)

Hi! I am new to the board but have been reading posts for a while.
I was wondering what is the best age to take a chi puppy from its mom. My daughter is about to become a mother of a puppy born on new years day. The breeder has told her she can pick him up on Valentine's Day. Is 6 weeks long enough?


Thanks

Leisa


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## KB (Apr 13, 2004)

Ideally 10-12 weeks is what you want so the pup has adequate time with the mom--alot of social issues are found in dogs taken too early...sure hope she will leave it with the breeder longer. :wave: 
There is alot on this topic--you can do a search located at the top of the page


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## Rosa (Nov 17, 2004)

I also think that it would be a good idea to wait! The puppy needs mommy :binky:


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## Vala (Jul 8, 2004)

:? I'll say at least 8 weeks..but preferably more...puppies that go away too early tend to have lots of socialization problems they don't really learn how to behave properly since their mom is not there to teach them the basics...If your daughter's breeder is pushing the puppy on you (given there are no really extraordinary circumstances of why she/he does it) maybe that person is not such a good breeder :? I doubt if I was one I'll be giving away the little things without the basic skills they need...and maybe that person just wants you to pay up! :angry7: sometimes is JUST ABOUT THE MONEY!


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## suzi (Jan 2, 2005)

my breeder wont let me take my chi away till she/ he's 10-12 weeks old which id heard is normal (shes a vet and has been breeding for years so i guess she knows what shes doing). however as thats a long time to wait she says i can go visit him/her as much as i want - luckily i only live 20min drive away from her!


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## Savaaha (Dec 3, 2004)

suzi160 said:


> my breeder wont let me take my chi away till she/ he's 10-12 weeks old which id heard is normal (shes a vet and has been breeding for years so i guess she knows what shes doing). however as thats a long time to wait she says i can go visit him/her as much as i want - luckily i only live 20min drive away from her!


Visiting your pup before you actually bring him/her home is excellent. We kept our schnauzer babes 10weeks but encouraged the new owners to come and visit. All but one came and the differance was drastic. The visited pups bonded much more than the unvisited ones who had bonded with our family.


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## OzzyAndLilysMom (Mar 9, 2004)

i agree definately 10 - 12 weeks :wave:


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## Auggies Mom (Jun 9, 2004)

Me too. No less than 10 weeks :wave:


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## Gadget's Mom (Jan 14, 2005)

I would have oved to have left Gadget with her mom for 10 to 12 weeks but the stuation made me bring him home at 3 weeks... believe me it has been fun to watch him grow but it has also been alot of work. 24/7 and I am talking he is just like a new born baby.... round the clock feeding and pottying... 

I have been really watching Gadget's weight and making sure he is eating enough to make him gain what he needs to stay healthy. I have also been to the vet for a health check when he was a month old. Then I took him in for his first shots, and the vet looked him over again... I got lucky that he is very healthy and he is gaining weight like he should. 

He is the joy of my life. I have got to see him do lots of things for the very first time in his life, but He was so small (still is) that we are constantly looking at the floor to make sure we don't step oon him.... 

The first 3 weeks he stayed on the couch in his little bed or in our arms because we were afraid we would step on him.... 

he finally made it to 1 pound. He had doubled his size since I got him but he is still way small and I am afraid my daughter is going to step on him because she doesn't always pay attention to where he is.. we are always telling he to watch out the dog is on the floor... 



Don't want to scare you but If you have the chance I would keep the puppy with the mom for as loang a possible... 

good luck and god bless


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## Kari (May 13, 2004)

I agree, I got Mr. Peepers when he was 7 weeks and he does NOT like people. He likes my family but even then he will bark at them forever before he shuts up. He is very anti-social, so much I'm scared he's going to bite someone. :roll:


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## Gadget's Mom (Jan 14, 2005)

Thank god Gadget likes people, but I have taken him every where I go and there are always people wanting to pet him and I am glad that he likes people...


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## weew (Jan 15, 2005)

I will suggest wait AT LEAST 12 weeks old, the puppy's future 'health' is depend on this few weeks. Cos no other food is better then the mother's milk. secondly, the youngest you take them, the fregile they will be. If you wish your daughther to get a healthy dog for long term, then just have to wait. :wave:


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## SC (Oct 15, 2004)

Because I didn't know better I got Annabelle the day she turned 6 weeks old. I love her to death but she has issues! She is so nervous and she doesn't like other people at all! When she was younger I had her around other people and she even went thru puppy obedience class. She is still a nervous wreck. When we got the other 2 puppies she went into kind of a depression. She stayed off to herself, seemed very unhappy and would only come around for food or to go outside. The vet suggested that she be put on puppy prozac (that isn't really the name of it) to see if it would help. It did! She is so much more relaxed and even plays now. The thing is, I don't think she would be like this if she had been left with her mommy longer. Even the vet said so.

P.S. Even in my siggy picture, you can tell how nervous she looks and the other 2 don't.


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## Camilla (Nov 29, 2004)

I got my little girl Chi, Poppy, at 10 weeks. She was ready to leave by then, or so the breeder told me and she is fine. My sister had a Yorkie at 6 weeks and had terrible problems behaviourally with him..I would wait, even though I know its hard!


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## Leisa (Jan 27, 2005)

Thank you all so much. You are all really great to reply. 

I also Have a chi that i rescued from the streets a few years ago. She was probably turned out most of the time because she was not housebroken and was full grown. She was underweight and anorexic, dehydrated, had fleas, worms, unclipped toenails, and our local vet did not recognize her as an animal he had ever treated. Now she lives in the lap of luxury for a dog. Our whole lives just about revolve around ChaCha. I know, I know, its a common chi name but we didn't know her real name and this name fits her so well. Now she is housebroken (or I am one!). She goes outside (with a little encouragement when it is cold or wet) but I stay with her and would never let her run free. I'll try to post a photo soon.

Leisa[/img]


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## Tinker (Jan 3, 2005)

I brought Marcus home at 8 weeks and he's doing wonderfully and adores all people. He is convinced the world is waiting to play with him.


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## janiebabes (Mar 30, 2004)

I think best 10 - 12 weeks some breeders want to push them for the money and want to rid the pups for more room for more stock. or they only worm and give first shot. so less of an expense on them. If a breeder wants to push a pup before its time go to another breeder. obviously the dont care for their pups and are only in it for the money. "Sometimes" there are extenuating circumstances. but i can bet ya a quarter 99.9 % of the time its because of the above.


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