Six weeks vs eight weeks

warren peace · Dec 9, 2014

When did you pick up your Frenchie? What are the advantages of waiting until eight weeks? Chime in if you feel strongly one way or another.

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eeturk · Dec 9, 2014

We picked up at a little over 10 weeks. Hudson was a tiny runt (2 pounds at 12 weeks) and I would have been scared to take him home at 6 weeks! He was the last baby the breeders had since he was so little and they wanted to keep him until he got a little more stable.

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Cbrugs · Dec 10, 2014

It has always been my understanding that you should not take a puppy away from its mother before 8 weeks. We got Jax at 10 1/2 weeks as he was out of state.

Squishy Walnuts · Dec 10, 2014

I agree with a minimum of 8 weeks. Wally was exactly 8 weeks old when he came into our family. I had to drive 3 hours to get him and I didn't want to wait any longer.

davidh · Dec 10, 2014

Yep, as others have said the minimum is 8 weeks, 10 to 12 weeks are better. This lets the pup learn more from mom and the other siblings.

2bullymama · Dec 10, 2014

agreed 8 weeks is the minimum age to leave momma

Tgirl · Dec 10, 2014

I am thinking you mean when to choose him and not take him home? I guess there are advantages and disadvantages to both. At 8 weeks you would know even more about their temperament, etc. but then again if others are also choosing you may not get one that you had your eye on.

Jakeyjake · Dec 10, 2014

We got Stella at 8 weeks and Jake at 9 weeks. We had a vacation planned before we decided to get Jake so I left him with the breeder for an additional week. I was dying...came home a day early to go get him cuz I couldn't take it!!!!

Jake at 8 weeks

Alice Kable · Dec 11, 2014

We have always waited until the pups were 8 weeks or older. With Buster we got him a day before he was 8 weeks because we met them in LaGrande.

blushy · Dec 11, 2014

Squishy Walnuts said:
I agree with a minimum of 8 weeks. Wally was exactly 8 weeks old when he came into our family. I had to drive 3 hours to get him and I didn't want to wait any longer.

This exactly.

I wouldn't want to take a puppy away any sooner, from it's mother or it's litter. They learn a lot in those 2 weeks that you wouldn't even think!

MamaAndi · Dec 14, 2014

From what I have read the bite inhibition is a biggie that forms in those last couple weeks with mom (when you wait till puppies are 8 weeks).

Lots of states lawfully won't let people sell puppies before 8 weeks also. Not sure if that applies in your state or not?

Tgirl · Dec 14, 2014

I just reread the original post and realized that I read it wrong the first time. I was thinking you were asking when was better to choose your pup, not actually take it home. I would definitely wait until 8 weeks at least.

winginit66 · Dec 15, 2014

Having picked up Olivia and Wilson at 7 weeks... and Wilson had issues (not that his would have been any different in another week) I would wait. I know! It's hard.

mrshanson · Dec 21, 2014

I am waiting til 8.5 weeks, I have seen my breeder let a previous litter go at 6 and 7 weeks but I just told her what day I am picking her up and not giving anything earlier than 8 an option lol

gemmafrenchie · Dec 24, 2014

mrshanson said:
I am waiting til 8.5 weeks, I have seen my breeder let a previous litter go at 6 and 7 weeks but I just told her what day I am picking her up and not giving anything earlier than 8 an option lol

Yup. I'm picking my girl up at 8 weeks on January 29th or about 10.5 weeks. She's a surprise for my mother's birthday on Valentines so I'm trying to wait til closer to her birthday. I'm just not sure if I can wait!

Frenchie Mommy · Dec 27, 2014

We got Wyatt at 14 weeks and Clancy at 9 weeks old. Wyatt was sooooo much easier in some ways as he had a longer time with his Mom and siblings.

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tunasmom · Feb 20, 2015

I would NEVER let a puppy leave my home until a minimum of 8 weeks, preferably longer. Those last weeks are crucial in their development. That said I would also go with a breeder who I know was working on socializing and setting up a proper foundation from the get go. I know when we had our litter, although Cane Corso, we followed the Military Super Dog Bio sensory program. We ensured that we exposed our pups to absolutely everything that we could to ensure stable well adjusted pups with a solid foundation, leash started and almost house broken by the time they left home at 8 - 10 weeks. Lol, Heck, at one point I had my son dancing on bubble wrap banging metal pie plates together while our pups were biting his pants legs

Good news is they don't startle easy lol.
That said, if I know that the breeder was doing nothing with the pups but leaving them in a kennel 24/7 then maybe I would consider 6 weeks, however chances are I wouldn't consider that breeder.

eeturk · Feb 20, 2015

tunasmom said:
I know when we had our litter, although Cane Corso, we followed the Military Super Dog Bio sensory program. We ensured that we exposed our pups to absolutely everything that we could to ensure stable well adjusted pups with a solid foundation, leash started and almost house broken by the time they left home at 8 - 10 weeks. Lol, Heck, at one point I had my son dancing on bubble wrap banging metal pie plates together while our pups were biting his pants legs Good news is they don't startle easy lol.

I so wish I had known to look for a breeder who did something like this. Hudson is a wonderful dog now but oh man was he a tough puppy!!

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anns4boys · Feb 20, 2015

I picked up Tallulah from the breeder at 12 weeks. Every other puppy I had every gotten was 8 weeks old. I don't know if it was the 4 week difference in time, or its just her, but my T has been the easiest puppy we have ever raised. Her breeder obviously did a nice job socializing her, and then we also did similar things as tunasmom describes and she is a calm, even tempered, easy going, lover of all things human or canine - puppy and has been from the day we took her home.

Dylan Burkhardt · Mar 18, 2015

I went through this debate with my frenchie. Because of the way her and the breeder's schedules worked out I could either get my girl at 6 weeks, or wait until she was 12. I couldn't bare waiting. I talked to my vet about it and did lots of research on it. As long as they are completely weaned, they can be taken away from mom. However, like everyone else is saying they could miss out on learning social skills from their mom. I took the risk and brought home Ellie at six weeks and she has done very well.