01/10/2024
I spend a lot of my days working with, teaching, and learning about puppy development. It is my opinion, as well as many other trainers, breeders and veterinarians that breeders should not adopt out their puppies younger than 8 weeks old.
While I could give you many other red flags I have accumulated over the years, I want to specifically focus on this. Some breeders feel when mom has weaned around the 4-5 week old mark and the pups have transitioned to solid foods that the pups are ready to adopt out. Many do this as mom’s milk was free and now they have the additional cost of extra mouths to feed, shots to give, deworming, etc.
In my opinion adopting our puppies younger than 8 weeks of age is a disservice to the puppy and to potential adopters as the raising of these pups is not complete. Mom, the littermates and other dogs who may live on the property are still teaching life lessons to your potential puppy. The pups are still learning bite inhibition, pro social behaviors, emotional regulation, the ability to be calm and calming signals (with help), and effective stress management systems. NATURE does a great job of teaching its own.
As a potential adopter your breeder is not setting your puppy up for success in your home by sending it home early. The pup can struggle to learn, struggle to calm, will react or overreact at frustration or triggers, will have trouble connecting and understanding that connection equals safety. Most new puppy adopters I meet and work with are not equipped with the knowledge nor the time commitment to work through developmental issues.
Around 28 states in our nation have a law or regulation that addresses the sale of puppies/kittens under a certain age (usually 8 weeks). Here in Oregon, while as of 2023 and 2024 new laws went into effect in regards to adopting pets; Consumer Protection Laws, laws impacting numbers of intact animals on property, and recently tighter animal cruelty laws; there is nothing in regards to minimum age when an animal can be adoptable. Breeders adopting out at 5-6 weeks old face no penalties.
