At what age is it best to take a puppy home?

About age criteria for acquisition

When starting to choose a pet, you need to find out not only at what age it is better to get a puppy, but also what its weight and other parameters should be.

Up to a month

If you purchase a puppy under one month of age, its cost will be much cheaper. The thing is that the breeder has not yet had time to spend significantly on feeding, and there will be much more dogs to choose from. But when buying a pet at this age, there is a noticeable disadvantage: the baby needs a mother, he has a weak immune system, and it is impossible to determine his character in the first month of life.

Choosing the right puppy for your home depends on its age

Age 45 days

Buying a pet when it reaches 45 days of age is a more acceptable option. By this age, the breeder already has all the necessary documents in hand. In addition, the dogs are already vaccinated and can eat without assistance. The downside is that it is difficult to determine the protective qualities of a puppy, but clearly cowardly and insecure individuals are already visible.

Age 4-6 months

Purchasing a pet aged 4-6 months is considered a good option in all respects. This is no longer a puppy, but an almost adult dog with its own character. But the future owner should be wary of the fact that the breeder postponed the sale for some reason, and it is best to find out these reasons.

Features of education

Once a puppy is in the hands of its owner, it is very important that its socialization process is completed. A mother dog gives her cubs important skills in self-care and communication. Puppies repeat everything after their mother. Thus, the role of the mother is very important in the life of a small pet, and a person cannot fully replace her.

It is good when the breeder accustoms the puppy to hygiene procedures in a timely manner - combing the coat, cleaning the ears, eyes, washing, cutting, and so on.

At what age is it better to get a puppy if in the future you plan to make him a highly paid producer, a winner of dog shows? This must be a puppy aged 8 months or older. During this period he looks like an adult. And if he has health problems, it’s easier to track.

Often, unscrupulous breeders offer to buy one-month-old puppies, citing the fact that the puppy is no longer suckling from its mother and during this period it is easiest to raise a dog for yourself. However, at this age the process of socialization of the animal is not yet completed. A dog teaches its offspring how to care for itself, relieve itself in a designated place, bite force, vocal signs and body language, hunting, etc. Babies, through play and repetition after their mother, learn skills that a person cannot fully teach.

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If you plan to raise a dog to become a prize-winner of many exhibitions, a world champion and a parent of highly paid offspring, then it is better to choose a dog that is at least 8 months old. By this age, the animal usually looks like an adult. There is no need to guess what size and constitution it will grow to be. Also, by this age it is usually possible to diagnose genetically inherited diseases, such as hip dysplasia.

By 4 months, the dog has already developed its future character and basic habits. Ideally, the breeder begins training with a dog handler, aimed at passing exhibitions, already at this age. It is good if the puppy knows what a leash and muzzle are and does not resist wearing them. The new owner will simply need to not neglect the acquired skills and continue training the pet.

It is important to ask in what conditions the puppy lived all his life, what he ate, how he communicates with other animals and children. With this information, it will be easier to create a similar environment for your new pet to reduce the stress of the move. There will also be no surprises when children or other animals appear in the new family.

This means that to make raising a dog easier, it is ideal to take a puppy from 4 months and older.

Weight and height

Also, when choosing, you should pay attention to the criteria of weight and height.

Weight Features

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At birth, the height of a small puppy, for example, a Chihuahua, ranges from 400 to 800 g. The gender and number of dogs appearing in the litter also matter. It is always worth considering that males are born larger.

Features of growth

A developed animal never has growth retardation. There are several stages of dog growth and development:

intrauterine;
suckling (from birth to 1-1 months);
puppy (from 1.5 to 6 months);
young animals (up to 10-12 months);
young individuals (up to 2-2.5 years).

At each stage, the dog's growth does not occur evenly. For example, at birth a pet has short legs and an elongated body, then it begins to grow in height and body width.

For your information! The ears acquire normal size no earlier than the moment when all parts of the body become proportional. That is why, at birth and at a small age, they look large.

Not all breeds have straight ears after birth. For example, a French bulldog can boast of having formed ears only by 3 months.

At what age is it best to adopt a puppy: tips and features

Before you start making your choice, you need to determine at what age it is best to adopt a puppy. Any dog, whether young or older, needs attention and special care. This is why you should study all the problems that may arise and learn how to deal with them.

What problems can small puppies have?

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Buying a small puppy is the dream of many people who dream of giving their care to a pet and becoming the main person in his life. Future owners are attracted by their touching appearance, defenselessness and sense of need.

However, with small pets there may be problems:

The puppy requires increased attention and care, especially if it is not even a month old and has already been taken from its mother. This primarily applies to purebred dogs: a German Shepherd will better survive separation after 8 weeks of life. Until this age, she really needs her mother's love.
The owner will need to go to the veterinary clinic on his own and ensure that the pet is vaccinated according to the schedule.
Carry out deworming yourself.
Just like with a small child, you will have to go through the teething stage together.
Puppies have a need to mark territory, so the owner is guaranteed small puddles on the floor.
Small pets have a weak musculoskeletal system, so during puppyhood there is a risk of injury.
You will need to select special food, because puppies have stomach problems.

Is it possible to adopt a puppy older than 3-4 months?

According to generally accepted opinion, the older the dog, the more difficult it is to get used to a new family and territory. However, this is not entirely true: dogs over 3-4 months old already know how to give a signal that they need to relieve themselves. They already understand a number of commands and, on top of everything else, have a stable digestive system. However, such a pet has already formed the character and habits that will need to be adopted.

It will be easier for the owner to deal with the puppy at a young age. And all because a small dog needs attention and often a person has to practically replace his mother. But it is worth considering that small breeds, for example, pug, dachshund, mature faster, but large ones, like Labrador, mature later.

Important! Often, breeders later put up dogs for sale that are the best in the litter, so buying a dog older than 3-4 months is acceptable.

Grown-up puppies - pros and cons

Buying a grown-up dog has its own subtleties. Therefore, before deciding to purchase it, you should weigh the pros and cons.

An older pet gets accustomed to a new environment more easily

When purchasing a grown-up dog, you should find out the reason why it is given up so late. For example, if a pet has already lived in a family and for some reason did not fit in, through no fault of its own, then in a new family, it may experience fear when the owner goes somewhere. This fear will affect his behavior: he may try with all his might not to let his owner leave the house. This behavior is an absolute disadvantage.

But there are also positive aspects in such a purchase, because a grown-up dog can see all the shortcomings and advantages of its exterior and mental state. This is especially important for breeders who want a purebred show dog, such as a Corgi.

For your information! With an adult four-legged pet, the owner will not have to go through the stage of correcting the natural needs of the apartment.
In addition, a grown-up individual will not get carried away with cleaning up the mess in the apartment, or chewing shoes and baseboards.

At what age should you buy a puppy?

You need a strong and powerful protector, a faithful and devoted friend, a small and nimble pet with whom you and your children can have fun playing. Maybe you have plans to start breeding purebred puppies for sale? The purpose of buying a dog will also affect the choice of dog breed.

“At what age can you buy a puppy?” – is also a very important question. The most suitable age for purchasing a puppy is 2-3 months. In this case, you will share the life of your pet almost from birth. You can raise a dog according to your rules and ideas. However, be prepared that with a small puppy there is more hassle, but it is a pleasant hassle if you love the animal. You can familiarize yourself with the conditions for caring for a small puppy in the article “Caring for a Puppy.”

At what month should you buy a puppy? You cannot adopt puppies under 2 months, especially at 1.5 months; it has been established that separation from the mother at this age has a detrimental effect on the development of the puppy.

Another option is to adopt a grown dog up to a year old; it will have less worries than with a small puppy; you can immediately move on to walks and training. Such a dog costs more than a puppy, since the breeder spent more time and effort on its maintenance. However, here you need to be vigilant; evaluate the appearance of the animal for the presence of various defects of the breed. Perhaps no one simply wanted to take this puppy, and therefore he stayed with the breeder for a long time.

You can also purchase an adult dog over 1 year old. The dog will be fully vaccinated and educated, many problems will go away on their own. In this case, you must evaluate its behavior, how the dog reacts to you, whether contact and mutual understanding have been established between you. The advantages of an adult dog are that you can already see the result, how the animal has grown and formed. When purchasing a puppy, you never know exactly what the dog will end up like as an adult.

As you can see, each of the listed options has its pros and cons; the choice is yours at what age it is better to buy a puppy.

One more question that should puzzle you: who should you buy, a male or a female?

If you choose a boy, the dog will be large and strong; a male dog will have more striking external manifestations of the breed. A male dog is better suited for guard duty, sports and an active life. A male dog has a stronger character, so if you are not sure that you can raise him correctly, then it is better to choose a female dog. In addition, the male dog has a highly developed sex drive, so you only need to walk him on a leash, otherwise he may run away.

If you choose a female, you will get an easy-going character and a calm disposition. Girls are very suitable for families with small children. The only thing you should know is that twice a year the dog goes into heat for 20 days. During this period, you should limit your dog’s appearance at exhibitions, skip training in groups, and walks in places where dogs gather.

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In any case, it is up to you to decide whether to buy a puppy or an adult dog, a female or a male, a large or a small dog. The main thing is that you do not regret your decision to buy a dog, but enjoy your friendship with a faithful and devoted creature.

Is it possible to have an adult dog?

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Of course, it is much easier to cope with a puppy whose habits, character and behavior have not yet been fully formed. But still, the question of whether it is possible to take home an adult dog worries many people. This solution has its pros and cons.

An adult dog, for example, a Yorkie or Spitz, who finds himself in territory unfamiliar to him, may fall into a depressed state, yearning for his previous habitat. He may be afraid of the house and the new owner, or he may even demonstrate character, trying to show that he is the one in charge.

Having decided to buy such a dog, you should think about why they are giving it away. For this purpose, you should inquire from the previous owner about the pet’s health status. Of course, this does not apply to the situation when the unfortunate dog was simply left on the street.

An adult dog gets used to its owner much more slowly and difficultly.

An adult dog has its own eating habits. It will be difficult for the future owner to wean him off his usual food or food, so he will also have to come to terms with this quality.

What questions to ask the breeder when buying a puppy

Before concluding a contract, you need to ask several questions regarding the health, care and education of the breed. Questions that definitely need to be clarified:

Has your pet received any vaccinations, which ones and when? You also need to ask for a veterinary passport in which the vaccination is issued.
Are there any special health conditions?
Inquire about the complexity of the teeth, and in males, about the testes.
What drug and when to deworm?
How does he eat and what to feed him?
Do his parents have mental characteristics and how often are they passed on?
You should also ask for the breeder’s contact information so that in case of an emergency you can call him and ask questions.
You should also find out the availability of a set of documents. The breeder is required to provide a veterinary passport, puppy registration, and a document indicating the origin of the dog.
How to walk with a puppy? For example, a husky needs many hours of walks and preferably in a forest, but the Yorkshire terrier and jack, on the contrary, are not dogs that require frequent walks.

Important! The breeder is obliged to provide the buyer with detailed information. If for some reason he cannot answer the questions, you should doubt the quality of the dog.

It is better to ask the breeder about the rules for caring for a specific breed.

Remember, buying a dog is a very important step!

Yes, along with the joy of communicating with your beloved friend, you will receive a lot of worries, but these worries are pleasant if you love the animal.

The ability to take responsibility for our decisions, show care and care for the dog, overcoming some inconvenience, expending energy and our time, allows us to cultivate a strong character and a kind heart. Caring for a creature that needs our help and attention makes us stronger, wiser, purer and brighter. Buying a dog can be a great educational lesson in a child's life.

If your child asks you to buy a dog, tell him what will be required of him when caring for the dog, what share of responsibility for the animal will lie with him. Of course, children rely on our help in caring for the animal; with the advent of a dog, you will also have to put in your efforts to care for the animal.

I'm buying a puppy! – you made this decision despite all the conditions associated with keeping a dog, having weighed all the pros and cons, then we move on. Where to start?

Legal side of the matter

Buying a purebred dog is a legal transaction and must comply with generally accepted legal standards.

Here are the factors that are important:

When purchasing under a contract, you must carefully study all its parties, since this is the same legal document that has legal force.
When selling a dog, the breeder gives guarantees for certain qualities. If the characteristics are not confirmed, the buyer has the right to demand a reduction in the price of the pet or to terminate the contract altogether.
After purchasing a pet, you should insure it, since the owner is responsible for all its actions.

Thus, buying a puppy at any age has its positive and negative sides. But careful attitude and competent upbringing will allow you to raise a loyal and intelligent pet.