# How Many Weeks Old Should a V Puppy Be..?



## moviegoer (Oct 14, 2011)

Hi there- new to the forum, and so far I'm learning so much. Thanks for everyone's insight! We're going to be bringing home a V puppy fairly soon. Was wondering what everyone thinks is the right age to pick up from the breeder? Ours will be 7-8 weeks old, or someone in there. I know that with other breeds, I have heard 8-10 weeks is the ideal time, but wondered what people think about Vizsla puppies. I read somewhere that 7 weeks is fine with Vizslas and that they are different than other breeds, although I'm not clear on what the rationale was. I think we have flexibility to pick up after 7 weeks. Thanks.


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## laurita (Jun 12, 2011)

If you have the flexibility to wait, I would wait a few wks longer. I think a lot of good comes from puppies being around their mothers and littermates (provided that the breeder is a good one and is introducing the puppies to other people once it's safe), and they learn a lot from their mother and from each other, especially in terms of bite inhibition and inappropriate behavior.

I picked my puppy up at 10 and 1/2 weeks, and I thought it was a good age. They grow so fast that he wasn't as tiny at that point, but it's ok!

Congrats on the new pup!


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## JeffKish (Jan 19, 2011)

I believe that 8wks is perfectly fine. For smaller breeds (I also have a Yorkie) the recommendation is to wait a little bit longer. We got our V at 7 weeks and everything went perfectly fine. Just my opinion....


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## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

I looked for the animal behavior studies but could not locate them. I'll try to post them later if I have time and find them.

In the 1960s a study showed that puppies should not be removed from the dam prior to the 49th day. This was revolutionary at the time because puppies were being sent home at 5-6 weeks. 7weeks, or the 49th day, became a magical (some might say mythical) number that most breeders adhered to. 

Beginning in the 1990s research started show that this may be too soon. Studies showed that pups that stayed with dam longer adjusted easier to their new homes with fewer negative behavior issues than before. However, the research was not conclusive and by this time the 49th day had the power of urban legend driving it.

Unfortunately, there does not seem to be unanimous agreement as to the "magical" age to send puppies home. Depending on what you're reading you will get recommendations from 8 weeks up to 12 weeks now.

My opinion is to try to wait until at least 10 weeks. My breeder seems intent on the 7-8 weeks threshold (referring back to that 1960s study that says 49 days), but we'll see how that plays out as the pups are whelped and grow.

However it turns out, wishing you the best with your new additon.


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## chaser (Feb 13, 2011)

from a vet - you're best to wait until several days or a week after the pup has had its first vaccines and I don't recommend doing those until at least 7 weeks. Part of that rationale is that the puppy's passive immunity to communicable disease (obtained by nursing on bitch's colostrum) is waning at that time and needs to be boosted by getting vaccinated. Stressing the puppy (by separating from mom and littermates, new home, new diet, etc) can decrease the immune response to the vaccine so waiting a little after vaccines is wise. In my experience, puppies that stay with mom and littermates a little longer are easier to train not to nip and respond better to owner becoming "alpha dog".
Congrats on the new puppy!


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## zigzag (Oct 4, 2011)

I'm going to chime in hear, but Im not qualified in any way to give you more then just my opinion. My grandfather retired as A farm veterinarian, in retirement he raised breeded small dogs on his farm. He would vaccinate at 7.5 weeks and would not sell any dogs untill 10 weeks. Right before 2nd vaccination. The big diffrence between his breeding program and others would be the fact that all his dogs were spoken for at the time of litter. So he didint need to rush any dogs off the farm. Hope that makes sense.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Our breeder gently suggested to take Sam at 7.5 weeks. Long drive and consistently poor weather conditions this past April were a major factor in taking Sam home with us.
However, I also read more recent studies show a critical development window between 8 to 10 or 14 weeks. 
I also met other breeders from other countries where puppies are re-homed at 5 weeks. They argue a stronger bond would develop between humans and dogs. I think this is just a little too cruel, but I'm not a breeder.


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## denparkin (Aug 29, 2011)

I picked Brooklyn up at 10 weeks and she has never been a mouthy dog (in fact I haven't been nipped by her even once). I totally contribute this to the fact that she was around her littermates and mother a little longer, and they helped her learn bite inhabition. The added bonus of waiting a little longer is that the breeder and dame will have started house breaking the pup!


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## Mischa (Feb 17, 2010)

denparkin said:


> I picked Brooklyn up at 10 weeks and she has never been a mouthy dog (in fact I haven't been nipped by her even once). I totally contribute this to the fact that she was around her littermates and mother a little longer, and they helped her learn bite inhabition. The added bonus of waiting a little longer is that the breeder and dame will have started house breaking the pup!


That seems like a very good reason to go with 10 weeks. 

For us, the most important issue with a pup is socializing, and from what I read the crucial time for that is 8-12 weeks. That is a small window of time that affects so much of their adult life that we wanted to work on it right away. 
Even though we introduced Mischa to so many people, and dogs right off the bat, she still has random moments of fear with strangers. She has a keen sense on which dogs are not be trusted but even when a person is obviously very interested in her, she is cautious. 
I wonder if that would have been better, worse, or the same if we brought her home 2 weeks later. There is no way to know for sure.

Fear is the absolute hardest issue to work on imo, so that is why 8 weeks seems like the perfect time to me.

Our bird trainer who is also a V, and GSP breeder, recommends 10 weeks. 
I have a huge amount of respect for her so I may go with 10 weeks if we're ever brave enough for a puppy again.


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## anne_wilcrest (Oct 20, 2011)

I am having a similar dilemma, on when to pick my vizsla up (have a 8-10 week window available)

I've done a bit of research, and found this article to be the most backed (study-wise):
*When to get your puppy - Another Look at the 49th Day:* http://www.shorthairs.net/AboutGSPs/Whentogetyourpuppy/tabid/230/Default.aspx _(originally printed in Gun Dog in 1994)_

In the 1950s they did some research which led this author to declare the 49th day the magical day that Aimless1 was referencing. The MAJOR flaw in this research is that the puppies were receiving NO human contact until that point.
No breeder worth their salt is going to not touch/socialize the pups. So it negates this entire premise.

_from the article:_


> But if the breeder is reputable and knows a modicum of dog behavior and has the whelping and growing pen in the middle of where everyone passes (who can resist getting their hands into a group of chubby little pups clamoring for attention?) seven weeks is too young to leave home. Older is better. The optimum time to leave the litter would be 10 weeks when the pup is most adaptable. Picking a pup is a crap shoot at best, but you can get a better glimpse of your pup-in-a-poke at 10 weeks because that is when what you see is what you get in both the physical and psychological attributes.


Another thing to consider is the fear period, which takes place between 8-10 weeks, peaking at 9 weeks. 
Also, there is a week's worth of leeway on either side of this scale (and general development) depending on the dog. I think that might depending on the time they gave birth (ie - pups that were born early would be behind and need more time with the mother)

I'm still trying to decide between 9 and 10, and wondering if being the last puppy to be picked up (left with her mom) would have any ill effects? or if I would miss out on bonding? (although that goes through to 12 weeks)
I am sure I'm being a little paranoid...and greedy as I just want to get my dog already!
(although I will of course do whatever I can determine to be best for her.. and not puppy-loving me)


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## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

8 wks is bare minimum (when we got our V), but 10 wks is optimal.


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## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

If it helps my Quest was brought home at 12 weeks and let's just say he and I are "tight"


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## Matt (Sep 4, 2011)

the puppy should be at least 8 weeks old but not much older. I would never get a puppy that is 12 weeks from a breeder unless I know he is great and will socialize the puppy really good. The weeks 8-12 are the most important ones.


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## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

Anne, that was one of the articles/studies I was looking for. To quote:

"But if the breeder is reputable and knows a modicum of dog behavior and has the whelping and growing pen in the middle of where everyone passes (who can resist getting their hands into a group of chubby little pups clamoring for attention?) seven weeks is too young to leave home. Older is better. The optimum time to leave the litter would be 10 weeks when the pup is most adaptable. Picking a pup is a crap shoot at best, but you can get a better glimpse of your pup-in-a-poke at 10 weeks because that is when what you see is what you get in both the physical and psychological attributes."

When I got Quest he was the best socialized puppy I had ever seen. He traveled weekly to hockey games, plenty of experience traveling in a vehicle on road trips, staying alone in the hotel room or vehicle, meeting new people and having new experiences. Three young boys who never grew tired playing with him and his 9 litter mates. Frankly, he was better socialized then I would have been able to do! I reaped the rewards of waiting from 9 weeks when I first saw him until the 12th week when I picked him up.

This particular article does a great job of showing just how fluid the situation is ... and there are NO hard & fast rules.


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## anne_wilcrest (Oct 20, 2011)

@Aimless1 - did you find that your Quest, being with the family longer, was also less prone to biting too? (as @denparkin mentioned Brooklyn was)


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## Aimless1 (Sep 25, 2011)

I have to think back 11 years, but as I recall it he was less prone to puppy biting, was basically housebroke and rode in the car/truck like he was born to it, which basically, he was.

However, I was fortunate that the breeder was active, had older children to constantly play with the pups and not many breeders travel with the pups like this family did.

If puppy biting is a major concern then my opinion is that any time after 10 weeks old they should be through the worse of it.


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## anne_wilcrest (Oct 20, 2011)

thanks! i have learned so much from reading past threads on this forum already.
I am alternatingly super excited and super terrified. 
but I do feel more prepared. so that's good!


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