When should puppies leave their mother kennel club

You might think it’s cruel to take a pup from their mother and siblings. As a puppy grows up, will they miss mama?

Here’s a look at when a pup can be separated from the litter without leading to behavioral problems. You’ll also learn the differences between a properly socialized puppy and one that has been taken from their canine family too soon.

Do Young Puppies Miss Their Mother Upon Separation?

Let’s get to the question that bothers a lot of people who want a puppy. They love the thought of bringing a puppy home, but they feel a twinge of guilt making the puppy leave their litter.

Yes, there will be some crying when you bring a puppy home. But your new pet won’t necessarily be doing this because they’re missing their mother and siblings. After acclimating to the new home, the pup should be just fine.1

Taking a puppy from the litter too soon is not only wrong, it can also be dangerous to the dog’s health and well-being.

When Can a Puppy Leave its Mother?

If you ask your veterinarian or breeder, they would probably say that a puppy should not be separated from their siblings until at least eight weeks after being born. And this is true whether you’re adopting a puppy for your family or for puppies who’ll go on to become service or guide dogs.

From the minute they are born and for the following eight weeks, puppies have to be with their mother. They count on mom for food and to help them learn socialization skills.

This is where the puppy starts to learn about the world and about proper behavioral norms.

Once you get the puppy home and begin crate training, you may hear some crying or even howling. Your young dog may also seem frightened at night and have a hard time getting to sleep.2

This isn’t necessarily because the puppy is missing their siblings and mother. It’s normal behavior, and it doesn’t usually indicate a behavioral problem. This is true whether you get a Golden Retriever puppy, a German Shepard pup, or a dog from any other breed.

Can Early Socialization Possibly Prevent Behavioral Problems in Pups?

Just like a child, puppies go through different stages of development. The time between three and five weeks after the pup is born is when they learn acceptable social behavior. They learn how to accept discipline from their mother. They also learn their place in the pack, along with their siblings.

If a puppy isn’t properly socialized, that could lead to big issues in their adult life. Adult dogs who are separated too soon may not tolerate other dogs, or may show aggression and other behavioral problems.3

According to one study, puppies that were taken from the litter 30-40 days after being born had more behavioral problems than those separated at the 60-day mark. These problems included:

• Food aggression
• Excessive attention seeking
• Destructive behavior
• Excessive barking
• Pups obtained from pet stores appeared to have more pronounced problems.4

No reputable breeder or rescue organization would ever allow puppies to be separated too early. If you want to find dog breeding professionals in your area you can trust, contact your local kennel club or Humane Society. You could also ask your vet.

Wondering About Puppy Care? Talk to Your Vet.

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Feature Photo Credit. Jesse Alk

One in four puppies in the UK may be being acquired before the recommended minimum age -- a figure that is considerably higher than what has been reported before -- suggests research published in the latest edition of Vet Record.

Separating a puppy from its mother too early may have long-term consequences on physiological and behavioural development that risks behavioural problems later in life, a major reason why dogs are given up or left in shelters, warns the author of a linked comment.

In the UK many welfare and veterinary organisations, such as the Animal Welfare Foundation, Blue Cross, PDSA and the Dogs Trust, recommend that puppies shouldn't be separated from their mothers until they are at least 8 weeks (56 days) old. There are legal restrictions on selling a puppy under this age in the UK.

Their guidance also recommends that prospective buyers should view the puppy with its mother, and this has been enshrined in English law since 2018.

The researchers wanted to find out if particular factors were associated with the acquisition of puppies under the age of 8 weeks and without viewing the puppy's mother.

They drew on data for 2392 puppies collected between May 2016 and February 2019 as part of 'Generation Pup', a long term UK study of dog health, behaviour, and welfare.

The data were obtained from three questionnaires, with details around the process of acquisition completed by owners before or after they had acquired their puppy. In all, 1844 puppies were eligible for inclusion in the final analysis.

The responses showed that 1 in 4 (461) puppies had been acquired before they were 8 weeks old, a proportion that is considerably higher than what has been reported before. Around 1 in 12 (149; just over 8%) had been acquired without viewing the puppy's mother. Just 30 (just over 1.5%) had been acquired under 8 weeks of age and without viewing the mother.

Five factors were independently associated with acquisition of an 'under age' puppy.

Owners who visited their puppy at least once before taking it home were more likely to acquire the animal before it was 8 weeks old. This might be because they couldn't bear to leave without taking the puppy home, or because they felt the puppy was old enough, suggest the researchers, by way of an explanation.

Owners who intended to use their puppy as a working dog, such as for herding animals, pest control, work in the police or military, as a search and rescue, or guard dog were also more likely to acquire their puppy before it was 8 weeks old. This might be because they wanted to start training the puppy as soon as possible, say the researchers.

The analysis also revealed that the odds of early acquisition increased in tandem with the number of dogs already in the household and if the dog was a mix of unknown breeds.

"Mixed breed puppies may be more likely to have been bred by a hobby breeder than a licensed breeder, or be a result of accidental mating," suggest the researchers. "Hobby breeders do not need to conform to the same selling restrictions as licensed breeders."

At the other end of the spectrum, the likelihood of acquiring a puppy under the recommended age fell as the level of annual household income rose.

Similarly, owners who visited their puppy before taking it home, or bought a puppy registered with the Kennel Club, or who viewed the puppy's father and/or collected the puppy from the breeder's home, had lower odds of acquiring a puppy without viewing the mother.

The researchers suggest that prospective owners may be more aware of the recommendations to view the puppy with its mother than those around the recommended minimum age.

Their findings might help target specific owners, "with educational or media campaigns that could decrease the proportion of puppies acquired in this way in the future," they conclude.

In a linked research comment, vet Dr Federica Pirrone, University of Milan, Italy, emphasised the importance of the guidance and regulations.

"Early separation of a puppy from its mother and littermates is a husbandry strategy that may increase the animal's chances of exhibiting potentially problematic behaviours as an adult," she warns.

"The occurrence of problematic behaviours is the most common reason why dogs are relinquished, abandoned or, in countries where it is allowed, even euthanased."

Early separation impairs early brain development which restricts the ability of puppies to adapt to new stimuli and to develop good social skills as adults. They are highly likely to exhibit fear and anxiety-related behaviours as adults, which are then often perceived by owners as problematic, she explains.

Similarly, she emphasises: "Seeing the mother before buying a puppy enables the prospective owner to ascertain that she is unstressed and free from behavioural problems, which in turn helps predict that the puppy will not develop behavioural problems later in life."

"It is, therefore, essential to encourage prospective owners to be well informed regarding dog behaviour and to be aware of the importance of correct socialisation," she says.

Daniella Dos Santos, British Veterinary Association President, commented: "There are very good reasons why puppies shouldn't leave their mother before they're eight weeks old. Rehoming from this age means puppies are fully and correctly weaned, and staying with their mother in early development plays a vital role in social and behavioural development.

"Prospective puppy buyers should always ask to view them alongside their mother first and we strongly recommend using the free Puppy Contract to make sure that they're getting a happy, healthy and well-socialised animal from a reputable breeder or rehoming centre."

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