Advice On Getting A New Puppy

[Michelleva]

Our family are considering adopting a pup next year. I have a particular breed in mind, which is medium sized. What I'm interested in is if there is any difference in bringing a pup home at 8 weeks as opposed to 10 or 11 weeks??? Most of the breeders of our chosen breed are letting the pups go around the 8 week mark, but my preferred breeder is desexing them prior, so they leave a couple of weeks later? Will this make any difference to the pups social skills down the track.

We plan to do puppy preschool and dog obedience. What are your thoughts.

[Sandra777]

Our family are considering adopting a pup next year. I have a particular breed in mind, which is medium sized. What I'm interested in is if there is any difference in bringing a pup home at 8 weeks as opposed to 10 or 11 weeks??? Most of the breeders of our chosen breed are letting the pups go around the 8 week mark, but my preferred breeder is desexing them prior, so they leave a couple of weeks later? Will this make any difference to the pups social skills down the track.

We plan to do puppy preschool and dog obedience. What are your thoughts.

I would doubt it would have any negative effect in this case because if the breeder is concerned enough about their pups to go to the "bother" of desexing them before they leave then chances are they're extremely concerned about socialisation, training etc. ASK the breeder what they do to socialise the puppies and compare this to what you would have done.

Pups left sitting in a kennel during this time might have a few issues, but I would be surprised if this was the case here.

Opening a whole different can of worms - medium sized breed and early desexing is something you may want to research.

[poodlefan]

Male or female?

What breed?

If you have any aspirations towards doing agility with your new dog, I'd suggest you would be better off going with a pup that you desex later than 8 weeks.

Edited August 30, 2009 by poodlefan

[Michelleva]

We're thinking of a sheltie pup. The breeder I've spoken to I feel is very good at what they do, but I will ask about the socialisation side of it.

Early desexing doesn't bother me, I just see it as one less thing to do down the track. We may want to do agility later but see how we go with obedience first. We've never done any dog sports since our old dog was a senior rescue dog. Male or female, we haven't decided, we were going to take it as it comes at the time. If a male dog picked us, then a boy it would be or vice versa.

Poodlefan, can I ask why a dogs ability do to agility will be effected by its being desexed at an earlier age?

[poodlefan]

We're thinking of a sheltie pup. The breeder I've spoken to I feel is very good at what they do, but I will ask about the socialisation side of it.

Early desexing doesn't bother me, I just see it as one less thing to do down the track. We may want to do agility later but see how we go with obedience first. We've never done any dog sports since our old dog was a senior rescue dog. Male or female, we haven't decided, we were going to take it as it comes at the time. If a male dog picked us, then a boy it would be or vice versa.

Poodlefan, can I ask why a dogs ability do to agility will be effected by its being desexed at an earlier age?

Early desexing, unfortunately, isn't as simple as "now we don't have to do it later". You are surgically removing a primary source of homones in a growing youngster.

Desexing such young puppies affects the growth rate of bones. Pups desexed early grow longer and lankier than pups desexed later because some bones grow longer than on an undesexed pup. This changes important angles in the dog's conformation. When you alter the way a dog is structurally put together in this manner, you place more stress on muscles and tendons. Add high demands from a very althletic sport and you may end up with an unsound dog.

Dr Christine Zink, arguably the foremost dogs sports vet in the USA, recommends against desexing any sports dog before the age of 14 months. If you want more detail on this, I can provide some links/studies.

If your pup's breeder is insistent that the pup will only rehomed sterile, I'd suggest you investigate either tubal ligation of vasectomy.

Edited August 31, 2009 by poodlefan

[Gayle.]

Michelle, we brought Benson home at 11 weeks, and Dusty came to us aged 8 weeks. To be honest, there was really very little difference, Dusty was just smaller. We socialised both of them from the day they came home, with lots of new experiences, sight, sounds, car rides, visits...and they are both fine. If anything, Benson has the better temperament (he is friendlier to strangers).

I'm kind of "on the fence" as far as early desexing is concerned. Benson was desexed at 4 1/2 months because I'd promised the breeder he'd be done as soon as possible, and I haven't regretted it. He's all boy....he pees like a boy, he's built like a boy (big, broad chest and shoulders, big blocky head, sizeable paws) and he knows exactly what boys are supposed to do when girls smell nice.

But I also understand that there's a bit of controversy over early desexing and if a boy dog comes my way again, I might look into it further. But had I said I'd not be getting Benson desexed until he was fully grown, I'd not have been able to buy the puppy. Simple as that.

[Oscar (AmBull)]

Hi I have no real experience in this however have been dealing with the desexing issue myself.

I have an almost 6 month old Amstaff who we have decided not to desex until a later date, unless behavioural issues arise. We will definitely desex him, however were going to wait until around 18 months due to the growth issues.

Is it possible for you to add the links poodlefan?

I have been trying to get a lot of information on it and havent had much luck, maybe because we were informed of pinhead so I was searching under that.

Sounds like you have found a breeder you are really happy with Mich & Jake, I think that is half the battle. Hope it all works out for you and your puppy.

[Michelleva]

Thanks for your input everyone, its been really helpful.

[helen]

My last litter left at 10 weeks as they were vaccinated at 8 weeks. They have had no problems but all were very outgoing, confident pups with outgoing parents

[Odin-Genie]

I got Odin at 8 weeks and Genie at 12 weeks. To me it made a lot of difference. I continued to feel that with Genie I missed out on 4 precious puppy weeks.

My dogs were desexed at about 6 months and I haven't had any issues.

[poodlefan]

Discussion about early desexing and links to articles are in this thread

[luvsdogs]

Discussion about early desexing and links to articles are in this thread

I got April just under 6 weeks old & so did my son with Sooty. Although both dogs were great to live with, they both lacked the socialisation they would have got from staying longer with their litters.

Tilba was nearly 12 weeks old when I got her & there was a great difference. She is so totally different. I was worried about missing out on those extra 4 puppy weeks but in the end she was still a puppy & more outgoing.

The link that poodlefan gave is the one I 1st saw b4 getting Tilba. I waited until she had 1 season & had her spayed at 14 m/o to give her the best chance in life.