Last Updated on April 24, 2024 by Dr. Julie
You are excited about the news that you will get a puppy, but can you take a puppy home at 6 weeks, or you will have to wait?
Bringing home a 6-week-old puppy can affect your dog negatively for the rest of its life.
If you are a breeder, you might be wondering if 6 weeks pups are ready to be released to their new owners. Can puppies be without their mom at 6 weeks?
Research shows that a puppy’s early separation and mother disrupts the puppy’s physiological and psychological development to answer both the breeder and the new owner.
The older and responsible breeders understand that puppies should not be separated from their mothers until they are ready. Even the legal timeline does not mean they are ready. However, by 8 weeks, most puppies are ready to start their new life, and it’s the best time to take them home.
At 6 weeks, it can appear like the puppies are ready to leave their mother since they are no longer nursing, but that’s not the case. 2 more weeks and you will have better puppies that you can fully enjoy raising and training.
Table of Contents
6-Week-Old Puppys’ Development
You will notice the following signs on both the mother and the pups.
- The puppy is no longer too attached or dependent on its mother but is keen to explore the outside world.
- The mother is exhausted and rashes out at the puppies who try to nurse.
- The puppies have new sharp teeth that they bite their mother’s breasts with
- They are anti-social and can only deal with their mother. Breeders love to cuddle these newly weaned litters to comfort them and develop their social being. They also love unconditionally and have no sign of danger. Their emotions are displayed in a mixed manner- unbridled joy, aggression, unexplained anxiety, and, more disturbingly, possessiveness.
- They are in the “fight and fright stage”. Their emotions are unchecked because they have underdeveloped cognitive abilities.
- Much like human babies, they have a false sense of belief that the world revolves around them.
- These independent pups start to get around their surroundings with no sense of boundaries or law. They have no idea where they start or end and can bump into everything on their path.
- They love to explore the world with their teeth and mouths. If left unchecked, they are a nuisance to everything on their way. They will bite hard, destroy property, hurt their mother, hurt each other, or anything else they meet.
- These pups will discover their own voices and delight in using them. They whine, growl and bark, for no good reason. In fact, the barking starts as early as 6 to 7 weeks.
- They also develop a pack mentality whereby if one bark, they all bark; if one chases a toy, they all follow.
Bottom-line, these puppies still need to be home in the familiar territory they have been raised.
From The Above Development Characteristics, This Is Our Summary
A 6-week-old puppy is weaning and eating solid food. He is learning to be sociable and gets happy when you visit and get to cuddle and know them, but they are not ready to leave the rest of the family members just yet.
Puppies taken home at 5 to 6 weeks tend to have problems learning to play gently. They will not be as well-adjusted as puppies that leave home at 8 weeks.
Breeders who advise you to take a 6-week home should be avoided as it demonstrates their ignorance about excellent breeding practices or their lack of care for the puppies.
The puppy is already 6 weeks; in 2 more weeks, they will be ready to bring home. Have some little patience and get a bigger, stronger, and ready pup to become part of your family.
For everyone asking how old puppies have to be sold, let it be well known that 8 months is the legal age for a pet to leave its family and join its new home.
So Can You Take A Puppy Home At 6 Weeks?
The answer to this question is NO. At 6 weeks, these puppies are too young to take home. This doesn’t mean they can’t survive because they are already independent feeders. But still, at this time, they have not developed their social skills fully, and they need the rest of the family to help them develop.
Learn more about: Do You Know What To Feed Puppies At 6 Weeks?
The optimal age remains 8 to 9 weeks as per the legal timeline.
Allow the 6 weeks puppy to play, learn and enjoy life while developing important qualities required in a puppy’s life.
Hang in there; in a few weeks, the pups will be all yours, and you can spoil them as best as you want.
What Happens If You Take A Puppy Home At 6 Weeks?
If you don’t listen to the above advice and insist on taking a puppy home at 6 weeks, be ready to face some issues.
Puppies that are not properly socialized are cut off from an important part of their development. This makes the dog end up with long-term behavioral issues.
The puppy will suffer from separation anxiety because it cannot cope on its own.
It will become easily frustrating, leading to destructive behavior, and you will not learn patience.
The puppy will lack confidence and exhibit signs of fear, aggression and food possessiveness.
It will always seek attention with behavior that could be bad.
Conclusion
Next time someone asks you when can a puppy leave its mom, let them know they can only do so 8 to 9 weeks later.
Well-socialized pups make such good pets because they know how to socialize and interact with people and other dogs without getting aggressive. They can also adapt to a new environment that they move to and make new friends fast.
Giving a puppy 2 more weeks to mature into an 8 week old is critical in ensuring the dog is ready for a new environment. Leave the puppy for this short time and get a fun-loving, happy pup that you will enjoy the rest of your life.
If you are a breeder, you know the legal age for releasing these pets, be responsible for your pets, and protect them from such early sales.
