The ideal age to bring a puppy home is 8 weeks old.

Here’s why…

Optimal Socialization

• By 8 weeks, puppies have completed their critical socialization period, which is key for developing positive interactions with people, other animals, and different environments. Bringing a puppy home at this age helps ensure they are well-adjusted.

Weaning and Nutrition

• At 8 weeks, puppies should be fully weaned from their mother and can eat solid food. This gives them a good start in terms of nutrition and reduces the reliance on their mother.

Mother’s Role

• Puppies learn important behaviors from their mother and littermates. By 8 weeks, they are ready to transition to their new home, but spending time with their mother and siblings until then helps them develop proper behavior and bite inhibition.

Developmental Milestones

• At 8 weeks, puppies are at a developmental stage where they are ready for early training and begin to understand basic concepts like housebreaking and crate training.

8 weeks old is the ideal age to bring a puppy home, as they are fully weaned, ready for socialization, and have completed a critical period of learning with their mother and littermates.