Getting Puppy at 13 weeks I think this is too late

[freshstart24]

My mum has found a gorgeous Labrador Puppy from a reputable breeder. Hip and elbow scores or parents are good and they have no eye issues.

Puppy is 11 weeks. Mum has plans for next two weeks. So is planning to collect Puppy at 13 weeks.

I'm concerned that this is too late- it's almost at the end of the socialisation window.

I'd love to hear stories of people with puppies who stayed with their litter for this long and have ended up being confident sociable, well behaved dogs....

[BigBlueBubble]

No reputable breeder will let you take a puppy before about 12 weeks anyway. Mine was 12 weeks and still feeding from his mum when I collected him. He’s turned out absolutely fine.

[missbattenburg]

No reputable breeder will let you take a puppy before about 12 weeks anyway.

Of course they will. Most breeds are weaned by about 8 weeks, though some (chihuahuas for e.g.) take longer.

These are labs. They will have been off mum by about 6-7 weeks old.

In terms of whether or not 13 weeks is too late - that very much depends on what the breeder has done with the puppies in the last few weeks. If they've been exposed to all the same situations as you would expose them too then the extra time is unlikely to cause an issue. If they've just been kept in the house so limited in their experience then this may be trickier.

I think there is some evidence that puppies not exposed to humans during that time struggle to bond with them, ever - but that is (presumably) not the case here.

Socialisation is important and easier during those first few weeks but for many things it's not like a door has suddenly closed and you are out of time. The dog is still capable of habituating to different environments etc beyond then.

[LovingLola]

Ours was 13 weeks. She was very well socialised with her mother, litter mates and also with the lady we bought her from. She was almost fully house trained as well and weaned onto solid food. Had her vaccinations and health checks specific to her breed and was also microchipped.

[HomeOfMyOwn]

It all depends on how good the breeder really is. A good breeder will have been doing all the socialisation you would do and doing house training.

My cocker spaniel was 10.5weeks when I brought him home, he was pretty much house trained and had had a great early socialisation (he'd been doing all the stuff an owner should in those first few weeks home). I would have been happy to have got him, even if he was older from this breeder.

If however the breeder isn't doing the socialisation and house training to a high standard then 13weeks is too late for a lab.

One issue is vacs - is breeder getting both sets done for when dog is picked up? Otherwise it'll be fairly late before he could be walked and he'll be very heavy to carry around.

[freshstart24]

Sigh, I'm not sure about vaccinations etc.. I've tried asking but my mum is now not listening to me as she's angry that I've pointed out that 13 weeks is late for a Labrador.

She thinks it's all mumbo jumbo but I've read and researched all this for my own purposes and I'm convinced that correct early socialisation is important.

If anyone can find a link to an easy to read piece of info about this I'd be very grateful. She is unlikely to read anything too complicated as she doesn't want to believe it....

[PuppyMonkey]

Getting a golden retriever puppy next week from a very reputable breeder - he will be
8 and a bit weeks.

We’ve been reading up on the 12 week socialising window thing too OP, so I understand the concerns. Having said that, our neighbours got a puppy at 12 weeks and he’s a lovely dog (he’s one year old now).

[PuppyMonkey]

This link any good OP

www.vetknowhow.co.uk/blog/puppy-socialisation

[adaline]

We brought our pup home at 12 weeks and he's fabulous. Our breeder had already started toilet training and getting him used to wearing a collar, harness and lead. He'd had all his vaccinations, been chipped and was fully health checked.

I think whether 13 weeks is "too late" or not depends on the breeder and how much work they've done with the pups.

[Greenwomanofmay]

We didn’t get our lab puppy until she was 14 weeks. No issues with bonding or socialisation and she was an amazing dog until she died age 16. She did come from a family environment.
Now we’ve got 2 retired gun dogs both labs neither had been on leads, or in a family and both adapted really well and quickly. Both are fantastically well behaved and we are constantly complemented on how good they are.

[YoureAllABunchOfBastards]

We got BastardPup at 11 weeks. I think a lot depends on how you treat the dog and what you do with him

[Lichtie]

Of course 13 weeks isn't too late. A lot leave at around 8 weeks, but some much later. If it is a reputable breeder they are probably socialising it better than you would be able to.

[argentino]

Got our GSD at 12 weeks. We just came back from a walk where his manners were complimented twice- he's bloody perfect!

[Veterinari]

//Www.puppyplan.com is a great resource, for checking stages of development but any good breeder should be starting socialisation activities from about 6 weeks

[liz70]

We first met our whippet pup at 9 weeks 1 day old, fell in love with her, so put down 80% of the cost plus a holding fee to cover her second jag (the first had been done by her breeder the day before) and the next three weeks while we were away on holiday.

We then returned to collect her 22 days later, when she was 12 weeks 3 days old, completely innoculated and ready to go home with us, or at least to my parents where we staying en route to and from our holiday. Then, the next day, we travelled the 250 miles back to our own home. She journeyed just fine; no sickness or distress.

That was four weeks ago, she is now four months old, has settled in and bonded just great with us, enjoys running free in our five local parks (four in walking distance), and meeting and playing with all the other dogs. Socialisation hasn't been a problem at all. So no, I don't think 12 weeks is too late at all.

[villainousbroodmare]

Your puppy will have benefited from a long period with her siblings, learning social skills that early-weaned puppies miss out on. Hopefully she will also have seen a few other things, but on balance, even if she is encountering plenty of stuff for the first time after 12 weeks, that time spent learning to interact with other dogs should prove very advantageous.