Picking up new puppy too late?

[Bittle]

I feel stupid posting this but am hoping for some reassurance (but fearing I will get the opposite!). We are picking up our new lab puppy from the breeder in a couple of days. Before now we have only had older rescue dogs. We were originally thinking that we would get a puppy later this year. But for reasons I won't go into here, we decided just recently that now would be better. A breeder I'd been looking at happened to have a few puppies ready to go straight away: they'd had two litters close together of almost exclusively males, and so a few people on their waiting list who wanted females passed on these litters. We met the puppies - now 12 weeks old - and the mum, etc and have now signed up and paid for one. We knew he was slightly older than normal to be heading off to his home, and accepted that meant we'd missed the cuteness of the very tiny puppy stage. But I've only just focussed on the importance of the socialisation window, which is basically over. I'm now so worried that, despite our best efforts, he won't grow into a well-adjusted dog. Any positive stories please?

Thanks. Have PM'd you - hope you don't mind.

I personally think 12 weeks is least of your worries. 12 weeks is a good time. We always collected around 12 weeks. They are so much more confident.

we have a 1 year old working Labrador. He comes from a line of gun dogs. They are not for the faint of heart.

always had labradors but working type is a entire different kettle of fish then show type. they need a job. Our boy I could walk him for 6+ hours a day and he still would need more. Without a job he’s destructive and is definitely not layed back.

my show types have always been lazy, calm and not needed nearly as much mental stimulation. Active yes but no where near as insane as our working lab.

Dont get me wrong he’s fantastic and I couldn’t fault him, but we knew by going down the working line we was going to have to work him.

I think 12 weeks is ideal. I think ours was about that no issues. Some keep them for longer. We got our cats at 14 weeks.

As someone about to say goodbye to a litter…there is a reason good breeders do not have two litters at once, or even close together….because it’s impossible to give the dogs the care and attention they require and raise them properly. And puppies should be inside - to much can go wrong very quickly with puppies, particularly young ones.

What breed are they?

Throw this lot back.

Oh can just see you’ve said lab (see - puppy brain in action).

Absolutely not. I’d be running away, not even walking.

Wheres the picture of said puppy?

Don’t have one, I’m afraid!

I would agree with @Testerical

12 weeks would be fine, if the breeder was socialising them. The two litters in close succession is also a red flag. Properly bringing up a litter takes real time and effort, with socialisation planning and protocols. The breeder we used has a max of two a year.

And as for the fact your puppy has FTCH in their lineage, you'll have a very busy, alert dog who needs a job. This isn't an obstacle in itself, but it does need a lot of thought/time as to what you do. We have a young working line labrador who doesn't formally work, but we do gundog training, obedience and scentwork to keep her occupied otherwise she'd be bored, understimulated, and would make her own fun which would include chewing and destruction. She is also very strong and muscular due to her lineage. She's a joy, but still not "there" - it's taken nearly 2 years of immensely hard work to get her to this point and I know this will continue.

All of these things you need to factor in, but the bigger concern for me is the two litters in close succession and a kennel environment with seemingly few proactive socialisation protocols.

Happy for you to PM me.

I can’t advise on the breeder - I think you’ve had some good advice there and perhaps it would be better to rethink?

I did want to comment on the age and breed you’ve chosen though if ok. Albeit I’m not as experienced as most. It’s my understanding that the socialisation window starts to close at 14 weeks and is closed by 16 so you’d still have plenty of time. Would the pup have had second jabs?

Also, I got my first ever dog 2 months ago - a working line lab with lots of FT CH in his lineage and so far (he is only 4 months old so this could change!) he’s actually been remarkably calm and well behaved for a pup! Yes he has his moments but nothing at all like what I have seen others struggle with! He was the calmest of the litter when I went to visit him though.

Working labs should be calm as you can’t successfully work a hyper dog. I don’t work dog but I often take on ex working dogs. The labs have never been a problem. They’ve taken everything in their stride. Terriers never loose the working bit but adapt well. I recently got a working line cocker who isn’t working and he’s constantly on the go totally different to any lab who have all been very happy to chill

@Autumn1990 I did wonder this actually. I’m still learning but my understanding is that a working lab’s ‘job’ is different to, say, a spaniel’s - as in the Lab is required to sit and focus before being sent to retrieve? Would you say that’s accurate?
I read a book on gun dog training and it had separate sections for labs as opposed to other breeds - I remember distinctly reading “the Labrador’s place, unless he is retrieving, is by your side” and wondered if this is why training my pup to heel and stay to wait for instruction has been a bit easier than I anticipated.
I may be talking rubbish though and happy to be corrected!

All the dogs on a shoot day need to be calm and obey. The guns dogs need to sit by the person shooting and wait until there’s something to retrieve. The beaters and flankers dogs need to stay next to them so the birds go in the desired direction. The game keepers and picker uppers dogs need to wait until the drive is over and then go in and retrieve all the birds, especially the ones that have been injured but not killed. The best dogs sit and watch where the birds land, making a mental note of where they are so they can retrieve them.
One dog misbehaving can wreck a drive. Field trial trained dogs need to be guided in to retrieve whereas others prefer a dog that will retrieve without any guidance.
I have noticed with litters of working dogs (sheep dogs and gun dogs) breeders will often off load a dog that will a strong will to a pet home as it wouldn’t be suitable to sell to someone who does field trials or someone who shoots a few days a year. This type of dog should go to someone who can work it most of the season but they won’t pay huge amounts for dogs.

I have 2 dogs. One was 6 months old when I got her. (Breeder was going to keep her then changed her mind). The other one was 4 months old when I got him - breeders let him
go for the same reason. No problems with either of them. We went through the toilet training phase just the same.

We got our first pup at 12 weeks as she was coming from overseas and needed her vaccination. She was a dream - delightful and so easy to housetrain! Also mad as a box of frogs, but I think that’s just red setters….

I picked my pup up at 16 weeks , as you say apart from the cuteness factor , absolutely not a single issue & he’s now 3.5 years .
He only wee’d indoors twice as was basically toilet trained by time he came home .
I have heard that the longer they stay with their mum the better as she teaches them manners and social skills .
No regrets whatsoever x

Our puppy came home at 12 weeks and I don’t recognise any of the nightmare puppy threads on here! He was fully vaccinated and able to go for walks, about 80% toilet trained, slept through the night and was used to cars, children, strangers, loud noises etc. from the get go.

The age in itself isn't necessarily an issue. A good breeder will be exposing a pup to all the sights and sounds exactly as a new owner would do. But this pup is not being raised in a domestic setting.

I’m not sure it matters all that much at 12 weeks - they’re still well within the socialisation window and will get used to a house pretty quickly. A

I x-posted with you yesterday OP, and looking back can see this litter has lots of FTCh in it's near ancestry. If you want a pet, I'm not sure this is the litter for you - unless the breeder has a very chilled and unambitious (i.e. not crazy) puppy that will do better in a pet home.

There is IME no big issue with rearing a litter in kennels as long as they get a lot of exposure to the world before the socialisation window closes.

@Autumn1990 One dog misbehaving can wreck a drive. Can't it just!