Comments on: When Can Puppies Leave Their Mother – When To Take Your Puppy Home

By: Sammie@LabSiteHQ

Sammie@LabSiteHQ — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 12:46:55 +0000

Hi Cheryl – take a look here: https://www.thelabradorsite.com/one-labrador-puppy-or-two/ 🙂

By: Cheryl Baer

Cheryl Baer — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 19:48:50 +0000

i am getting 2 pups at 12 weeks – apart from doing things separately and together – is there anything i should be aware of at this age?

By: Charlotte Fuller

Charlotte Fuller — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 15:03:05 +0000

How to handle the mother dog after taking her puppy. She’s sad

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sat, 30 Nov 2019 07:57:23 +0000

In reply to chiweenie.

They are not fully developed.

That’s a fact.

It is detrimental to them to leave their mother and their litter at 6 weeks old. Also a fact. What you “think” about a fact simply is not important. It doesn’t negate that fact.

Plus, there’s a really big issue not mentioned in this article – vaccinations. Puppies are not safe from a whole myriad of diseases without vaccinations. They can’t even begin the vaccination schedule until 5 weeks old, and there has to be 3 weeks between vaccination 1 and vaccination 2. And trust me, I’m in rescue, you do NOT want to see what happens when an unvaccinated puppy comes into contact with parvo or distemper, illnesses for which vaccination is the only prevention and for which there is no cure. The article talks about socialisation, which is vital for puppies, but this cannot properly be done until they are protected from diseases because you risk exposing them to all kinds of viruses if you introduce them to other dogs, other places, or even new people without that protection.

It is NOT WORTH the risk so owners can have an extra 2 weeks with a puppy. No reputable breeder would risk it.

By: chiweenie

chiweenie — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 11:24:17 +0000

hi pippa
i think 6 weeks are good and enough time to leave a puppy .. in this site i saw many coments but all ur suggations are valuable for me..
thnx and regards

By: Dani

Dani — Thu, 14 Dec 2017 19:39:36 +0000

Hello!
I came across your site while looking for information on caring for lab puppies. I have two young pups that appear to be labs or lab mixes (as they are much smaller than average) that my mother found abandoned on our families farm. No mother. No owner. No breeder. I took them to the vet and he estimated that they were about 5 weeks old. While I understand fully why you have no information regarding puppies younger than 6-8 weeks of age on your site, I’m curious about any advice you may have on caring for young pups who were abandoned.

By: Sam Wilkins

Sam Wilkins — Fri, 08 Sep 2017 02:33:08 +0000

I like how mentioned resisting a three-week old puppy because he still needs his mother. My friend wanted to adopt a puppy of that age. After reading your article, it sounds like it will be better if she waits.

By: cristina

cristina — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 06:01:20 +0000

Hi. I am in Spain and have found a breeder of border collies. He separated the pups from the mum at 4 weeks. They are next to each other in the kennel, but only occasionally together. The puppuies are all together being fed cows milk and kibble. I am a bit concerned , as the puppies dont look clean and happy. They are smelly too. I know the cows milk is not the best for them. I dont know if im overly concerned about things or i should walk away. I really want the doggy and the children are looking forward getting the puppy.is it very bad they were put aside from mum at 4 weeks and given cows milk? Their cage is only 6m2 , can they look dirty and not happy because lacjk of space? Should i walk away? I think in Spain they are not as responsible as in uk

By: Kathleen Ruth

Kathleen Ruth — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 18:04:47 +0000

In reply to Gail Hill.

One thing that has helped with biting puppies is to yelp REALLY LOUDLY and at a high pitch–just as a brother or sister would have done. Also, IMMEDIATELY stop playing, petting, paying ANY attention at all to your puppy. I will even turn my back to her.
Your puppy wants to play with you and get attention from you more than anything and this seems to have worked really well for me.
My little girl (who didn’t leave momma early but still needed to learn that I don’t have a thick layer of fur over my skin!) has gotten MUCH better VERY quickly!
Now, all I have to say is, “no mouth!” and she stops.
Be patient. Your puppy doesn’t WANT to hurt you but he just doesn’t know any better until you teach him.

By: Lucy

Lucy — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 19:10:23 +0000

In reply to nadia.

Hi Nadia, This article will give you more information regarding the importance of spending two more weeks with their mother and littermates: https://www.thelabradorsite.com/collecting-your-labrador-puppy-at-five-or-six-weeks-old/