# Is 12 weeks too old to integrate with babies?



## Rigel (Mar 7, 2015)

I just found a really,really wonderfully bred 12 week old female. 

The breeder was planning on keeping her to use her for her breeding program but decided not to (as to why I'm not sure - I will have to get more information on that). 

However, she is going to be 12 weeks old in just a few days. I was planning on getting a much younger puppy figuring that they would bond better with the family. 

I have no doubt the 12 week old girl would bond well BUT I'm not sure if she would be able to integrate into a family with babies and other small children since I have twins that are just over a year old. 

Does anyone have any experience with this?

I've done a lot of reading on the other threads and people say as long as the pup was socialized. 

Like going out and meeting new dogs and people, right? 

Anyone have any thoughts?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

My pup will be 12 weeks tomorrow and is going through a huge landshark phase. If you have your puppy around 1yr old twins, it is a recipe for disaster. They will get bitten from those sharp teeth, and then scream, which will ramp up the puppy. 
It is doable but you will need to manage the puppy and remove her when she gets in the zoomie all out bite anything in her path moments. 
My pup can be very gentle, but there are times, when my arm is his sleeve, he'll grip it and try to take off. Or my socks. 
Babies have toys much like puppies do, so are you willing to let them share? It'll be hard to teach either one which is which!


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## JoeyG (Nov 17, 2013)

12 weeks its still a tiny baby too. Adult dogs can be integrated fine with supervision. I can tell you from experience they will both hurt each other at times and no matter what age you get a puppy at it will catch up with human kids fast. You will need enormous patience for a puppy with a baby because in the end they too are babies learning. Lots of work and there will be blood lol, well worth if you make it through though. Don't underestimate how crazy it will drive you because it will


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## Rigel (Mar 7, 2015)

onyx'girl said:


> My pup will be 12 weeks tomorrow and is going through a huge landshark phase. If you have your puppy around 1yr old twins, it is a recipe for disaster. They will get bitten from those sharp teeth, and then scream, which will ramp up the puppy.
> It is doable but you will need to manage the puppy and remove her when she gets in the zoomie all out bite anything in her path moments.
> My pup can be very gentle, but there are times, when my arm is his sleeve, he'll grip it and try to take off. Or my socks.
> Babies have toys much like puppies do, so are you willing to let them share? It'll be hard to teach either one which is which!


With the twins I have major gates/containment units set up and I _think_ I may have it set up so that the twins will be safe from the puppy and the puppy safe from the twins. I figure there is no way I can have both babies around the puppy at the same time. I won't be able to do that unless my husband is at home - at least not at first. 

I've thought about the toy thing and I am willing to let them share LOL. 

To be honest it wouldn't bother me a whole lot if my baby picked up a toy a dog had chewed on. (Am I a horrible parent? *sigh* I mean, the kids ate a Cheerio off the floor the other day before I could grab them.)

I figure it's going to be insane for awhile but in the end it will be SO worth it.


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## Rigel (Mar 7, 2015)

JoeyG said:


> 12 weeks its still a tiny baby too. Adult dogs can be integrated fine with supervision. I can tell you from experience they will both hurt each other at times and no matter what age you get a puppy at it will catch up with human kids fast. You will need enormous patience for a puppy with a baby because in the end they too are babies learning. Lots of work and there will be blood lol, well worth if you make it through though. Don't underestimate how crazy it will drive you because it will


Trust me, with twins and the older kids crazy happened a long time ago! I think the chaos won't bother me a bit but I know it will be a crap ton of work. Insane amounts of work...sleep deprivation...training...

But, you're right that when I make it through it, if I do, it will be worth it and the best thing ever.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I had to crate my pup twice tonight because he was all crazy...but as long as the pup learns to settle in a crate it works very well. I let him out and he's calmer. 
I raised my kids with a golden/border mix and it was stressful(though I was also breeding parrots and had baby 
Moluccans with a 17 month old. Insanity at its best
As I typed this, Gabit yanked the laptop cord, pulling my just poured glass of cabernet with it...all over him, the table, my laptop and the couch. It took me 15 minutes to clean up that mess. Now I have a puppy that smells like red wine.


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## Rigel (Mar 7, 2015)

onyx'girl said:


> I had to crate my pup twice tonight because he was all crazy...but as long as the pup learns to settle in a crate it works very well. I let him out and he's calmer.
> I raised my kids with a golden/border mix and it was stressful(though I was also breeding parrots and had baby
> Moluccans with a 17 month old. Insanity at its best
> As I typed this, Gabit yanked the laptop cord, pulling my just poured glass of cabernet with it...all over him, the table, my laptop and the couch. It took me 15 minutes to clean up that mess. Now I have a puppy that smells like red wine.


LOL Red wine certainly smells better than a lot of other things! 

The puppy has already been started on crate training so I hope that she will be OK in a crate since I've always done crate training with all my dogs.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

I don't think it would be any easier with an 8 week old puppy. Best pup I ever had I got as a 12 week old. It really depends on the puppy. My current dog (almost 2 now), had great bite inhibition as a youngster. Be encouraged. At 12 weeks, the pup will probably be easier to house break and train (and them remember it instead of having to have so many reminders).


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

There are not enough hours in the day to make this work if you want to give them what they (pup and twins) need. 
You said, "If I make it through". Raising a pup cannot afford taking chances. If I were the breeder I would never give you a pup as long as you have such a busy family. Gates and crates do not raise a pup.
Take a deep breath and envision the details once the excitement of a pup is gone (next day).


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

wolfy is very correct, but it can be done. all to often the puppy ends up spending to much time in the crate.


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