# Thoughts on 13 - 15 week old puppies?



## Dogdreamer (Sep 15, 2013)

Do you think finding a puppy that is a few weeks older than the usual 8 will affect anything training/bonding wise?

The dogs I'm looking at are a touch older than I planned on but I'm not sure how much those few weeks make. I will be introducing her to cats and starting obedience classes.


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## fredh (Sep 10, 2013)

We got Jake when he was 16 weeks from the Breeder and the Training/Bonding could not have gone any better!


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## jlhorowitz36 (Sep 2, 2013)

We got our puppy at 12 weeks and things have gone very well. I take her every where I can and especially to work (veterinary hosp) and she's responded and adjusted very well to everything. My cats though I'm not sure. She likes cats. They just don't like her. So hissing and running is a very fun game and she then starts barking at them. I wonder if we had gotten her a few weeks younger if my cats would have adjusted better(they've never had a dog). So it has now almost been 6 weeks with her and no less reactive cats. I wonder how long in usually takes for cats to adjust to something like that? My pup however I have witnessed her lick a dog savvy cat on the head with no issues. (Problem is my cats). As far as that goes I think if your cats are fine with the dogs it would be easier to adjust to an older puppy. 


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## JustJim (Sep 6, 2010)

My girl Z was 15-16 weeks old (I don't recall exactly) when she finally arrived. No problems with bonding/training, etc. C was about 7 _years_ old when she came here, and again, no problems with bonding/training, etc. 

There have been ups and downs with both of them, but none attributable to their ages when they got here.


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## Markobytes (Sep 11, 2012)

A puppy's brain develops as it ages and it's environment and experiences suppress or bring out what it has genetically forming it into the dog that it will be.This formation stage ends around 16 weeks. If a breeder does not know this or does not care and just leaves the pups together not giving them the experiences necessary their potential will be lost. A dog can transfer a bond to another human but it has to have been able to make that bond early. The socialization period ends at 16 weeks, depending on the breeding this can be critical. I believe that both the play relationship and the puppy learning how to learn are maximized before 16 weeks.


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## GSDBESTK9 (Mar 26, 2002)

Not one bit!


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Depends on what you expect. For me, probably, but I raise and train my dogs differently than some other people and a lot of it starts at 7-8 weeks. If the breeder or previous owner wasn't doing what I do, then yes a 13-15 week old puppy will be behind, but if I really like the dog and the genetics it probably wouldn't matter enough for me to not get the dog.


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## Booboos (Oct 4, 2013)

For me a puppy should be with its mum until at least 6 weeks and then there is a socialisation window from about 8 weeks to about 14-16 weeks (depending on who you read!). That window is the opportunity to introduce the puppy to the world and if you miss it there can be problems later on (which usually don't manifest until about 18 months old). If the breeder has done a lot of the socialisation for you then it should be fine, but personally I don't trust others and want my puppies at 8 weeks!


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## KatsMuse (Jun 5, 2012)

Dogdreamer said:


> Do you think finding a puppy that is a few weeks older than the usual 8 will affect anything training/bonding wise?
> 
> The dogs I'm looking at are a touch older than I planned on but I'm not sure how much those few weeks make. I will be introducing her to cats and starting obedience classes.


It depends on how the breeder is socializing and/or training them.
I've had some pups at 8 weeks, others older.

I personally prefer them younger, for some of the same reasons Makobytes & Liesje have mentioned.

JMO. 
 Kat


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## kiya (May 3, 2010)

I got Kiya when she was about 15 weeks old. Her breeder did a good job she came to me knowing some basic commands and she was socialized not left to run wild.


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## Redrider469 (Jul 19, 2013)

I got Leena at 16 weeks. She was crate/potty trained and knows basic commands. She also got to hang with her mom, brother and 3 other GSD's varying in age. She has been perfect since we brought her home. So far no issues at all and has bonded quite well with us.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

It depends on the puppy. Some are perfectly fine waiting for a few extra months. Some bond great after a year. 

Rescue people will chime in, but you can take a pup or a dog out of an awful situation, and that dog will still bond with its new owners.


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## Brindle (Sep 2, 2013)

We got Gerda when she was 16 weeks old. Her breeders did a fantastic job with her, she was crate and potty trained when we got her and she got extra time dominating her two brothers! We've had her for 9 months now and we've noticed that she is bonding more deeply with us in the last few months.


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## zyppi (Jun 2, 2006)

think it depends.. what has happened between 8 weeks (normal time for pups to leave litter) and the 13 - 14 weeks.

Personally, I find it easier to work with an 8 week old pup.

With training and care, bond will develop either way.


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