Key facts at a glance
- Puppies go through different stages of development in the first few months of life.
- According to the Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance, puppies may be separated from their mothers at the earliest after eight weeks.
- Puppies of small breeds tend to be given away a little earlier than their larger peers.
- In order not to impair the development of the puppies, it makes sense to hand them over a little later.
Puppies go through different stages of development
In order to understand at what age puppies should be handed over, a look at the different development phases of the small four-legged friends can help.
In the first four months of life, puppies go through the following phases:
- Neonatal phase (1st – 2nd week)
- Transition phase (3rd week)
- Imprinting phase (4th – 7th week)
- Socialization phase (8th – 12th week)
- Ranking Phase (13th – 16th week)
In the neonatal phase, the puppies are still deaf and blind. In addition, their sense of smell is not properly developed and they are still completely dependent on their mother. In the transition phase, eyes open and hearing begins to develop. Finally, in the imprinting phase, puppies have fully developed senses. They can recognize both their siblings and their mother and are ready for their first social contacts. In the socialization phase, it’s time to set the first rules and learn through play. In the ranking phase, puppies begin to test their boundaries and need to be shown them accordingly.
Legal regulations on the delivery age of puppies
The Animal Welfare Dog Ordinance contains, among other things, regulations on the delivery age of puppies. According to paragraph 2 (4), puppies may be separated from their mothers at the earliest after eight weeks. This requirement only lapses if a veterinarian concludes that not separating them earlier would harm the animals.
How Breed Affects Puppies Giving Age
As you may know, not all dog breeds develop equal. In addition to individual differences within a litter, the size of the respective breed plays a major role in the delivery age. Puppies of small breeds can often be given away as early as the ninth week. For medium-sized dogs it is advisable to wait until the tenth week and large dogs should not be separated from their mothers until the twelfth week if possible.
A late delivery has great advantages for puppies
You can certainly hardly wait to take your four-legged addition to the family home with you. Nevertheless, you should be patient. Because even if it is permitted by law, an early separation from their mother is not easy for puppies to cope with. After all, the socialization of the little four-legged friends has only started in the eighth week of life and a move at this point would bring with it considerable uncertainty. On the other hand, if you wait until the twelfth week, your puppy will already be much more self-confident and will get used to its new home more quickly, which ultimately benefits you as the owner.