What Is The Ideal Age To Adopt A Puppy?
Dogs have to overcome numerous difficulties and face various psychological processes during the stages of development. Precisely for this reason, it is advisable to start educating your four-legged friend when he is very young. In this regard, you have surely wondered what is the ideal age to adopt a puppy.
In order to answer this question, the right balance must first be established between birth, breastfeeding and the socialization process. Each change that occurs, in one or more of these phases, contributes to defining the behavior and subsequent perceptions of the animal.
Hence the importance of understanding what is the ideal age to adopt a puppy, in order to welcome an animal that is obedient, faithful and, at the same time, serene at home.
What is the ideal age to adopt a puppy? Coexistence with the mother and siblings
There is another question worth asking: when is the best time to separate the puppy from its mother and siblings ? What needs to be clear is that this family interaction is transcendental for newborn dogs. Being part of a litter produces enormous benefits, both physically and psychologically.
A newborn dog can be bottle fed, but it is best to respect the bond between the puppy, the mother and the siblings.
By respecting this phase, the dog will absorb all the nutrients useful for development from the parent. And, at the same time, he will learn to relate to other living beings, playing with little sisters and brothers.
Being with the mother allows the little ones to socialize with the larger members of their species without violence or fear. Sure, humans can come into contact with puppies right from the start, but it’s best to respect the natural order of things.
Early weaning
Simply stopping breastfeeding generates physical and behavioral changes in the pet. Some of the symptoms that are perceived are hyperactivity, aggression towards other individuals, stress and separation anxiety.
There is another problem with the lack of social inhibitions. Dogs weaned too early may have difficulty controlling their bite when playing. In adulthood, moreover, they will show serious difficulties and little security in the moment of mating.
Not to mention the physical disadvantages that occur in puppies weaned too early. Their immune systems are less strong against infections. This poses a real risk to their life expectancy.
What is the ideal age to adopt a puppy?
In the past it was believed that eight weeks (two months) was more than enough to separate the puppies from their natural family.
From this moment on, the education and training carried out by man is crucial during the process by which the animal will reach the long-awaited adult stage.
Today, however, it is believed that the best time to build an exclusive relationship between owner and puppy is from the three months of life.
In this way, early weaning is avoided and the animal is adopted after completing the cycle of social training within the litter.
During the first three months, the mother sets limits, teaches the little ones how to play without getting hurt and gives them all the affection they need.
Abruptly interrupting this process creates a series of difficulties which will then emerge during the training. The problem is that then, you owners, you would find animals in the house either too fearful or excessively aggressive.
Advantages of adopting a puppy after three months of life
This is the perfect age to start educating your new friend. Its cognitive ability will be at its peak and this will make the animal ready for social learning.
In no time, he will begin obeying your orders by taking advantage of positive reinforcement.
The emotional aspect is also fundamental. From the age of three months, the detachment of the family group is less traumatic and the attachment to the owner is welded in a very deep way.
Both from a physical point of view, of the organism, as well as psychological, of the mind, after three months you will be able to grow a perfect pet. Without trauma, without unexpected events, in complete safety.
Each dog develops its own personality, always in balance between its character, instinct and respect for the owner.
Taking a puppy into the house that is too small would make learning a lot more laborious.
As well as welcoming an elderly specimen, who will be difficult to lose any bad habits and, probably, who already hides a series of rather serious traumas.
The problem of adopting adult dogs
But be careful: not all older dogs create problems, indeed. The only difficulty is that dogs already have a well-defined personality that is difficult to improve.
Coexistence will be problematic for two reasons: the fact of not knowing completely his past and the lack of aptitude to learn new things, having already acquired a lot from the experiences lived.
Adopting an older dog is a gesture of great generosity. The important thing is to be well informed, talking with the volunteers of the shelter or the kennel, so as not to have any nasty surprises.
There are many dogs in there with docile and respectful years. It all depends on the type of trauma they have suffered through no fault of their own.
As we have seen, the ideal age to adopt a puppy is defined by the socialization process. With this, however, we do not want to reduce the discourse to a too simplistic and inappropriate generalization. Always remember this: each dog is a world apart.
