Best Age To Get A Labrador Puppy (Warning, can be a Disaster if you don’t Listen)
A Labrador puppy is a great addition to any family. They are known for being loyal, loving, and great with kids. But what is the best age to get a Labrador puppy?
I guess, instead of asking about the best age to get a Labrador puppy, an owner should ask that:
Table of Contents
How old must a puppy be to leave its mother? Also, understanding the consequences of adopting a puppy before it is ready to leave its mother.
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The best age to get a Labrador puppy is 8 weeks old.
Let me cut straight to the chase and mention that you should never adopt a Labrador puppy until it is at least 8 weeks old. Even experts recommend adopting a puppy in the 8th week, not even in the 7th.
Now, you might be wondering why 8 weeks is so important. Can you take a puppy home at 6 weeks even when you are willing to provide the proper care?
Labrador is a very popular and friendly dog in the United States, everybody wants to own a Lab.
When can you take a puppy home
The best age to take a puppy home is 8 weeks or older. It is not suggested to take a puppy home any earlier than 8 weeks.
Taking away a puppy from its mother at an early age will cause apparent issues in development. No matter the level of your care and love for a puppy.
A puppy may develop stress and aggression issues, over-reactivity, along with some learning problems and fearfulness, which can become part of your puppy’s behavior.
Labrador puppies learn from their mother
You may wonder why you should adopt a Labrador puppy at some specific age. There are some clear-cut reasons why dog breeders never allow people to adopt Labrador before the 8 weeks.
That’s when the puppies learn about the new behaviors and the environment from their first school, that is, their mother.
As owners, we should respect this learning period and wait to bring home a puppy at 8 weeks old instead of an early age.
1. Discipline
Puppies learn from their mothers. Labrador puppies learn to behave well and get disciplined by their mother even before they are 8 weeks old.
At a young age, Labrador puppies throw tantrums that a stern dog mother can handle.
2. Nutrients
Not just the behaviors, but Labrador puppies learn to live in every kind of environment from their mother.
Mother’s milk is the best source for puppies to get essential nutrients, minerals, and protein, which is never available in any replacement.
Therefore it is highly recommended to adopt Labrador after the eighth week.
3. Understanding how to be a dog
A dog will learn about new behaviors when it is well aware of its hierarchy and languages. Labrador puppies learn from their mother to communicate and relate with other dogs.
Playing correctly, chasing, and having safe interactions is what they learn at the age of 6 to 7th weeks. Adopting a Labrador puppy before the proper age of 8 weeks will be a bad decision.
At what age is a dog no longer a puppy?
After knowing the right age for adoption, the next point is to know what age is a dog no longer a puppy. So, as a dog parent, you will be able to provide proper food and training for your dog.
It’s crucial because each dog comes with some specific milestones along with particular care requirements.
While adopting a Labrador puppy, keep in mind that this puppy period will last 2 years. It means Labradors are considered mature dogs between the ages of 2 to 2.5 years.
Noticing new habits and behavior in a 2-year-old Labrador is quite typical. Start training your dog according to its age and maturity to make it a well-behaved Labrador.
Furthermore, some points are crucial to discuss when you are about to adopt a Labrador.
How old should a puppy be to take home?
The time of adopting a puppy may vary for some breeds, such as for a Labrador 8 to 12 weeks is the right age. While others 11 to 12 weeks is an excellent age to adopt some puppies.
Unfortunately, even at 8 weeks old the puppy is still getting important training from their mothers.
We know that puppies are highly active even in the 8 weeks, but they still have some fear and anxiety issues.
If you bring home a puppy that is 8 weeks or younger, your puppy might interpret their new transition as traumatic and may get aggressive when you bring it home.
Bringing your puppy home
If you bring an 8 to 12 weeks old puppy home, it is recommended you follow the steps below.
1. Vaccination
Regular vaccination is highly recommended to protect your puppy from viruses. When a puppy is drinking milk from its mother, it receives antibodies in its mother’s milk.
2. Toilet training
Soon after bringing your puppy home, you should start its potty training.
Also, teaching your puppy about the basic commands is highly recommended for developing a well-managed puppy.
3. Crate training
Along with potty training, crate training is required when you adopt a puppy. In this way, your puppy will sleep in its place without destroying your home.
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4. Have food and toys
Make sure you have puppy food ready and some puppy-appropriate toys for your new puppy to play with. Consider having some training treats too.
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5. Training Classes
No matter what is the breed of your puppy, training sessions are highly recommended. Teach your puppy basic commands like no barking, sit, stay, come, etc. Hire a dog trainer or teach your puppy by yourself.
