# Is 12 weeks too old for adoption and bonding?



## dogluv (Nov 13, 2011)

Hi everyone,

I'm new here. There is a puppy I am considering but I won't be able to pick her up until she is 12 weeks old because of a scheduled trip. Is that too old to bond with a puppy well and have her be attached to me/my kids?

Also I have another plane trip (all previously scheduled) 3 weeks later. Do you think she could travel by plane with me or would that be too stressful for a young puppy?

TIA for any advice!!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

dogluv said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I'm new here. There is a puppy I am considering but I won't be able to pick her up until she is 12 weeks old because of a scheduled trip. Is that too old to bond with a puppy well and have her be attached to me/my kids?
> 
> ...


It is absolutely NOT too old for bonding, though if she will be left with the breeder that long, you want to make sure it is a breeder who really emphasizes socialization and, for lack of a better term "early puppyhood education". I had exactly the same situation, where I couldn't pick up Kodi until he was 11 weeks because I was away. Kodi could not possibly have been better adjusted, and bonded to us very quickly.

While i didn't have to fly with him shorty thereafter, I did fly home with him, and itwas no problem at all. And we took him RV camping with us for the first time just4 days after bringing him home. Puppies are adaptable, and actually, as long as you don't scare them, the more you expose them to when they are little, the more well adjusted and adaptable they will be as adults.

Just make sure you plan your trip carefully so that you will have the potty traing supplies you need, and can also keep her safe for dog diseases, as she won't be fully innoculated yet. (for instance, don't put her down in a public rest area... Instead, get BIG pee pads, so she can eliminate without conact with the ground)


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## trueblue (Jan 22, 2008)

I got Santos when he was 20 weeks old, and we had no issues with bonding whatsoever. And Brew flew home from Phoenix to NO with me...no problems there either. I think you and the puppy will be fine


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## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

No worries with any of that.


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## narci (Sep 6, 2011)

same...I had a trip to goto and could not pick up oreo until he was 12 weeks old.

He's doing awesome with the family. He even loves my in-laws


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## Flynn Gentry-Taylor (Jan 17, 2008)

Great advice on this forum. Please send along photos and let us have updates...we LOVE photos!!


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## Carefulove (Mar 20, 2009)

I just picked up my 2nd Pup this past weekend and he had just turned 12 Weeks. I am thinking I should have left him until he was at least 1 year, this way I didn't have to potty train him or deal with teething! ound:

Nah, seriously, 12 wks is fine!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Carefulove said:


> I just picked up my 2nd Pup this past weekend and he had just turned 12 Weeks. I am thinking I should have left him until he was at least 1 year, this way I didn't have to potty train him or deal with teething! ound:
> 
> Nah, seriously, 12 wks is fine!


I've thought the same thing... Pam and Tom do such a GREAT job raising puppies!...:biggrin1:


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## dogluv (Nov 13, 2011)

Thank you so much for the feedback. I really appreciate it. I especially like the idea about leaving them until they are potty trained! ;-)

Speaking of: For long flights and puppies, are they able to hold their bladder for the whole flight? If not what do you do? Do you just put a puppy pad in there and change it if your pup soils it? Does any one have any recommendations for carriers that can go on planes?

Thanks!


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## Carefulove (Mar 20, 2009)

With Bumi, he held it during the plane trip (I think it was like 3-4 hrs). As soon as we landed, I went straight to the ladies room and put him on a Pee Pad on the floor. As soon as his legs touched the ground he was peeing.

With Toby, we drove and during our 9 Hr trip, he peed twice.

The good thing about picking your puppy once he/she is 12 wks is that he/she can hold the Pee a little longer.


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## clare (Feb 6, 2010)

Both our pups were approximately 12 weeks old when we brought them home,and we had no problems with bonding,they are and were brilliant!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

I got my pup at 14 weeks and though some think that is "old" it was awesome for us as Tillie was very well socialized and started out right with grooming and potty training, etc... and as a bonus, she was sleeping through the night right away!! LOL


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

It all depends on the breeder. Many dogs are not trained and socialized properly at breeders. Many trainers will tell you this. Your critical socialization period closes aroung four months. There' a LOT FOR THE OWNER TO DO IN BETWEEN EIGHT WEEKS AND SIXTEEN WEEKS.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Carefulove said:


> With Bumi, he held it during the plane trip (I think it was like 3-4 hrs). As soon as we landed, I went straight to the ladies room and put him on a Pee Pad on the floor. As soon as his legs touched the ground he was peeing


That's pretty much what happened with Kodi too. We made sure he got a chance to pee on a pad before we boarded too, because we had a long drive to the airport too.


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## tootle (Jun 19, 2007)

Perfect age!!!


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## dogluv (Nov 13, 2011)

Thanks guys! I think the breeder does a good job at socialization but I will definitely ask a few more questions to be sure. Also if anyone can point me to previous posts (I'm sure they must be somewhere) on everything to get BEFORE puppy, I want to make sure we are fully up and running before the puppy arrives.

Lastly (should this be a different post), I don't think we have the ability to do a doggy door in our house - do most people without a doggy door just use paper training or turf? What are the best other options?


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

I got Fred at 13 weeks, because I had a 2 week trip planned to go out of the country. He bonded with me immediately. He is very devoted


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

dogluv said:


> Thanks guys! I think the breeder does a good job at socialization but I will definitely ask a few more questions to be sure. Also if anyone can point me to previous posts (I'm sure they must be somewhere) on everything to get BEFORE puppy, I want to make sure we are fully up and running before the puppy arrives.
> 
> Lastly (should this be a different post), I don't think we have the ability to do a doggy door in our house - do most people without a doggy door just use paper training or turf? What are the best other options?


a doggy door is for AFTER your dog is housetrained. here's some reading for you. Before You Get Your Puppy by Ian Dunbar http://www.siriuspup.com/pdfs/before_puppy_sirius.pdf

After You Get Your Puppy by Ian Dunbar http://www.dogstardaily.com/files/AFTER You Get Your Puppy.pdf


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

lfung5 said:


> I got Fred at 13 weeks, because I had a 2 week trip planned to go out of the country. He bonded with me immediately. He is very devoted


 Any dog could take to you Linda. You take good care of them .


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## DonnaC (Jul 31, 2011)

We just traveled by car 13 hours with a little one -- 9-10 weeks -- and he peed twice. Stayed in his crate the rest of the time and was a trouper -- except for the stomach upset! 

We got Baxter between 12 and 16 weeks. I wish I had gotten him younger, because he is a bit timid. On the other hand, that could easily just be his personality. And, he has been an unmitigated joy to work with, so, for what it's worth, I'd say it's do-able.

We had a dog door when we brought Baxter home at 16 weeks, but he did not have free use of it. I took him out for every potty trip. Even now, three of his trips outside every day are with me. He uses the dog door a couple of times during the day without me, to go play with our other puppy, but potty times are still supervised -- I like to reinforce the "go potty" command, so he is sure that's the important job to be done OUTSIDE.


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## lfung5 (Jun 30, 2007)

davetgabby said:


> Any dog could take to you Linda. You take good care of them .


Haha! Well, Fred does run from me when he sees clothing! That's the only time he runs away


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

DonnaC said:


> We just traveled by car 13 hours with a little one -- 9-10 weeks -- and he peed twice. Stayed in his crate the rest of the time and was a trouper -- except for the stomach upset!
> 
> We got Baxter between 12 and 16 weeks. I wish I had gotten him younger, because he is a bit timid. On the other hand, that could easily just be his personality. And, he has been an unmitigated joy to work with, so, for what it's worth, I'd say it's do-able.
> 
> We had a dog door when we brought Baxter home at 16 weeks, but he did not have free use of it. I took him out for every potty trip. Even now, three of his trips outside every day are with me. He uses the dog door a couple of times during the day without me, to go play with our other puppy, but potty times are still supervised -- I like to reinforce the "go potty" command, so he is sure that's the important job to be done OUTSIDE.


Right on Donna.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

lfung5 said:


> Haha! Well, Fred does run from me when he sees clothing! That's the only time he runs away


LMAO ound:


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

we don't have a doggie door and never will because of the layout of the house and the fact that the front yard (fenced) is Tillie's yard, not the back yard. For the first 2-3 weeks I watched her like a HAWK, never let her out of my site, basically was physcotic about potty training... then at about 4 months old I introduced the bell, best.desicion. EVER. she picked it up right away and it was fantastic that she had a WAY to TELL me that she needed to go out. and I burned about 10 lbs with the amount of times I was up and opening the door those first several months... LOL but WELL worth it for a reliable, potty trained pup!!!


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## dogluv (Nov 13, 2011)

Tilliesmom, yes i have heard about the bell and thought it was a great idea. Does Tillie still use it or now does she just go out on a regular schedule?

You guys are so awesome!! Thank you for all the help!


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## TilliesMom (Sep 30, 2010)

Tillie still uses the bell, she is 18 months old... pretty sure she will always use it, she seems to love it. In fact, I have it tied to a bench in the entry way and have a Christmas table runner over the table for decoration. Her bells are actually completely covered up, but she finds a way to ring them still! LOL earlier today I saw her ringing them and she had the runner over her head like little red riding hood! ha ha ha ha.
we bring the bells when we are out of town, BUT i sure do wish she would have taken to an indoor potty option, for traveling that would be AMAZING... sigh. she just would NOT potty in the house, even as a pup!! being in California, I guess that's okay...


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## Momo means Peach (Jun 7, 2011)

I have to agree with everybody here. I got Momo when she was about 5 months. The bonding part of it was no problem. The socialization part was an issue in that she was too old to attend the puppy classes. The next round of classes made her over the top limit. She missed out on those and when going to beginner's class, was extremely fearful.  She shook the whole 10 weeks of classes. That being said, yes, be sure and the breeder institutes some socialization before you get the pup.


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## dogluv (Nov 13, 2011)

Momo means Peach said:


> I have to agree with everybody here. I got Momo when she was about 5 months. The bonding part of it was no problem. The socialization part was an issue in that she was too old to attend the puppy classes. The next round of classes made her over the top limit. She missed out on those and when going to beginner's class, was extremely fearful.  She shook the whole 10 weeks of classes. That being said, yes, be sure and the breeder institutes some socialization before you get the pup.


Do you know if your breeder did any socialization or if Momo was just a shy-er dog?

Thanks!


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