Puppies separated too young

msvette2u · 09-08-2011, 01:28 PM

Academic paper on behavioral challenges when dogs removed from litters too young - KC DOG BLOG

I don't know if this has been posted yet, if not, great info to have!

ChancetheGSD · 09-08-2011, 03:04 PM

Someone else posted it (but another link) somewhere else on here.

My opinion is that this is a poorly done study. What socialization, exercise and training are each puppy getting? These were also random breeds and sizes of dogs. So you can't compare the ease of potty training a German Shepherd to a breed that is notoriously hard to train because of their small bladders, such as an Italian Greyhound.

Zoey we got at 5 weeks old and Eevee at 6 weeks. Neither of my dogs have any of these issues. But they've also been TRAINED and SOCIALIZED. And yes, I'm a firm believer that exercise (which my dogs also get) plays a HUGE part in a dogs behavior.

Now, I'm not saying that there can't be problems from being removed early (ie. bite inhibition issues) but if you don't put time and energy into your dog, that $3000 puppy from the most reputable breeder isn't going to be better off than the $350 pet store puppy.

martemchik · 09-08-2011, 03:26 PM

Yeah, sadly any study about dogs is just not controlled enough to figure out the direct cause of certain problems. Its like the studies done on bloat and hd, there are just too many factors in each dogs life to for sure say that this caused that. As much as I believe puppies should stay with the litter as long as possible there are just too many other factors to pin some behaviors on the time spent with the litter. A true test of this theory would be...taking 100 puppies from the same breeding pair (over multiple breedings) and then removing some of them at different times. You'd have to give them to the same exact owner and they would all have to be trained the same exact way. Any differences in personality when grown could then be attributed to the time spent with the litter and of course a little to the fact that each dog is a little different.

tjzick · 09-09-2011, 01:13 PM

i would say the play biting is a definite.

msvette2u · 09-09-2011, 02:06 PM

Lack of bite inhibition is almost universal in dogs taken too young.
Also we see some very socially inept dogs who end up needing to be only dogs because they never learned proper interaction with other dogs. I can only presume they were taken too young.
Many people in our area think it's okay to give them away or sell at 4 weeks "since they are eating on their own".

09-08-2011, 01:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
msvette2u Crowned Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Beautiful Pacific NW Posts: 5,505	Puppies separated too young Academic paper on behavioral challenges when dogs removed from litters too young - KC DOG BLOG I don't know if this has been posted yet, if not, great info to have!

09-08-2011, 03:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
ChancetheGSD Elite Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,907	Someone else posted it (but another link) somewhere else on here. My opinion is that this is a poorly done study. What socialization, exercise and training are each puppy getting? These were also random breeds and sizes of dogs. So you can't compare the ease of potty training a German Shepherd to a breed that is notoriously hard to train because of their small bladders, such as an Italian Greyhound. Zoey we got at 5 weeks old and Eevee at 6 weeks. Neither of my dogs have any of these issues. But they've also been TRAINED and SOCIALIZED. And yes, I'm a firm believer that exercise (which my dogs also get) plays a HUGE part in a dogs behavior. Now, I'm not saying that there can't be problems from being removed early (ie. bite inhibition issues) but if you don't put time and energy into your dog, that $3000 puppy from the most reputable breeder isn't going to be better off than the $350 pet store puppy. __________________ Gretchen -7.5 week old GSD Zoey -14 year old Pekapom Chance -(GSD/Kelpie) 6/2007-6/23/2011

09-08-2011, 03:26 PM	#3 (permalink)
martemchik Elite Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,043	Yeah, sadly any study about dogs is just not controlled enough to figure out the direct cause of certain problems. Its like the studies done on bloat and hd, there are just too many factors in each dogs life to for sure say that this caused that. As much as I believe puppies should stay with the litter as long as possible there are just too many other factors to pin some behaviors on the time spent with the litter. A true test of this theory would be...taking 100 puppies from the same breeding pair (over multiple breedings) and then removing some of them at different times. You'd have to give them to the same exact owner and they would all have to be trained the same exact way. Any differences in personality when grown could then be attributed to the time spent with the litter and of course a little to the fact that each dog is a little different.

09-09-2011, 01:13 PM	#4 (permalink)
tjzick Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: WV Posts: 65	i would say the play biting is a definite.

09-09-2011, 02:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
msvette2u Crowned Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Beautiful Pacific NW Posts: 5,505	Lack of bite inhibition is almost universal in dogs taken too young. Also we see some very socially inept dogs who end up needing to be only dogs because they never learned proper interaction with other dogs. I can only presume they were taken too young. Many people in our area think it's okay to give them away or sell at 4 weeks "since they are eating on their own".

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