Age breeders let puppies go to new homes

[Angela]

Way back a long time ago when I got my Newfs and Lab the breeders would sell the puppies at 7-8 weeks.
Now I notice that some breeders are not letting the puppies go till 10 weeks.
Do the breeders here wait till the l0 weeks are up and if so, what reasons are there to keep them to that age?
Thanks!

 

[Pam G]

My breeder waits until the pups are 10 weeks old before she gets the hearts checked. She won't let them go to their new homes before that. That seems to be the standard age for most breeders.

 

[ArrowNewf]

We don't let ours go before 10 weeks. Heart checks at 9 weeks. Newfie puppies are so immature..I think they do so much better being with their littermates a little longer.

 

[chlandseers]

Heart checks are the last thing we do so pups go to their new homes between 10 & 11 weeks (depending on when we can get the appointment with the cardiologist).

 

[Sound Bay Newfs]

My breeder also kept her pups until 10 wks in order the get the heart checks done before letting them go to their new homes. Labs still go at about 8 wks, as far as I know, as I don't think the heart checks are done on the labs.

 

[Angela]

So the SAS problems with Newfs is why more Newf breeders are waiting till the 10 week vet check, is that right?
Can the murmers be detected before 10 weeks?

 

[newfvo]

The reason that I hold onto my puppies until they are around 10 weeks old is two fold. Just as Wheatley pointed out in her previous post, the social interaction between littermates during the 8 to 10 week period is crucial to the future developement of a puppy. Remember that Newfs as a giant breed are much slower to develope both physically and mentally than a smaller breed. Waiting that long also gives me more opportunity to asses their future personality to aid in proper placement.

Most Board certified cardiologists prefer to clear puppies when they are 10 weeks or older. SAS can be detected prior to 10 weeks but there is greater room for an uncertain diagnosis when a puppy is still small and not fully developed. It can be difficult to differentiate between an innocent "puppy murmor" and SAS the younger the puppy is.

 

[Angela]

OK, this is all making sense except for one more question I have right now.
I do competition obedience with my Newfs and Lab and rumour always had it that one should get the puppy when it was 7 weeks old as that was an optimum time for the puppy to start learning (now, I haven't had a puppy for 4 years).
So, not getting the puppy till it is 10 weeks, after it's heart checks, is there anything lost with the learning process.
Hope this is making sense to those of you who have responded so far.
Thanks,

 

[sarnewfie]

Angela
as was stated a while back, i will get into that in a second and i am sure others may or may not pound on me for this.
but i got morgan at 9 weeks, she did fine, initially she was to do SAR of wich i started her in training, she was doing both tracking and airscenting.
our cardio in appleton will not touch my pups unless my vet who used to work there, finds something suspicious, even if he cleared them at 10 weeks, in another 2 they still can have a problem crop up,"his opinion was"
that it is misleading to puppy buyers that if they are cleared at such a young age they will never develop a problem (not saying anyone here is saying this either). i trust my vets ear, so far she has not let me down, and also used to work with him, if the circumstances were different, i most likely would do things different. My cardio in appleton prefers we local newf people wait till they are at the very least 10 months before he clears them preferably a year.
i let mine go when they are ready, my last litter was ready at 9-10 weeks, if i feel they need more interaction such as the submission training they get from my adults,interraction from mom etc... i certainly hang on to them longer.
My vet is very good at what she does and i take her advice, some may come down on me for it, but so far she has not let me down, she knows her stuff.

 

[Sound Bay Newfs]

I had always heard that 7 wks was the magic number too with my labs. It wasn't until I started looking at newf breeders that I heard about the 10 wk heart check.

 

[janices]

I haven't really found it to make much difference. Puppy should still be learning while still at breeders or a good breeder should be teaching. More important to know that the puppy will pass or not pass a heart check before going to it's new home.