8 weeks or no sale

[Liz P]

Not that study in particular, but those papers did quote some of the numbers I remember used to come to that conclusion. I suspect the statistic was derived from the estimated number of the dogs in the USA, the estimated number of dogs PTS each year in shelters and the average age of a dog PTS at shelters.

 

I do think this is important to talk about when discussing the age that a pup leaves the breeder. The average owner in the USA is probably not well equipped to handle a 5 or 6 week old pup. I would think that keeping a pup until 8 weeks is part of being a responsible breeder (unless a particular owner is experienced enough to take on a younger pup).

 

You have to remember that the people on these boards are, for the most part, NOT average dog owners. They are going above and beyond when it comes to their peers; looking for information to improve the lives of their pets.

 

ETA, it looks like Ian Dunbar's book "Dog Behavior and Training" might contain those stats.

[geonni banner]

A very large percentage of shelter dogs in my area (SF/ East Bay, CA) are either pitbulls or bully mixes. Many of them are simply abandoned or picked up stray. In my immediate area - Richmond - people dump dogs in my neighborhood a lot. They are either fighting dog washouts (multiple scars and torn ears - often fresh bite-wounds) or dogs belonging to people whose lives are, uh, how shall I say this? Chaotic and unpredictable? Pitbull pups are plentiful and often free. When the cute wears off they just toss 'em. One of my tenants has one of these abandoned dogs - turned up at our building and just glommed onto Steve like he was her personal guardian angel. (Which he was, actually!) She wasn't housebroken, apparently never had a leash on, was in heat (with signs of having had a couple of litters), and had bad concrete callouses.

 

Five years later she's a great dog - but she would have been snuffed at the shelter. They're swamped with her kind...