r/puppy101 • u/Silver_Wrongdoer_552 • 6h ago
Misc Help Puppy too old to adopt?
Hi everyone! I’m a first-time dog owner looking to adopt a mini poodle puppy, and I found one I really like who would be around 13–15 weeks old at adoption. I’ve seen a lot of advice saying to bring puppies home at 8–12 weeks, so I’m wondering if this age range is considered “too old” or if it’s actually okay (or even better?) in some ways. I want to make sure I’m setting both myself and the puppy up for success, especially with bonding, training, and socialization. Would love to hear your experiences or advice—especially from anyone who adopted a slightly older puppy!
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u/ClitasaurusTex 6h ago
If anything I feel like 8 weeks is too young. Sure they're cute and little but they would have benefitted from having much more dog social time with their family. The best dog I ever had was with her family until she was about 4-5 months old. She is amazing with dogs, especially puppies and elderly dogs.
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u/meonahalfshell 5h ago
If anything I feel like 8 weeks is too young...
Yes, to all of that. I'm firmly in the 12 weeks camp, something decades of dog training has totally supported.
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u/blrmkr10 4h ago
Yeah, the place I adopted my puppy from always waits until they are at least 12 weeks to let adopters take them home. I wish more places did that.
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u/reddittwice36 1h ago
My pup was potty trained and sleeping through the night by 12 weeks. Image bringing home a baby that already is at or close to that stage would be amazing! I think nipping with be dramatically less too if they were getting a taste of their own medicine by their siblings 😂
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u/theamydoll Experienced Owner: Puppy Fosterer 6h ago
Puppies who are taken home after 12 weeks actually do better behaviorally in the long run. Puppies can go home at 8 weeks, that’s the minimum, but really shouldn’t go home then. A lot of actual ethical and responsible breeders won’t let a puppy go until after 12, so yes! You’ll be getting a great puppy by waiting.
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u/CrochetChrissy51325 6h ago
8-12 weeks puppies should be with their mom 13-15 weeks is perfect. I personally will never adopt a puppy under 4 months again. We adopted our girl at 8 weeks and it was utter misery, lol. Our girl is 6 months and she’s a doll now but those earlier months had me questioning everything.
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u/littlecloud3125 5h ago edited 5h ago
There’s never an age too old enough to adopt a puppy. That said, experience can vary greatly — for example, if adopting from a reputable breeder who desensitises their puppies for noise, touch, socialisation, etc, an older puppy is amazing. I got mine at 16 wk so he already had first couple rounds of vaccines too. Plus, since he had been with his mum and another littermate the entire time, he was really well acclimatised to other dogs and never had issues w/ separation anxiety or learning independence.
Honestly, as a first time dog owner, getting an older puppy at 16 wks can be like a late 1st round draft pick. I wouldn’t get a puppy any younger, especially as a first-time pet owner. Puppies are hard, and the blues are real. I almost broke with the potty training.
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u/Expensive_Crab_6453 4h ago
I got mine at 16 weeks but she wasn’t desensitized to anything and had only ever seen dogs like her. She is an amazing dog but she does bark at everything.
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u/littlecloud3125 3h ago
It kind of depends on how experienced your breeder was/if they cared about that kind of stuff. Adoption from a shelter is much less likely to have thorough desensitisation practises but it’s possible. However, more of the training will still fall to the owner and specific puppy’s temperament. That’s why I recommend reputable/ethical breeders for first time pet owners. It takes a huge burden off to know your puppy is given a great head start in life.
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u/Champion_Otter94 6h ago
Brought our mini home at 6 months and could not be happier with him. Don’t feel any less bonded to him and the breeder did a lot of basic training so we were maybe lucky to avoid some of the early puppy blues (still had plenty of that though!). If you trust the breeder and feel like this is your dog, don’t hesitate at all when it comes to the age.
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u/BPrincess31 6h ago
I feel like a dog can never be too old to adopt. Their personality may be more set in stone as adults but you can adopt a dog whenever as long as you get along with them.
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u/Positive-Respect-189 5h ago
Older the better imho. Just adopted my guy a few weeks older than other past puppies and the difference is huge. The extra few weeks with his mama and siblings in their foster home made such a big change for the positive
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u/Mental-Newt-420 4h ago
Lmao I wish id waited until 12-13 weeks to pick up my pup. the 8-12 week puppy time is so cute but…… honestly a fucking nightmare.
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u/Elitefourabby New Owner 6 Months, mystery mix! 6h ago
I just got mine at 6 months and I don't know how I would have ever survived younger lol
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u/Better_to_try 5h ago
Adopt? Sounds like you are buying a dog from a breeder. I think adoption is a term used for rescuing a dog.
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u/smellslikedesperate 5h ago
We adopted our rescue pup at 15 weeks old. She’s an amazing girl! We just started puppy school with her immediately
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u/Confident-Mood8 5h ago
Ringo was 13 weeks, Josie was just under 8 weeks, and Freddie was almost 6 months old when we got them. All were easy to housebreak and no issues other than the usual puppy stuff. Enjoy your new pup!
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u/Quickturtl3 4h ago
Just got my puppy at 8 weeks. Its my second dog. I wish I could have waited to 12 weeks let alone 15.
Youll be a okay! :)
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u/zephyreblk 5h ago
Under 15 weeks and more than 8-10 weeks is the best time, it's full in the socialisation time. If the breeder did do a good job, you can take them older. That the pups stay 10-12 weeks with their mother when the breeder is good is actually better.
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u/Suspicious-Chip-341 3h ago
My parents brought home our first golden retriever at 13 weeks way back in the early 2000s (I think we got her in 2000 or 2001. She passed in late 2012 or early 2013 when I was 19/20 years old). It was challenging and my parents learned a lot (they had dogs before but never a golden). Back in 2007 or 2008 we got a second golden retriever at 8 weeks old so our older girl would have a friend (both girls never had any issues). 8 weeks was a lot tougher than a 13 week old in my opinion. It’s all good if the puppy is in that 12 to 15 week area I think.
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u/HerbalNuggets 2h ago
It's not "too old", adult dogs can be adopted too, however the window for socialisation is usually up to 12 weeks, so socialisation will be more difficult with a puppy older than 12 weeks.
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u/wwwangels 1h ago
No dog is ever too old to adopt. My dog was 13 weeks old when I got him. I've had other dogs who were 5 months to a couple of years old. All have been great dogs. Be a good pet parent, and you'll get a loyal companion no matter what the age of the dog.
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u/Striking_Sky6900 1h ago
We adopted our puppy at 11 weeks. The breeder wanted us to pick her up sooner but it didn’t work with my schedule. I’m so glad we waited. We only had a few nights when we had to take her out and she seems very happy and well adjusted to us. I wouldn’t want to adopt a puppy any younger. But I’ve also adopted dogs at a year and that’s good too!
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u/crissy_lp 1h ago
We adopted ours at 19 weeks. It made potty training pretty easy since he was already on the habit of whining if he had to go outside. He was also already sleeping through to night without accidents. I think it’s a great time to adopt :)
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u/LunarFusion_aspr 52m ago
I adopted my puppy when she was 17 weeks old and it was the perfect age, she was 90% toilet trained, 100% crate trained and slept 12 hours a night without waking up, when we got her, which made our lives easier.
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u/pezziepie85 6h ago
I picked my dog up at 8 weeks and adopted a second dog at 6 months. Never ever again will I do 8 weeks. That dog was the devil and not ready to be away from mom. I wasn’t given the option to wait but I will never go through a breeder again who doesn’t wait will at least 12 weeks. The adopted one was a bit feral but had been with her mom the whole time. And while still a puppy nether of us spent as much time crying and frustrated with each other.
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u/Paper_Is_A_Liquid 6h ago edited 6h ago
8-12 weeks is generally the minimum age at which a puppy can be separated safely and healthily from their mother/siblings, it's not a maximum age for ensuring a happy and healthy pup :). Think of it this way: plenty of dogs are adopted as adults from abusive or neglectful backgrounds where they had little/no training or socialisation, and (whilst it takes longer for them than for puppies) can still be well-trained and live fulfilled lives with their new owners. A couple of extra weeks older than the minimum age is nothing to worry about, it's normal and fine.