I will be getting a corgi puppy soon, they were born at the beginning of the month.

The breeder said she sends puppies home between 10 and 15 weeks. I am not certain but I believe the latter would be to further test personality and conformation as breeder plans to keep one or two from the litter.

Anyhow, I was talking to my boss (she is a behaviorist and does positive reinforcement training) and she said I should try to get the puppy at 8 weeks, or even sooner. She has seen a lot of puppies with modification issues lately (from breeders even) and suggests this to make sure puppy is properly socialized. That time period, 8-12 weeks, is very important.

I know it's great if puppy can stay as long as possible with mom and siblings for socialization and bite inhibition. I get to meet puppies at 6 weeks. I really like this breeder so far, but am worried if puppies are getting enough positive socialization. I am simply worried because I'm a worrier though, and this is my first puppy. I have met and worked with quite a few troublesome puppies, a lot of them need constant work and behavior modification for the rest of their lives. I don't want my puppy to be like this, as my current dog has issues that limit what I can do with him.


So anyhow, I was wondering what you all thought from experience??

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Yes, these are some things I worry about! My current dog is a little bigger than corgi sized (he is a mini-aussie mix), so I know the puppy would eventually be fine with him. It'll take longer for my dog to get used to a puppy as he has some minor issues with strange dogs although most of that is with bigger or pushy dogs.

I mentioned previously, but I work at a day camp facility (amongst other services), and would be bringing my puppy with me to work. At first he would go with the puppy/small dogs but eventually he may be moved up into the bigger dog side and he would have to get along with them as well. It would all depend on his personality and play style anyways.

From all you've said, I don't think you have anything at all to worry about!  I would not however be bringing the pup  into the work environment you speak of until it has received it's permanent shots.  In my experience, socialization to other dogs is not that important, the important things is that the dogs your pup is introduced to are friendly and not overpowering.  You can accomplish this by exposing him to another family, friend or neighbor's dog/s who you know are healthy and have up to date shots. 

I agree about being mindful of vaccination status and friendliness of other dogs.   Can I ask, though, what makes you say that socialization to other dogs is not that important?   Perhaps I am not understanding correctly what you mean.

I want to add some context to what I've already said.

Assuming the breeder is good, dedicated, and actively socializes--- which many do, I would expect that:


The average breeder would do a better job than most puppy buyers at getting puppies used to being handled, bathed, groomed, and having nails done:  they have so much experience.

The average good breeder will do as good a job as the average puppy buyer in socializing to new people.  TIme constraints mean a very dedicated puppy buyer with only one or two dogs will probably be able to get puppy to individually meet more new people than a breeder with a houseful, simply because it is hard to get each puppy out one-on-one if you have many.  But some breeders have friends, neighbors, and associates who take the puppy for periods of time for one-on-one socializing outside the home.

It is difficult for all but the smallest of breeders to safely socialize a puppy with lots of dogs of different breeds, types, and sizes, though some might find ways to do this.

It is impossible for a breeder to socialize to things unique to the puppy buyer.  So if you want to be sure your puppy loves to swim in your pool, or is ok with gramma's power wheel chair, or with parrots, or living across the street from a train station, then you want a puppy who is still early in the socialization window.

Beth....I have yet to raise a corgi puppy.  That is something that is in my future now that I am retired and can do the training that is needed.  Both Max and Katie are Heronsway pups, their mothers were sisters.  Max, being a fluffy, went as a pet and obviously to a good person.  He is comfortable with other dogs, his BFF was a pitbull, he was raised with a cat and loves kids.  Katie went to the show ring and then bred twice.  She gets a bit excited with other dogs and she seems to do ok with the neighborhood kids but that isn't a lot of contact, I don't have any little kids around any more.

I am reading all this info and soaking it up like a sponge for the day when I do get a puppy.

I got Arrow at 11 weeks. He had lots of interaction with hands of his person (rescue, mom not breeder) but not a ton else. He was just fine with the car, dogs, noises, etc. He saw A TON the first week because we were traveling, I think we caught him up in no time on anything he missed. Grab him after 10 weeks, thats perfect. Arrow came to me with such a soft bite likely because of that time with his litter.

The puppy I just got is 8 weeks. She's pretty tiny, I must say...personally, I think she would have been better off to have stayed with the litter until 9 weeks or even 10. But she's already adjusting well, seems to be having a gay old time, and Cassie the Queen of the Universe is tolerating her fine...maybe even mothering her a little.

I don't know the correct answer here, but I believe pups aren't to be taken from their mother/litter until 8 weeks. I don't know how close you live to the breeder, but we started visiting with our Gidget every weekend when she was 3 weeks old (at the time we had only planned on the 1 pup and wound up with bringing home 2 pups the day we were going out to pick up Gidget). We drove 2-2 1/2 hours each way every weekend until we were able to bring her home. It was a lot of fun because we not only got to play with Gidget, but the rest of the pups in the litter. It was a weekly puppy fest.

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