Puppy acquisition: factors associated with acquiring a puppy under eight weeks of age and without viewing the mother

Abstract

BackgroundPuppy acquisition decisions may impact upon the health and behaviour of these dogs in later life. It is widely recommended by welfare organisations and veterinary bodies that puppies should not leave maternal care until at least eight weeks (56 days) of age, and that when acquiring a puppy it should be viewed with its mother.MethodsOwner-reported prospective data were used to explore risk factors for puppy acquisition age, and whether the mother was viewed during acquisition, within a cohort of dog owners participating in an ongoing longitudinal project.ResultsA quarter (461/1844) of puppies were acquired under eight weeks of age and 8.1 per cent were obtained without viewing the mother (n=149). Only 1.6 per cent of puppies were obtained under eight weeks of age and without the mother being seen (n=30). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that owners who intended their puppy to be a working dog, visited their puppy prior to acquisition, and/or obtained a puppy of unknown breed composition had increased odds of acquiring a puppy under eight weeks of age. The odds also increased as the number of dogs in the household increased but decreased as annual income rose. Owners who visited their puppy prior to acquisition, obtained a Kennel Club registered puppy, viewed the puppy’s father, and/or collected their puppy from the breeder’s home had decreased odds of acquiring a puppy without viewing the mother.ConclusionTargeting interventions towards identified owners who are more likely to acquire a puppy against current recommendations could help reduce these types of acquisitions.

The importance of educating prospective dog owners on best practice for acquiring a puppy

“…However, the proportion of owners that had not followed advice regarding the minimum acquisition age was considerably higher than had been reported in other studies 20,21. The owners that were more likely to acquire a puppy under eight weeks of age were those who had obtained a puppy of unknown breed composition, so probably not from a licensed breeder, and intended to use the dog for a specific working function 19. It is conceivable that these puppies had been passed on to owners with little or poor advice regarding dog socialisation practices and behaviour 22…”

“…From the studies that have been conducted so far, we can deduce that puppy acquisition and husbandry practices are key factors that can affect the risk of problematic behavioural characteristics developing in pet dogs. The study by Kinsman and colleagues, 19 summarised on p 112 of this issue of Vet Record, builds on these studies and further expands our knowledge in this area.…”

“…The study explored the risk factors associated with acquiring a puppy under eight weeks of age and without viewing the mother within a cohort of dog owners in the UK and Ireland who participated in 'Generation Pup' -a longitudinal project assessing canine health, behaviour and welfare. 19 Of the 1844 dog owners included in the analyses, the vast majority (75 per cent) reported purchasing their puppies after eight weeks of age, with the median acquisition age being 8.3 weeks. However, the proportion of owners that had not followed advice regarding the minimum acquisition age was considerably higher than had been reported in other studies.…”

“…The study explored the risk factors associated with acquiring a puppy under eight weeks of age and without viewing the mother within a cohort of dog owners in the UK and Ireland who participated in ‘Generation Pup’ – a longitudinal project assessing canine health, behaviour and welfare 19…”

“…The same could be said for the 8.1 per cent of puppies that were acquired without the owner viewing the mother, a fifth of which (n=30) were also obtained under the age of eight weeks. These puppies did not come from licensed breeders and, perhaps as a consequence, were never visited by their owners before acquisition 19. This once again suggests poor owner knowledge of how puppies should be acquired and why it is important to follow specific recommendations.…”