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Taking a puppy away from its mother in the transitional stage (2-4 weeks) can create a number of problems for later life. Any time before 8 weeks even, can cause problems â so that a puppy is pre-disposed to become fearful of other dogs. Ideally the whole litter should be kept together until at least 8 weeks.
-- Early Arrivals. Dear Early: Every breeder has their own opinion about when the best time to let their puppies go to their new homes. Some go earlier and others go later. But the general rule of thumb is that puppies should go to their new homes in the 8-to-12 week-old age range. Toy breeds which are smaller than most dogs and very fragile at an early age usually stay with the breeder past 8 weeks.