Why you shouldn’t take a puppy away from mom until at least 9 weeks old?

I’m following a couple of chihuahua groups on Facebook and regularly see people post that they picked up a puppy at 7 weeks and some mention that the puppy was given vaccine at 6 weeks. Every time this gives me goosebumps.

Chihuahuas are the smallest breed and it makes their puppies the smallest of all. They are born about 4oz (115g) and at the tender age of 6 weeks they reach about 18oz (510g). They still need their mother’s milk and, most importantly at this age, mental support. Puppies learn from their mothers just like human kids do and separating them this early can cause a lot of stress. Stress for a tiny body of a chihuahua puppy can lead to low blood sugar, seizures, low appetite, fatigue, diarrhea, etc.

Unlike medium/large breeds that are okay going to a new home earlier, chihuahua puppies need extra nurturing no matter how strong and confident they look. Why would a responsible owner want to deal with the unexpected issues himself/herself and potentially spend thousands at the vet? Why not trust a breeder who knows genetics of the parents and is experienced dealing with such issues, may they arise? It’s a breeder’s responsibility to ensure he/she has done everything possible to give the puppy the best start to its life.

Please, don’t support irresponsible breeders, if you have to wait a week or 2 more to get a puppy – be patient. Every extra week with mom and the breeder makes a huge difference in chihuahua breed. You will then be getting a physically and mentally healthier puppy that you’ll be able to enjoy life with for the next 10, 15 or even 20 years. Rather than rushing to a vet to find out the vaccine given at 6 weeks was to harsh on the little body or the pup had too much stress, and needs extensive vet care…. please be a responsible owner, buy a puppy from responsible breeders and support preservation breeding of dogs.

Note: most breeders give first vaccine to chihuahua puppies at 8-9 weeks old, plus 1 week quarantine period. Therefore, the safest age to take a puppy home is NOT EARLIER than 9-10 weeks old. Many breeders prefer to wait until 12 weeks old, to ensure that no issues arise, especially in smaller pups. Doesn’t mean they don’t want to give you your pup earlier, they want to make sure you have the healthiest and issues free pup possible, please remember that.