When Should Littermates Be Separated?

Most responsible breeders and experts advise that a puppy should not be separated from his mother until he's at least eight weeks old. In the early weeks of his life, he's completely dependent on his mother. During the next three-to-eight weeks, he learns social skills from his mother and his littermates.

Should you separate littermates?

In many cases, littermates can grow up to lead normal, healthy lives in the same household. Here's what you need to know: Give the puppies periodic time apart every single day. That means they should be regularly walked separately, played with separately, and trained separately.

How long should puppies stay with littermates?

Puppies should not leave their mom and littermates before eight weeks of age. The mother dog has so much to teach the new puppy; lessons that will affect him all his life, and his littermates teach important lessons as well. If the mother dog has passed away, the littermates need to remain together.