What’s The Best Age to Adopt And Bring Home a Puppy? | MetLife Pet Insurance (2024)

FAQs

What’s The Best Age to Adopt And Bring Home a Puppy? | MetLife Pet Insurance? ›

Once it's at least eight weeks of age, your puppy will be ready to bond with you and get used to its new home. Looking for more ways to keep your pup happy and healthy? Consider investing in a dog insurance policy with MetLife Pet Insurance. Get your free quote today.

Simply put: The best age to get pet insurance for dogs is when they're young (puppies are best). As they age their health will inevitably decline, and they'll be inherently riskier to insure. That risk will be passed on to you, the owner, in the form of higher monthly and annual insurance premiums.

The ideal time

The exact time that is best for a puppy to go to its new home can vary by situation, but most breeders and veterinarians agree that 8 weeks of age is a good minimum. Some states have laws in place preventing puppies from being sold any earlier.

With all this in mind, the recommended age for adopting a new puppy is 7 to 9 weeks. As you've read, in the first several weeks they learn valuable life lessons about how to be a dog, and in the following several weeks they learn to socialize with humans and bond to their new owner.

Dog breeders and behavioral specialists feel that the 8-12 week range is the adequate age for most dogs to leave their mother for their new homes.

Pet insurance will never be cheaper than it is when your pet is young and healthy. Young and healthy pets are less risky to insure than pets that are older and more prone to nagging health conditions. That lack of risk is reflected in lower monthly premiums to the owner.

Age: As your pet gets older, they're more likely to have an expensive-to-cover illness or age-related injury. As a result, insurance premiums may increase.

A primary factor in choosing when to send a puppy to a new home is the socialization period. According to veterinarian and behaviorist Dr. Sally Foote, the socialization period in puppies typically lasts from between 6 and 12-to-14 weeks of age.

The first night, it's best for a puppy to sleep in a quiet and secure area, such as a crate or a designated dog bed in your bedroom. This helps the puppy feel safe and minimizes separation anxiety.

Puppies go through the following developmental stages as they age: 0-7 weeks: During the first seven weeks of a puppy's life, puppies learn about social behavior with other dogs through interacting with their mother and siblings. 7-8 weeks: This is the best time period for puppies to bond with humans.

What is the best age to choose a puppy from a litter? ›

Find out what food the puppy is eating. Legally, puppies should not be sold at less than 8 weeks old. Puppies should be 8 weeks of age when they go to a new home. This allows for the mother to have completed her disciplinary training of the pups such as teaching bite inhibition.

It typically takes 4-6 months for a puppy to be fully house trained, but some puppies may take up to a year. Size can be a factor. For instance, smaller breeds have smaller bladders and higher metabolisms and require more frequent trips outside.

How old should a puppy be before being vaccinated? At eight weeks old – a puppy should have their first set of vaccinations (Primary). In certain cases we can vaccinate puppies as young as 6 weeks. At 12 weeks old – a puppy's second set of vaccinations are needed to boost their immune system.

In general, by the time your puppy is 4-6 months old, she should have full control of her bladder (which means you can finally start sleeping through the night again!). Once your puppy has bladder control, she should still go out several times a day (three to five total) for bathroom breaks.

10-12 weeks: Bladder capacity is increasing, but 2 hours is still the longest that most puppies can hold it at this stage. 3-6 months: At this point, consider the 1 hour per month rule. 3 month old puppies can wait for 3 hours, 4 month old puppies for 4 hours, and so on.

As mentioned above, elderly dogs need insurance too – if not even more so. The chances of developing certain conditions like cancer, dementia and arthritis are much more common with a senior dog and will need to be considered as your dog ages.

Pets Best has no upper age limits, so you can insure your dog or cat at any age over 7 weeks. As your pet ages, more medical problems may develop and the need for pet health insurance will likely increase.

Before you officially sign up for a plan, don't hesitate to reach out to the insurance provider you are considering. They can answer any additional questions you may have. Some companies also allow you to get a free quote for your pet before you sign up, providing transparency on how much insurance will cost.

Although it's best to enroll your pet in a policy while they're young, you can still get pet insurance for older dogs and cats — and doing so could help you save a significant amount money if they develop health concerns in their late life.