As a general rule, your puppy is ready for pick up after they see the veterinarian at 8 weeks of age. Here in Florida, they get their first set of puppy shots as well as a physical exam and are issued a health certificate which is your document showing what has been done and certifying your pup was examined by a licensed veterinarian.

Your puppy will come with a small packet of food if you are switching dog food from what we use here at RuckerRun. In addition, you will receive a folder with all the paperwork including a written sales agreement, receipt for payment, Nuvet information to boost first year immunity, Nuvet starter pack of wafers, AKC registration ( limited not for breeding ) transferred into your name, microchip transferred into your name. Puppy is usually microchipped around 6 to 8 weeks of age. We provide a small scent blanket with siblings scent on it as this seems to help with their first major separation from their pack which at this age is their siblings.

We feed it to all of our dogs here at RuckerRun and our personal dogs including our farm dog is on it for life. We ask that you commit to feeding for pups first year as we have seen the proof of boosted immunity after using it for ourselves for over 10 years.

The answer is no because 8 weeks of age your puppy has just been weaned from its mother and learned to eat dog food and to walk and started being socialized. Expect to average 4 to 6 months of age to be fully housebroken and to be somewhat trusted. Like people, each dog is different and matures differently. An 8 week old puppy does not have the mental maturity and has a very tiny bladder ( think I have to pee every 20 minutes at 8 to 9 weeks of age) and after I wake up from a nap.

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The simple answer is no. However, your puppy has been exposed to the crate several times before 8 weeks of age. They get dry runs to get exposure when they get wormed and when going to the vets they are in the crate for a longer period usually with a sibling or two.

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Here at RuckerRun, we do things a little differently than many breeders. We believe a young puppy needs room to run and build muscles . We begin taking them outside at 6 weeks of age to a fenced puppy play yard . Here they learn about fences, obstacles we put in their pen to teach problem solving and for brain development. They are exposed to strange noises like the lawn mower, other dogs barking, sunlight, and to seek shade to cool off . They get to play in a large water bowl and sniff grass and good old fashioned dirt . We have a big Australian shepherd farm dog named Odie who watches over them and interacts through the fence . The pups are handled by myself and my husband as well as the grandchildren pick them up and play with them. Older pups are exposed to a collar and leash and taught the doggy door and to put their face against something.

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As a general rule, 2 to 3 weeks after their first set of shots. We ask that you schedule this immediately after picking your puppy up to bring home.

A combination shot is given that covers upper respiratory viruses, as well as Parvo. A separate vaccine is given for bordatella ( kennel cough).

RuckerRun’s worming schedule for puppies is as follows :

• 2,4, weeks pyrantel pamoate

• 5 weeks of age at weaning they are given 3 days of safeguard.

• 7 weeks of age they are given advantage multi or genetic form which is a topical monthly product that does worms, fleas, heartworm prevention.

• 7 weeks they are also given a round of Toltrazuril as a preventative for coccidia.

• 8 weeks they are wormed again at the veterinarians when they go for their health certificate. Usually this is Pyrantel Pamoate.

We recommend it highly for the first few weeks bringing puppy home. It gives you freedom and keeps puppy safe. An 8 week old puppy is not ready for crate training as their bladder is too small and we don’t want them to learn a bad behavior like messing in their crate.

We like to set up a small play yard and put a crate inside with the door removed or tied open. We put a little bed in the crate and tie it in there so the little monsters cannot drag it out.

Our only goal at this age is to train them NOT to go potty in their bed/crate. Just outside the crate we put their litter box ( shavings) or grassy squares, or piddle pad that is heavily anchored down. (most pups destroy them so we don’t use them). On the other side of the potty area, we put water so they have to cross the potty area to get a drink.

After a few weeks we begin shutting the door to their crate for an hour only at a time to teach them to hold it. We then take them immediately outside to go potty.

Any time you are able they can be taken outside to go potty. But at least they are not going all over your house in the early weeks of training. Here are some examples and a washable pee pad we use that really stands up.