Once you have made your pick, most breeders will let you make frequent visits to your puppy before it is old enough to leave its mother and siblings and go home with you. This helps socialize the puppy and builds the bond between you and this future family member. While the pup is with its mother, it is growing in confidence and strength as well as size. Rough-and-tumble play with its littermates is instructive as the pup learns the difference between playing and hurting its siblings and becomes more socialized in the process.

Puppies' eyes open at about two weeks of age, and their ears open completely by three weeks. They can move around fairly well by four weeks. Until then, most of their time is spent feeding and sleeping. After four weeks, they begin exploring their surroundings and engage in puppy play with their littermates. Small-breed puppies in particular need more time with their mother and siblings and sometimes are not ready for their new home until twelve to sixteen weeks.

Before they leave the nest, they need to develop the three S's: size, strength, and socialization. Toy breeds may not be hardy enough to get their vaccinations until they are well beyond that six-week birthday. This is another huge benefit that comes with choosing a knowledgeable breeder.