Looks like I have made my first puppy-rearing mistake already.

In attempting to google the amount of sleep a six-week-old puppy is likely to need, I have found out that six weeks is too young to be taken from the mother and litter in terms of socialisation skills and behavioural issues.

Robyn heard about the puppies needing homes on Sunday and I phoned on Monday and asked if they were ready to go yet. Didn't occur to me not to trust the judgement of the people involved - a vet who treated the stray mother who was hit and hurt by a car before the puppies were born, and the animal-sheltery type people who've been housing the recovering mom and the puppies who were born soon after the accident. All involved are surely good, animal loving folks; bound to know best and do the right thing.

What's done is done though. Seems like the fact that we have another dog at home will help to some extent. And we will have to work hard on socialisation skills. Still I am annoyed with the vet and the people who were looking after the puppies, as well as with myself that it did not occur to me to question their judgement.