Is fear and anxiety related to age of adoption?

[F, Calla & Luca]

I realize that many doodles with anxiety issues have been rescue dogs so that it isn't always known what abuse they may have suffered, which obviously may have contributed to the development of anxiety. But I've started to wonder if getting an older puppy or dog, even from a breeder or from a good home may also be have problems at times. Calla was 4 months old when I got her from the breeder and she was much more shy around new people than Luca initially. She is better but still more reserved than he is. It also could just be an inborn difference I suppose.

I am wondering if there are periods when it is more likely that being "rehomed" may be more difficult than others. Clearly most puppies go home somewhere around 8 weeks or a few weeks thereafter. They seem to adjust in a few days. But is it more difficult to change homes and families if the change is later on, no matter what the original home was like?

[Adina P]

I think major temperament traits are inborn and that a dog's upbringing will serve to enhance (or not) those traits.  If a dog that has been with a breeder a while AND has had minimal socialization in that time then getting that dog after 8 weeks could probably make things worse.  On the other hand if a dog has had socialization and opportunities to learn about its world, etc...then getting it at 4, 6, 9 months I would think is just fine.  We adopted Boca at 16 weeks (give or take) and she's not shy or fearful really.  Thule was adopted at 11 months and she was just fine too.  Both SUPER friendly.

[Kyoko]

I always thought that Charlie's anxiety and reactiveness was related to how YOUNG she was when we got her. We picked her up from the breeder at age of 7 weeks, due to the conflict of schedule. I always felt guilty about that after wards, and regreted it thinking that if I could not picked her up at 8 & 9 weeks, I should have left her there with her mom and siblings until 10 weeks. However, I now think that it was already programed and she would have been how she is, even if we go her at age 10 weeks or 11 weeks. We did a lot to socialized her from the puppyhood, but I saw some oddness in the way she played with other puppies even in the Puppy K....

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

We got Ned at 3 1/2 months and he has no issues.  Once our lab-mix died and Ned took on the alpha roll, he will growl/bark at some dogs when we are out walking.  He is cautious when going through a door when a human is standing by it and I think it is because the breeder and or her children herded the puppies into a room and he might have gotten caught in a door.  As he has matured it is much much less.  Clancy is a rescue so we have no idea about his life before age two.  He also has no issues but will bark through the fence which I assume is common to many dogs.  In other words my dogs are not fearful at all but have naughty behaviors that are just their own.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I think territorial guarding is common although Calla does this much more than Luca.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I agree.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Not with all dogs, but yes I do believe this is ONE factor.  The fear stages also have  been thought to contribute to personality of a dog later on.  From what I have read, it is very possible a dog being adopted during one of these stages can  be a life-long factor.

Just my conclusions from a lot of reading.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Makes sense like stranger anxiety in kids.

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

We got Cubbie from the breeder at 5 months old and he acts offended if people don't stop to pet/greet him.  He loves going to the vet because he gets special attention from everyone there.  We adopted Ollie just before he turned two and he is afraid of everyone and everything.  If we go to a new place he will just start to shake and tremble even if no one approaches us.  We have had Ollie for almost 7 months and he is still terrified of my brother.  We are working with our trainer to see if we can get passed this, but my brother must remind him of someone bad from his past.