Proper socialization

[Eleven Mike]

There's a thread going on about PUPPIES!, in which some members have stated that dogs need to stay in the litter for a certain amount of time, in order to "learn how to be a dog." 

Could we agree that children need the same sort of normative family environment to learn to be humans?  In the debate about family and marriage, it has been fashionable to say that children will turn out just as well without a father, with a step-father, or being raised by a homosexual couple. 

Is there an inconsistency here? 

[mtnbkr]

Assuming the alternative to staying with the litter is going home with "people" and not living among other dogs, then there woud be the issue of proper socialization for the puppy.  The same is not true for a human child who has an "alternative family struture".  That child is still with guardians of his own kind and should have the opportunity to learn how to behave in society. 

Chris

[Eleven Mike]

There will be people in either situation.  There may also be dogs at the new home.  The following are quotations from "Does anybody here know pit-bulls as a breed?"

First off, six weeks is way to young to take a puppy from its momma.  Growth is critical in the first twelve weeks as far as Im concerned and pups get a lot of nurture from momma.

Like has been stated, they need mom & the other pups to know how to be a proper dog.

The posters seem to be talking about leaving the dogs with their mothers and siblings, rather than just with any old set of dogs or humans.  No one seems concerned about fathers, of course, but these are dogs and not humans.