don't think there is any harm in starting a dog early, just as long as it is done slowly and the handler has to be patient, I started my dog at 5 mths out ferreting once a week for 2 hrs, just letting her have a look at whats going on, introduced her to the lamp at 7mths old 2 weeks ago, only 2-3 hrs once a week out with a mate and his dog letting her see how it's done, at the end of the night giving her an easy slip, she has caught and retreived a rabbit both nights and caught her first daytime rabbit yesterday while out for a walk, iam no expert but this way has worked for me and my dog, she