Bloody Backyarders

[yellowgirl]

Just had to have a little vent as I couldn't yell at the customer on the phone. She wanted to know what would be the best way of feeding their new Akita puppy which they are picking up tonight ... the pup is 6 weeks old!! The 'breeder' said they could go to new homes now as they're not feeding from the mother anymore!

*very rude word here*

[poodlefan]

Just had to have a little vent as I couldn't yell at the customer on the phone. She wanted to know what would be the best way of feeding their new Akita puppy which they are picking up tonight ... the pup is 6 weeks old!! The 'breeder' said they could go to new homes now as they're not feeding from the mother anymore!

*very rude word here*

Did you tell her why buying any dog before the age of 8 weeks is a bad idea?

[casowner]

At least she rang a pet food store to enquire about food instead of going to a supermarket or butcher. I find once you can get them in then you can make a difference by educating them from nutrition, health, socialisation etc. Obviously 6 weeks is too young and they needed to be told that but they also need to know what to do now and in the future

[yellowgirl]

Knowing it wasn't, I asked her if the pup was from a registered breeder. She got a bit confused as she didn't realise there was a difference in 'breeders'. The pup was in the paper. She didn't realise that the parents probably weren't health tested and had no idea that 6 weeks was too young. She just believed what the 'breeder' said. I spent quite a while with her on the phone gently explaining things. She'd already put down a deposit, excited about getting an Akita pup. She was less excited when we finished talking, but I can only hope a little bit wiser.

[poodlefan]

Knowing it wasn't, I asked her if the pup was from a registered breeder. She got a bit confused as she didn't realise there was a difference in 'breeders'. The pup was in the paper. She didn't realise that the parents probably weren't health tested and had no idea that 6 weeks was too young. She just believed what the 'breeder' said. I spent quite a while with her on the phone gently explaining things. She'd already put down a deposit, excited about getting an Akita pup. She was less excited when we finished talking, but I can only hope a little bit wiser.

Good for you!

[Poo-Fong]

Tell me about it...

I had a client try and book hers & her daughter's two new puppies (litter mates, and not crossbreeds) in for a stay... they picked up the pups a few days prior to the phone call. I worked backwards from the date of their stay to the date they called me and given that I assumed the pups were 8wks old there seemed to be no problems with vaccinations etc - they should have had their 16wk shot about 10 days before the date of boarding.

I got a phone call back from them the next day, saying they had just phoned the vet to book in their FIRST vaccinations and the vet said they wouldn't be fully covered by the time they were booked to come in... I queried the first vacc thing, again assuming that the 'breeder' just hadn't done them at 6wks and had waited till 8wks... Nope, these poor babies were 5 1/2 weeks old when they got them and it was up to my clients to arrange their vaccinations!!!

I did try and explain to my client that these pups were far too young to be in their new homes and why, and was told that the breeder said 'they were weaned so it was OK' Never mind about all the stuff puppies need to learn in those important early weeks from their mother and siblings...

Just boggles my mind

[SpikesPuppy]

Poor woman I hope she knows what she's getting into with a special breed like an Akita, too!!! Beautiful dogs but not for everyone IMO.

[yellowgirl]

I did try and explain to my client that these pups were far too young to be in their new homes and why, and was told that the breeder said 'they were weaned so it was OK' Never mind about all the stuff puppies need to learn in those important early weeks from their mother and siblings...

Just boggles my mind

So many sad stories

That's exactly what this lady said too! (bolded bit) So many pup buyers seem to think that the word 'breeder' means a caring and knowledgable person Gawd, anyone can put their two dogs together and produce a litter. Doesn't mean they have the best interests of the dogs at heart, and doesn't mean they actually know what the hell they're doing.

And they cycle just continues

[Guest bigdogg]

Any pups i have bred left home at 8 - 12 weeks of age..

Saying that, I have bought pups at 6 weeks of age previously and have never had any issues. All healthy.

Is there a "golden rule" that a pup must be 8 weeks before it goes to a new home. (canine council?)

[Parkeyre]

Any pups i have bred left home at 8 - 12 weeks of age..

Saying that, I have bought pups at 6 weeks of age previously and have never had any issues. All healthy.

Is there a "golden rule" that a pup must be 8 weeks before it goes to a new home. (canine council?)

I'm fairly certain that a pup must be microchipped and atleast 8weeks of age before being sold or placed in most places of Australia.

[Guest Willow]

There is a pound here with a respected rehoming programme that lets litters of pups go at 5 weeks because "there is no point them being here if they can eat solids"....

[Gayle.]

There is a pound here with a respected rehoming programme that lets litters of pups go at 5 weeks because "there is no point them being here if they can eat solids"....

If it were any of the pounds I've seen, I agree. A tiny baby is far better off in a caring family home than a concrete and steel pen where they don't even move the dogs to hose them out each day.

For those of you who are standing on your soapbox and preaching to these puppy buyers, please keep in mind that they have done NOTHING wrong. Please don't make them feel bad. They have done everything they thought was right, and in the cases where they are contacting pet professionals, they are continuing to do the right thing by the puppy by seeking good food, vaccinations, info etc.

[poodlefan]

For those of you who are standing on your soapbox and preaching to these puppy buyers, please keep in mind that they have done NOTHING wrong. Please don't make them feel bad. They have done everything they thought was right, and in the cases where they are contacting pet professionals, they are continuing to do the right thing by the puppy by seeking good food, vaccinations, info etc.

They've given their $$$ to breeders who aren't doing right by the pups. How is that not wrong?

I don't condemn them for not doing their homework but the reason people BYB is because other people keep buying their pups.

[PoppyDog]

Any pups i have bred left home at 8 - 12 weeks of age..

Saying that, I have bought pups at 6 weeks of age previously and have never had any issues. All healthy.

Is there a "golden rule" that a pup must be 8 weeks before it goes to a new home. (canine council?)

I'm fairly certain that a pup must be microchipped and atleast 8weeks of age before being sold or placed in most places of Australia.

Really? They have to be microchipped before sale?

I have to admit I was clueless about a lot of things when I bought by puppy 2 weeks ago...

She isn't microchipped and I was told its best to wait until they are older as the needle is HUGE!?

(Please don't tell me how stupid I am...I had A LOT of that from another forum I joined and it ruined my first 2 days with my pup! I was convinced I had bought a sickly pup who was going to die and that I was a bad person from everything that was hurled at me!)

[poodlefan]

Any pups i have bred left home at 8 - 12 weeks of age..

Saying that, I have bought pups at 6 weeks of age previously and have never had any issues. All healthy.

Is there a "golden rule" that a pup must be 8 weeks before it goes to a new home. (canine council?)

I'm fairly certain that a pup must be microchipped and atleast 8weeks of age before being sold or placed in most places of Australia.

Really? They have to be microchipped before sale?

I have to admit I was clueless about a lot of things when I bought by puppy 2 weeks ago...

She isn't microchipped and I was told its best to wait until they are older as the needle is HUGE!?

(Please don't tell me how stupid I am...I had A LOT of that from another forum I joined and it ruined my first 2 days with my pup! I was convinced I had bought a sickly pup who was going to die and that I was a bad person from everything that was hurled at me!)

It's the law in quite a few states that a pup must be microchipped before sale. Which state are you in?

There is no law that says a pup must be 8 weeks old before its sold. However all ANKC registered breeders are bound by their code of conduct not to sell pups before that age (allows first vacc to kick in and for ongoing socialisation with littermates). Its what the RSPCA recommend too.

The only stupid mistakes are ones people repeat. No point in beating yourself up for getting a pup from a less than ideal source. Thousands of people do it every year. Just don't do it again and you'll get on fine here.

[PoppyDog]

Any pups i have bred left home at 8 - 12 weeks of age..

Saying that, I have bought pups at 6 weeks of age previously and have never had any issues. All healthy.

Is there a "golden rule" that a pup must be 8 weeks before it goes to a new home. (canine council?)

I'm fairly certain that a pup must be microchipped and atleast 8weeks of age before being sold or placed in most places of Australia.

Really? They have to be microchipped before sale?

I have to admit I was clueless about a lot of things when I bought by puppy 2 weeks ago...

She isn't microchipped and I was told its best to wait until they are older as the needle is HUGE!?

(Please don't tell me how stupid I am...I had A LOT of that from another forum I joined and it ruined my first 2 days with my pup! I was convinced I had bought a sickly pup who was going to die and that I was a bad person from everything that was hurled at me!)

It's the law in quite a few states that a pup must be microchipped before sale. Which state are you in?

There is no law that says a pup must be 8 weeks old before its sold. However all ANKC registered breeders are bound by their code of conduct not to sell pups before that age (allows first vacc to kick in and for ongoing socialisation with littermates). Its what the RSPCA recommend too.

The only stupid mistakes are ones people repeat. No point in beating yourself up for getting a pup from a less than ideal source. Thousands of people do it every year. Just don't do it again and you'll get on fine here.

Thanks for your kind words! If we add another puppy dog to our family it will be a rescue! I am in Qld... is that the law here?

[Snout Girl]

one of my puppies wasnt microchipped when we received it

i naively took the breeders word for it that they were too little and the needle too big (like yourself, poppydog)

i am in victoria, am trying to find out if it is law here

[poodlefan]

Thanks for your kind words! If we add another puppy dog to our family it will be a rescue! I am in Qld... is that the law here?

Depends on which council area the pup was bred and sold in. This link will tell you which councils introduced the law last year and which ones will do it this year.

Personally I recommend pups be obtained from a registered breeder. If you can't meet mum and dad, you have no idea what health or behavioural traits your pup had inherited. A young adult dog from a rescue that temperament tests is a more known quantity and few baby pups end up in rescue anyway.

[Guest bigdogg]

So no law on the 8 weeks, only a code of conduct through ANKC?

[poodlefan]

So no law on the 8 weeks, only a code of conduct through ANKC?

Yep. More's the pity.