Paws For Effect Takes A Little Longer In Litter

[poodlefan]

Go RSPCA Canberra!!

Link to Canberra Times Article

Paws for effect takes a little longer in litter

BY JACQUELINE WILLIAMS

26 Aug, 2011 12:00 AM

Puppies removed from their litters before the standard separation time of eight weeks are more likely to develop behavioural problems as adults, a new study shows.

Research published in the Veterinary Record also found that dogs bought from a pet shop at 30 to 40 days of age were more likely to exhibit problematic behaviours more often than dogs bought from a pet shop at two months.

Signs of destructiveness, excessive barking, anxiety, and attention seeking were monitored in 140 dogs, half of which were removed from the litter and sold between 30 to 40 days and half of which were sold at 60 days. All behaviours were more common in dogs removed from the litter too early in the socialisation period, irrespective of their breed, neuter status and size.

The study's authors said dogs with behavioural problems were also at a greater risk of being abandoned.

''Early separation from the dam and litter mates, especially when combined with housing in a pet shop might affect the capacity of a puppy to adapt to new environmental conditions and social relationships later in life,'' they said.

RSPCA ACT chief executive Michael Linke called recently for harsher penalties for irresponsible pet owners in the ACT. He often sees aggression in unsocialised dogs and said socialisation in the early stages of a puppy's life was critical.

RSPCA puppy litters are kept together until the standard separation time of eight to 10 weeks. They are also well socialised with people, and other puppies of similar ages. ''This leads to good behavioural outcomes in the long run,'' Mr Linke said. ''What we notice is some backyard breeders, some newspaper sales and pet shops will have very young puppies on display as individuals and that's where you're seeing some problems.''

Mr Linke said it was ''way too early'' to separate a puppy from its mother or litter at 30 days, but younger puppies were frequently being bought because they were considered ''cuter''.

He said dogs which had not learnt to share toys or food were likely to become resource guards and biters when introduced to the family setting. As a result the dog was often surrendered or euthanised.

Dog behavioural trainer David Bullivant agreed puppies needed to spend more time with their litters so they learnt the behaviours they were supposed to have. He said people in the capital were selling puppies as early as five weeks old. ''What they're saying to people is they're already eight weeks but they're not.

''They end up being quite anxious and underdeveloped and dogs can become more aggressive when they're scared.''

Edited August 25, 2011 by poodlefan

[Chezy]

[Steve]

Go RSPCA Canberra!!

Link to Canberra Times Article

Paws for effect takes a little longer in litter

BY JACQUELINE WILLIAMS

26 Aug, 2011 12:00 AM

Puppies removed from their litters before the standard separation time of eight weeks are more likely to develop behavioural problems as adults, a new study shows.

Research published in the Veterinary Record also found that dogs bought from a pet shop at 30 to 40 days of age were more likely to exhibit problematic behaviours more often than dogs bought from a pet shop at two months.

Signs of destructiveness, excessive barking, anxiety, and attention seeking were monitored in 140 dogs, half of which were removed from the litter and sold between 30 to 40 days and half of which were sold at 60 days. All behaviours were more common in dogs removed from the litter too early in the socialisation period, irrespective of their breed, neuter status and size.

The study's authors said dogs with behavioural problems were also at a greater risk of being abandoned.

''Early separation from the dam and litter mates, especially when combined with housing in a pet shop might affect the capacity of a puppy to adapt to new environmental conditions and social relationships later in life,'' they said.

RSPCA ACT chief executive Michael Linke called recently for harsher penalties for irresponsible pet owners in the ACT. He often sees aggression in unsocialised dogs and said socialisation in the early stages of a puppy's life was critical.

RSPCA puppy litters are kept together until the standard separation time of eight to 10 weeks. They are also well socialised with people, and other puppies of similar ages. ''This leads to good behavioural outcomes in the long run,'' Mr Linke said. ''What we notice is some backyard breeders, some newspaper sales and pet shops will have very young puppies on display as individuals and that's where you're seeing some problems.''

Mr Linke said it was ''way too early'' to separate a puppy from its mother or litter at 30 days, but younger puppies were frequently being bought because they were considered ''cuter''.

He said dogs which had not learnt to share toys or food were likely to become resource guards and biters when introduced to the family setting. As a result the dog was often surrendered or euthanised.

Dog behavioural trainer David Bullivant agreed puppies needed to spend more time with their litters so they learnt the behaviours they were supposed to have. He said people in the capital were selling puppies as early as five weeks old. ''What they're saying to people is they're already eight weeks but they're not.

''They end up being quite anxious and underdeveloped and dogs can become more aggressive when they're scared.''

[tobie]

:thumbsup:

[LizT]

So who is selling puppies at 30 to 40 days?

[poodlefan]

So who is selling puppies at 30 to 40 days?

Puppy farmers ship pups at 35 days as a rule. That puts them in the pet shops at 5-6 weeks. Plenty of BYBs will let them go as soon as they're weaned also.

Edited August 26, 2011 by poodlefan

[LizT]

So who is selling puppies at 30 to 40 days?

Puppy farmers ship pups at 35 days as a rule. That puts them in the pet shops at 5-6 weeks. Plenty of BYBs will let them go as soon as they're weaned also.

Oh that makes me mad. Twice in my life I have taken on a five week old Puppy (and kitten) because the owners wanted "rid' of the unwanted babies. No money passed hands.

They both needed a lot of care and attention and in the case of the kitten my bitch "nursed" it until she began to lactate! Such a good fostermum she was.

[Sheridan]

I rang TAMS about a BYB in the paper who was selling them at 5 weeks. The guy who called me back said the ACT legislation allows for them to be sold as soon as they're weaned.

[Daisy]

I tried to report a backyard breeder in NSW a few years ago who was selling great dane cross pups at 5 weeks old - 'ready to go'. At that time there was no actual law preventing people from selling pups at that age, so there was nothing that could be done. As far as I know the law hasn't changed.

Edited August 26, 2011 by Daisy

[j]

I rang TAMS about a BYB in the paper who was selling them at 5 weeks. The guy who called me back said the ACT legislation allows for them to be sold as soon as they're weaned.

Hopefully there will be a new enforceable code of conduct that will address this in the nearish future...

[Sheridan]

I rang TAMS about a BYB in the paper who was selling them at 5 weeks. The guy who called me back said the ACT legislation allows for them to be sold as soon as they're weaned.

Hopefully there will be a new enforceable code of conduct that will address this in the nearish future...

Given that one of the people on the ACT animal welfare committee owns several pet shops, how good do you think it will be?

[Steve]

So who is selling puppies at 30 to 40 days?

Puppy farmers ship pups at 35 days as a rule. That puts them in the pet shops at 5-6 weeks. Plenty of BYBs will let them go as soon as they're weaned also.

Edited August 26, 2011 by Steve

[Simply Grand]

Good article! I hope lots of people get to see that information.

So sad that poor baby puppies are taken away from their mums/litters so young! I got Saxon at 6.5 weeks and he just seemed so young, so dependent on me and so helpless. He was with me almost non-stop until he was 8 wks and then had the cats around in the house at least when I wasn't there but the thought of a 5 or 6 week old pup possibly being left home alone or outside on its own is just heartbreaking.

Riley was 8.5 weeks and sooo different! Confident and happy enough to explore things on his own and much more aware and understanding of the things around him. And big advantage, way less bitey! His mum did a way better job of teaching him to watch his manners than I could have

Incidentally, from memory in Riley's puppy school he was the only one of 6 who had gone the their new home at 8 weeks, the others all earlier, including one at 4 weeks!! I don't know the story behind that tho...