New Puppy- How Young Is Too Young?

[Dogsfevr]

There not naive ,They like everyone else would have done the breeder exam sheet before gaining there prefix where they had to research & answer the questions correctly.

They now the rules but obviously don't wish to follow them ,not the type of breeder i would deal with at all

[oakway]

I know of no "ethical" registered breeder that would offer any prospective purchaser a puppy at 6 weeks of age. Run a mile.

[Rebanne]

Youngest you can vaccinate a pup is six weeks. Then they are supposed to stay with the breeder long enough for the vac. to actually kick in.

[WreckitWhippet]

ask for your money back and look for a breeder who actually knows what they are doing. Breeding for colour should ring the first alarm bell and no Stafford puppy should be leaving home at 6 weeks.

[Rainy]

Pav Lova and Sandra777 a two VERY knowledgeable and successful Stafford Breeders id be very inclined to listen to the advice they give. :)

[Perfumed Lillium]

ask for your money back and look for a breeder who actually knows what they are doing. Breeding for colour should ring the first alarm bell and no Stafford puppy should be leaving home at 6 weeks.

Definitely 6 weeks old is far too young to leave home, any caring breeder would hold onto the pup until at least 8-9 weeks but why is there a problem with breeding for colour as long as other things are taken into consideration and the breeding stock is health checked? Perhaps I am missing something but my understanding is that breeders are all trying to breed to the standard and that often includes the colour of the dog as well ???

[Rebanne]

ask for your money back and look for a breeder who actually knows what they are doing. Breeding for colour should ring the first alarm bell and no Stafford puppy should be leaving home at 6 weeks.

Definitely 6 weeks old is far too young to leave home, any caring breeder would hold onto the pup until at least 8-9 weeks but why is there a problem with breeding for colour as long as other things are taken into consideration and the breeding stock is health checked? Perhaps I am missing something but my understanding is that breeders are all trying to breed to the standard and that often includes the colour of the dog as well ???

a lot of blue breeders are only breeding for colour, nothing else. They are never shown, often not health tested, it is just one blue breeding after the next, and all the dogs usually have the same prefix, there is never an outside dog used. Do a search, you will find lots on this topic particularly in the health forum.

[Perfumed Lillium]

Thanks Rebanne, I suppose that breeding SOLELY for colour is not a great idea if the dogs aren't health checked, I would have thought that registered breeders of blue staffies were just as diligent as other breeders, it is a shame that this isn't the case, typical of individuals being greedy at the expense of the animal's health and well-being.

[minimax]

Thanks Rebanne, I suppose that breeding SOLELY for colour is not a great idea if the dogs aren't health checked, I would have thought that registered breeders of blue staffies were just as diligent as other breeders, it is a shame that this isn't the case, typical of individuals being greedy at the expense of the animal's health and well-being.

People need to learn registered breeder does not equal ethical breeder. Some registered are no better than a BYB.

[Perfumed Lillium]

Thanks Rebanne, I suppose that breeding SOLELY for colour is not a great idea if the dogs aren't health checked, I would have thought that registered breeders of blue staffies were just as diligent as other breeders, it is a shame that this isn't the case, typical of individuals being greedy at the expense of the animal's health and well-being.

People need to learn registered breeder does not equal ethical breeder. Some registered are no better than a BYB.

You've hit the nail on the head, minimax, I've learnt that lesson the hard way, that not all registered breeders are ethical. What I meant was that I would have thought that not all breeders of blue staffies were unethical

[minimax]

Thanks Rebanne, I suppose that breeding SOLELY for colour is not a great idea if the dogs aren't health checked, I would have thought that registered breeders of blue staffies were just as diligent as other breeders, it is a shame that this isn't the case, typical of individuals being greedy at the expense of the animal's health and well-being.

People need to learn registered breeder does not equal ethical breeder. Some registered are no better than a BYB.

You've hit the nail on the head, minimax, I've learnt that lesson the hard way, that not all registered breeders are ethical. What I meant was that I would have thought that not all breeders of blue staffies were unethical

Anyone breeding purely for colour, and not for the betterment of the breed (is betterment a word?) really can't be ethical, because they aren't breeding for the right reasons.

[Perfumed Lillium]

Thanks Rebanne, I suppose that breeding SOLELY for colour is not a great idea if the dogs aren't health checked, I would have thought that registered breeders of blue staffies were just as diligent as other breeders, it is a shame that this isn't the case, typical of individuals being greedy at the expense of the animal's health and well-being.

People need to learn registered breeder does not equal ethical breeder. Some registered are no better than a BYB.

You've hit the nail on the head, minimax, I've learnt that lesson the hard way, that not all registered breeders are ethical. What I meant was that I would have thought that not all breeders of blue staffies were unethical

Anyone breeding purely for colour, and not for the betterment of the breed (is betterment a word?) really can't be ethical, because they aren't breeding for the right reasons.

But is it not possible to breed for colour and consider other issues that affect the breed, i.e. congenital health issues, conformation, etc ?? Let's face it, most breeders, breed for colours that appeal in the show ring.....for example, through my researching of the pom breed, I learnt that darker colours do much better in the show ring than light coloured poms; white german shepherds are sneered at although they are perfectly healthy, etc etc.

Edited August 15, 2012 by Perfumed Lillium

[minimax]

Thanks Rebanne, I suppose that breeding SOLELY for colour is not a great idea if the dogs aren't health checked, I would have thought that registered breeders of blue staffies were just as diligent as other breeders, it is a shame that this isn't the case, typical of individuals being greedy at the expense of the animal's health and well-being.

People need to learn registered breeder does not equal ethical breeder. Some registered are no better than a BYB.

You've hit the nail on the head, minimax, I've learnt that lesson the hard way, that not all registered breeders are ethical. What I meant was that I would have thought that not all breeders of blue staffies were unethical

Anyone breeding purely for colour, and not for the betterment of the breed (is betterment a word?) really can't be ethical, because they aren't breeding for the right reasons.

But is it not possible to breed for colour and consider other issues that affect the breed, i.e. congenital health issues, conformation, etc ?? Let's face it, most breeders, breed for colours that appeal in the show ring.....for example, through my researching of the pom breed, I learnt that darker colours do much better in the show ring than light coloured poms; white german shepherds are sneered at although they are perfectly healthy, etc etc.

Yes, but then they aren't breeding purely for colour, are they? They are breeding to show, therefor also breeding to standard. People breeding blue staffies aren't breeding to standard.

Back on topic now, sorry :)

Edited August 15, 2012 by minimax

[LizT]

ask for your money back and look for a breeder who actually knows what they are doing. Breeding for colour should ring the first alarm bell and no Stafford puppy should be leaving home at 6 weeks.

At no point has a colour been mentioned by the OP. Just breed. Or have I missed something?

Edited August 16, 2012 by LizT

[Salukifan]

[but is it not possible to breed for colour and consider other issues that affect the breed, i.e. congenital health issues, conformation, etc ?? Let's face it, most breeders, breed for colours that appeal in the show ring.....for example, through my researching of the pom breed, I learnt that darker colours do much better in the show ring than light coloured poms; white german shepherds are sneered at although they are perfectly healthy, etc etc.

If you are breeding for colour and considering other issues then this is not the kind of breeding being talked about.

Colour breeders breeding for demand will breed any dog to any dog provided it will produce the desired colour. Conformation and temperament become lesser considerations and they don't outcross to other colours to keep type.

And the doubling up on recessive genes required to produce some of these colours is doubling up on some of the less desireable links to those genes - like skin and hair issues. Blues in many breeds are a case in point.

The colour is known to create health issues but there are those churning out blue Staffords with not a care in the world about the welfare of the pups they're selling at inflated prices to unsuspecting buyers.

Edited August 16, 2012 by Haredown Whippets

[TheCheekyMonster]

We are getting a new puppy and have been told we can pick him up anytime from 6 weeks old as they've been weaned - is this ok?? Puppy will be coming home to a mature dog - will this help him?? Have researched a bit on the internet and (as always) there is conflicting advice

.... others have already said what I need too, I would give these "breeders" a miss.

Edited August 16, 2012 by TheCheekyMonster

[Salukifan]

We are getting a new puppy and have been told we can pick him up anytime from 6 weeks old as they've been weaned - is this ok?? Puppy will be coming home to a mature dog - will this help him?? Have researched a bit on the internet and (as always) there is conflicting advice

Are you getting this pup from a registered ethical breeder?

If not I would maybe continue your search because IMO 6 weeks is to young...

No ethical registered breeder would be rehoming pups at 6 weeks without extraordinary circumstances and CC permission.

[Tassie]

We are getting a new puppy and have been told we can pick him up anytime from 6 weeks old as they've been weaned - is this ok?? Puppy will be coming home to a mature dog - will this help him?? Have researched a bit on the internet and (as always) there is conflicting advice

Are you getting this pup from a registered ethical breeder?

If not I would maybe continue your search because IMO 6 weeks is to young...

No ethical registered breeder would be rehoming pups at 6 weeks without extraordinary circumstances and CC permission.

+1 - and I for one would be wanting to see that CC permission.

Time for vaccination to kick in, and socialisation/dog manners learning time is the reason for the 8 weeks. The weaning would likely have happened earlier anyway, so is not an issue. There would be a few red flags here for me.

[ellz]

Personally, I'd be wary of a breeder who even SOUGHT CC permission at that age....unless they were absolutely EXCEPTIONAL circumstances!!!!!

No puppy should be out of the nest at that age, it is still a crucial time in puppy development where socialisation best comes from mum and littermates.

Certainly some breeds would cope better than others but Staffords especially benefit from the extra time at home with mum, siblings and a breeder who understands the specific requirements in socialising the breed specifically.

And whilst I'm aware the colour question was not actually raised, for the benefit of those who haven't read the trillion other threads relating to blue Staffordshire Bull Terriers......reputable and responsible Stafford breeders do not usually breed specifically FOR blue puppies. Granted, the odd one or two may appear in otherwise carefully bred litters but responsible breeders understand that generally they are not of correct type and CANNOT under any circumstances fit the breed standard which calls for a black nose. Something which genetically, blue Staffords CANNOT have. In these cases, most responsible breeders, unless they had a specific plan in mind, would register these puppies on Limited Registration and place them in equally responsible pet homes with pedigrees marked NOT FOR BREEDING.

Edited August 16, 2012 by ellz

[Simply Grand]

Another advantage for you with keeping pup with mum and preferably litter mates longer is that they will probably help teach pup not to NIP so much with those puppy teeth.

My 3 came home at slightly different ages and even a few days seemed to make a big difference to how much they bit. Mummy dogs are much better at teaching them than humans!