New here, with a dilemna

[treasuremapper]

Hi, we are new here. We have paid for our yorkie, and had originally planned to pick it up and take it home when it got to be 12 weeks old. However, circumstances have changed in the breeder's life and we are now considering picking the yorkie puppy early. My husband met the breeder and bought the puppy a few weeks ago.

To make a long story short, the breeder has cancer and is having a hard time. She said the puppies are now staying outdoors with their mother, but that they were weaned at four weeks. She originally told us the pups would get their shots at six weeks, but she acknowledged today that she had not been able to do it due to complications with her cancer treatments.

She also said she is feeding the puppies Beneful instead of the usual food she feeds yorkie puppies.

This breeder is a good person who is going through a very difficult time right now. I do not fault her, I just wish I lived close by so that I could offer my help and support. But we are four hours away, and therefore day to day help is out of the question.

In this situation, we are considering picking up the puppy early. I am home all day and I have the time and financial resources that would allow me to be with the puppy almost constantly. Our veterinarian actually lives down the street from us and has a practice less than half a mile away.

I am especially concerned that the puppy did not have her shots last week. If we wait five more weeks, additional shots could be missed and that would put the puppy at risk. The puppy is left outside alone with its mother most of the day, instead of being inside with me. Of course, a yorkie mother probably has a lot more experience with yorkie pups than I do!

Please tell me what you would do in this situation. This is our first yorkie, and only our second puppy. However, we have had tons of experience with dogs.

[tjdmom]

Six weeks is much to young for shots. Most recommendations nowadays are 9-10 weeks for the first shot. Anything earlier is pretty much useless because of mom's antibodies. I don't agree with leaving yorkie puppies outside either. I don't know what to tell you, it sounds like a sad situation all around.

[Rhetts_mama]

Have you asked your vet for his opinion on picking up the puppy early?

I understand she is sick, but there are just soooo many red flags here, that I would be afraid of bringing this puppy home at all. Outside, feeding cruddy food, no vaccines (which reads to me as no vet checks, either)... Even the fact that she would consider letting you take the puppy early is another flag, IMO.

I'm going to shut up now. I'm sure one of the good breeders on here will give you some really good advice.

[treasuremapper]

I agree with you about the red flags. I won't say anything more on that point, cough.

She told me they usually get their shots at six weeks. Is that not correct? Plus, that is a good idea, I will call our vet. I wish I had thought of that! I feel that in this situation, it may be best to just pick up the puppy. Or just give up and look for another puppy.

[BamaFan121s]

Red flags aside...How much earlier are we talking here? 10 weeks, or picking the dog up at 6?

(Welcome to YT!)

[treasuremapper]

My husband is interested in picking the puppy up this weekend, when the puppy would be seven weeks old. He is a major dog lover and feels that the puppy would be better off with us. He is the type of man who picks up pitiful stray dogs from the side of the road, so he is pretty concerned.

The breeder is Ok with this -- she told us that she was hospitalized for part of last week.

[Rhetts_mama]

Do you have other dogs in the house? That would certainly be a factor in bringing an un-vaccinated dog in to the picture (both for it's protection and your other pets~worms!). There's lots of discussion on this board about when to start vaccines. Lots of controversy among the vets, too. Mine starts at 6 weeks, then 9, 12 and 16. I know not everyone here agrees with that.

There's just so much socialization that goes on during those first 12 weeks with mom. But a good breeder is also socializing the dog to people during that time. It sounds like the puppies are all missing that aspect if they are being stuck outside.

It's just sad, no matter how you look at it.

[ArmaniMan]

I NEVER advocate bringing a dog home as early as you are talking, but in this case, it honestly may be better then the alternative.

If these dogs are living outside right now, they are not getting the kind of care they need, even almost as much care as they need. This puppy may not be alive in 6 weeks if left with this "breeder" and I dont mean that to sound harsh, its just the reality of putting a 6 week old yorkie outside.

This would require a lot of research, care, and time on your part. You will need to research hypoglycemia most importantly. You will need to keep this pup near you at all times, you will need to get up in the middle of the night and check on the pup. You should plan to keep this pup inside for a few weeks.

Good Luck with whatever decision you make.

[treasuremapper]

We have two other dogs. One is a two year old female miniature poodle, who stays in the house most of the time. We also have one geriatric mixed breed dog (who my husband picked up as a skin and bones stray from the side of the road 15 years ago) who must live inside of a crate when he is inside the house because he has a compulsion to pee on furniture and walls. By the way, this is not because of his age, he has done this all of his life. He strongly believes that he must wee on everything in the house as quickly as possible, and no, neutering him did not help.

We do partial vax with our dogs and with our children.

Our poodle has the shots required by law and by her groomer, and our mixed breed has those required by law and by the kennel he stays at when we are out of town. But to be honest, I cannot remember what all of those shots are. I know both dogs have had rabies and bordatella. My husband wants to get both of our dogs vaxxed for parvo before the puppy arrives. He said they do not have that shot yet and he doesn't want the puppy exposed.

[YorkieRose]

I hope you are able to rescue this unfortunate puppy..and not paying too much. Puppies should not be vaccinated before 9 weeks..but need a worm check and worming at 6 wks if necessary.
At this point you are dealing with a breeder who is not interested in the welfare of her dogs...hope all goes well..

[ArmaniMan]

Also would it be possible to set up an expen in a room in your house where your other dogs do not have access? This way they could be totally separated for the first few weeks at least?

[Rhetts_mama]

Vaccines take a couple of weeks to go in to full effect and a one time dose doesn't develop immunity. They will NOT prevent a dog who is already infected with the Parvo virus from developing it or spreading it.

[PrestigeousYT]

Offer to take the mother and the pups, if she is dealing with cancer, prehaps this would be lifting her up. She won't have to take care of any dogs while she is ill.

Or at least offer to take the mom and raise the pups up until they are 12 weeks old.
Please do everything you can to get the pups inside, that is not a good situation at all.
I am not going to go into all of the red flags etc. But these pups and the mother dog needs help.

[treasuremapper]

I am a homemaker so I can keep the puppy with me at all times. When I am gone, my husband will be able to care for it.

I feel pretty inadequate about this whole thing, though. Dogs, yes, we have had plenty of full grown dogs, and in fact, we used to do dog rescue work. But we have only had one puppy, a seriously injured mixed breed puppy that my husband found -- yes, another stray. But that puppy was big, at least a few months old.

I'm scared it will die and then all of our hearts will be broken.

[treasuremapper]

Originally Posted by Rhetts_mama

Vaccines take a couple of weeks to go in to full effect and a one time dose doesn't develop immunity. They will NOT prevent a dog who is already infected with the Parvo virus from developing it or spreading it.

Does this mean that our other dogs will be at risk? OR that the puppy will be at risk from our dogs, or both?

So getting our dogs vaxxed tomorrow will not help if we pick up the puppy on Saturday (the earliest we can get the puppy, due to my husband's work).

I think her serious health problems are the breeder's major concern right now. But I hardly know her. I cannot imagine her letting me take her dogs for the next month.