This thread is so long I might have missed something. It's better if the puppy is a little older even if they are completely weaned. They learn how to be a proper dog from their mother, litter mates or other role model dogs. This also makes them a better puppy, more receptive to learning.
My Debbie was 10 weeks old when I got her. She only weighed 1.5 pounds then. The breeder did warn me about low blood sugar and told me to make sure she ate something every few hours. She told me to free feed her. We never had a problem. Debbie would look so pathetic getting one piece of food at a time and jumping back into her bed to eat it. The vet didn't like the free feeding method as it makes it harder to housetrain without a schedule. But who's advice are you going to take? The yorkie expert or the vet who deals with many breeds. Some vets don't know enough not to give a tiny breed all their shots at once. Luckily my vet did as I didn't even think about this.
Lucky for you to be a member of this group. With so many members there is always someone to answer your questions and give you good advice. I hope your friend does keep that puppy a little longer for you. Tell her just how important it is. They require more work at this point and maybe she doesn't want to get attached to them but it would really help. |