TOO Young to leave home
 

Question: Why do people buy puppies that are too young, or sickly ?
Answer: Because, they don't know any better. They haven't got a clue what they should be looking for beyond cute.

Same old story from the beginning of time, most people do what they think is best for themselves, not others. They defy authority, and do what they want to do. Greed is their motivation.

There is one main reason to keep a puppy with its mother and littermates until it is 12 weeks old, it is the best thing for the puppy.

There are many reasons to sell a puppy before they are 12 weeks old. Here are a few
1. Costs less. The longer a breeder has puppies the more shots, vet visits, worm checks, food, pee pads and so on are required. Even if you do the bare minimum. Longer = more.
2. When puppies are weaned, they have to be fed by a person. The mother stops cleaning up after them and a person has to do it. They poop and pee a lot.
3. The puppies want to run around, they won't stay in a box or cage without crying, and if they are out they get into things, someone has to watch them. And they poop and pee a lot.
4. The older the puppies get, the more the buyer can tell what they will look like as an adult ! The older they get the more a buyer can tell about behavior traits. The older the puppy gets, the bigger they get. And that supposedly tiny tea cup is already charting 11 pounds at 12 weeks ! And again they poop and pee a lot.

A Good Breeder may not agree with every thing their chosen authority says to do. (Yorkshire Terrier Club of America) But a good breeder respects the parent club and follows its bylaws and ideals. And if members disagree with something, they work toward changing the things or form a new club.
A Greeder Breeder does only what they have to do. They do not care what happens after they have the money. The little life they were responsible for deliberately creating is just a thing, a product to them.
Sadly as long as people will buy a six week old CKC, cute sort of looks like a Yorkie, at 6 weeks old. Greeders will sell them.

Thanks to Judy for sparking this post.

Thanks for posting this......maybe if they hear it enough, from enough different people, it may take root and maybe people will STOP getting suckered nto taking a puppy at 6 weeks of age.....the bottom line is:
If a breeder is NOT keeping that litter until they are at least 12 weeks of age, they are getting rid of that baby to avoid spending the money that will be required to maintain that baby an additional 6 weeks....THIS CUTS INTO THEIR PROFIT MARGIN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!!! To these breeders, it is ONLY about the money, not about the puppies!!!!! PLEASE, understand this!!!

I think the biggest reason people sell pups at a young age is because they are just uneducated. In the real world most people have always sold pups around 6 to 8 weeks of age. It hasn't been until recently that states have came up with laws that say pups can't be sold until they are at least 8 weeks.

The 12 weeks age recommendation by the YTCA is just that, a recommendation. I know some very reputable breeders that do occasionally let their pups go at 10 to 12 weeks. Most show breeders like to keep the pups a long time so they can evaluate them but if they see a puppy that, for example, will be over sized or have a bad bite or some other fault that is obvious right away then they might go ahead and let that pup go a little before 12 weeks.

I think Theresa meant Continental Kennel Club and not the Canadian Kennel Club.

And as a member of the CKC that is the Canadian Kennel Club I can warrant and attest to the fact we as breeders do not let puppies go at 6wks old!

I really agree with this. What I would like to see is the YTCA come out with a weight caution as well. Nothing sold below 2 pounds......

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup: I absolutely DID mean the Continental Kennel Club. This is a paper only, money making thing. They commonly will accept a picture as proof that a dog is pure bred. They do not require real records at all.

The Canadian Kennel Club is an excellent club. Respected the world over and is as well known as the American Kennel Club.

Thanks for catching what could have been a misunderstanding !

:thumbup:That's a great idea. It scares me to death when I see tiny yorkies being sold at a very young age. Most puppy buyers are not knowledgeable on what it takes to care for a tiny pup.

:thumbup: This is exactly what happens between 7 and 12 weeks of age. I have 2 girls that will be 12 weeks tomorrow. I can not even fathom a breeder letting a 6-week old puppy go. My girls were still nursing almost exclusively at 6 weeks old (they ate a little food but not much), and they were still getting around very slowly. They are still so helpless at 6 weeks. By 8 weeks, there was a huge difference. They were still nursing, but they were eating food regularly and now running around. At 8 weeks they were definitely starting to pee and poop a lot, crying to get out to play, and of course were ready for their first vaccination. I still couldn't imagine them leaving at 8 weeks. They have changed and learned so much in the past 4 weeks. When running the house, they sometimes do run to the pad to pee and poop so they are starting to potty train. They have stopped biting me hard when playing (learning bite inhibition), they have learned to stay out from under my feet and get out of the way, and they are now eating food exclusively and eating really well. Definitely has meant MUCH MORE work on my part, but oh so worth it. Of course, I'm still watching them for show anyway so they aren't going anywhere even at 12 weeks, but I would never let one go before 12 weeks. They just develop so much between 6 and 12 weeks.

I agree, I would not take a puppy if it was not at least 12 weeks

What do you feel about a guideline that also includes a minimum weight threshold? Say 2lbs or so?

Excellent thread, Teresa. Thank you.

I think in the majority of cases it's a good idea. My smallest puppy is 2.3lbs right now and she still seems so little to me. When a puppy goes to a new home, it's a stressful time and tinies can go downhill fast. However, there are some cases where a puppy never gets any bigger than 2-3lbs full grown and I would hope that a breeder would be very careful in placing these tinies in a home that is experienced with and/or well educated on the special needs of a tiny....so if the new owner is experienced enough/educated enough, I can understand placing the puppy before it is 2lbs. However, I would not want to see a tiny puppy going to a less experienced owner before 2lbs so again, in the majority of cases, I think it's a good idea to wait.

Great post there are a few breeders here who I hope see and read this.

:thumbup: I totally agree that the tiny ones need to stay at least 12 weeks. Your girls are growing up fast and they are so pretty. Two pups in a litter is a lot of fun to raise. It can get really challenging when it is a litter of 4 or even larger.

Great thread Teresa. I totally agree. Even three pounds is so freaking tiny!