Too Young! What should I do?
 

I am so unhappy with my breeder. I found out today my pups delivery date is going to be February 25th or 26th (She will deliver the puppy to my house herself). My puppy was born on December 30th. She will only be 8 weeks old that is so young!! Would it be weird if I asked her to keep it a couple weeks longer? If I do receive the puppy at 8 weeks is there anything I need to know, anything special I can do?? :confused:

TIA – Jamie

If a breeder is not willing to keep the puppy til the best and right time to take it away from its siblings and family, I WOULD NOT DEAL WITH THEM! That tells me that they are in it for the money and the health and well-being of the puppy is further down on the list of concerns. Not a good thing in my opnion..

The puppy is too young plus why cant you go pick it up? Have you seen the parents and the conditions the pup has been raised in. I have just never heard of the breeder deliverring the pup.

I will never deal with breeders that let go their puppies at 8 weeks .

I got Cali at 9 weeks, but I picked her up at the breeders. She should have stayed with the mom a few more weeks but the breeder said she was ready and I didn't know better because that was before YT and all of my other puppies were 8 -9 weeks old when I got them.

I got both of my girls at 8 weeks....they both did great!! We had no problems at all...they were tiny but they ate, drank, peed and pooped!! But if you don't feel comfortable with your puppy until they are older then I would defintely talk to your breeder....

I'm such a tard, I made a mistake and did not visit her home. I assumed from speaking with her I could trust her. I can pick up the puppy myself I do believe I have that option. She lives out of state and usually delivers more then one puppy at a time in my area. However after today, I believe I may pick up my puppy myself. How do puppies do in 4.5 hour car rides? Should I get a car seat?

TIA!

I dont want to go against every body elses opinions but I got both of mine at under 8 weeks old.They were and are fine and every other puppy here is taken home at around that age (sometimes sooner) with no problems what so ever.Infact,the normal age for a pup to go to its new home here is 45 days old and its always been done this way.
This has been done for years and if it was a problem they would have changed it by now right?
I would take the pup home,but thats just my opinion.Whos to say she wont be fine?

I wouldnt worry about getting a car seat but would get a small crate to bring the puppy home in. I think you would be wise to see where the pup is coming form. Are you getting any kind of health guarantee?

Both of my girls came home at 6 weeks and they did fine, no problems. Chizzie had a 5 hour car ride with no problems. She rode home in my lap. Chattie had a one hour car ride.

I do not recommend the majority of people bringing home their puppies that young. It is a lot of work -- a full time job 24/7. But, alas, I am a demon for punishment and I love babies , both had a full set of teeth and were eating well, so I saw no reason for them not to come home. We went to the vet almost immediately and have never had any problems.

I got both of My puppies early. The breeders in my area let them go at 6 - 8 weeks of age if they are healthy. I think thats to early . But If I didnt take them when they was offering them, well I wouldnt of got them someone else would of. Both mine did real good.

There has been so much discussion on other threads about this and it is not just about their physical health. These babies have emotional needs and a lot of development takes place between 8-12 weeks.
In the end, each buyer and breeder are gonna do what they want but the well-being of the Yorkie puppy should always be the first concern of all parties.

age
 

Sometimes you have no option but to take them at an early age or lose them. Size is important..if it is tiny I would pass, but a bigger pup will be okay as a rule with someone who knows Yorkies puppies. You take more chances with younger pups..many problems have no time to crop up..they have been weaned for so few weeks.

i took bunjee home when he was exactly 8 weeks old. he was 2.8lbs at the time. he did just fine.

I agree with the fact that the best interests of the puppy are usually served by staying with Mom until 12 weeks, but in circumstances where the puppy needs to go to it's forever home sooner, the new mommy needs to be well versed in it's care, have an experienced person to bounce concerns off of over the telephone at any time of the day, and be prepared to be with the puppy 24/7, no leaving the puppy home alone for any period of time until at least 12 weeks and then for only very very short periods if it has to be.

The breeder should welcome your concern and honor the fact that you want what is best for her and the best start in life is to learn all she can in those important formative weeks when mom and littermates teach so much. :thumbup:

I got Ceeby at eight weeks and he turned out to be okay but was a very picky eater. it took some time to find something he would eat well. he was never sick (that i can remember) until he was about four months old. he has had two or three sick spells since but that is not related to getting him early. he has never had a hypoglycemic episode but my vet told me the day after i got him to give him nutracal as a routine thing two or three times a day. The breeder had also told me this so he got it at least twice a day every day until he was nearly three pounds. he weighed nine ounces when I got him. My breeder always lets them go at eight weeks unless she thinks she needs to keep them. She has kept them until fourteen weeks. Most people in this area let them go at six weeks which is wayyyyyy too early.

Good points, Pat!

I don't think 8 weeks is too young ---- IF - you're pup is a good size and has a good appetite. My was that age, and I haven't been able to keep up with him since the first night I got him. And, he has grown by leaps and bounds from the first night on.

I would be concerned if my pup were "tiny" and wasn't eating real well by itself yet. This would be my main concern. And, in this case, I wouldn't feel that he was ready to leave his mother.

And - I let my puppy sleep with me. He slept (6 or 7 hours) like a little veteran and never seemed to miss his mom or litter mates at all. I also spent most of my time (the first few weeks) being very close to him - more often than not carrying him with me around the house. And, because he was so young, he slept a most of the time - which was great!

I would say getting your pup at 8 weeks - depends of the pup, you, and your environment.

Carol Jean

Thank you all for your wonderful advice. I really do appreciate it. I do have a 1 year health guarantee. Thank goodness! :rolleyes:

If you are going to pick him up.
For the ride home be sure to have
A small crate with snuggle blanket or towel, extra blankets or towels encase it get the poops.
I'd ask when the pup last ate.
If it has not been just fed,
I'd feed it and let its food settle a bit.
Then it should be ok..until you get it home to feed again.
Toy to play with. It will more then likely sleep most of the time.
Water to drink, ( I'd stop every hour and check the pup and offer it a drink).
Wet wash cloth in baggie to clean up the puppy if it gets car sick or to clean up poo.
bag to put mess in..
and don't for get the Nutri-cal.
Good luck with your new baby.

I would highly suggest asking the breeder to keep your baby for AT LEAST 2 more weeks. These small babies shouldn't go before 10 weeks in my opinion. But if you do decide to get her early, you don't need a carseat. She'd be much safer in a small crate with a blankie. Bouncer didn't get his car seat for a few months.

I dont think there is a problem with taking him home at 8 weeks. As long as he is happy and healthy. :thumbup:

I did not let my pups go until they were 12 weeks....yes..At 8 weeks they were eating good and playing well and one weighed 4lbs and the other was 5 lbs at 8 weeks however the emotional growth I saw in them from 8 weeks to 12weeks was unbelievable...when they left I knew for certain they were ready and were going to do great at their forever homes...they really do gain so much confidence in the world between those weeks...I am so glad I stuck with the plan to keep them until 12 weeks...

ok,these may be concedered fighting words,but are only my opinion,I have raised maletse and bassetts in the past and I always let them go to there new homes at 8 weeks,but after joining yorkietalk, I have a whole new attitude..we have an 8 week old pup now,a yorkie male,what he is learning from both parents is a great thing,such as when he started biting as a puppy does,his mom made a growling sound and got him a toy,dropped it at him and showed him how to play and chew it,also,they scold him when he potties and its not on the potty pad,when he makes pee on the pad they give him kisses and you can tell they are praising him,they taught him in the last week that when he is put in his bed,he is to stay there..when he fusses as if he needs to potty,one of them takes him to the pottypad..now if my parents were left with there parents untill 12 weeks,they would have been potty broke,would have chewed on toys rather than anything else,and this morning I watched them try to show him how to go out the doggydoor to the back yard,but it was a failure,it was snowing outside so pup said no way,that stuff is scarry,but watching them they are sure going to make his future home alot better..sorry..but none of my babies will ever leave before 12 weeks..let the parents train them to be great dogs

I got Ruby at 5 months (and felt like i missed out on her hole puppy stage) so i got Bella at 8 weeks (not realizing this was WAY to young).
Just make sure you don't take your puppy outside or to any friends house when this young because they can pick up ANY kind of illness and become really sick very fast.
My personal experience with a puppy this young was to also not give them any treats and keep them on the same diet that your breeder had them on (even if your planning to switch to another brand in the future). 8 week old puppies are very sensitive, and absolutely no jumping.
I treated Bella like this until she hit at least 12 weeks and then i started to give her a treat here and there. I didn't take her outside until she had all of her shots though.
I think you would be doing the right thing if you asked your breeder to keep your pup for a few more weeks. If i were to get a third Yorkie i would def wait until they were 12 weeks.

Personally, I'd ask her to keep the pup (even if I had to pay extra for it) until the pup was at least 10 weeks.

If she can't/won't, you are going to have to be *extra* diligent about socializing this dogs with other dogs. Obviously, you'll have to wait until completely immunized, but then, your pup needs to have as many positive interactions with other dogs as possible, as quickly as possible!

I picked Rocky up at 8 weeks, and he did fine. I took him the vet the day after I picked him up and had him check out, he got a clean bill of health. He sleep most of the time at the age, but about 2 weeks later he was tearing thru the house.

I had Aggie at 9 weeks. In retrospect, it was perfect timing.

She's a little over 3 months now, appx 12 weeks. She's starting to recognize people (me :D ) and bonding to her surroundings. Yes, it was a lot of work in the beginning, especially the first week at home. However, she didn't think about the "home" she had before (that was our concern because it happened before when we dog-sat our friends' dogs).

I think if I had gotten her now, instead of three weeks ago, it'd be harder. She'd probably miss her "mom - breeder" and cry more.

Bottom line, if you're concerned, hesitating about taking your pup at 8wks, you SHOULD ask your breeder to hold her/him back for at least another week.

Recently someone posted a developmental chart on here of the stages a puppy goes through in those first weeks and months and it was really eye opening for me.

It is not just the "health" of the puppy that is to be considered but the "training" and "schooling" really that a puppy gets from his mother and littermates from 8 to 12 weeks. They learn about how to get along in the pack, pack behavior and other "rules" for getting along with other dogs and people that we cannot teach them and that after a certain age is impossible to teach. They learn how to " bite playfully " with other dogs so as to not hurt them, how to "be submissive" in the right situation to avoid getting attacked and a lot of other behaviors that...if they miss, they suffer for their entire lives in some areas. This is partially how shy, timid, fear biting, overly aggressive or dogs with other behavioral are developed I think. Once it happens, it is hard to correct.

I will try to locate the chart and post the link again because this is an important issue. :thumbup: