Is 7 week too young to get a puppy?
 

I'm getting my puppy next wk on Tuesday but people are saying it too young! My breeder is been breeding for 10 years and I have a friend who has got 2 other yorkies from her. Will my puppy be okay?

Welcome.

To be honest, YES 7 weeks is EXTREMELY young.

Most breeders wait til at least 12 weeks (with such little ones). Can your breeder on the pup longer?

I got Murfee 3 years ago before I ever heard of YT. He was about 7 weeks old and has had no health problems, was easy to train, had no crying or whining...of course he was sleeping with me. I have learned from YT that is too young...thank goodness my experience with a very young puppy was great. Patty

I got Chachi at 7 weeks. It wasnt a perfect situation but we made it. He got diahrea the week I brought him home and I had to take him to the vet but that was the only problem

I went down and picked up Lulu right as she was 7 weeks old. I did it for a couple reasons. First was the mom had already weaned her off probably at 5 or so weeks. Second of all I had arranged to take two weeks off to be home with her and do the eagle eye and make sure she had the care she needed. I was fortunate that we didn't have any issues. If the breeder can and will hold your pup for a bit more then let her do it. It's hard to really say if it's bad or not. Lots of people get pups at the 8 week mark from a breeder. With these smaller dogs it's recommended to stay a bit longer but sometimes things happen.

I got~
 

my Charlie at 7 weeks and Henry at 12, only because it was a decision made that I never thought I would make until I had Charlie...Another one was the only thing I could think of, and I am glad I did...I wouldn't worry about it...Have Fun! :aimeeyork

Problem
 

All of the other puppies will be leaving too! So even if she stays she'll be the only one there.

I think it's fine as long as the pup is fully weaned and healthy.

I got sophie exactly 7 weeks no problems I suggest bringing the pup. I had the dsame problem.The pup being alone at the breeders house so i got sophie. She's so happy (sop)

7 weeks is to young
 

Sometimes it works out fine but 7 weeks is way to young. Any good vet will explain that even if the mother is done nursing they are still training the puppy how to be a dog. The socialization is extremely important to a puppies development. I know lots of people that have had problems much later after getting a puppy younger than at least 8 weeks. Older than 8 weeks, 10 or 12 is the best.

Also the smaller the puppy the much more likely there may be problems. Breeders that like to dump the puppies before 12 weeks are in it for the money not to provide the puppy the best chance to be healthy and happy.

People are looking for a small puppy and want them at a younger age but they are only puppies so long and they are dogs for a long time - best to make sure they are healthy and well developed by getting one at 10 weeks or 12 weeks.

:yeahthat:

Puppies taken too soon, may not have health issues, but they may have social issues. During those last few weeks they learn how to play, how hard they can bite, and to respect the top dog.

Those issues may not show up for a year or more, but they develope because of a lack of social skills.

Is 7 week too young to get a puppy?
 

the breeder/pet store owner told me my puppy was 7 weeks but actually was a few days short of 7 weeks! I knew if I didn't take him someone else would! and where I live yorkies are rare. My Tanner is now 12 weeks and I won't lie it was hard. He would shake easy so keep him warm and lots of naps, second getting him to eat. I now cut up really small bits of chedder cheese you can barely see it to encourage him to eat his puppy food,(combination of puppy nutrience and royal canine baby dog for puppies up to 8 weeks).Good luck to you.
Tanner is our family pride and joy beside always wanting to chew on my fingers he is the most perfect puppy anyone could ask for.

so do i. i brought romeo home at six weeks and he has no social issues either
and he is very healthy.
he had/has no problems at all - he slept through the night in his kennel by our bed and did not cry or whine once. having him has not been hard at all - ever!
he is 24 weeks old now and the best puppy - exactly what we imagined having a yorkie would be like!:D

This is very true. The extra time with the momma-dog is when pups learn proper dog behavior. If you want a dog who gets along with other dogs, this is important. Even without other siblings present, your puppy will learn alot from his Momma. If you do get him at 7 weeks, you are going to have to be VERY diligent to socialize him with as many different dogs as you can, as often as you can.

Interestingly, the push to keep puppies with their moms until 10-12 weeks is a U.S. phenomenon. Here in the UK, the theory is that puppies bond better with humans when they are adopted at around 8 weeks. I'm not saying that they are right, but I do think think it's important to keep in mind that there are different theories on the subject. As a result, we really shouldn't be too judgmental about those who choose different from what we believe.

Yup! I have to agree. I got Sadie when she was only 7 weeks old. I thought that was a bit too young..I always thoughts puppies shouldn't leave Mom until they were AT LEAST 8 weeks (didn't know yorkies were supposed to be 12 wks)old...However, I didn't know much about Yorkies and the breeder told me she was ready to go. Lillie (bought from the same breeder) I got at 8 weeks...again I thought maybe too young but, Lillie being with her siblings and Mom for that extra week made a BIG difference. There is definately a difference between Sadie and Lillie..they are both very sweet, healthy little girls but Sadie DEFINATELY has the alpha attitude and can be dog aggressive. We have been working with Sadie on these issues and she is doing very well..I just wish I had found YT BEFORE I bought them.

i think it depends alot on the area. i have never seen an ad in our local paper for anyone selling yorkies with them listed as being older than 6 weeks of age and ready to go. even for the ads that are out of state they are 6 week old puppies. i started looking a year ago before i found romeo so i have seen and talked to dozens of breeders. my neighbor has a little girl yorkie and romeo loves to play with her. we have never had a problem with the two. and yes she was 6 weeks old also when brought home.

I got Lucy when she was about 8.5 weeks old, before I joined YT as well, she just turned 12 weeks on the 10th and she has done well with eating, sleeping and the potty-training thing. She does go after our fingers and toes when she gets excited and does bite pretty hard, but we have two older Yorkie's, one that she doesn't really get along with (the older dog is very spoiled and very jealous of anyone who gets near my mom) and Max will run, chase and play with her. SO i'm hoping she'll learn how not to bite hard and other socialization things from him. Do you think she will?

We brought Higgins home at 7.5 weeks and he did wonderfully. Even managed to live after I SAT on him (I weigh well over 200 lbs). And because he was brought up travelling and living in campgrounds (we were full-time RVers), he is well socialized.

We are retired and had the time to devote to him, and I think it makes a difference. Not sure I would take home such a young puppy if I was working or couldn't devote the time they need at that age.

Every situation is a little different, both the pup's and yours, so go with what feels right to you.

I like this thread. Everyone is gently offering their experience and opinion and no one is judging or getting angry. Bless you all!

I got Tink at 8 weeks from a rescue. She had gone to her home at 6 wks and then was surrendered because she was deaf. She isn't deaf, she was just too little to leave her mom and didn't know what to do. She was still suckling on a toy. It took awhile to get her to listen and follow instructions. She was very needy at first, but she's fine now (just a brat but don't tell her I said that!).

We got Lily at 7 weeks. She is now 4 months and doing great! She is well socialized, eats great, and (I am proud to say) is completely potty trained. I got her when I was finishing up my semester so I had a lot of time to dedicate to her and the training. Whatever you do, goodluck!

lacey
 

i got lacey at 8 weeks and she did great. but i do have other dogs that i think made it easier for her to adjust.

i would be interested to know how many of you that also got your dogs between 6-8 weeks old are able to spend alot of time with them. i am a SAHM so i am here almost all day with romeo unless i am running errands and then it is only for a couple of hours. i think that does make a very big difference wether it is us with them or another dog(s). i don't think it matters wether they were 6 weeks or 12 weeks old - no dog would like to be left alone for hours at a time in a new home.

Mine aren't weaned totally until at least 8 or 9 weeks depending on the moms which I let them decide when they want to completely stop nursing.
Because a breeder has been breeding 10 years doesn't mean she or he is doing things right. Others may have lucked out and their Yorkie was fine.
I wouldn t take the risk also because the pup needs the socialization of the littermates and other Yorkies including the mom.
I never recommend less than 12 weeks of age and older if particularly small.

Thanks
 

Everyone thanks for all your reply's this has been so helpful.

Does anyone know where I can get Nutrical and Karo syrup?

Karo syrup is a white corn syrup in your supermarket.
Nutrical you can often get from your vet over the counter. Some pet stores may carry it. You can also order it from Petedge.com

I work all day and so does my boyfriend and mom but I wake up early in the morning and take her out, spend time with her while she eats take her out again, play adn then she's usually ready for a nap by the time I leave for work. She's there for about 4 horus then I go home on my lunch break and take her out, let her snack, play, for about 30-40 min. then about 3 hours later my boyfriend is home and she is out again.

She really enjoys having her quiet naptime in her cage and never barks when we put her in there. I guess it just depends on the dog's temperament. who knows.

LOL!!! i am going to poke fun at you sallen15 - my son calls romeo's kennel a "cage" also and i told him "he is NOT a wild animal! it is not a cage!" LOL :D we always laugh about that. romeo loves to nap in his,too - if you leave the door open he will go into it to lie down like the good little man he is!:)

As A Breeder
 

I will tell you that what concerns me the most is that the puppy, maybe, will only have had 1 set of shots. I will not even let ppl touch my dogs until they have had 3 sets of shots. A good vet will tell you that the first set is not sufficient, the second set gives a little more, but they don't have the full protection until after the 4th set. Yes, it cost me more, but I work 3 jobs so that I can support my dogs and my passion of showing dogs. If I do have a dog that I need to place, they usually have had all of their shots. Also, it is very important to me that they be socialized by the mother and the other dogs that I own. They learn how to relate to other dogs and it is amazing to watch a pup give to it's mothers will when she is training them. People should train their kids that well. JMO... :aimeeyork

young puppy
 

I think any puppy should be with its mother until 8 weeks at least, probably 10-12 weeks for these tiny ones. They need that time for socialization. My son and daughter-in-law got my granddaughter's puppy at barely 6 weeks. The puppies had been taken away from the mother and the puppy would have been sold to someone else at that age even if they hadn't taken her. She did OK physically, but she's six months old now and isn't potty trained and wants to play bite constantly and doesn't know how to play with my two dogs. My son and daughter-in-law both work and my granddaughter is in school and it's hard to raise a puppy when its alone all day. They love her tons, but she needs some discipline. She won't let you comb/brush her (has never been to a groomer) and she bites a lot playing. She is around my two Bichons often and doesn't know what to do when they try to get her to play with them. I'm afraid there are going to be serious problems with grooming and manners. She knows she is supposed to use her potty pads, but doesn't about half the time. She goes in her crate when told to, but won't come when called. She doesn't walk well on a leash. She's a sweetheart and we all love her. She's affectionate and full of fun, but I worry about her becoming more than they want to deal with. I would like to take her and keep her for a while or babysit her a few days a week, but wouldn't suggest it. I don't want to make them feel like I'm being critical or think I would do a better job. I'm retired and home all day. I worry about her!