Puppy too young?

[Nelsonm64]

hi all,

my wife is driving to the breeder on the 14th to pick up our new rotti pup. he was born on Feb 25th 08. is he old enough? i have been doing some reading and am a bit concerned he might be too young?

[dmoniz]

If I counted the weeks right he should be 7 weeks old on the 14th. That would be the absolute youngest you could take a pup, 8 weeks being ideal.

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Nelsonm64

hi all,

my wife is driving to the breeder on the 14th to pick up our new rotti pup. he was born on Feb 25th 08. is he old enough? i have been doing some reading and am a bit concerned he might be too young?

Besides being a LITTLE young, what are some of the reasons you decided to choose this breeder? What were the qualifications on the sire and dam (i.e. all health checks, working and conformation titles)?

[Zumie05]

7 weeks is the bear minimum age to pick up a pup. Waiting an extra week really does help your dog get some good socialization and bite inhibition which the litter mates are all teaching each other right now, but it isn't a HUGE deal. Better to get a puppy at 7 weeks than 5 weeks!

Did you do any research about COE breeders vs Backyard breeders? Do some research before making your final decision on this puppy....you may end up being disappointed. I got my pup through a no good place and learned after I joined this site all the horrible mistakes I made.

Even though I love my dog to death, he is only 7 months and came home with a few minor problems and now is having some classic health problems usually related to not-so-good breeders. He came home with an ulcer in one of his eyes that the breeder was "treating" which I doubt because as soon as I started treating it the eye cleared right up. He also had giardia....and now I am wondering about possible hip and/or knee problems because he has a horrible limp and seems to be in pain and is very stiff with much less energy than normal .

[Chantal]

We got ours at 7 weeks, but if you can wait until 8 do it. It's alot easier. The biting will be the worst part of it when they are so little. If they get to play & bite more with the other puppies & mother, that's better. You'll just have to teach her bite inhibition, rather than the mother. My older 2 were 9 weeks & 8 weeks old when we got them & it was much easier!!

[brunie's mom]

Originally Posted by Skip

Besides being a LITTLE young, what are some of the reasons you decided to choose this breeder? What were the qualifications on the sire and dam (i.e. all health checks, working and conformation titles)?

Good questions!
Is the breeder a member of the Rottweiler Club of Canada? You can go to the website and see if your breeder is listed. If not find out why not.

Gina

[Nelsonm64]

Originally Posted by Zumie05

7 weeks is the bear minimum age to pick up a pup. Waiting an extra week really does help your dog get some good socialization and bite inhibition which the litter mates are all teaching each other right now, but it isn't a HUGE deal. Better to get a puppy at 7 weeks than 5 weeks!

Did you do any research about COE breeders vs Backyard breeders? Do some research before making your final decision on this puppy....you may end up being disappointed. I got my pup through a no good place and learned after I joined this site all the horrible mistakes I made.

Even though I love my dog to death, he is only 7 months and came home with a few minor problems and now is having some classic health problems usually related to not-so-good breeders. He came home with an ulcer in one of his eyes that the breeder was "treating" which I doubt because as soon as I started treating it the eye cleared right up. He also had giardia....and now I am wondering about possible hip and/or knee problems because he has a horrible limp and seems to be in pain and is very stiff with much less energy than normal .

i really sorry to hear about your dog, that really too bad.

[brunie's mom]

Please reconsider buying a pup from this "breeder". This is not a code of ethics breeder...the breeder does not show any of his dogs and none of them have any health testing done on them...only the dogs that he had imported as adults.
There are no titles on any of the dogs, to prove that they are worthy of breeding....no Championships for either dams or sires, no obedience titles or tracking....or ANYTHING!!!

I see no proof that any of the breeding females have any health tests done...there should be OFA or OVC number for each dog that is used for breeding...numbers that would include hip, elbow, eye and heart ratings.

This guy has so many dogs!!! He is a commercial breeder...just breeding for the money...not to produce better dogs. The dogs on the website that I saw...are not great looking.

Read all of the "stickies" on the Breeding Forum...and learn what a good breeder is. I would run...very far away from this so called "breeder".
Your puppy may have severe health problems...hips and heart are this breeds top problem...and with none of his breeding dogs tested...you have a greater chance of future problems.

Gina

[Nelsonm64]

Originally Posted by brunie's mom

Please reconsider buying a pup from this "breeder". This is not a code of ethics breeder...the breeder does not show any of his dogs and none of them have any health testing done on them...only the dogs that he had imported as adults.
There are no titles on any of the dogs, to prove that they are worthy of breeding....no Championships for either dams or sires, no obedience titles or tracking....or ANYTHING!!!

I see no proof that any of the breeding females have any health tests done...there should be OFA or OVC number for each dog that is used for breeding...numbers that would include hip, elbow, eye and heart ratings.

This guy has so many dogs!!! He is a commercial breeder...just breeding for the money...not to produce better dogs. The dogs on the website that I saw...are not great looking.

Read all of the "stickies" on the Breeding Forum...and learn what a good breeder is. I would run...very far away from this so called "breeder".
Your puppy may have severe health problems...hips and heart are this breeds top problem...and with none of his breeding dogs tested...you have a greater chance of future problems.

Gina

i got really lucky with my Rotti that i just lost after 13 years. i have already made a deposit, so it's a done deal as far as getting this pup goes. i dont have any plans to stud him, so i guess i'll just cross my fingers and hope for the best ...

[brunie's mom]

It's too bad you want to line the pockets of a crap puppy producer. Everytime they make money...they just re-breed again..because they see money signs in their eyes. Sad that you did not do some research before putting a deposit down. I would lose the deposit...because you may have vet bills that will run into the thousands in the future. I'm sure for the same amount you are paying for this puppy you could have gotten one from a COE breeder...that show and titles their dogs and has generations of hip, elbow, eye and heart scores on their breeding dogs.

You could have adopted a dog from a rescue or shelter...same crap shoot as you are going to have taking a puppy from this commerical BYB.

You were worried about the puppy being too young???...I would be worried about the puppy being crippled with HD or dropping dead by the age of one year. Why don't you e-mail westcoastrottweilerrescue.com
and ask them about the" breeder".

Gina

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Nelsonm64

i got really lucky with my Rotti that i just lost after 13 years. i have already made a deposit, so it's a done deal as far as getting this pup goes. i dont have any plans to stud him, so i guess i'll just cross my fingers and hope for the best ...

Nothing is done until you bring the pup home. Why have you chose to ignore excellent advice? Purchases like this damage the breed. Why do you want to damage the breed?

[Superman15]

I have a question, aren't ALL breeders(BYB or COE)only interested in the money?? Don't they all have the $$ in their eyes?? If not, and the interest was truly in having animals of a certain standard in the world, why not give them away?? Why sale them?? Why buy them??

[moondog]

Originally Posted by Superman15

I have a question, aren't ALL breeders(BYB or COE)only interested in the money??

No....not all. Perhaps a majority, unfortunately, but certainly not "ALL". The PRIMARY motivation for a truly ethical breeder to produce any puppies at all is to advance those qualities that they have noted in the dogs they are breeding that UPHOLD the Standard of the Breed and will perhaps give them their next....and best....working dog. The genetics are FIRST - dogs sound in body and mind. The economics involved are SECONDARY.

This is much different than your perception of what breeding is all about.

Originally Posted by Superman15

Don't they all have the $$ in their eyes?? If not, and the interest was truly in having animals of a certain standard in the world, why not give them away?? Why sale them?? Why buy them??

Unfortunately, life as we live it is not as pure as your thought. Economics DO come into play, because doing the things that need to be done to prove a dog breedworthy does cost, as does veterinary care, food, housing, etc.etc.etc. For an ethical breeder (and I do not use that term loosely), the economics only serve to cover the cost. They are more interested in producing quality puppies than they are in producing profits.

Do they ever make a profit? I'm sure some do......and if they are truly ethical, that money gets put aside for the times when things go wrong with whelping, with a previously sold puppy, or for any number of other DOG related expenses........not to rely on for mortgage payments and new cars.

[Nelsonm64]

Originally Posted by brunie's mom

It's too bad you want to line the pockets of a crap puppy producer. Everytime they make money...they just re-breed again..because they see money signs in their eyes. Sad that you did not do some research before putting a deposit down. I would lose the deposit...because you may have vet bills that will run into the thousands in the future. I'm sure for the same amount you are paying for this puppy you could have gotten one from a COE breeder...that show and titles their dogs and has generations of hip, elbow, eye and heart scores on their breeding dogs.

You could have adopted a dog from a rescue or shelter...same crap shoot as you are going to have taking a puppy from this commerical BYB.

You were worried about the puppy being too young???...I would be worried about the puppy being crippled with HD or dropping dead by the age of one year. Why don't you e-mail westcoastrottweilerrescue.com
and ask them about the" breeder".

Gina

i dont want to line anyones pockets~! that's a kinda harsh thing to say. someone is going to buy that pup no matter what! so it might as well be me! call it a very expensive recue. just be glad i'm not stupid enough top breed it.

[moondog]

Originally Posted by Nelsonm64

i dont want to line anyones pockets~! that's a kinda harsh thing to say. someone is going to buy that pup no matter what! so it might as well be me! call it a very expensive recue.

What you fail to see here is that by buying into it, literally, you are perpetuating the practice that we all fight so hard to correct. Unethical breeders and breeders who think profit first, welfare of the puppies and the breed second, are only unethical because they CAN be. If more was required of them by their CUSTOMERS, well......then they would do a better job.

Everyone involved in a breeding has some responsibility towards it, and that includes those who buy the pups.

Originally Posted by Nelsonm64

just be glad i'm not stupid enough top breed it.

And I will say thank you for this. Genuinely.