Very Worried New Owner

by DaChaz Sun Mar 17 2013, 13:34

Heya i have recently joined this forum, Many thanks for all the welcoming messages, I went to visit my new pups last night (now 6 weeks) & was told i could take them home, i've managed to get the breeder to keep them until friday (not that i dont want them home) but read here it should be 8 weeks, What advice (If any) can you give me on making sure this early move doesnt cause my pups to much upset, thankies xx Also advice on what to have ready for them would be great Sad

by Guest Sun Mar 17 2013, 13:37

They should ideally be kept with their mother for minimum 8 weeks. The mother does the best job of raising them and teaches them very important early social skills. It will also mean the pups are healthier Smile

If you can have them kept until 8 weeks you will have a much easier time bringing them up Smile

by DaChaz Sun Mar 17 2013, 13:41

Thanks, i have tried to talk to the breeder but she says the Mother has already tired of the litter & as she has many pups n my two are going together she wants them collected, there were 7 pups in the litter & one goes home today, all away by sunday i believe, so its down to me to make it as best i can for them xx

by **Kathy** Sun Mar 17 2013, 13:45

Are you having two from the same litter ?

by DaChaz Sun Mar 17 2013, 13:46

Hiya Kathy, yes there from the same litter xx

by Guest Sun Mar 17 2013, 14:20

DaChaz wrote:Thanks, i have tried to talk to the breeder but she says the Mother has already tired of the litter & as she has many pups n my two are going together she wants them collected, there were 7 pups in the litter & one goes home today, all away by sunday i believe, so its down to me to make it as best i can for them xx

At that age the mother will have tired of them, because they have very sharp teeth & will still want to suckle! However, they should still be left with their siblings until 8 weeks old. The breeder is pulling a fast one, I'm afraid - she doesn't want the expense of feeding them & worming them now that they're on solids so they want shot of them. Sad

If you really have to collect them, then leave it as long as possible.

Personally, I wouldn't have got two from the same litter, especially not a dog & a bitch (that's what they look like in your avatar) - you'll have a devil of a job training and teaching house rules, plus you have the problem of the bicth's first season in a very short space of time.

by Guest Sun Mar 17 2013, 14:38

Only advise as everyone else and keep as long as you can with the breeder , why not point the breeder in our direction for a discussion. See you have 2 from the same litter which is never a great idea but what's done is done and you just have to be prepared for some hard work to come.

Just out of curiosity , are the dogs coming with papers etc . Only reason I ask is to be perfectly honest a good breeeder with registered pups should never let you take 2 pups from the same litter (they would normally have a contract insisting the pups came back to them in the event of problems so obviously they have the pups welfare and the risks to them to minimise) and also they would normally insist on 8 weeks , first injections and microchipped before leaving.

I took Tommy a few days early from his breeder due to our own reasons but he didnt take it easily and I had to make sure all my bit was done for worming , injections etc and send him the proof, I had no problem as it was my reassurance of the calibre of person I was buying from

by **Galadriel** Sun Mar 17 2013, 14:39

Have a look at www.thepuppyplan.com some very useful stuff on there.

I'd strongly recommend you reconsider getting these two pups though, especially if you're paying for them; putting money in the back pocket of that kind of breeder does nothing but harm sadly.

No good breeder would be trying to get rid of the pups at 6 weeks and I don't know any good breeder who would sell two pups to the same person unless they were an exceptionally good trainer with lots of experience.

Raising two pups together isn't something I'd ever do; it's much more than twice the work and even then they're likely never to bond with you as much as each other.

Sorry I can't be more positive about it!

by Guest Sun Mar 17 2013, 14:41

I wouldn't get two from the same litter, they generally turn on each other and you can have a lot more problems with them.

by DaChaz Sun Mar 17 2013, 15:32

Thanks all, Starting to feel like worst new owner Sad

Itis going tobe very busy but as im home all the time im hoping that will help me with the difficulties to come, The breeder comes highly recomended in this area so i feel i can trust her (but then theres not many), so far no paperwork tobe heard of, dont know if u get that after purchase or not? also there not purebreds, no idea if that makes a difference, they have had there first jag n have been on a worming programme to be continued after purchase,

Have heard some very mixed reviews on having two of the same litter so we can but hope for the best, we spent the last few years waiting for the right family pets & we hope we have managed to find them xx

I had two pups at the same time before but they were not from the same litter, they were different breeds but they were wonderful, lived to a grand old age sadly no longer with us Sad

by Guest Sun Mar 17 2013, 15:39

The thing that concerns me most is that this is obviously an experienced breeder, and yet is pushing for people to take the pups 2 weeks too early.

Whether they are recommended or not they sound like puppy farmers, especially as they have 3 litters all ready at once! Sad

by Guest Sun Mar 17 2013, 15:42

Caryll wrote:especially as they have 3 litters all ready at once!

Where did that one come from Caryll , missed that

by DaChaz Sun Mar 17 2013, 15:44

They do have a very large family of animals in da home, they breed both cats & dogs, but they always seem to be well cared for & loved but now im unsure, we have agreed to take the pups & are prepared for them already but feeling increasingly anxious at this point

by DaChaz Sun Mar 17 2013, 15:46

I havent edited it out it was in my into post xx she had a litter of seven staffy crosses 3 frenchton pups & a chiwawa pup x

by Guest Sun Mar 17 2013, 15:47

Dave wrote:
Caryll wrote:especially as they have 3 litters all ready at once!

Where did that one come from Caryll , missed that

DaChaz wrote:Not as yet, have been making weekly visits but haven't managed to get many good pics as the poor breeder currently has her hands very full with 3 large litters of pups xx but will add some more as soon as we get some

by Guest Sun Mar 17 2013, 15:50

DaChaz wrote:also there not purebreds, no idea if that makes a difference, they have had there first jag n have been on a worming programme to be continued after purchase,(

What's done is done , sounds like you are falling foul of a Backyard Breeder but you have to do the best for the pups now. You must have it out with the breeder and tell them it isn't right for the pups to leave before 8 weeks and hang on to the last minute.

Don't send them here to us as my feeling is that it wouldn't last more than 4 or 5 posts before they got banned angry

I am very dubious about the first jabs being done as this would only normally be doen at 8 weeks in the UK (this was why I had to reach an agreement with my breeder to take Tommy early )

On the other side of the coin though we bought Tilly from a BYB ( I didnt know what 1 was at the time ) and she has turned into the most fantastic little girl ever ) so just because you chjose this route it doesn't mean you are destined for failure so please don't despair now. It just so happens my BYB was not pushing pups out before 8 weeks , though they were commiting other sins like no contracts, feeding bakers etc

by Guest Sun Mar 17 2013, 15:54

Caryll wrote:
Dave wrote:
Caryll wrote:especially as they have 3 litters all ready at once!

Where did that one come from Caryll , missed that

DaChaz wrote:Not as yet, have been making weekly visits but haven't managed to get many good pics as the poor breeder currently has her hands very full with 3 large litters of pups xx but will add some more as soon as we get some

Got it now from the Intro post , thanks Auntie Caryll Big Grin

by DaChaz Sun Mar 17 2013, 15:56

Many thanks, I hope i don't end up banned, i didnt know i was so far in the wrong & i honestly promise todo my absolute best for wir pups, is there any way i can find out if they really got there first injections other than the breeder?

also you say feeding bakers?? is that bad for them??? as im aware the pups are on a mix of bakers n readybrek confused

by **Kathy** Sun Mar 17 2013, 16:11

Bakers food would not be recommended here. Please see the list below for foods that we would recommend:

http://staffy-bull-terrier.com/dry_food

by DaChaz Sun Mar 17 2013, 16:14

Thank you, can i simply switch the puppys food type or is it more complicated than that?

by **Kathy** Sun Mar 17 2013, 16:17

DaChaz wrote:Thank you, can i simply switch the puppys food type or is it more complicated than that?

Gradually change it over the course of about a week to avoid upset tummys

by Guest Sun Mar 17 2013, 16:18

DaChaz wrote:Many thanks, I hope i don't end up banned, i didnt know i was so far in the wrong & i honestly promise todo my absolute best for wir pups, is there any way i can find out if they really got there first injections other than the breeder?

also you say feeding bakers?? is that bad for them??? as im aware the pups are on a mix of bakers n readybrek

Please don't worry we will not be banning you Big Grin

We need people like yourself to come here and be helped, if you are having problems as the alternative to sorting out your problems doesn't bear thinking about.

Diet is really important to the health of the pups , you can't dictate to the breeder but you can make the changes when you get them home. Bakers is very cheap and that is why it is very popular (Tilly's breeder used it too) I use Wainwrights from PAH as a really good middle of the range food and the kids are great on it but you will find lots of advice on here about what to feed

by DaChaz Sun Mar 17 2013, 16:21

Thank you so much, Will defo ease them onto better food xx starting to wonder if theres more important info on the pups im missing as my breeder really hasnt said anything other feed em 4 times daily & keep on the worming, am having a good read through peoples comments & the advice on here xx

by Guest Sun Mar 17 2013, 16:23

DaChaz wrote:Many thanks, I hope i don't end up banned, i didnt know i was so far in the wrong & i honestly promise todo my absolute best for wir pups, is there any way i can find out if they really got there first injections other than the breeder?

also you say feeding bakers?? is that bad for them??? as im aware the pups are on a mix of bakers n readybrek

You won't be banned, it isn't your fault. You could have done more research into how to buy a puppy from a responsible breeder, but no-one's judging you for it, some of us here have done the same, myself included. I didn't think I'd need a KC registered dog because I didn't want to breed or show, so I got Loki, whose breeder was very nice, knowledgeable, dogs friendly and looked healthy, etc. Turns out he's only half Staff, and I love him to bits and I don't regret it, but in the future if I get another dog, I will definitely go down the right route. Just learn from the 'mistake' in the future Smile

Definitely keep the puppies with the breeder as long as possible, every little bit longer will help in the future. Two puppies from the same litter can definitely cause problems, and then you'll have to be prepared for the female's first season and keeping the dog well away from her to stop any mating going on, bad habits being picked up by both of them, etc. Not trying to put you off, plenty of people have done it, and we're all here to give you any advice if and when you want it, so no worries, as long as you've got the patience and determination. The breeder sounds horrible, to be honest, maybe just greed, maybe they care about the animals but are just ignorant, but what they're doing is possibly putting lots of dogs in bad homes (not yours) for the sake of money. To breed so many animals and then complain that they need to get rid of them sooner rather than when recommended because of the hassle is disgusting Sad

As for Bakers, definitely switch that to a better quality food when they come home to you, but do it gradually over a period of about a week to 10 days. Start off with Bakers, then slowly decrease the amount of Bakers and increase the amount of the new food until they're just on the new food.

by Guest Sun Mar 17 2013, 16:31

DaChaz wrote:Thank you so much, Will defo ease them onto better food xx starting to wonder if theres more important info on the pups im missing as my breeder really hasnt said anything other feed em 4 times daily & keep on the worming, am having a good read through peoples comments & the advice on here xx

We used to feed Tommy on 1 lot of cooked mince from PAH , I think it was called prize choice or Butchers choice , 2 lots of Kibble and the 4th meal (breakfast) was ususally scrambled egg or cereal (weetabix or porridge) made with goats milk

by DaChaz Sun Mar 17 2013, 16:35

Thanks

Loki looks adorable in your pics xx also my mates dog is called Loki.
Yeah i will swap the food once there home, dont think i stand much chance of the pups staying with the breeder for long, we had to persuade her to wait for friday as we were still missing a travel crate & food before we could collect, we were asked to come back on wed but managed to eek it out for friday x Sad

The other thing i must check is portion size for staffy pups, i still have much learning left todo

by DaChaz Sun Mar 17 2013, 16:37

Wow sounds great so is the goats milk better than normal? how old do they need tobe before you vary the diet this way?

by Guest Sun Mar 17 2013, 16:37

DaChaz wrote:Thanks Loki looks adorable in your pics xx also my mates dog is called Loki.
Yeah i will swap the food once there home, dont think i stand much chance of the pups staying with the breeder for long, we had to persuade her to wait for friday as we were still missing a travel crate & food before we could collect, we were asked to come back on wed but managed to eek it out for friday x

The other thing i must check is portion size for staffy pups, i still have much learning left todo

For the kibble just go by the manufacturers guidelines, pups need to be a bit on the chunky side

by Guest Sun Mar 17 2013, 16:40

DaChaz wrote:Wow sounds great so is the goats milk better than normal? how old do they need tobe before you vary the diet this way?

Don't give them normal milk , their little tummies cannot handle it and it's generally not recommended for any dog, you can use puppy milk from the petshop but you will find it more expensive

by DaChaz Sun Mar 17 2013, 16:42

Thats great thanks Smile

by **Galadriel** Sun Mar 17 2013, 17:35

By the sounds of the breeder, the pups may well be better off with you anyway as I bet she's not putting much effort into all the important socialisation.

As far as I'm aware, vaccinations cannot be given before 8 weeks because they don't work (some vets don't do the first until 10 weeks).

Do have a good look at www.thepuppyplan.com there's a lot of really great info on there and a work sheet type thing you can fill out as you go along.

I'd really recommend you get The Perfect Puppy book by Gwen Bailey too Smile

by DaChaz Sun Mar 17 2013, 17:59

Thanks, will defo be looking those up, have been on thepuppyplan earlier & looks great xx Smile

by **Jackieb** Sun Mar 17 2013, 18:29

My 2 were vaccinated at 8 wks and 10wks

To begin with they were on Wainwrights salmon n potatoe. I would give my pup a mid morning cup of goats milk in addition to his usual food.

My 2 are both raw fed now x

You will have a tough time training 2 unruly pups ! But persevere and u will nail it.
This forum is great for any issues u may need help with, loads of us here to help x

by RichieSBT Mon Mar 18 2013, 02:51

try not to despair too much
as you can probably tell, the people here are friendly and will always give you he best advice and wont judge you harshly Smile

i was in the same situation as you when i got buck.
i had all the right knowledge on how to look after a pup but i didnt have a clue about the process of buying one so i ended up making the wrong choice and bought from what is looking more and more like a back yard breeder (told me to get in touch after a few weeks to get the pups papers... its been 2 months now and still nothing, though they do still keep in touch)

dont get me wrong, they were very knowledgeable and the pups were well cared for etc but they wanted rid of them at 6 weeks.

when i went to see buck i expected to choose him, pay a deposit and take him at 8 weeks but soon realised that if i didnt take him there and then he was going to be sold to someone else so i figured i was his best chance.

thankfully hes turning into an amazing dog and hes in perfect health despite him being seperated from his mother and litter too early

just follow the advice given here and you wont go wrong
and always remember that if youre unsure about something or have any questions we're always here Smile

good luck with the pups. they look gorgeous.

by DaChaz Mon Mar 18 2013, 07:53

Thank you so much, You're obviously a great owner, heres hoping i can make wir two feel as comfortable as you have with Buck, he looks tobe a very handsom lil fella Smile

by Guest Mon Mar 18 2013, 08:27

DaChaz wrote:Thank you so much, You're obviously a great owner, heres hoping i can make wir two feel as comfortable as you have with Buck, he looks tobe a very handsom lil fella

You'll be OK, if you run into any problems or have any questions you know you can ask. Besides that it's all a case of patience and persistence and it'll pay off Smile

by **johneva** Mon Mar 18 2013, 14:16

To the original post - Don't panic, we had both of our before 8 weeks Molly our first dog was only just over 6 weeks and Duke our second dog was still only 7 weeks.

Ideally yes its best to leave them with their siblings till 8 weeks, unfortunately a lot of breeders these days are not doing that due costs they want to get rid of them ASAP so they can get their hands on the money for the pup and stop spending on their food ect.

In future I would defiantly be making sure with the breeder that they will not release any of the pups till 8 weeks old minimum.

But as I say don't panic we brought up our 2 fine and had them to early.

My bigger concern for you is having 2 pups from the same litter as this will cause lots of issues generally, again don't panic and make a big deal of it though just keep in mind the added complications involved.

by Guest Mon Mar 18 2013, 18:38

Sorry no offence, i wouldn't be touching these pups with a barge pole. The breeder is a backyard breeder only out to get money and has no thoughts for the dogs at all.

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