why its not a good idea to allow people to vist new born puppies

[Dar]

although I agree with you.... sometimes we need to stop and think.....

is this my business?
am I buying a puppy or is my friend on their way there?

no?... then its not your business... sorry dont want to sound harsh... I dont want to sound like I am going tisk tisk tisk... because I am just like you! but over th eyears I have leanred to ask myself these few questions..

1) am I going to be DIRECTLY affected by the actions of this person?
2) is any member of my family going to be affected by this person?
3) is this a matter of national security?

if the answer to the above is no.... then I have to walk on.... it causes me way to much stress in my life to worry about the actions of others

 

[watchdogps]

Well, taking pups away from mom too early is definitely a cause of behavioral problems, but it isn't the most common cause by any means. otherwise, I wouldnt see all the dogs coming into rescue and my training classes that did indeed spend 8-10 weeks with their moms and still have issues.
Your 50/50 odds have no basis, those are stats you made up. Half of the puppies who are socialized certainly do not die. As for the who cares, I can breed again is six months, that's disgusting and I'm very few people think that way.


Mother dogs are usually happy to share their pups after the first week or two. Pups under about 3-4 weeks don't really take in much of the outside world anyway though, so guests before then arent really doing much for socializing. Around 4 weeks, their ears and eyes are working (working, not just open, its different) and they start interacting and noting the world beyond the teat. Thats when good socializing starts.

 

[watchdogps]

actually, the worst part about that ad is that they are allowing people to pick out pups that are a day old, which means they will be picking based on what color pattern they like best. Good breeders know pups dont develop personality till they are several weeks old, and really good breeders dont let people pick their own, or at least narrow it down. The breeder has seen them day in and day put, not just for an hour and they know them better. Or at least they should!

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

Quote:
After more than two decades devoted to nearly all aspects of dogs, and especially dog training and behavior, I have found the most common behavior issues with dogs is their owners NOT what happens before they are with their forever homes. You are correct that taking puppies away from litter mates--and less importantly-- their mothers, is an issue, people not socializing and training their dog to a reliable level is a much larger issue.

JMHO

 

[dainerra]

Quote:
I'd put the top reasons as: lack of research (is this a good breed for me), lack of training, and lack of commitment. Not necessarily in that order. It's really sad how many people seem to think that the pup will come home and be automatically trained. Or they think "oh he's happy to see me, look how he is jumping on me!" and that behavior isn't so cute anymore when fluffy weighs 60lbs and knocks Granny down the stairs.

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

Quote:
I'd put the top reasons as: lack of research (is this a good breed for me), lack of training, and lack of commitment. Not necessarily in that order. It's really sad how many people seem to think that the pup will come home and be automatically trained. Or they think "oh he's happy to see me, look how he is jumping on me!" and that behavior isn't so cute anymore when fluffy weighs 60lbs and knocks Granny down the stairs.

Yep, it's not as much what life the puppy had between being born and going to their new home, but really what happens (or doesn't happen) with them and their relationship they develop (or not) with their owners. That covers all aspects of training, socialization, and care.

 

[watchdogps]

FYI -
"The primary and most important time for puppy socialization is the first three months of life… For this reason, the AVSAB believes that it should be the standard of care for puppies to receive such socialization before they are fully vaccinated… While puppies' immune systems are still developing during these early months… appropriate care makes the risk of infection relatively small compared to the chance of death from a behavior problem." - The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior"

 

[Duramaxgirl]

Quote:
You would probably be disturbed to know how many breeders do this. My sister breeds goldens. Although she's never done it. Many people do breed every 6 months. Surprisingly many of them have famous kennels and many champion dogs. Its sad to me.
But I like what some one said above about minding your own buisness...

 

[dainerra]

I'm on my phone now, so can't access any links, but studies have been done sh owing that it may be healthier to breed back-to-back litters and then spay the dog. Vs keeping the female intact and breeding with a few years in between.

If you're interested I can look for them when I get home. By itself, breeding every 6 months isn't a big issue. With bad breeders, there are much worse things to worry about.

RE the OP. I do take my dogs out and start socializing them before they finish their shots. BUT I am aware of where I am taking them and avoid high risk areas. Its sad that a larhe number of people who breed don't know that it can be dangerous to allow visitors without taking some safety precautions. I've seen people who spend the weekend "puppy shopping" just going from one house to another visiting litters.
Or the number of people who take a young pup and just plop them down on the floor in the vet's office.

That is why puppy shots are given as a series of 3. No one knows EXACTLY when maternal immunity wears off. While those antibodies are in the pups system, the vaccine is worthless. It's simply a case of catering to the lowest common denominator. Your average person has only the most basic of dog knowlege, esp regarding vaccines. They hear "socialize" and think "ok, I'll take my 7wk old pup to the pet store/dog park and let him wander around".
So i'd rather err on the side of caution.

I do agree that I wouldn't have messaged like the OP. Simply because I am cynical enough to assume that the ad poster wouldn't listen anyway.

 

[Glenmar]

I had shown and bred champion dogs for over 20 years. I would breed my girls once back to back if the first litter went well, and was not too big. Then give them a rest and breed one more time. I think this was best for the dog. Her body was ready for it, and the 3rd litter was overwith before she got too old.