All about our new baby!

dot · #1 12/14/04, 05:54 PM

I asked for advise on this forum about German Shepherds and also about dog foods so thought I'd tell what we did. We bought a 6 week old GS puppy from a local breeder. Both parent's are registered. She's mostly black with a light brown on her face and legs. We named her "Gypsy" and I decided to feed her Chicken Soup. She's doing very good on the Chicken Soup. We keep her inside and she has a crate for her bedroom. Tomorrow she goes to the vet to start her shots and worming and next week she's going to a class at Petsmart to learn some basic manners. We are enjoying our puppy and hope she'll live with us for a long time. I'm hoping that some day she'll walk with me on a leash when I go on my walks. Gypsy Rose Lee. Our pretty baby!

Maura · #2 12/14/04, 06:41 PM

At six weeks of age, your puppy, if left in the litter, would be learning bite inhibition, doggie social skills, and doggie body language. Removing a puppy from the litter this young can result in ... difficulty in housebreaking, separation anxiety, inability to socialize with other dogs, and more.

You need to involve your puppy in the lives of other puppies. If you could bring him back to the "breeder" for an hour or two each day to associate with his mother and littermates for the next month, he will be helped immensly. If you can't, then find someone close by with a puppy, another with a young dog, and one with an older dog. He needs to associate on a daily basis with various dogs for the next couple of weeks, then less often. I'll add that the dogs should be in good health.

As for vaccinating, your puppy has protection from her mother right now. There is new information about vac that suggests vac too young may actually do no good at at all. I don't know what the protocol is, but I agree a vet check is in order regardless.

I'm glad you found a dog food you can trust. The Whole Dog Journal has done articles on nutrition, and one GSD breeder found that supplementing Vit C eliminated hip dysplasia from her lines. It's easy to supplement Vit C by simply treating your puppy with dried cranberries or cherries or other tastey fruit (like, cut up one into two or three pieces and use for training).

Woof!

dot · #3 12/14/04, 09:23 PM

Just wanted to share my happiness. Guess I'd better take her back to the breeder, cancel the vet appoint, and hire her a psychiatrist. Or maybe I should go ahead and take her to the vet then sue him for recommending the vacinations.

Montana Mom · #4 12/15/04, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dot

Just wanted to share my happiness. Guess I'd better take her back to the breeder, cancel the vet appoint, and hire her a psychiatrist. Or maybe I should go ahead and take her to the vet then sue him for recommending the vacinations.

Ouch. I imagine the poster was just trying to be helpful.

Corgitails · #5 12/15/04, 01:53 AM

Frankly, I *would* return her to the breeder. No one worth buying from places pups at 6 weeks- that 7th week is SO important for pups learning bite inhibition and gaining immunity. And anyone who skimps on that kind of stuff obviously isn't doing their research in other areas. Hope you got a hip guarantee? Elbows? Heart? ME?

Teresa · #6 12/15/04, 06:36 AM

Congratulations on your new puppy!!! GS's are awesome dogs, our old man GS turned 13 in October, he's totally deaf and starting to get crippled up a little and we aquired/rescued a 7 yo this fall, they are the best dogs. 6 weeks does seem a bit young to leave mama, but I really don't know much about these things. Another thought on socializing might be puppy kindergarten. That's a class specifically for socializing and basic manners and obedience. It's fun and you may want to consider it whether you take her back to the litter or not. I'm almost guessing that if that class at Petsmart starts when she's 7 weeks old it may be that type of class. Good luck you you and Gypsy.

mamalisa · #7 12/15/04, 07:48 AM

Not to be mean...I love puppies too, and used to be 6 weeks was thought to be the best time to get a pup.

Look up online to teach bite inhibition, and don't let your new girl chew on you! Just take your hand back and say OUCH!!! kind of like a yipe everytime she bites down really hard. She should stop biting "hard" soon, then yipe for a sort of hard bite, etc, til she just holds your hand in her mouth without hurting it.....

Have fun. Babies are adorable.

kppop · #8 12/15/04, 08:24 AM

[QUOTE=mamalisa]Not to be mean...I love puppies too, and used to be 6 weeks was thought to be the best time to get a pup.

I've always heard the opposite..that 6 weeks was way too young and that 8 was ideal. I've been told by several ppl..trusted vets included that if a breeder is agreeing to sell a pup at 6 weeks then it's time to find a new breeder.

Congrats on the pup!! Tell me more about the puppy classes you are taking at petsmart. I didn't know they offered them.

kim

mamalisa · #9 12/15/04, 08:29 AM

When I was growing up, and in most "old" information, they told you to take a puppy at 6 weeks old. Now they say 8 weeks, and the pups are healthier and stronger, but a lot of older people still go by 6 weeks.

SarahPrescott · #10 12/15/04, 09:32 AM

Congratulations! Don't worry too much that the pup is too young. I'm a vet and I got both of my dogs (golden retrievers) at about 6 and a half weeks. I did have mouthiness issues with the first one because he was a singleton (no littermates). My current pup (she's 4 and a half months now) is fabulous. She is very respectful with her mouth (she had 6 brothers and sisters). And yes, I did get her from a very well respected field golden breeder and mom and dad (and grandmas and grandpas, etc) had hip, elbow, heart, eye, and thyroid clearances.

I would encourage you to yipe if your pup bites you like one of the previous posters said-it works well on a lot of pups. Lots of socialization at this age is wonderful, if you're able to take you pup to play with her littermates or other puppies that's great (especially with a shepherd as some of them have dog aggressions issues-don't get me wrong I think shepherds are GREAT). Puppy kindergarten is a fabulous investment. Definately take her to get her initial shots, there is no guarantee how long her mother's protection will last (especially if your going to be taking her to a class). We routinely start puppies at 6-7 weeks with vaccinations. The issue with vaccinations harming a puppy/dog is not starting too soon, it's doing too many vaccinations too often. Nearly every vet recommends puppy vaccinations and usually shots one year later, then maybe cutting back to every few years.

Good Luck and don't get discouraged by some of these postings!

Dr. Sarah

renee o'neill · #11 12/15/04, 11:13 AM

we never sold a pup before 8 weeks and in Maryland it is against the law.

cathyharrell · #12 12/15/04, 07:13 PM

My youngest son has a registered male and unregistered female. She had 9 puppies a couple of weeks ago. I haven't seen them because I'm not home. I tried to get him to have them spayed and neutered but he wouldn't. I just hope they all find a good home. He has already sold one but it is staying with the mother for awhile before he gives it to them. One of the sweetest dogs we ever had was a puppy somebody dropped off at the vets. When I brought her home she was so small my son could put her in his t-shirt pocket.

kabri · #13 12/15/04, 08:02 PM

I got one of my dogs at 6 weeks, and never again. I did teach her bite inhibition, but her insecurities were huge, she slept ON me for the first 2 weeks, in close vicinity to an outside door because she could not hold it all night. At 8 weeks, she was fine and went on to become a Working Trial Champion (herding). Great dog, but really needed a huge amount of attention because I was impatient and she seemed like the perfect dog/bloodlines/structure, etc.

Vaccines are getting to be a very hot issue. I have my own opinion on them, our older dogs only get rabies and I do titer(sp?) tests for anti-bodies instead of vaccines. Get the puppy shots and monitor it closely afterwards. Most of all, enjoy your new pup!