I can see your point. I've been told more than once it's better to wait and start the whole course over with your vet of choice. And, with my present dog, I had to do that as she was too ill to have the 2nd one. And apparently if left too long you have to start over anyway? Also there are not that many tried and trusted good vets here and even if there's a stamp and whatever in the health book you can't always trust it was done (apparently) I believe that because the vet that stamped my dog's book couldn't even get the breed right (wot the 'eck is a mini doberman'?) and the bloke I bought her from said he would pay half vet's fees but only if I use 'his vet' (the one in the book who had 'allegedly' given the first vacc.

Tawney - I would want to base my choice of vet I use on factors other than what brand of vaccine they use for the annual vaccs new owners could end up with very long trips or have a really well recommended vet they want to use but who just uses a different brand? I go all out for personal recommendation for a good vet and not just a good one but one that is recommended too for the particular breed or type of dog.

Well just to say to you (as above) it's not uncommon here for some breeders to 'say' they've had their first vacc. (It's a lot different here). But as my vet said to me - far better to WAIT anyway and be sure myself that she has had them all and at the right intervals.

Wondering about this now. What is the reason behind giving pups one vaccination before they are allowed to go with their new owners then telling them to find a vet that uses same brand? One isn't sufficient. (I could understand it more if the insistence was on them having all 3) but if it's because new owners 'can't be trusted' for some reason to do the right thing - well what's the point of slapping any 'conditions' on them being allowed to buy a dog? Or restrictions about breeding etc. and like what to feed it for instance.

I often wonder about that one - never heard of it before - about the insistence on the pups being raw fed forever? How could a breeder know what the buyer is feeding the dog? What could they do about it if they found out they weren't feeding raw?

I think it's sensible to ask a breeder what the dog HAS been eating so far so's not to upset it's stomach. But I don't think it's outside the realms of imagination that a buyer keen to buy a certain breed would say 'yes' to anything in case they were refused and then do whatever they like once they have the dog.

I seek advice and help if needed for my dog(s) always have, but I wouldn't let anyone tell me what to do with my dog if I didn't agree with it.

If I was told that I would get my pup at 9 weeks then I would expect to have it at 9 weeks not another 3 weeks later!

If your vet can solve the problem of the second vaccination then explain this to the breeder and ask when you can collect your puppy.

I agree with this. Can you go and visit them again? I'm a horrible cynic but I'd be getting worried that the pup was ill or not doing too well and they were waiting to see.

And I'd have thought any adverse reaction to a vaccination would show up VERY quickly?

Did you research your breeder? Do you know anyone else who knows them or has bought pups from them? How many pups were there and are they all being held back?

This obviously isn't bringing about a 'good relationship' between breeder and buyer for the future. With all that we read these days about keeping in contact or indeed returning the dogs to them if there is trouble and all that.

I just don't understand that if this breeder knows what she's doing she told you you could have the pup when it was 8 weeks old in the first place - not if she operates on keeping them longer than that to make sure they don't have bad reactions to vaccinations?

My family are top breeders and would never let a puppy go before 12 weeks. Not just re vaccination. Many breeders say the same.

But yes, vaccination is part of it and trust re completing the course as many breeders know from experience.

When I bred Siamese I also kept them until 12 weeks even when they were driving me crazy often.

Opinions always vary as does the outcome but yes a breeder has that right to follow her ways.

I would worry if a buyer were too impatient

I take the opposite view that a "good" breeder is one that vaccinates their pups..........WHY!!!

As this thread is showing, if the breeder gives the first vaccine (as most do) and your vet uses a different brand, then you are putting your pup through an unnecessary vaccination.

My breeder did NOT vaccinate Figo, I asked her if she did , she said no, I was pleased to hear that otherwise I would have asked her not to, he was vaccinated as soon as he got home and his second jab 4 weeks later,

If a breeder does vaccinate then they should keep the pups till they have had their second jab, which is why most don't, specially of the breed is not a small/toy one,

Have not read all posts so if I am not up to date them my apologies, it seems to be if the breeder has vaccinated and the breed is a toy one, then they usually don`t leave till 12 weeks anyway, so its just one of those things...I understand you are impatient but it will soon come.

Yes Rosebud,agree a breeder has the right to follow her ways but it wasn't her way when the puppy was booked. I agree with Tang I would be a wee bit worried why she has changed her mind. I don't think Budha is being impatient, more like disappointed.

I agree and after re-reading through the thread, I wonder if something else is going on... its either the true story or something is not right, to be honest, you have two choices, wait for your pup, or walk away , I wonder if the breeder is waiting to see how the pup develops, (is she keeping one to show) or has pup been ill, or maybe its just how it is.

wait for the next deadline, if it gets moved again, them I would walk away.

When on a waiting list for my first Pug puppy, I experienced things going wrong at this stage. After 2 years of waiting the pup was finally within my grasp, it was born, there was a bitch available for me, I met them at 8 weeks but knew they wouldn't leave until 12 weeks. I was fine with that, she'd be chipped, fully vaxed and ready to go. The 4 pups all went off for their first jab and it all went tits up. The breeder went silent on me as all 4 pups became very ill, 2 died and 2 recovered after a week in the vets. When she did get in touch it wasn't good news, my pup was gone. I was upset for me, the pup and the breeder, she'd poured her heart and soul into those puppies and disaster struck. Thinking about it I was glad it happened while they were still at the breeders, selfishly how much worse would it have been if it had happened within days of the pup coming home. You can't knock a breeder for trying to do right by the pups and their future owners and let's face it until you take it home it's still her pup and she's doing the right thing now it's had it's first vax it should stay until it's had it's second.

If the breeder is hoping to keep a couple of puppies she may be running them on as long as possible to help with the choice.


When I lost Millie at 9 months with kidney failure I expected to have another long wait for a puppy but found a lovely lady who shows and had run on a dog and a bitch to three months and decided to keep the dog so I had the chance of Chloe at three months.

I prefer to have a puppy at eight weeks but Chloe has been ok and has no fear issues . I made sure she got lots of socialisation with people and things the moment I got her.

Chloe had received only half her vaccination when she came to me, that was not a problem, both my vet and her previous vet use a vaccination with a three year protocol but I don't think it is an issue anyway.
I took her out and about in my car/arms where I thought there had been other dogs on the ground .

So what I am really saying is from my point of view ideally I would rather have a puppy at eight weeks but it should still be fine to take one at 12 weeks.

I have had puppies of all ages. Bunny my first was only 6 weeks old, that was 50 years ago though and I was working in a kennel at the time so she got plenty of socialising with other dogs. We know better now. That was in the days before Parvo virus and people tended to vaccinate later some not at all.

Its all about building a relationship between yourself and your future puppy owner. My owners know the reasons why I do everything, I get them to go do their own research and come to their own conclusions, if they don't want to raw feed at the end of it, then that is fine, there are other puppies out there from breeders who aren't as fussy as I am, same with the vax. I think taking a puppy to another vet for one vax isn't the end of the world. In fact some of my puppy owners have come up against a lot of prejudice against raw feeding as well, and some of the things that have been said to them are unbelievable, and unsurprisingly they voted with their feet and went to a vets where they were treated with respect and consideration
Yes things have gone wrong with some of my past owners, no one can have 100% success rate, but in the main I still have a decent relationship with the majority of them, not everyone wants to or will keep in touch, and I have to respect their wishes, but a lot more do send me piccies and updates, ask advice on various things and I am more than happy with that.
They don't have to buy a puppy from me, and I don't have to sell them one either.