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thestraycelt
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23-08-2010, 11:58 AM

Puppy at 14 weeks?

Is it inadvisable to have a puppy beyond the 9 week socialization period? I'm sure it probably is, but I would really just like to know all the perils and pitfalls before I go in for this. I'm thinking of having another staffordshire bull terrier, if that helps. Cheers!
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Velvetboxers
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23-08-2010, 12:04 PM
14 weeks is no age. Wouldn't cost me a thought to take one on at 14 weeks (or older). Do you know the background etc?
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wilbar
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23-08-2010, 12:06 PM
It very much depends on how the puppy's been treated for those first 9 weeks. It could well have been treated very well & introduced in a positive way to different people & dogs. It may well thrive by being with a calm mother & siblings for those 9 weeks so the transition to a new home would be relatively easy.

Then again a puppy could have spent those first 9 weeks with no introduction to humans, with a scared & reactive mother who was underfed or inappropriately fed, in a dark barn (aka a puppy farm ).

I would suggest that you speak to the owner of the pupy you are thinking of getting & see how it's been treated, see it with the mum if possible, see how it reacts to you, then you may be in a better position to see what the puppy's like.

Don't confuse socialisation & habituation ~ they're 2 different concepts!
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boredinstroud
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23-08-2010, 12:07 PM
We brought our girl home at 12 weeks and she was fine. As she'd had her jabs we were able to take her out and about immediately and start introducing her to people/dogs. We got our kitten 3 months later and they have learnt to get along ok.

Others on here will have lots of experience on this issue which I don't aside from my own xp, but I wouldn't have thought it would be a massive issue unless the place where you are getting your dog from has not been caring for him/her properly?
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thestraycelt
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23-08-2010, 12:17 PM
Originally Posted by Velvetboxers View Post
14 weeks is no age. Wouldn't cost me a thought to take one on at 14 weeks (or older). Do you know the background etc?
Originally Posted by wilbar View Post
It very much depends on how the puppy's been treated for those first 9 weeks. It could well have been treated very well & introduced in a positive way to different people & dogs. It may well thrive by being with a calm mother & siblings for those 9 weeks so the transition to a new home would be relatively easy.

Then again a puppy could have spent those first 9 weeks with no introduction to humans, with a scared & reactive mother who was underfed or inappropriately fed, in a dark barn (aka a puppy farm ).

I would suggest that you speak to the owner of the pupy you are thinking of getting & see how it's been treated, see it with the mum if possible, see how it reacts to you, then you may be in a better position to see what the puppy's like.

Don't confuse socialisation & habituation ~ they're 2 different concepts!
I am going to see the puppy this week, I hope. It does seem a little fishy, because the woman letting them go at £150 when they're supposedly worth £450 because she is moving into a rented accommodation within the next two weeks, etc.

I know what to look for when I go 'round there, but any tips either of you or anyone have would be appreciated. I've never personally had a puppy before; we have in the family, but when I was too young to know what goes on with rearing and training.
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boredinstroud
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23-08-2010, 12:59 PM
Hi there - one thing that I would really reccomend is using a crate as part of the training. We found this really useful for toilet training and also being able to leave our puppy when we were out the house or at night without her stressing out (and/or wrecking the house). The crate has become her comfy safe place and she is always happy to go in there. There should be some good advice on crate training around on the dogsey site.
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wilbar
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23-08-2010, 01:02 PM
I expect others can help you more with regard to registration, breeding, health testing etc. But you should consider whether the owner a registered breeder? Does she show? Have the parents been health-tested & has she got the paperwork to demonstrate this? Was this a deliberate mating with prior research on the correct dog for her bitch or a was it a chance coupling because she "forgot" to get her bitrch spayed?

I agree with the "fishiness" of the price reduction & would be very wary. You could be letting yourself in for lots of heartbreak, let alone expense, if the puppy has any health problems.

As far as behaviour is concerned, it's quite difficult to be specific as to what to look for with a young pup of 14 weeks old. Apart from the fact that dogs can be very much a product of their upbringing, & puppies develop at different rates, you should be looking for normal exploratory play type behaviour. Also see what the mum's like ~ if she's a calm, relaxed & friendly type dog, then there's a greater chance that her puppies will have benefitted from the time spent with her.

I would suggest that you write down all the questions you have before you go ~ just in case you forget anything & also because it's too easy to fall for a cute pup & then all sensible thoughts go out the window

Good luck with whatever you decide.
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Northernsoulgirl
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23-08-2010, 02:22 PM
The breeder had been thinking of keeping Ailsa and then changed his mind because he thought she would be too big for showing so we got her at 14 weeks. We still paid top dollar for her. We didn't find it a problem at all, she wasn't really house trained properly but being a GSD picked it up quite quickly (as indeed I did after she squatted on the carpet a few times!!! urg...........). We had one or two
little issues with walking but with the help of the breeder sorted her out in no time and we've never looked back. So for us 14 weeks wasn't an issue. We have, in the past, looked at dogs of 16 weeks who were reared in barn situations and they were completely looney and didn't have a clue about anything and we steered clear of them I have to say. They were loonie Westies, typical little terriers though. No offence to terrier owners I have had several Cairns over the years.................
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