Thank you for giving the puppy a home and coming here for help. Note people, this is a mixed breed without a fancy name. Not a breeder, but more likely somebody that failed to spay their female or protect it when it was in season. I doubt they know much about good puppy care. We should encourage the OP to take the puppy.

Thank you for giving the puppy a home and coming here for help. Note people, this is a mixed breed without a fancy name. Not a breeder, but more likely somebody that failed to spay their female or protect it when it was in season. I doubt they know much about good puppy care. We should encourage the OP to take the puppy.

I have to disagree about 8 weeks as being essential. The classic studies show 6 weeks is the minimum, and it is very important to begin exposing it to new experiences after that. There is a lot of support for 7 weeks.

The period between 6-12 weeks is a dangerous time. One sniff where a sick dog relieved itself in the last 6 months can bring on parvo or another life threatening disease. Fail to expose it to strangers, including men, women, children, noise, etc. and you could end up with a misfit you can't take out in public. They also need continuing contact with other dogs, but it must be limited to ones you know are getting good care.

This link has some sound advice on safely socializating a young puppy, http://www.apdt.com/po/news/docs/Messer_Nov06.pdf For more on the importance of early socialization, see http://www.akc.org/enewsletter/akc_b...nter/puppy.cfm

Better breeders here give the first shots or combo at 6 weeks and place the puppies soon after. Most vets give the next combo in another 2-3 weeks. Early shots are often useless. If the breeder doesn't give any shots, I would schedule a vet appointment as soon as you get the puppy and follow the vets advice. Chances are, the vet won't be impressed with opinions you read on the net.

Your screen name disturbs me. You puppy would be better off if you learned more about Ian Dunbar mentioned in the one link and the positive methods most people are switching to. Another link, http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...MGPHL9D1N1.DTL

You will fine help with a name and other things in this list:

What does a puppy need?

A crate. It is only natural that a puppy resists its crate at first. What the puppy wants more than anything else is to be others, you, anyone else in the household, and any other pets. In our modern society, even if we are home, other things distract us from the attention an uncrated puppy must have. The only real solution is to crate the dog when you aren't around. The dog may be happier in its den than loose in the house. It relaxes, it feels safe in its den. It rests, the body slows down reducing the need for water and relieving its self. Dogs that have been crated all along do very well. Many of them will rest in their crates even when the door is open. Skip the bedding. At first it gets wet, and later it can be chewed into choking hazards. A wire rack in the bottom will help keep the puppy up out of accidents at first. They are available with the crates, but a piece of closely spaced wire closet shelving from a home supply place is cheaper. I think the plastic ones give the dog more of a safe, enclosed den feeling. Metal ones can be put in a corner or covered with something the dog can't pull in and chew. Select a crate just big enough for the full grown dog to stretch out in. At bed time, with a new puppy, I have found lying down in front of the crate like you were going to sleep and speaking softly to it, or singing, until it settles down and goes to sleep works very well. Follow the pattern, a period of active play, outside to eliminate, and then into the crate.

Chew toys. The pet stores are full of toys that many dogs will quickly chew up into pieces they could choke on or cause intestinal blockages. If you are not there to watch, stick to sturdy stuff such as Nylabones and Kongs. Keep a close eye on chew toys and quickly discard anything that is coming apart in pieces. Rawhide is especially bad because it swells after being swallowed. These problems are the worst with, but not limited to, large, aggressive chewers such as Labs.

Food. Find out what the breeder is feeding. If it is dry chow you can buy readily, I would stick with it until the dog is 4 months old, at that time switching to a dry adult chow. If not, try to have the breeder give you a few days supply to use making a gradual change to a dry puppy chow.

Dishes. Empty plastic food containers are good enough. If you want something nicer, buy the spill proof? ones. See http://www.petsmart.com/global/produ...1078323611448À. I have found them at Big Lots too.

A collar and leash. You should stay with a flat fabric or leather collar until your puppy is 5 months old. Then you can go with the metal slip collar with the rings on each end. Otherwise you could damage its windpipe. Put it on like this for the usual dog on the left position. Pull the chain through the one ring forming a"P". Facing the dog, slip it over its head. The free end comes over the neck allowing the other end to release pressure when the leash is slack. A five month old's head will still grow some. If you buy one that easily goes over the head, it still should come off leaving the ears when the dog finishes growing. I start the puppy out with a metal leash and switch to a leather one after the worst of the chewing is over and I need more control.

A name, try http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/names/petnames.htm#1 and http://www.cat-dog-names.com/

A brush. Start the puppy with a bristle brush. They don't shed much at first, and the bristle brush will remove dirt and help control odor. When shedding becomes a problem later, switch to a slicker brush with the wire teeth.

The number of a vet. It is very hard to evaluate them. Dogs need more medical care than in the past. Many new problems are wide spread.

A book. Any book is better than none at all. I like the Monks of New Skete and their The Art of Raising a Puppy, ISBN 0-316-57839-8.

Obedience training. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start obedience training the day you get the dog. Build on the foundation of housebreaking. The younger the puppy, the shorter you must keep sessions, only a few repetitions at a time. A few minutes here and there, and by the time the puppy is 4 months old, people will be impressed with what a nice dog it is.

A Dogsey bookmark so you can come back for help as needed.

I didn't forget treats, shampoo, and bedding. I seldom use them.

Hi,

If these pups do exist I feel very sorry for them. I can understand someone wanting to take them though to offer them the best of care and upbringing but with the info that's readily available, nobody should ever consider homing pups at 4 weeks old - whether they're a breeder or potential owner.

The whoole thing seems suss to me though because firstly the breeders are (obviosuly) not first time dog owners. They already have at least one dog. Secondly, the OP claims that the pup ws to be his second dog.

Surely basic stuff such as vaccinations, basic health care for pups and how to raise them should be second nature if they've already done it?!
Laura xx

Is it too late to back out of getting this pup? any 'breeder' that is willing to let a pup go at 4 weeks, nearly a month before it should, is highly irresponsible. If you go ahead with it you will likely be setting yourself up for a lot of future problems.

I can't agree. I think we should encourage the OP to ask the sort of questions which will help him decide whether to take the pup.

You see this as an accidental mating and the misguided owner just wants to find homes as quickly as possible. You may be right, but too many people in Britain think they can make money out of their dogs for me to be as confident as you are...quite the reverse in fact.

Now, if I was the OP I would be trying to work out what the intentions of the breeder is (and yes I would class them as a breeder as their bitch has had a litter - even if unintentionally - after all, they could've gone to the vet for the jab).

If I was convinced that the litter was a one off, that the breeder was geniunely niaive and was just trying to do the best by the pups, I would consider taking the pup. BUT I would ask them to keep him/her for at least another 3 weeks (and depending what the breeder was asking for the pup I might offer to cover the pup's cost during those 3 weeks).

If I thought that the breeder was just out to make money I would walk away - the only way this kind of person is going to stop trying to make money out of their dogs is when they have trouble selling the pups and realise that it isn't the easiest way to make a first buck.

Hello all,

Heh, I never honestly expected this much activity and replies from people. Another thing I didn't realise was the hate(?) for Cesar Millan. I'm a follower of his shows, programme and everything and he's worked miracles. Shows where people have gone to see vets, dog specialists and no solution could be found, yet he finds one. Someone care to elaborate on the hate for him?

Anyway, no, I'm not a troll. I think I forgot to explain a few things here.

The mother of the litter has begun rejecting her puppies and the owners have now as a result, begun feeding the pups puppy milk (from powder/pet store). Feeding 9 odd pups milk, giving them the nutrition and vitamins and whatever they need takes up most of their day and they simply can't do it anymore. I'm actually getting the puppy for free, and have bought puppy milk and everything else the puppy shall need. One thing I can't provide is the socialisation it gets from it's litter mates but I will be with the dog more or less all day.

I have everything the dog needs and having seen the puppies, I would feel terrible to see one of them die or be given away to an irresponsible owner who wishes to have them for the sole purpose aggresion and whatnot.

Thanks for the advice so far, I appreciate it.

Hope that cleared up a few things.

Hello all,

Heh, I never honestly expected this much activity and replies from people. Another thing I didn't realise was the hate(?) for Cesar Millan. I'm a follower of his shows, programme and everything and he's worked miracles. Shows where people have gone to see vets, dog specialists and no solution could be found, yet he finds one. Someone care to elaborate on the hate for him?

Anyway, no, I'm not a troll. I think I forgot to explain a few things here.

The mother of the litter has begun rejecting her puppies and the owners have now as a result, begun feeding the pups puppy milk (from powder/pet store). Feeding 9 odd pups milk, giving them the nutrition and vitamins and whatever they need takes up most of their day and they simply can't do it anymore. I'm actually getting the puppy for free, and have bought puppy milk and everything else the puppy shall need. One thing I can't provide is the socialisation it gets from it's litter mates but I will be with the dog more or less all day.

I have everything the dog needs and having seen the puppies, I would feel terrible to see one of them die or be given away to an irresponsible owner who wishes to have them for the sole purpose aggresion and whatnot.

Thanks for the advice so far, I appreciate it.

Hope that cleared up a few things.