5 week puppy

kennyw

Hi,

im quiet sickend to say the least, but i have a friend of a friend who has just got a pup yesterday, the pup is just gone past 5 weeks of age.

Its a X breed, staffie X jack russel..

The breeder of this dog and its littermates must really not care for the wellbeing of the pups as she/he was prepared to let the pup go to this at such a young age..

The person who now has the dog has no previous experience or any sort of dogs and has no idea of how to handle or care for this pup. Even doh she/he has the best intetions to make sure the best is done for this pup, im afraid this dog is going to end up in the pound with the rest of the unfortunite animals and pets.

I called over to the house yesterday to see this pup and to try give as much info/help as possible to the new owner of the dog, without been hurtful, as its a person who would take things to heart personally rather than professionally, (not that im a professional dog handler or anything).

I advised of the injections, feeding, bedding, training, and as much as i could without overloading the certain person too much..

Can anyone give me any stories (expereicne) of pups who have made it from 5 weeks of age in a new home without any issue mentally or physically.?

I myself doubt there will be any good ones but anyone with experience and advise would be good. I want to try help this dog and new owner as much as possible.

But i can say i will wont be around this person or dog alot, so my help may be limited.

All advise and opinons are welcome..

lorebringer

This really is a sh*tty situation but the best thing you can do now is educate the person who has the puppy on how to best care for it.

Trying to give someone advise can be tricky, esp. if they feel like they are being preached at when advise is given. The primary things this pup needs are:

- a good worming program
- good quality food (that will probably still need to be wetted for such a young puppy)
- a veterinary check up (and advise from a vet on vaccinations etc.)

This person who is taking care of this pup really needs to understand that this pup is at a high risk of behavioural problems in the future. Doggie interaction is so important for young pups, with their mother and siblings, and nothing will replace it so they really need to make an effort to socialise the puppy with dogs, people, situations (the car, meeting people outside the home, activities around the house - hoovering, the washing machine etc. - and anything else that the puppy will need to learn for older life). Unfortunately, these can only take place one the puppy is fully vaccinated and safe to leave the house and interact with other animals so it's really important to get the puppy to a vet and sort out this (once the pup is ready). If the puppy is fed a good quality puppy food, and on to a good quality adult food, there shouldn't be physical problems but there is no guarantee.

Perhaps a good way to get this person to listen and inform themselves is to get info online, print it out and give it to them. This way you are indirectly giving them advise and hopefully they won't get offended. Getting the pup to a vet, and asking the vet to advise them on appropriate care, will also really help. This person needs to feel like they are getting info but not being preached at, very tricky.

Good luck (you'll need it!)

DBB

Hi Kennyw,
Good on you for looking out for this pup: whilst there can be occasions that it's better to take a pup from a crappy situation at a young age, 5 weeks is very young, and the fact that your friend hasn't much experience won't help.
However, the pup is here now and your friend needs to bite the bullet!
To add to what Lorebringer has already said, this website has some fab puppy-rearing info on it, particularly under the "Training Textbook" link in the middle of the tabs:
http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/digital-dog-training-textbook

Loads of info a bout toilet training, preventing behavioural problems, and generally getting the best out of a pup. The advice is given largely by Dr. Ian Dunbar, who is one of the world's most experienced and accomplished puppy behaviourists.
I hope your friend gets down to do some work with this new pup, with your help!

Edited to add: In the days of yore, when I was a child and nobody knew any better, we got a 5 week old pup. It was only some years later that my parents realised how potentially damaging it could have been to have such a yong pup taken from his mother (we kids were too young to have a clue). However, despite not having any huge dog-owning experience, my mother's care and attention to detail with training that pup, putting lots of time in to him, and us as a family being around him all the time, he turned out to be a fine chap who lived with us until we had all graduated from college many years later!
However, as I say, I have little doubt that it was my mam's dedication to the youngster that made him the dog he was, his brothers and sisters may not have fared quite so well.

kennyw

cheers for the heads up an info..

the other problem about dog getting dog on dog contact which i know myself is well needed for proper socialisation.. The issue here is The person who owns the dog now has an extreme fear of other dogs bigger/smaller or in between.. its going to be very difficult to get the person to allow the dog to interact with others. i.e creating dog v dog aggression, fearful biting. etc..

I myself own 2 large breed dogs, which are socilaised and are friendly and would love to mix them with this pup, to help it as best as i can, but that will be another few weeks wasted before i can do this, ie. vaccinations for the new pup, worming, and also the sheer size of my two meeting and playing with a pup so so small id be nearvous that they would hurt him unintentionally. ALso the owner of hte pup is afraid of my 2 dogs, or any other dog as mentioned above big or small..

The person in question is a kind person an will no doubt try there best to make sure its done right, but what i anticpate is the fact that it all could get too much to take on..

On the other hand i do know there will be one of the litter mates near by as one of the persons family members are also taken one of the pups from the same litter.

I have already advised to take the dogs to the vets asap for its first round of injections and to get it health checked. Also advised on the wet puupy foood to be feed 4 times a day..

The person in question will indeed listen to the advise and will try do what is guided but i dont want to seem lik a busy body and know all either, which could put wall between us for to allow the taking of what i have to say/suggest in..

he turned out to be a fine chap who lived with us until we had all graduated from college many years later!

Delighted to hear that sstory always puts a bit of faith in the mix.. Great to hear..

mymo

We are currently babysitting an 11 week old pup that was handed to a rescue at 5 weeks old (along with her litter mates), she was rehomed to a friend 2 days later who is experienced with dogs.
This pup seems fine and very well balanced, she is in a house with another dog and is having great fun with my two dogs for the week, she is a little nippy, but my two are sorting that pretty quick, she bites too hard the game is over. She's only here 2 days and I already noticed that she's not nipping as much.

While its not a good idea to take a pup at that age, its not always a disaster. As soon as the pup is old enough(and fully vacc'd) she needs to be out in the world, meeting people and cars and walking around town.

I understand what you are worried about if the owner is afraid of dogs there is a bit of a problem, are there puppy classes in the area? lots of pups may not be as intimidating to the owner, and she could always go with someone (the relative taking the other pup maybe?).

kennyw

thanks Mymo. the problem around puppy classes is the price and money situation. There would not be much free money to be able to fund this.. Hence im a little reserved as to the outcome of the dogs behaviour..

I have 2 dogs myself and will try make it as much as possible to help socilaise the little fella, but my 2 are rottie's, one is 3yr an the other is 18 months.. So im well used to bite inhibition. lol But the size of my 2 will be a great worry for the owner of the little pup as well as the persons personal fear of dogs wont help matters..

I will have to take the pup wth my fiance and do as much with it as possible but with my own dogs to take care of and a full time job its going to be hard to help someone else dog get what it needs..

Its really good to hear that pups of 5 weeks can normally end up with full and normal lifes with little issues is really a treat to my ears.. because any dogs i have ever hadd experience with myself have all been reared from proper ages, with experinced owners..