Friend bought puppy under 6 weeks...

JulieGeorgiana

I bought a Kitten, which I was told was 8 weeks, but a little small for his age. The vet claims he was maybe 5-6 weeks.

He suffered so much stress from being removed from his mother... we had HUGE vet bills because he has bowel problems caused by anxiety.

He hated being left alone, and he suffered greatly. We ended up having to buy a female kitten, which a friend suggested, and he settled down within 2 weeks. But I was left with two cats instead of one!!!

You are 100% correct to be worried about this situation. I personally believe it is irresponsible for anyone to take on a pet (knowingly) for 8 weeks old!!!

foreign_correspondent

Myself and another poster on here contacted the RSPCA regarding a litter being sold at three weeks old... ('eyes just open, ready to go now') after lots and lots of phone calls, and hassling the RSPCA into action, I was told the RSPCA inspector had gone round, and the seller was just taking orders, and not letting them go till six-eight weeks - I was made to feel like I had over-reacted, and that the seller was indeed doing everything acceptably...

However, I had emailed the seller, posing as a potential buyer, and was told (only the day after the RSPCA had visited them), that I could go and collect one immediately...

Cue loads more calls and emails to the RSPCA, and a letter of complaint, and I recieved a phone call saying the seller was not breaking any laws, and they could do nothing... I expressed concerns about the safety and ethics of this, for the pups and potential new owners - and was told that whilst it was indeed problematic there was nothing they could do - I was disgusted. Pups need to learn bite inhibition and sensible boundaries from socialisation with their mum and litter mates, and it is unnatural to remove them so young.

shegirl

thanks guys.I've tried talking to her and saying he'll need someone around,socialisation and extra care but she's having none of it as the breeder is one of her best friends :-( Poor little mite only came home yesterday and will be left alone today for a few hours while she works and does the school run :-( No plans to takw him to the vets yet,more interested in finding a collar to fit him and her daughter looking forward to him sleeping in her room when he's house trained.Also found out he's just 5 weeks

foreign_correspondent

Wonder how long it will be till she is saying he is unmanageable, untrainable, naughty, and has to go...?

The initial setup does not bode well - he will be very hard to housetrain in this situation, will undoubtedly chew and destroy things, may well be sickly due to his young age, may well lack bite inhibition and find interaction with other dogs problematic, and develop seperation anxiety...

EmptyPockets

This story is sad, and infuriating. When will the message ever get through? Never!

I really. really hope for this little baby's sake, that it all works out ok for him... but this woman's ignorant attitude will only be passed down to her daughter, and so it continues, day after day...

Froglet

shegirl wrote: »

thanks guys.I've tried talking to her and saying he'll need someone around,socialisation and extra care but she's having none of it as the breeder is one of her best friends :-( Poor little mite only came home yesterday and will be left alone today for a few hours while she works and does the school run :-( No plans to takw him to the vets yet,more interested in finding a collar to fit him and her daughter looking forward to him sleeping in her room when he's house trained.Also found out he's just 5 weeks

how on earth does she expect to house train him if she leaves him alone for hours on end ?The ignorance and selfishness of some people never ceases to amaze me.

Sounds like a real novelty toy that will be chucked out by christmas.She should have got a cuddly toy instead.

JG82

shegirl wrote: »

thanks guys.I've tried talking to her and saying he'll need someone around,socialisation and extra care but she's having none of it as the breeder is one of her best friends :-( Poor little mite only came home yesterday and will be left alone today for a few hours while she works and does the school run :-( No plans to takw him to the vets yet,more interested in finding a collar to fit him and her daughter looking forward to him sleeping in her room when he's house trained.Also found out he's just 5 weeks

That really is a shame Puppies do come on really fast and you do see the difference a week can make so surely it would have been better waiting that week if they were not being neglected or harmed (which is why we took ours early). I wouldn't even consider leaving puppy alone that early on; especially being so young! Hope it's ok

JG82

I also think that 9/10 times the breeders are the ones to blame. Whether it is accidental pregnancies; mother's not attaching or just wanting the money I am hearing more and more about puppies being sold early.

I do recognise though that there are plenty of responsible breeders and that is who we should be recommending.

JulieGeorgiana

JG82 wrote: »

I also think that 9/10 times the breeders are the ones to blame. Whether it is accidental pregnancies; mother's not attaching or just wanting the money I am hearing more and more about puppies being sold early.

I do recognise though that there are plenty of responsible breeders and that is who we should be recommending.

I completly agree, which is why we got our cat 2/3 weeks too early... the breeder cared about the profit over everything else!!

I am shocked about the story about the RSPCA not doing anything!!

Disgusting!

I remember a woman I worked with got a puppy and he stayed in a box in the car with the window open and checked every few hours!

I thought that was mental!

Caroline_a

Oh dear this is appalling on so many different levels. Poor pup, far too young to leave mum, consequential behavioural and physical problems. Do they realise that they won't be able to walk this pup for around another (approx) 9 weeks or so until he has had his jabs and they have taken effect? Or are they not going to jab him?

Also, I do not agree with buying puppies for children as young as 7. A puppy is a huge responsibility, what happens when the child gets bored? Does he just stay on his own more and more then? I know of a family who have had at least 7 different pups in the past 10 years. They get them, make huge fusses of them, then find that it isnt as easy with chewing, house-training, etc etc. So the poor dog has to be moved on again. :mad::mad: