We have a client at work (vets) that has just bought a puppy from a "reputable" breeder. It is their first dog and its a large sensitive breed (not sure if i'm allowed to say the breed) They got it when it was a day over 6 weeks and has been in the vets already for digestive problems and on a drip etc. It is now 7 weeks. It doesn't look very much like the breed its supposed to be, infact everyone has to keep asking her what it is but having seen her insurance covernote and looked up on the website it says they are a reputable longstanding breeder of pets and showdogs. the pup itself is not KC reg as the new owners decided not to when asked by the breeder. Apparently it was vaccinated at 6 weeks but i'm presuming this is just parvo.
Is it normal practice for a breeder  to rehome at 6 weeks now? I always thought the KC asked for 8 weeks and i personally thought the ideal was 7-8 weeks. I'm concerned for the pup as it is a breed that can be prone to fear aggression and i feel its missed out on a lot of dog-dog socialisation as they don't have any other dogs and seem oblivious to the fact that taking a pup at 6 weeks is less than ideal.

doesn't sound a reputable breeder to me.
sounds like a puppy farmer who is claiming to be reputable. poor pup and poor new owners. they have been done.
advise them strongly to get pup booked in to a really good puppy socialising group now- i know he won't be able to go for weeks but good courses book up quickly and they need his name down so he can go as soon as old enough. they'll probably need all the help they can get.  try and get them to get a copy of 'the perfect puppy ' too. if they'll read it it will help.

definitely not reputable.  Why no KC reg, most pups go as pets, that isn't the point, KC reg is for the records of a dogs existence and parentage, not to mention Helth results.

I presume pups not reg with KC are cheaper, hence why they chose that option. I'm amazed they were even given that option. No mention of health tests on their website, and they are breeding from dogs that are a colour not acceptable in the show ring - doon't know if thats normal practice in this breed.
I did mention a good puppy class and they did say they were probably going to go to one, but they didn't seem to quite understand why it is so important!
On the flip side we had one breeder who has sold her pup to a pet home, told them not to spay it until its 8 year old because it will ruin its coat, (again its a large breed) and that they mustn't use crates (new owner has young children and would benefit from one). Now the breeder is saying she wants to show the puppy, not something the new owner has ever wanted to do, she just wanted a nice pet and is feeling totally bullied by this breeder who sadly lives very locally to her. Its so sad as she is not enjoying her pup (who is a lovely little girl) because of this breeders demands.

Its the not kc registered that would set alarm bells ringing. Also, 6 weeks is not ideal, but I know some breeders who do do that, but not usually unless the dogs were going to obedience/working homes, those for pet homes wait until 8 weeks.

> I presume pups not reg with KC are cheaper

KC registration is only £12 per puppy.  Lack of KC registration to me means they can't be registered for some reason.

As the requirements of KC registration are only:

that both parents are themselves registered

that the bitch must not have been mated before 1year of age, not be over 8 years old at whelping, and not already  had 6 litters.

that there were no breeding restrictions still in place, placed on either parent by their previous owner/breeder.

A reputable breeder does not ask the new owner if they want it KC registering, they just do it no matter what. I think they have been conned into believing the breeder to be reputable. Also no reputable breeder lets their pups go to their new homes so early. The pups going to pet homes or show homes are not any more or less than expensive than the others.