I went to visit a litter of pups with a  friend today and the puppy she liked just didnt seem right.she is absolutely beautiful,the whole litter are but this particular puppy was very quiet and it seemed she couldnt walk.I picked her up then when i placed her back down she just collapsed and no strength in her legs at all.The litter are almost 5 weeks old and all the other pups were running around the pen and following mum,this mum only moved slightly almost like a puppy that was perhaps 2 weeks old.She also seemed a little sleepy and had no interest in anything.The breeder said she had only just noticed the puppy seemed a little slower than the rest so is going to the vets with her.Has anyone had a pup like this and any idea what this could be.This is the pup my friend would like but obviously she has to wait and see the outcome of the vet report.thanks in advance for any replies.

It could be a physical or metabolic problem, is the breeder saying she has only just gone like this or she simply hasn't noticed a problem till you brought it up?

Personally I wouldn't opt for a pup with problems, better to walk away now than be heart broken later.

Yes walk away.

Last litter I had, some breeder friends came at 6 weeks to look them over and help me choose the one to keep.    One of the bitches was awfully quiet, wouldn't come to meet anyone, just not interested.   They said that if it wasn't for the fact that she seemed so quiet and unco-ordinated, she'd be the pick, but they'd worry about her being ok in the ring.

She had simply worn herself out racing around and play fighting!      After a 2 hour sleep, she was right as rain.   I kept her as she was my favourite and my pick and she never stops, she's into everything and up for anything.   Loves showing and enjoys life to the hilt.  She does everything full pelt.

Just because a pup is quiet when you view them doesn't mean there's anything wrong necessarily, the pup may just need a sleep. 
Don't forget, when viewing a litter, you are only seeing a snapshot in time ;-)

I'd wait on the vet report and then make a decision :-)

Thanks,well its my friend who is buying the puppy,i just went along with her and she has decided to wait and see what the vet says.Will keep you all posted.

Are they toy puppies? As they seem to tire fast as a few mad minutes.

Never mind the vet, go back for a second viewing if they will allow it. If it was just an off day for that certain puppy, you'll get another view.... if they say no, or if puppy is the same, please don't buy.

The breeder could also video the pup at different times of the day (on her mobile phone) and send it to your friend?

not everyone has a mobile phone that takes pictures/videos

It could be that they had a busy time just before your visit & that particular pup was more tired than the others. I had a puppy buyer just after a friend had visited & they had their playtime & were very sleepy when the buyer came. When the buyer came again to choose/confirm, he came at a different time & certainly noticed a difference..much more lively.
As others have suggested, go again at a different time & if she is the same dont have her.

Thank you Rhodach ! My mobile phone is v. basic indeed and I do not have digital cameras and all the accoutrements  deemed necessary in the digital age. Find demands for video footage and instant photo uploads rather tiresome. I'd rather people visited and took their own photos. Takes the pressure off me to provide.

It is presumed these days that we all have iphones, my mobile phone is very basic, no camera and for emergency use only, I don't know the number off hand and have never sent a text, if I need to contact someone I need to speak to them, I am sure there are more out there like me.

I do have a digital camera though but even that is the cheapest available at the time, it fills my needs.

>I am sure there are more out there like me

You are correct!  I don't feel the need to walk around holding a mobile phone out in front of me, watching in case I miss something.  And before someone says that's unfair, I see it time and time again. 

A basic £10 phone does exactly what I want/need. 

Slightly off topic , I know, but it seems to me that many people cannot look at/appreciate anything without viewing it through the lens of a camera or similar device. Be it firework displays, art exhibitions,scenic attractions or whatever ! Can't they just use their eyes and treasure the moment without needing to record it/upload it  ? Do they ever get around to watching the video or do they just 'bore the pants off' friends and acquaintances with their photos etc ?

> A basic £10 phone does exactly what I want/need. 

ditto

Slightly off topic , I know, but it seems to me that many people cannot look at/appreciate anything without viewing it through the lens of a camera or similar device.

Well getting back to puppies - a camera I find is in absolutely invaluable tool for the breeder. I take photos most days, and for most of my litters I upload new photos to my website twice a week until they go to their new homes. The buyers like it, but what matters to ME is that I have something to look back at. I do it all the time. What did the ears look like of such and such a pup at 3 weeks of age? 5 weeks of age? What did the colour look like on that pup when it was newborn, 7 weeks? What difference were there between litters? Things like that. I am forever referring back to photos. Memory alone just is not reliable, you forget so much and don't remember correctly even when you think you do. And once an animal or human is gone forever, well then those photos become even more important. And these days we don't even have to worry about the cost, we can take thousands of photos and it won't cost a thing once you have your camera, bar getting batteries now and then.

Yes I take loads of pictures of litters at various ages and compare between litters, what the bitch produced to different lines etc, this helps with future breeding decisions.

> Can't they just use their eyes and treasure the moment without needing to record it/upload it 

In my case being seriously sight impaired (registered blind), my eyes at best give me a fleeting impression.

Having photos I can review/enlarge, or have a snapshot of time is useful/important, as my eyes just don't cut it on their own.

> Well getting back to puppies - a camera I find is in absolutely invaluable tool for the breeder.

Totally agree with you Goldmali. I have spent hours poring over photos of my previous litters and other peoples litters to see how my current litter compare, particularly as they looked so small and thin. (they are fine now. Chunky and gaining weight nicely) I have taken hundreds of photos of them and they are not 2 weeks old yet.

I love to look back at the old pictures of my dogs at all ages so I can see how they changed. And of course once they have gone it is lovely to have their photo to cherish

yes same here i take photos every day so i can see how they change and to keep to see how they grow as this is her 1st litter.

I take hundreds of photos of my litters on my mobile and digital camera. As Goldmali has already said there's no cost other than the initial price of the camera and they are invaluable to look back on.

I also send photos to people on my list once a week as the puppies grow.

They like to watch all the puppies development and it starts to build the puppy/owner relationship at an early age.

Just a quick update.within just a few hours the breeder called to say the puppy was flying around the pen with the others,she had simply been tired and when she tooke her to the vets she was absolutely fine.the vet said the same,she was just tired and simply wasnt in the mood for entertaining anydoby at that particular time.She sent my friend pics and 2 videos and invited her to visit anytime and she has asked me to go with her,im looking forward to that so a very happy outcome and im so glad she decided not to walk away.I will update after the next puppy visit.x

    Reply to Brainless

Realise my comment seemed a bit insensitive. I was, however talking in generalisations and not specifics.

It occurred to me whilst watching the St Stephen's Day fireworks display by the Danube in Hungary last August. Very few people were actually watching the display with their naked eyes but were filming the entire display through their mobiles. Just seemed odd to me. They must have missed much of what was taking place around them. Have witnessed similar behaviour at art exhibitions and school productions.

Am useless anyway at photography and anything remotely technical on computer. Rely on puppy viewers to take the pics and email them to me.

Puppies are normally all tired together as they play together hard and wear each other out and then all collapse in a puppy pile to build up their energy levels ready for the next play session.

I have never had just one pup being tired and listless and the others still running around.

> I have never had just one pup being tired and listless and the others still running around.

I would agree with puppies up to about 6 weeks of age. 

Certainly in my breed after that we do get more individualistic, which is why they really are ready to start going to new homes after 7 weeks of age, as they cease to be so much of a unit and become real individuals, with more individual schedules, needs and demands.

At this point I have often found one has taken themselves off for a nap, and panic ensues when the next meal time or whatever then the numbers aren't adding up, and I find someone asleep somewhere.