Hello,
I have started letting people view  and place deposits on the pups today now they are 4 weeks old. I didn't think it would be so painful to do so !!.. An eldely gent is taking one for company in retirement , which is great.. But I didn't expect to feel so bereft.. what it will feel like when they actually go at 8 weeks I dread to think. I have just been sitting in the box with the pups having a little cry. Each and everyone is so precious to me and I have to get it right so the pups will have happy lives. So for the next month I am going to enjoy what time we have with them as much as poss. I guess I am not alone in feeling like this.. Though  the bitch will be glad  methinks.. She does look rather  long suffering now.

Jill

Not advertising mods.. all spoken for !

Although a pert of you goes with them, by the time they are 8 weeks old, you will know that by letting them go you are doing the best thing for them. They will then need the individual care and attention that you will not be able to give them, and you will know you are helping to fulfill someones life. You are not losing your babies, you are making new friends.

I'm in the same situation as you,  had people come to see the pups today and yes it is hard :-(  hopefully they'll visit a few times more before taking pup home and by this time you'll feel a little happier.  I always shed a tear with each pup that leaves. (actually I sob my heart out once they have gone)

hi yes its 4 weeks here too people come round and whant em but im reluctant all the time im thinking they arent good enough this is wrong that is wrong an i being too pickey out of 7 3 are goin to family so thats not so bad! i will get to see em as they grow up and im keepin1 :);)

I was just the same as you, that was almost 3 years ago. It is very painfull and I remember back fighting back the tears as each pup left us. My kids would run up stairs crying as each new owner came for their pup. It helped me keeping in contact with them which I still am today.
Whenever I talk to owners now or see the dogs or have photos sent I still cry. But they are very much tears of joy knowing that I found these pups fantastic homes. They are very happy dogs with very loving owners that is worth all this heartache you will be feeling now.
It will be ok you see. Good luck. Sharonxx

Hi peeps, im not a breeder, but im picking my little lad up next week and i can understand how my breeder must be feeling, if i was a breeder and had to let a litter of precious babies go after having them in my life for 8 weeks solid id feel exactly the same, but OMG! I can barely contain myself right now, im so happy and excited. God knows how im going to sleep the night before i pick him up! He is going to get so much loving and attention, i cant wait!
I just want you to know that every single person who is taking one of your pups is feeling exactly the same as me! And thats down to you, your making all those people as happy as i am :) and as for the pups, just think of all the kisses and cuddles their going to get :)

Blues mum, what a lovely lady you are, simply putting that post on, you are completely right, the way you are feeling right now was how I felt before I got my baby and she wasn't born when I knew I was getting her, so had a long wait. I am going to breed her in a couple of months on her next season and my biggest worry was how will I part with all my little babies, but you have reminded me of how the new families will be feeling and I hope that will make it all worth while.

Lynn

What an excellent post!

I cried when we picked our boy up to bring him home. I was like you, so excited I didn't know what to do with myself (it took us 18 months to find the pup we wanted). When we got in the car to leave, taking this tiny little creature away from his family for ever, the mother ran out into the garden looking for the missing pup and it just cracked me up. I felt as mean as Cruella de Ville and wanted to go and give him back.

I couldn't bear to breed as I'm sure I could never part with a puppy. I'd never think any home was good enough. Not a day goes by when I don't mentally thank his breeder for letting us have him. Sadly, she died earlier this year but she must have brought so much joy into people's lives through the dogs that she bred and you'd be hard pushed to leave a better legacy than that imo.

Fran

I cried when every single one of my pups leaft home, even when I was keeping one every time.

But it's been worthwhile this week when one (aged nearly 6) came back to board with me for a week, and fitted into the household (I don't have kennels) almost as if she'd never left. It was really good to see how well she's been looked after, and how much she's been loved. And fantastic to find out what good temperaments and health they all have - my breeding can't be too bad!
:)

Hi All,

I've just read through your posts, and I can really relate to the massive feelings of excitement about getting a puppy.  I am at home waiting for the phone to ring!!  We are waiting to hear from the breeder that the puppies have been born and that there will be one for us!  I am sooooooooo excited, I'm fit to burst!!  We know that we've got another 8 weeks to wait but we've already bought a play pen, crate, toys, outdoor kennel and run, bedding and even a poop scoop (and practical things like grooming stuff, etc)

When our puppy finally comes home with us I'm taking a week off work to help him/her settle (don't all shout at me, we've already got 'grandma'(my partners mum actually) lined up for daytime puppy/dog duties and I often work from home.  This will be the first time I've owned a puppy as an adult and I think it's fair to say he/she will be my baby!  (I've got 3 cats but they are just so independent in comparison to a dog).  I've already read 'Perfect Puppy' by Gwen Bailey cover to cover, twice in preparation!!

I hope that you don't get too upset parting with your puppies, it must be very hard and especially if there are children in the household too - thinking their parents are ogres for letting the puppies go!  But I for one will love our puppy when it arrives with all my heart and I simply cannot wait for that day to come!
Nxx

While I am upset I have got to say that I breath a sigh of relief once they have gone.  There are usually one or two who I hate to go in this case my lovely snodles and princess. The first litter I was a total nightmare and cried in front of one of the people who then started crying.  She is now one of my best friends and shows her dog but I get regular letters etc so I am happy.

Hi
Mine are 4 weeks old yesterday too - I'm dreading them going even though we are keeping one. The past 4 weeks has gone so quickly. I only have 2 available but so many people interersted. I just want to make sure I choose the right people. Its not easy.
Take care
Helen

I find the same her.  I am having Lexi's sister here for a week from Sunday. 

Brodie who was here honeymooning and has vistied before always comes straight in as if he never left (will be even more keen toi come if he thinks I will be providing hot and cold running females :D).

I have another former pup who is now 6 coming to stay in October, and I wonder if she will remember?

I have several others that come to stay from time to time and somehow it is totally different from having friends unrelated dogs of this or other breeds.

When my last litter went, the people collecting them actually left here crying, they said they felt sad at taking pups away from mum, litter mates and me...........what should be a happy day for the new owners, left them crying as much as me!

I know what you mean Brainless, I took Idõ for his second visit back to his breeders house on Wednesay and after the initial slight hesitation he settles in fine and it's like he knows where he is, with his mum, aunties, grandma and grandad, it's great to see and makes me wonder how different it would be if it was Kayla in his place, or whether she would be the same if we took her to visit her breeders house.
It's great to see him playing with his aunties and being told off by his mum.....and countersurfing just like he does at home :D
Emily

Hi, I'm new here but was reading with interest about letting puppies go.
We had our first viewing yesterday, pups are just over 4 weeks old- i felt jealous!!!
Lovely family, but couldn't help thinking that Tilly was going to love them and forget us. I felt about 6 years old again!! Talking of which, had to get rid of 6 year old daughter while they were here -she said that she would tell them that she hated them and they weren't going to have one of our puppies!!!!!!!!!! Knowing her like only a mum can, took this to heart and packed her off!!

Thank you all for your interesting replies.. What a bunch of softies we are !!! I have learned so much from this experience and from reading replies on this board.Least of all that Hubby isn't the hard man he thinks he is.. quote " come on puppies daddy has some nice tea for you "  Eldest son (19) was found sitting in the puppy box letting the gang crawl over him.. I think it has been an enriching experience to all my family.. Of course I do have my favourites. I am not keeping one as I have the parents  , but ma in law is having one. Great thing is she lives in the next street so we can watch him grow.. And the parrot has learned to talk in puppy and does a passable puppy yelp.. What will I do with my days after they have gone ?? oh well...

Jill

You could always encourage them to stay in touch. :-)

My 'pup' is now 3 and I still write to his breeder on a regular basis to update her on how he is getting on, although I work him so there is often a lot to tell about how he is doing in agility and obedience. She has got a photo album, well several, and each of the dogs she's bred (prob. over a hundred!) has his or hers own page. She showed me when I collected my pup and I promised to fill several pages, which no doubt I have over the years! ;-) Some of the dogs pages were almost empty but most had letters and pics in, photos with red rosettes and the like. They are a working line rather than breed line so they all do obedience or agility or both.

Maybe if you set something similar up now and showed the new owners they would be more likely to keep you updated. You could get something like an album, put each pups name at the top of a page and show them. Most new pup owners are so proud of their babies they would be happy to send you pics and letters. Maybe that way it won't seem like so much of a goodbye! :-)

HTH

Thanks Lynn, i cant think of anything else at the mo! 3 days to go woohoo!! :)

Hiya

I have just been through this with my girls litter. It was really very difficult and I cried with everyone that went. I have encouraged all new owners to keep in touch and I have received some lovely piccies of the puppies in their new homes. I tried really hard not to cry but as each puppy was going out of the door I gently held their face and said 'you be a good girl/boy for your new Mum' and that was like a trigger for me, tears all over the place. A couple of the owners actually cried too and gave me a huge hug before they left. I have to add that it was time for the puppies to go to thier new homes as they were getting to the stage where they really needed lots of individual attention and with everything else going on I couldn't give each one the amount of time it needed or deserved, so that did make it slightly easier for me, knowing they were going to have so much time and love lavished on them.