Hi,

A member of my family has just bought a poodle (not sure what type as I haven't seen the thing yet), but I'm somewhat concerned about it.  From what I understand, they have paid good money for it - I assume it is a pedigree - but it is only six weeks old (and a friend who breeds Staffs says they should not be separated from their mother prior to eight weeks old) and it also seems very shaky and nervous, instead of happy and inquisitive like most puppies.  I do not know if they have papers for it, or if it's been vaccinated or whatever, but does this sound like a cause for concern to you?  The dog was bought from "the rough part of town", which is why we have these alarm bells ringing.

Also, is a poodle really a good choice of dog for a family with a young child who's a bit of a tail puller, despite being told off for it several times? (She doesn't half pull at my poor Colle/Alsatian cross - yanks his legs, tail, all sorts!  Luckily he's a sweetheart and wouldn't dream of growling/biting, otherwise I think she'd be full of teeth marks by now!)

Thanks for any advice you can give me to pass on to my family in advance.

6 weeks I think is a bit young.

I think Poodles make good family pets.  The child on the other hand ;-)

No Good breeder would allow a pup to go at 6 weeks, 8 weeks is a minimum!  I dare say they got the poodle as they make great family pets, but to be honest, I hope that they will not leave any child under 5 alone with their pup.  The pup should be inquisitive, not shaky and nervous, it may be kennel breed, which would make it extremely nervous of it's new surroundings. It is too young though really to be seperated from it's mother and siblings, so this is probably why it is so nervous.

If they are keeping this pup, which they most probably will now it is home with them, all you can do is support them it does not matter whether it is or isn't a good choice, they already have the pup.:-)  As for the breeder................!!!!!!

>She doesn't half pull at my poor Colle/Alsatian cross - yanks his legs, tail, all sorts! <

I really hope this child gets a good telling off for hurting your dog and is not given the opportunity to be left alone with him :( If this kid is doing the same to a defensless little pup you can be assured he will most probaly be nervous and shaky or scared and aggressive!

I don't think she hurts him, just irritates him - he's quite a big dog and she's not very strong.  She's always told off there and then - "Don't do that, he'll bite you!" but of course, she's known this dog since we first got him about three or four years ago, so she knows he won't.  My main fear is because this new pup's a poodle.  My friend has a poodle which has a bit of a temper at times and snaps for no apparent reason (although she has never actually bitten...), and I'm worried it might have her if she goes a-tail pulling the poor thing.

I'm afraid telling her that she'll be bitten has been proved a lie, so she ignores it. She needs to be told "Don't do that - it's cruel and unkind and horrible" and then she needs to be sent to her room. A small puppy is very fragile both mentally and physically - she could easily injure it permanently.

I have a friend who breeds the occasional litter of toy poodles and they don't leave till 12 weeks.

Hi

I have 4 toy poodles and amongst my friends I think we must have about 15 toys and minis between us!! You say you are concerned because it is a poodle; poodles do not come out snappy. Toy poodles are yappier than miniatures but poodles are not biters. they are a dog like any other breed and refelct the way they are brought up and their experiences. of all the poodles I know only 1 is fearful and that is my white one Biscuit - he was pulled very very hard by a 2 year old and now he will run up to any child and will bark and yap - he wont bite but he figures a child hurt me so I will warn off any little person that comes near me.

Now my job is to train that out of him by introducing him to children in a controlled manner - but please be reassured - they are not born biters or nippers !!

The other posters are correct in as much as 6 weeks is very young for any pup to leave it's mum. Other than my Chocky who I got at 6 months old, the breedres would not let my others go until between 8 and 10 weeks depending on how they were getting on with their mum/litter mates.

But try not to worry - what's done is done - and with good socialisation and a well behaved child around - all should work out fine.

Jane

This is what I thought.  I know we have to support them, but I think the puppy may not be in the best of health due to the age and being all shaky and nervous.

I do not think the breeder was a reputable poodle breeder, in all honesty. I think it's just someone with an unspayed bitch who's had pups and is thinking of making some quick cash out of it, regardless of the state of the pups.  I sincerely doubt there's papers for the pup in question, but I'll need to talk to my family about that.  In any case, I'll be taking a good look at this puppy when I next go up there.

If you are right about the breeder, you will know enough from looking at his site, about health issues, bad breeding etc. etc.  I hope that this is not the case with this pup. If it is why on earth did they buy it from this breeder!!!  (People never seem to learn) Let's just hope that it is not the case. I would advise a check up at their vets, that way if there are any probs, they can return the pup for a full refund before they become too attached.

I'm trying to subtly look into it  This particular branch of my family have always been a little short on the common sense side.

Thanks for the advice.  I'm going to give it a once over next time I'm up there and see if I can see anything glaringly wrong with it - otherwise, I'll just give them a warning about getting it checked thoroughly and vaccinated.

The poor thing hasn't even been vaccinated yet!

Might be worth printing this off for family members so no one else makes the same mistake these members appear to have in their choice of breeder:
http://www.dog-play.com/breedercomparison.htm

Six weeks never!!!  My breed are up and walking at just under 3 weeks of age and they don't go until 7 weeks.  I would of thought 8 weeks for a Poodle dependant on size, maybe at a push just before 8 weeks.

I brought my puppy home at 6 weeks,it was going to be 7 weeks but me and my bf travelled the 2 hours every weekend from her being born to go and see her and we e-mailed back and forth during the week and the breeder sent us pics of progress and answered the million questions we had to ask.she was and still is a wonderful breeder and person whom we have kept in contact with still.she always asks after jessica.she gave us the money for the 1st vaccination and rang up our vet to discuss that we were bringing her home a week early and made us an appointment for her.we got food,food planner and loads more to ensure jessica was going to be fine.jessica mum,dad,gran,great gran and half sister all live with the breeder and i couldn't have gone to a better person.so i don't agree that "no good breeder"would let a pup go at 6 weeks.sorry.by the way jessica is 10 weeks old now and just had her 2nd injection today and she is a bundle of joy and is very very happy here.

It does depend on the breed (often the medium and large breeds are more mature and need to be in their homes a LITTLE earlier), and many people will let pups go at 7 to 8 weeks, but certainly 6 weeks is too young.  If it is a Toy or Mini Poodle then god breeders would not let them go until probably longer than 8 weeks.

I personally think 6 weeks is too young.  I think puppies should start to go to their new homes from 7 weeks as they bond better with humans at this age - if I was to buy in a puppy I would insist on having it at 7 weeks.  I understand toy breeds do go to their homes later, I dont own toys so of course I couldnt insit on 7 weeks :-)

i just dont agree and if you saw jessica i very much doubt that you would think that 6 weeks was too early.

I would never sell my Spanish at 6 weeks and they are one of the most mature pups I've ever known.  At 3 weeks they are retrieving and bringing toys back to you.  At 4 weeks they will sit and wait for their food.  At birth they are half in their mother and half out feeding off the teets.

I do sell them at 7 weeks though.

I understand most toy breeds are more like 10 weeks, most Cav people I know don't let them go until 10 - 12 weeks. I always thought 8 weeks was the minimum for any breed?

Is the pup being fed little and often?  If not the shaking could be due to low blood sugar, toy pups seem to be more prone to this than bigger breeds ;)   When the pup is shaking they could try offering some glucose and water, which may improve things remarkably ;)

Six weeks is awfully young for any pup, but a toy breed seems to need far longer with mum and the breeder ;) ;)

Hope you're able to help this family and the pup, remember some 'breeders' can sound pretty convincing to the uninitiated ;)

I'm afraid of that, Dill.  My family are a little enthusiastic, shall we say, and really know zippo about pedigrees of any breed, much less owning one.  If I had gone with them, I'd have recommended finding somewhere else to go for the dog - this puppy sounds to me like it's come from a real case.  Still, now they've got it, I guess we'll just have to work with it and hope it hasn't got any major health problems.  I'll pass on the feeding little and often idea to them and see if it helps with the poor thing's wibbling. :)

With the sound of t coming from a poor breeder I would encourage them to get it ensured in case it soes develop problems.  there are various eye problems, also slipping pattellas etc that are more likely in poor breeding.