Katelyn Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 Hi! I'm new to the forum and have just chosen a sibe pup. We haven't brought the pup home yet and are supposed to bring him home next week at 6 weeks. Is 6 weeks too early?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutsibe Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 I personally think that it is - I always keep puppies until they are at least 8 weeks old. That way, they have been fully weaned (I like to let mom do it as much as possible, as I slowly start feeding them semi-solid food), usually by around 6.5/7 weeks. My vet advises that giving vaccinations is useless until they've been weaned for a week, and I usually give the first set. It also gives me time to make sure that they are fully dewormed, and to really see their personalities develop, which helps in making sure that a puppy goes to a person who will be better able to meet that individual puppy's needs. In addition, those two weeks between 6 and 8 weeks old are really important for the puppy to learn what it is to be a dog, and to learn to inhibit it's bite - to learn that biting hurts! As they play as a group, or try out their play with mom, they learn that if they play too rough or bite too hard, it's not appreciated! Littermates will either retaliate or quite playing, and mom will usually make HER displeasure known! Finally, most reputable breeders will not allow a puppy to leave that early. Do you know if the parents of the litter have had their eyes and hips checked and certified as not having any genetic diseases? Siberians are prone to several genetic eye diseases as well as hip dysplasia - (http://www.shca.org/shcahp4d.htm, http://www.shca.org/shcahp4b.htm) - here's some information from the Siberian Husky Club of America on the subject... You can make it work, if you take home the puppy at 6 weeks, but it's likely to be much more difficult, and if the breeder is not an ethical breeder, you will be encouraging them to produce more puppies in the future... Just something to think about... Good luck, either way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosemary Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 I agree with Gigi, 6 weeks is far too early. Those two weeks are vital for the well being of the puppy as it is a very informative time for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katelyn Posted June 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 Oh I see. Yes, I was looking through the forum and I came across a post saying that the 2 weeks between 6 to 8 weeks are really important for socialization. I'm going to ask the breeder if Taz can stay with his mom until 8 weeks... hopefully she'll understand. >.< And also, the breeder just started feeding them Diamond Puppy a little before 4 weeks old. I figured that's a bit early? Thanks for the advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirbysowner Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 it is too early Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherrie_x Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 We had both our pups at 6 weeks old and they were fine but iknow alot of people say you shouldnt till 8 we didnt have a problem with ours but i guess the longer with the mum the better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
<3Jess<3 Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 we got bella at 6 weeks the only thing i noticed was she had no bite inhibition which we had to teach her besides that was fine congratz to on ur new furbabie =D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamz Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 we got shiloh at 8wks...the breeder wouldnt let him come to us any earlier- although i wanted him to come home with us once we'd viewed the litter lol.....if she is a good breeder then she should know and understand that letting him leave at 6wks old is too young...have a chat with her and see what she says Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 we got blaze at 7 weeks n 3 days old - we got skyla alot older at 14 weeks (she was a rehome) because skyla stayed with her mum for 12 weeks (she was homed but only there for a week) she seems to be more disiaplined (sp?) and better behaved than blaze is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ahny Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 In alot of cases, the only time you should take a puppy that young is if he's been rejected from his mother, wither due to the litter being too large, the mother being sick, of the pup being a runt. I brought my first dog home at 6 weeks, he might of actually been a tiny bit younger than that . . . . He was a runt and stayed very short. But he was a great dog, and deffinitly knew how to be a dog, which is very important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snow Wolf Posted June 17, 2011 Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 I would say it's too early.... I got my girl at 8 weeks, and I was in touch with the breeder especially during the last two weeks they had her, and she kept me updated on everything... I think she learned so much from these two weeks, especially about the contact with other dogs, and she's got a great character now, which I think also has a lot to do with those two weeks. Do you know the breeder well, and did you inquire about how they handle things? My breeder for example has a huge gallery where you can practically view the pup's life until they came to you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katelyn Posted June 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2011 Well, the breeder does update us on what she's currently doing with the pup, such as feeding him Diamond Puppy food, and she sends us pictures of him. We do try to visit him every weekend just to see how he's doing. From what I know, she told us that the mom only had 3 pups. One is going away at 6 weeks, so he's only going to have his sister left with him next week. She seems to do things a lot earlier than normal - like how she started feeding them kibble a little before 4 weeks. I guess she's trying to get them ready to leave at 6 weeks... She does keep the pups with the mom in a wired kennel, and lets them move around freely a few times a day. From when I last seen him last week, he seemed pretty healthy and is actually a lot bigger than his two siblings. He didn't whine at all when we separated him from the mom for a few hours, well, as long as we kept him close to us. We did talk to her about the whole 8 week thing earlier, and she said that they only need to leave at 8 weeks if they are to be shipped. But she said that she doesn't mind leaving him with the mom for 8 weeks at all, which is good! Other than that, I don't know much of anything else. We do call her to get some updates on how he's doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katelyn Posted June 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 I personally think that it is - I always keep puppies until they are at least 8 weeks old. That way, they have been fully weaned (I like to let mom do it as much as possible, as I slowly start feeding them semi-solid food), usually by around 6.5/7 weeks. My vet advises that giving vaccinations is useless until they've been weaned for a week, and I usually give the first set. It also gives me time to make sure that they are fully dewormed, and to really see their personalities develop, which helps in making sure that a puppy goes to a person who will be better able to meet that individual puppy's needs. In addition, those two weeks between 6 and 8 weeks old are really important for the puppy to learn what it is to be a dog, and to learn to inhibit it's bite - to learn that biting hurts! As they play as a group, or try out their play with mom, they learn that if they play too rough or bite too hard, it's not appreciated! Littermates will either retaliate or quite playing, and mom will usually make HER displeasure known! Finally, most reputable breeders will not allow a puppy to leave that early. Do you know if the parents of the litter have had their eyes and hips checked and certified as not having any genetic diseases? Siberians are prone to several genetic eye diseases as well as hip dysplasia - (http://www.shca.org/shcahp4d.htm, http://www.shca.org/shcahp4b.htm) - here's some information from the Siberian Husky Club of America on the subject... You can make it work, if you take home the puppy at 6 weeks, but it's likely to be much more difficult, and if the breeder is not an ethical breeder, you will be encouraging them to produce more puppies in the future... Just something to think about... Good luck, either way! Well, at first the breeder was okay with Taz staying until 8 weeks, but she just called us today and said that the mom is starting to get aggressive with the pups, so we're gonna have to take him home this Saturday as planned. Our breeder says that Taz is doing great on the Diamond puppy food, so there shouldn't be a problem with food. Do you know what's a good way to help with bite inhibition? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutsibe Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Hopefully, you won't have a problem. If and when he starts to bite - usually it will be just that he's playing too roughly - yelp like a puppy would. You can then tell him "No bite!" so that he learns to associate those words with the action of biting/not biting (the more you talk to them, the more words they learn to understand - some of them seem kind of scary in how much they understand, sometimes!). You also want to stop playing with him briefly, so that he further associates: I bite, human(s) yelp, play stops, fun stops... maybe I don't want to do that! If he persists in biting, and he might more at some times than others, if he's really wound up, physically get up and move away, and if necessary, isolate him for a very brief (minutes) amount of time - laundry room, crate, kitchen, etc., but keep it calm and quiet. The place isn't the punishment - the stopping of the fun is. You can also try subbing an appropriate toy for chewing, rather than hands, shoes/shoelaces, table legs, whatever you don't want him to chew, don't let him start chewing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katelyn Posted June 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Ok, I will definitely keep that in mind. Thank you! And we did buy him a Kong tennis ball because it seems to be a popular toy in this forum. Hehe. And yes, hopefully he won't have a big biting problem! >.< But either way, my husband and I are here to see it through and stay patient with him. We're so excited to finally bring him home! Thanks for all the help! We feel even more prepared now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutsibe Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 Good luck - it's always sooo exciting to bring home a new puppy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tangled-musher Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 personaly too early, as other have said before, those 2 weeks are very important weeks in a pups life for many reasons. being sceptical, just wondering as you said shipping... does she breed a lot? and also i would be wary that the whole mums getting aggressive thing is just a ploy to get pup gone to you earlier than you'd like. is the pup kc reg'd? were parents hip scored, eye checked etc??? just wondering.... good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val (Zebedee) Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 personaly too early, as other have said before, those 2 weeks are very important weeks in a pups life for many reasons. being sceptical, just wondering as you said shipping... does she breed a lot? and also i would be wary that the whole mums getting aggressive thing is just a ploy to get pup gone to you earlier than you'd like. is the pup kc reg'd? were parents hip scored, eye checked etc??? just wondering.... good luck. some good questions there, but if the breeder has made up her mind & is determined your pup should be with you sooner than is ideal, then you have to be prepared to do a little litter-pack behaviour to help him through the early days, but as it looks like you're doing your homework & asking the right questions, I think you should do just fine!! Good luck, can't wait to see him in his new forever home ... remember, we are all with you every step of the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 i got my little puppy at 6 weeks old , shes now 10 weeks i thought it was far to early and wanted her to keep her longer but they wanted her gawn due to the daughter going to uni , shes a great puppy fast learner iv learned her to sit stay and down and wait however she hasnt learn about the biting so learning her that also the breeder i thought favoured one of the pups and didnt pay any attention to my one when we got her she disliked being picked up or petted and was food agressive but now shes reformed just the biting but i will get there ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val (Zebedee) Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 that's good news, Nicole, it just takes a little time & patience & being consistent with the training Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortman4life1 Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 I got Oakley at 6 weeks and he had a big litter so he was the runt and not getting fed. Now he is fine. I did have to teach him about biting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 yupp i will get there ! lol she's just full of energy!! gotta love her tho lol gets her 2nd set of jags tomoro :/ dreading it ! its like she knows whats going to happen and starts freaking out lol trys to escape but cant wait to get her out for big walks hopefully calm her down too . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted June 21, 2011 Report Share Posted June 21, 2011 We took Vlad at 6 weeks some people said it was to early but we wouldnt change it as he is perfect in our eyes,saying that i think the breeder we got him from had already done the hardwork and she really new her dogs he was already almost house trained at 6 weeks and was comfortable in a crate. and the breeder was happy to let him go at 6 weeks but i know she kept some of his siblings back as they needed more work and where not so indipendant.Only gripe i have with the breeder was the food he was on (bakers puppy) but thanks to this forum we switched his food soon after bringing him home.He still bites hands playfully but i know most huskys do this no matter what age they are seperated from there mother .Now he has no issues he is not a chewer has no seperation issues and is the friendliest dog you could ever meet.We have to thank this forum for most of this stick here and dont be afraid to ask questions and you wont go wrong. Forgot to ad we also took him to puppy school(for pups under 10 weeks) at our vets 3 times this was so valuable in soicalising him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katelyn Posted June 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 personaly too early, as other have said before, those 2 weeks are very important weeks in a pups life for many reasons. being sceptical, just wondering as you said shipping... does she breed a lot? and also i would be wary that the whole mums getting aggressive thing is just a ploy to get pup gone to you earlier than you'd like. is the pup kc reg'd? were parents hip scored, eye checked etc??? just wondering.... good luck. Yes, I did think about her just making an excuse about the whole mom being aggressive thing... but either way I think it's best to just take Taz home because I have a feeling she won't take care of him as much as she is now if I were to leave him there for the extra 2 weeks. And yes, Taz is KC registered...but I'm not sure about the parent's history. I really wish I did ask those questions before, but it's ok. My husband and I are willing to deal with whatever problems may arise. But at least we now know to ask more questions and to leave the pup for at least 8 weeks next time we decide to get another pup. On the bright side, we get to take Taz home earlier! Just gonna have to be his parents for the first few weeks. Hehe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katelyn Posted June 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2011 We took Vlad at 6 weeks some people said it was to early but we wouldnt change it as he is perfect in our eyes,saying that i think the breeder we got him from had already done the hardwork and she really new her dogs he was already almost house trained at 6 weeks and was comfortable in a crate. and the breeder was happy to let him go at 6 weeks but i know she kept some of his siblings back as they needed more work and where not so indipendant.Only gripe i have with the breeder was the food he was on (bakers puppy) but thanks to this forum we switched his food soon after bringing him home.He still bites hands playfully but i know most huskys do this no matter what age they are seperated from there mother .Now he has no issues he is not a chewer has no seperation issues and is the friendliest dog you could ever meet.We have to thank this forum for most of this stick here and dont be afraid to ask questions and you wont go wrong. Forgot to ad we also took him to puppy school(for pups under 10 weeks) at our vets 3 times this was so valuable in soicalising him. I'm glad to know that someone else has gone through what I'm going to be experiencing. Thanks for giving me more hope. Come to think of it, the breeder did take good care of my pup, well, as far as I know. But I will definitely be looking for puppy school around my area, because I have read many times that it does help with their socialization. And yes, I am so thankful to have found this forum because everyone is so friendly and so helpful! I feel a lot more educated now and more ready to take home my pup. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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