Puppy training.

[Harleyisme]

We have a 7 week old black lab. He came to us at 6 weeks not 8 week as the breeders were told of the vets they had to due to lockdown as they weren't willing to do injections on the 11 puppies at once.
Hes doing really well eating drinking settled and full of personality. At night hes sleeps well on wakes up once for toileting. He sleeps in our room in a bed we have no room in the bedroom for a crate as we have had to make way for a home office in there for dh to work from home. We are wanting him to use a crate on the occasion we have to go out which isn't often to be honest. We are getting used to it by having it up and he has no problem being in it. Is this OK or do we really need him in it at night?

Anyone?

the breeders were told of the vets they had to due to lockdown as they weren't willing to do injections on the 11 puppies at once

I can believe that the vet would have had difficulty scheduling 11 sets of vaccines. But the rest of this is utter bollocks. There is no way a vet would recommend a puppy leave its dam before a minimum of 8 weeks (unless the dam was ill).

Nothing can be done for your puppy about that now, but I'm posting it anyway in case others contemplating getting a puppy are reading. Avoid a breeder that would sell a puppy under 8 weeks.

The rest sounds fine. Have your puppy sleep where you want him to sleep long term. And I think one so young will be much happier near his humans. Stick with crate training though - that can be his daytime safe place. He needs to be happy in his crate, efore youncan start leaving him there, and begin with just to-ings and fro-ings round the house, leaving him for a few minutes and praise/treat for settling there and staying settled when you move away. Build up the time he can be left very slowly.

Our puppy went in her crate, in the kitchen, from day one. She settled really well and we found crate training amazing. She went in there to sleep, when we went out and at night. I think it really helped with toilet training, as she wouldn't go in the crate. We also kept chewing to a minimum.

@wetotter

the breeders were told of the vets they had to due to lockdown as they weren't willing to do injections on the 11 puppies at once

I can believe that the vet would have had difficulty scheduling 11 sets of vaccines. But the rest of this is utter bollocks. There is no way a vet would recommend a puppy leave its dam before a minimum of 8 weeks (unless the dam was ill).

Nothing can be done for your puppy about that now, but I'm posting it anyway in case others contemplating getting a puppy are reading. Avoid a breeder that would sell a puppy under 8 weeks.

The rest sounds fine. Have your puppy sleep where you want him to sleep long term. And I think one so young will be much happier near his humans. Stick with crate training though - that can be his daytime safe place. He needs to be happy in his crate, efore youncan start leaving him there, and begin with just to-ings and fro-ings round the house, leaving him for a few minutes and praise/treat for settling there and staying settled when you move away. Build up the time he can be left very slowly.

Thanks for the advice.

As for the injections we have one puppy and are struggling to get an appointment for injections we finally found a vet willing to have it cancelled due to a covid out break so now looking again. We have called all vets in the area some have up to a 12 week waiting list due to closing down last lockdown or some are refusing to do appointments. According to the vets we use for our cats its true as the vets in question is shut down and dealing with emergency only.

Also noticed that you said you can believe injections being hard to get.
Sorry for that. I do know that getting at 6 weeks is young I also know they have the mum and dad of the pups and they are dealing with mum having cancer so that could be part of the reason they haven't them go at 6 weeks. I know the other 3 litters the dog had hasn't gone till after 8 weeks.

Use the crate now as you want it to be used in the future. If you don't need him to spend nights in it, he doesn't need to learn to. He will sleep a lot anyway, during the day, so perhaps you can guide him in there when he goes floppy (aww) and he can nap in there?

I don't understand why the delay in injections means you took him too early from his mother. No vet would recommend this, as a PP said. Surely they could have kept the litter with mum for another couple of weeks? You'd get an un-inoculated puppy either way, wouldn't you?

I didn't take it from its mother they had already taken him form his mother and he was with the rest of the litter in another area. Yes either way he wouldn't have had is injections. We were told they were to go so we picked him up.

You've misnderstood - I know it can be difficult to schedule vet appointments (even when you know weeks ahead of time when you need to book)

What I don't believe is that a vet would then recommend the puppies leave their mother early (they would leave at normal time, and jabs be fitted in when they can be - just as happened with so many puppies round the start of the first lockdown when everyone was taken so much by surprise)

@wetotter

You've misnderstood - I know it can be difficult to schedule vet appointments (even when you know weeks ahead of time when you need to book)

What I don't believe is that a vet would then recommend the puppies leave their mother early (they would leave at normal time, and jabs be fitted in when they can be - just as happened with so many puppies round the start of the first lockdown when everyone was taken so much by surprise)

I noticed I misunderstood sorry about that. The only other thing I think contributed I think is the mother found to have cancer. I have no explanation why they said they were to leave at 6 weeks. Only thing I thought and continue to think is we can only now do what he needs and be here for him as we are doing.

My boy is 12 weeks had a crate from day one really only used as his bed and sleeps in it downstairs. Some people like them close but I really don’t want him upstairs not to mention them using stairs with soft joints whilst under a year so he stays downstairs with the cats and sleeps 10-7am. Cried a bit first night and fine since. Usually sound by 9 anyway.

Not sure re jags seems odd there’s reasons why puppies go at 8 weeks, but if mum is ill I guess that’s why. My pup was done @ 10 weeks then next week only needed the 2 as combining so they don’t have so many appointments.

We start puppy training next week too will be Fun

Hmm, that sounds dodgy to me. Did you see the mother?

Sorry, I realise that this was not the point of your thread. Make sure he gets socialised though. He can hang around with dogs who are innoculated, so, although you may not be able to take him to the park for a while, you can have your friend's dogs come over for biscuits, even if their owner can't come in for coffee!

The breeder's reasoning doesn't add up - the puppy should have stayed until 8 weeks, whether it came to you with a vaccination or not is irrelevant to that. And this is the bitch's 4th litter?

Regarding the crate, agreeing with the others that you use it as you need it to be used in the future, no need to enforce crating overnight so long as it's a happy, fulfilling place to be during the day and pup is used to popping in and out for naps, food treats, kongs etc. and used to you coming and going during this.

@Eckhart

Hmm, that sounds dodgy to me. Did you see the mother?

Sorry, I realise that this was not the point of your thread. Make sure he gets socialised though. He can hang around with dogs who are innoculated, so, although you may not be able to take him to the park for a while, you can have your friend's dogs come over for biscuits, even if their owner can't come in for coffee!

Yes we meet mother and father and one of the puppies from last litter. I know the cancer diagnosis had come as shock and was found while doing the ultra sound to see if she was pregnant. They apparently weren't planning another litter but they male managed to get to her during a season.

We prefer him to be with us and have done the whole time as hes so young and we carry up and down stairs and will do till hes to big to do so.

Wasn't a puppy farm either. The breeders only have the mum dad and pup from last litter. They live as pets in the house.

Well, clearly you've got his best interests at heart, and as you say, all you can do now is move forward. Maybe the cancer had something to do with them leaving the mother early.

Anyway, good luck with the training, and enjoy your puppy. I bet he's adorable. Don't fancy posting a picture, do you..?

@Eckhart

Well, clearly you've got his best interests at heart, and as you say, all you can do now is move forward. Maybe the cancer had something to do with them leaving the mother early.

Anyway, good luck with the training, and enjoy your puppy. I bet he's adorable. Don't fancy posting a picture, do you..?

Thank you we do have his best interest at heart. We will do everything we can to ensure he is well looked after healthy and social. Of course heres our gorgeous little boy.