M'kay.

Before you all attack me and get pissed off and get me depressed, just kind of think about this in my point of view.

So... I got the puppy. As you all know, I'm aware that it is too young. (from all the attacking ) I'm assuming that you are all assuming that I got this puppy from a 'responsible' breeder. But I didnt. I mean, the lady isnt IRRESPONSIBLE. The breeding was planned, and this was the lady's first time have her dog being bred with.

So now I have the puppy.

Its about.... six weeks old?

I did not ask for the puppy any sooner than 9 weeks. Just all of a sudden, she pops up at my mom's store, and says, "Oh, it can eat food by itself now, here ya go." I was angry too, because- GEEZ- In all the dog books I read it says be PREPARED BEFORE you get the puppy, and without any notice, the woman just comes and drops off a puppy!

Anyways, just wanted to get that out and not have to get attacked whenever I ask for advice.

Ddo you have any pics yet? and i hope you have bought soem pupy bowls food toys and every thing else by now and congragulations on your new puppy

*grins stupidly*

Yay! No mean-ness yet!

Yup! I bought everything yesterday. Very healthy right now, its in its crate sleeping.

Good luck and we'll help you along !! That actually happened to me in 1961.... before I knew better !! We got 2 goldens ( husband's idea ! ) and I didn't expect them until 8 weeks old. Breeder called when they were 6 weeks and wanted them " Out "!!!...We managed fine, but I know now how important those two weeks would have been. Check the puppy developement if you have " How to Raise etc etc " or any book that tells the breeder what to do and look for during the next 2 weeks. Socialize !!!! Has he even had the shots ??? A good vet check would hurt either... stool sample. BAD BREEDER!!! Good you ...????

According to my vet, shots that soon have very little, if any effect. The mother's antibodies are still in the puppy's system. We got Roxie at 6 or 7 weeks. She had her shots, but the vet threw in another round just to make sure. So, you should be very careful. Don't take her out in public, don't wear your shoes in the house. She's at high risk for parvovirus. I learned all this from Zoom and the gang just a few days ago! She probably has more detailed advice than i do

well from what you said none of that is your fault, mainly the breeders for showing up randomly and giving you the dog. no one should be mean because of that. now as for the breeder not being as good as you might have wanted every one makes mistakes

please please follow Mindy's advice

I would like to add, you should take precautions from disease until the pup is about 16 weeks old. This is the age the last puppy shot should be administered. Try not to meet strange dogs, go where other dogs frequent etc. until the last shot is administered this should include about 3 -4 vaccinations depending on vet. Have the vet do a stool check, or maybe a preventative deworming. And while at the vet don't let the pup down on the floor to sniff around where other dogs have been. The safest place is in a crate or in your arms.
Well, that is my 2 cents for now.
Wish you the best.

I do two rounds of vaccines with my puppies.

I use ProGard only, a MLV developed for dogs like Rottweilers who have a high level of maternal antibodies that can interfere with their own immune response to vaccines.

I vax at 9 and 12 weeks.

I titer at 15 weeks.

I DO socialize puppies and take them out at early ages, but do not go to places that are high dog areas. I took my puppy with me to the bank, to Home Depot, Lowes, etc starting at 10 weeks of age.

A majority of puppies are immune after the very first ProGard vaccine according to study results, and near 100% after the second round.

I titer at 15 weeks to make sure, and if my dogs indicate that they have had a response to the vaccine at that age, they don't get those vaccines any more.

Congratulations to you on your new pup. Lots of great advice so far, and we understand that certain circumstances present themself and we have no control over them. Had you rejected the pup at that point, who knows who may have ended up with it (even maybe the pound YIKES!!)

I got Bailey at 6 weeks and it has not been the end of the world for us. So you will have your work cut out for you, but I am sure you'll give the pup a wonderful home with lots of love! Yeah for you and the pup.

Btw, what kind is it again??

Alright you want compassion and understanding I take it? In the same token I don't think asking you to be honest with us is asking too much? Would that be a fair assessment?

I have trouble with a few things in this post...

First the mention of the breeder, I do not think any breeder was under the assumption they were responsible and it also concerns me that you say in this post it was a planned breeding, yet in others the breeding was not planned and your male just mated with another maltese on the spot when it came into your parents store.

In this post you say you now have the pup and it is six weeks old, you also say you did not ask to get the pup before nine weeks, however in a past post you have said that you will be getting the pup at 37 days old..that is five weeks...your past posts have implied that you desired and planned on getting this pup as soon as you can.

So which is it?

I am bringing this up because if you want advice and guidance on how to do best by your pup you need to be honest with us...

Now as far as this thread goes first things first, a vet check is in order. Take a stool sample with you when you go to check for things like worms and other internal parasites...

Now is the time if you have not already done so to find a trainer in your area...obviously now your pup is too young to attend classes but once he has been properly vaccinated its time for him to go...in the meantime visit a few trainers yourself and sit in on classes to see how things are done...You can begin training at home..

Keep training sessions short and sweet...no more than a few minutes at a time at day...multiple short sessions are better than one long dragged out session.

By "attacking" I will guess you mean the pup mouthing because your pup left mom and littermates too early it never learned bite inhibition..It is now your job to teach this pup that biting people is not appropriate...

Your goal is to teach him that biting skin no matter how gently he bites is inappropriate and the result will be he gets ignored...For a puppy there is nothing worse than being ignored...Negative attention is better than no attention always remember that.

Doggish, I'm sorry you are getting attacked. People need to realize that you tried to do the right thing, but now you have the puppy and it's all in your hands. Make the best of it - and if you can, stop that irresponsible breeder from ever breeding again, or at the very least educate her about proper puppy raising.

Did you buy Ian Dunbar's book I recommended? It will make the whole situation a lot easier for you since it outlines a puppy's developmental stages in an easy to understand way and tells you what's more urgent to work on than other things at any given moment.

I am worried for your puppy by your other post.

Please please please either treat the dog properly or find it a new home.
If your mother is going to hate your dog and treat it badly, that is not right.. a puppy should only be in a home where it is welcome and EVERYONE is okay with it being there. This should be a happy time for you, not miserable..