When buying a puppy, what do you expect?

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smiles24

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What do you expect in regards to socialising?

When my puppies leave me they are used to going out in the car, short walks, children, house hold noises, other dogs, cats, sheep, horses and chickens. They know a name to start recall to and generally anything else I can expose them to so the big wide world isn't scary.

Now several people have commented how chilled my pups are which is lovely but more worrying is that nearly all say that other pups they have been to see haven't had socialising etc.

Is this common? I so hope not :(
 
Do you keep them until after their vaccinations then?

I would expect a puppy to be used to household noises like the hoover, and to people visiting, however I'd expect to introduce other things myself, on foot once the puppy was vaccinated, and probably by carrying them on short trips out before that.
 
I would expect them to be used to people, households noises, and other dogs - other animals etc would be a welcome bonus. My most recent pup was reared by people with noisy kids, who showjump, which was handy :D My last two did not leave the farm they grew up on until they were six and eight months old respectively, although they had been introduced to cars, people, kids etc, they had never met strange dogs (just their mother, granny and siblings) it was a chuffing nightmare.

TBH a lot of BYB/puppy farmers/people who breed for money and money alone/churn them out, would be the people I would expect to not be that bothered about socialisation.
 
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Yep I keep them until after vaccinations so I know they are covered. I tend to keep my pups until 10-12 weeks because of this but encourage all owners to come and spend time with them if possible before.
 
When i bought henry he was used to people visiting and general day to day life in a house. He was used to other dogs as he had a sister (they were keeping) his mum, dad and two lurchers at home to play with. I wanted to take a week off work when i got him to settle him in so they kept an additonal 2 weeks till 10 weeks for me and as I already knew what i was going to call him they started using his name and he knew it really well when i collected him. He was also almost house trained and knew "wee wee" which made house training reasonably easy once i got him home and he settled. First ever puppy and my expectations were low so i thought i was quite lucky.

I still did loads of socialisation in my arms till his vaccs kicked in (although he'd had one already).
 
Ah you see, if I got a puppy I would probably want it sooner than that (although of course not having it removed from the mother too early) so I could do the basics myself, and therefore be sure that they had been done in the way I wanted.:) So I would not expect all that to be done.
 
I got H at 8 weeks. He'd had a trip in the car to his vets (although I requested him not to have his 1st vacc on my vets request), but other than that had not been outside the house. Was used to other dog, children, noises.

I am glad I got him at 8 weeks as I could then start his socialisation with horses. GSPs are quite a sensitive breed, so if he'd got to 12 weeks and not had this experience, I think it would have been harder. Most breeders won't be set up to socialise them like that.

My brother did not get their puppy until totally vaccinated at 12 weeks, and she had never been in a car or been out and about. It must be hard to do that with an entire litter? Compared to a family with 1 puppy?
 
Well done to you. I never took my puppies out in the car, but they were all very well socialised, and I never let them go before 10 weeks. I just think it too young to let them go earlier.
 
I have let to people experienced with dogs before take a puppy at 8 weeks as I can understand people will want to start training earlier their way but I do usually keep them longer.

I think maybe if I was dealing with a bigger breed (mine are chihuahuas) and it was bigger litters (average is 3/4) then I suppose lots of socialising would take lots more time.

Do you all keep in touch with your dogs breeders? I am still in touch with my puppies and take them back for holiday stays when their parents are away. It's lovely seeing them grow up :)
 
My older dog, I have known the breeders all my life, so yes, we do stay in touch! And he has been back to the farm to have a run around with Mum and Granny :p
The pup, yes, know the breeders, I got him second hand (he was originally the pick) and he gets Facebook updates/pics :)
 
I am still in touch with Henry's breeder and we exchange pics and do run into them also at terrier shows/terrier racing although they are more into that than myself, we only go for a look out and the experience.
 
Pups I have bred would be used to all household noises, have the start of house training , if people have named them I will start using names, they will be used to having nails trimmed and being groomed. However ime people want to pick up their pups as soon as they can after 8 weeks so not a huge amount of outside socialisation, though I do try and take pups for a short drive (I used to take them to the local school until the new head got all health and safety:mad:).
As you say, it is probably easier to tuck a couple of chis under your arm and take them out to be socialised than a GSD pup (my breed) when carrying just one can give you serious back ache after just a few minutes.
As to people keeping in touch, most of the people who have had pups from me have kept in touch, regular Christmas cards etc and the more local ones brought the dogs to see me. I was recently contacted by someone who had a pup 11 years ago, they are now living in Spain and fingers crossed if my bitch is in whelp they are thinking of having one. That I will have to give more socialisation to as she will have to stay with me for all rabies vaccs etc.
 
When we got our pup at 8 weeks he was used to household noises and comings and goings, had the beginnings of house training and was used to being handled and examined all over.

We still keep in touch with his breeder, in fact we were lucky and found someone really close to us so we see them regularly and have just started taking our boy to the ringcraft class where they take his sister :D
 
When we were looking for a sheltie pup we took care to find a breeder who would go that extra mile with socializing as shelties are known for being timid & stand offish.When we got him at 8wks he had lived in the home with 7 other shelties,the breeder had done the early neurological program with them,they travelled in the car most days as she drove her husband to the train station,let them watch agility training from a crate in car & cuddled by friends there,carried them past the local school at home time to meet the children & invited almost every friend she had to come & play with them! when we visited we carried them around the shops in Wimbledon & they had every noisy toy/tunnel/bed/wobble board/interactive toy that i think was ever invented!!
The result is a bold, friendly, outgoing pup afraid of nothing & ready to learn.
I cant thank the breeder enough for the time she devoted to this litter i wish more breeders would do the same:)
 
I expect nothing, hope for everything! My first two (from a remote hill farm) were scared little lambs, the latest two (from a surburban street) were bold as brass.
 
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