Ms Em

Question
Hi Nicole
I just picked up my baby, she is only five weeks, she was born to a registerd Mom and beautiful Dad, but he was not registered, although a beautiful dog.  Ms Em is active and a sweetheart.  My question is.. she seems to be weak sometimes when she is playing in her back legs, is this normal for a baby?  I have an appointment for her the 2nd of Jan. for her six week check up. I am taking her to the same vet that docked her tail and saw her when she was born. When is too early to take her outside after she eats and wakes.  These are questions I do not find where I have been looking.  She has a crate that I purchased for her along with all the other things pups need, well she may be a bit spoiled but... Any help you can give me will be appreciated. Thanks, Joann

Answer
Hi Joann,

Yes, that's normal for a 5 week old puppy...it's normal for an 8 week old puppy.  The someimes act as if they've not got control of their back ends yet.  :)

May I ask why you brought a puppy home at 5 weeks?  This is much, much too early.  Your puppy shouldn't even be weaned yet. She, as of yet, and for the next 3 weeks, has no control over her bladder and bowels.  She should have been left with her mother and littermates for, at the minimum, 3 more weeks.  Was there a problem?

I'm not sure what you mean by too early?  A puppy needs to be taken out w/in 10 minutes of eating, drinking and playing and then immediately upon waking or being greeted.  Put a lead on her (leash), walk her to the same spot in the yard EACH time and quietly tell her to go potty.  Separate potty and play time (which should be VERY limited right now).

Because you've taken a puppy home too early, it will be up to you to teach her the things she'd have learned from her litter...bite inhibition, etc.  I'm forwarding you a link on puppy learning stages...this is going to be your biggest concern.  If you aren't very careful with what you do and what you teach her, you're going to have a behavioral disaster when she's an adult.

http://www.trainyourpuppy.co.uk/puppy-learning/index.php

http://www.sspca.org/Dogs/PuppyDev.html

I want to highlight this information for you...you need to understand how important this situation is that you've taken on:

Puppies are usually weaned at six or seven weeks, but are still learning important skills as their mother gradually leaves them more and more. Ideally, puppies should stay with their littermates (or other role-model dogs) for at least 12 weeks.

Puppies separated from their littermates too early often don't develop appropriate "social skills," such as learning how to send and receive signals, what an "inhibited bite" means, how far to go in play wrestling and so forth. Play is important to help puppies increase their physical coordination, social skills and learning limits. Interacting with their mother and littermates helps them learn "how to be a dog" and is also a way to explore ranking ("who's in charge").

Skills not acquired during the first eight weeks may be lost forever. While these stages are important and fairly consistent, a dog's mind remains receptive to new experiences and lessons well beyond puppy-hood. Most dogs are still puppies, in mind and body, through the first two years.

If I can help you further, please let me know.

Hi again Joann,

I just wanted to add, after your nice reply, that what you bought from is a backyard breeder of the worst kind.  You might find it interesting to google the term and read some of the articles.  :)  Hopefully, this will be the first and last puppy you buy from someone like this...lesson learned and all that.

If I can help you AT ALL...my email is Nicole@boxerdogplanet.com  You're also welcome to join our forum at http://www.boxerdogplanet.com  :)