MeadowCat

Was in Petco today picking up a few chew toys for Richter, and saw a young woman with a puppy walking around (pup was on the floor, walking). Said hello, asked about her puppy...six weeks old. Walking around on the floor at Petco. And already home with his owner. Sigh. I just didn't have the energy, so I said nothing. And really, it was too late on both counts.

__________________

o0 sHaDoWoLf 0o

I hear ya, when Odin was younger and I was still able to take him to the dog park I would always see a handful of people bringing in their 6-8 puppies to the park. Would test them out to see if they are the type of people that would listen but nope. Always the type of people that if you talked to them and try to help out it would be like talking to a wall.

__________________

Asmit

People never cease to amaze me. A woman and her husband came out to the training facility this week for a private puppy class. I thought the little weim was maybe 8 weeks old. Turns out she was 12 weeks and had been with them since 6 weeks. I neutrally walked by, no eye contact, etc and the pup barked its head off then hid under the chair. Later on, I came up for the dog to 'greet me' and it took about 10 minutes for her to not be absolutely terrified of me. They were having all sorts of puppy problems. Danny asked the owner a few simple questions about where she came from (without flat out saying it), and it was extremely obvious that she was from a greeder.

They too, had no idea they were not supposed to take her out and about. I have to give them kudos for arranging private lessons, genuinely trying, and truly listening to the advice, but even with the best training in the world, that dog is going to have issues for the rest of its life.

I can't get the image of it out of my head. There was nothing blatently wrong with pup, but it just didn't look "right". Puppies that age usually seem so into everything and healthy. This poor girl looked like she was broken for lack of a better word.

dragonflyz

It's so sad people are so clueless. I sure hope that pup doesn't end up sick. I did a Pet Expo today for work and I can't tell you how many little pups I saw walking around on the ground. It's great people want to socialize their dogs but so dangerous for such young pups.

__________________

RedFawnRising

Yeah, remember that new member we had recently, who took their very ill puppy to Petsmart, but sure as heck wouldn't take pup to the vet.

__________________

Jazi

At least they're in a pet store. I get people bringing their 3-4 week old pitty puppies and walking them around OFF LEASH in my work's parking lot. Which is in the middle of a shopping center. Which is right off a highway. Oh and my shopping center hasn't had a pet store for about 3 years now.

__________________

missabaldwin

Saw exactly the same thing the other day at our local Petsmart. In addition to being obviously waaay too young the woman's son was blatantly dragging the poor puppy, just about on its little face.
I was nervously on my way over to inform her of the health risks when the manager of the Petsmart did it. (Whew.) I had to walk up to him 5 min later to thank him. Better him than me, she at least listened to him. Didn't look like the kind that would just listen to some girl.

Jenn

Definitly understand. Its the worst time of year.
I live in a seriously hot part of australia. A lady i no let her german shepard 'bond' with a husky in town.
(husky in40degree+) for a start... Then they had puppies.. Urgh i get very angry with it all.
Then out the blue after telling my colleague these puppies are doomed with their temperment being thru the roof and terrible greeders..she goes and annouces today shes getting one next week it will be 5-6weeks.
I told my vet and my local shire how bad its getting around here for puppies but nothing will happen. Its so disheartening:-(

__________________

Whiskey

I worked at PetSmart for several years and if I had $1 for every time I saw someone with a <6 week old puppy letting it walk on the ground... I could pay off my car. I always did my best to educate and at the very least told them to pick the puppy up. Ffs people... there's a vet in the store where sick dogs walk to and from. Use your damn heads.

chasroth

I was at the dog park a couple weeks ago and these people brought their 8 week oldcdobie puppy in. I had to remind them yhat dobies can catch parvomuch more easier than most breeds. She said really I didnt know. That was one of the first things my breeder told me.

ZeldaRules

Sorry for going OT but a Doberman is more at risk in hot temps than a Siberian Husky. I have a German Shepherd and a Siberian Husky in Texas and it gets really hot and humid here, believe me my dogs do just fine and it is my single coated dog that gets hotter faster in this climate because he doesn't have the protection of a double coat from the heat and rays. The information is all out there on double coated breeds in the heat, just a google search away I prefer to say something and educate people on double coated dogs because I'd be rich if i had a penny everytime I get uneducated joe public mentioning how cruel it is for me to have a husky in Texas.


Back OT, every person I've approached in pet stores about their baby puppies walking on the ground have literally smiled, nodded, and didn't care at all. It's like they go into baby protective mode like a lot of human parents...I mean how dare you know better how to take care of their child than they do. These are the same people that have no idea what parvo or distemper is and have no idea how dogs get heartworms. No joke, a friend of mine tried rescuing a dog from an owner that seriously believed all dogs got heartworms and you had to wait until they got it to treat it, so her dog lived without prevention until it got heartworms.

Idiocracy at best.

Jenn

Sorry i should have mentioned tho, difference being you obviously care and look after your dogs in such a climate as do i with my dobie...
These people have huskys in this heat and consider them an outside dog.
The theme where i live is to have a dog and it stay outside to protect the home which is terrible in my opinion, i would not have a person outside for that length of time yet alone a dog that is carrying such thick like fur.
Again, thats good to know actually i didnt realise dobermans were more risky than a husky :-)

__________________

ZeldaRules

You're right Jenn, no matter what breed of dog, they should not be living outside in extreme temps. Apparently outside living is the norm for dogs in Australia from what I've read on this forum. How sad :/ I wake up every morning at the edge of a queen size bed with a doberdude curled up into my side and I wouldn't have it any other way. don't even get me started on people using huskies as "guard dogs."

Jenn

Me too
Its true, australia (i dont want to generalise too much) but it just has this dogs are for outside. The amount of stick i get for having finley inside with me all the time.. I dont mind what they think i just feel for there dogs living there life in a square yard with no interaction and love.

Sorry slightly ran off track there meadowcat!
Wonder if pet stores could put up a sign saying no dogs under the age of 8 weeks in the store. Unless carried

__________________

Instant Noodle

We don't venture out to the dog park much, only when we have set up play dates. But almost every time I go, someone will bring their extremely young pup into the large dog play pen and then walk away allowing the tiny thing to pretend to fend for itself.

At our last visit, a lady brought in her young pittie and allowed it to scream out of fear, trying to hide under the bench, then say to people, "your dog knows that mine is still a baby, right?" That was our cue to leave a disaster waiting to happen.

Oh yeah...as we were leaving, grandma and grandpa rolled an outward facing twin stroller into the large dog play with two 4 month olds in them. I said a prayer for them as I walked by.

__________________

emerald2010

I feel your pain, MC. It never ceases to amaze me at how many people will bring their very young puppies in the crowded lobby of a Veterinary Hospital and just let them wander around. Are they really that ignorant??

Shell81

I can't wait to socialize Bruce and let him play off some his puppy craziness with friends dogs, but there is no way in hell I am going to risk him getting sick just so I can let him play with other dogs/take him out. I took him to the school this morning when I dropped off the kids because I do want him used to the chaos that goes on there, but I held him the entire time we stood there (a whopping 10 mins lol). I am literally counting down the days until his next set of shots though, then at least I can feel comfortable starting to socialize him a bit.

Rosemary

Geeze, the first time I took Leo to the vet, I carried her, and didn't even want to put her on the scale. I wasn't worried so much about her catching something, but the possiblility that she had something contagious, and I didn't want her infecting anyone else.

__________________
Proudly Owned By...
Lucky Rat Dog CGC

Ilka Of Pear Orchard Cemetery BN RE CA CGC

Speed Queen Leontine Von Washateria- Foster Failure

Desy

Same here. I was an employee at Petsmart for nearly two years and I want to say that the majority of puppies people brought into the store were 6-7 weeks old. Definitely not uncommon.

I never criticized those individuals for purchasing puppies that were much too young to be leaving their mother and siblings, but I imagine my face betrayed my disgust a little bit when I discovered their ages.

__________________
.
.
.
The Doctor: I hate robots. Did I say?
Roman Groom: Yeah, and he's not too fond of you. What's wrong with robots?
The Doctor: It's not the robots, it's the people. Dressing them up and giving them silly voices. You're reducing them.
Roman Groom: Yeah. Friend of mine, she made her domestic robot look like a dog.
The Doctor: Ah, well, dogs. That's different.

- Doctor Who, The Waters of Mars