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5 Week old GSD

2K views 9 replies 7 participants last post by  Maxil 
#1 ·
Hi All,
Here is my question.
My very uninformed SIL went against my advice, and bought a 5 week old male GSD.

The damage is done, but do any of you have advice I can share with her? She is talking about how "lazy" the puppy is and how he just wants to sleep all day long. Well duh! He's 5 freaking weeks!!!

So any info anyone wants to share here with me, I will calmly pass along to her. She doesn't even have a stable dog to "teach" the pup thing. Her other dog is a 9 year old GSD, but he is mentally unstable, and his behaviors are unpredictable. He was not always like this, but he was in the home with my brother when he took his life, and it messed the poor dog up. :(

I have thought about asking her if I can take the pup and use my Juno to help teach the pup, but I really don't think it will fly...

OK...
Let's hear some feedback.
Thanks!
 
#4 ·
i didn't even know any breeders sold them at 5 weeks. i thought 6 was the earliest. i personally think 8 is good. i also have no advice to give other than i doubt a dog can comprehend that your brother took his life and being home at the time has made him mentally unstable. c'mon, they're a smart breed but i have a hard time believing a dog can comprehend that. very sorry for your loss regardless of what i think the dog understands.
 
#6 ·
I must say I disagree totally with you. The dog heard a gun shot, was in a house full of smoke with a fire alarm going off, ambulance, police coming and going. You bet it screwed him up. He was a perfectly stable dog until that happened.

Breeders don't sell pups at 5 weeks, but people who just want to make a quick buck off of a person who doesn't know better sure will...

I will help her by bringing the pup to my home with my stable dog, and give her some advice from the others here, too.

Thanks for the input.
 
#5 ·
Yikes! 5 weeks is scary young to be away from litter. If it were me I would still use a puppy goat milk based formula to soften food and to add calories. Let the puppy sleep as sleep is needed to grow properly. Keep away from older unstable dog. Buy a play yard and set up half as a bed and half with newspaper for restroom. Be prepared when pup reaches 8 weeks as bite inhibition is going to be hard to teach without litter mates and dam. Stay away from public places!! Tell SIL good luck
 
#8 ·
SO sorry about your brother... That leaves scars on humans as well, I can imagine it would also scar his dog's psyche, poor thing. So sorry for your family, that is so hard to deal with.

I actually raised a puppy from 4 weeks, but I did have a stable female at the time, and she took on the maternal role. He slept with me, however, curled up between my neck and my shoulder, and he would stare into my face, imprinting as an infant does. More than any other dog I have had, as he grew he seemed to actually try to imitate speech, and use his paws as 'hands.' He was special.

Susan
 
#9 ·
This is nice to hear, thank you!! I am hoping this pup ends up OK. My SIL did say I could take Titan here for a few weeks, which I think will benefit him a lot. My dog is very calm, laid back, and had a strong maternal instinct. He will be sleeping with me at night, no complaints there!! :)
 
#10 ·
I gotta t Vicky at 5 weeks as well , she plays 1 hour and sleeps 2 till now , its not about the age in fact they are very playfull.
I asked why then? Well the breeder I got Vicky from locked her and her 6 brothers in a small cage they could rarely play so they sleep alot , when I got her she only played for 5 minutes and by time it became 1 hour
 
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