New puppy worry
 

Hi all,
Lovely to see a lively forum for GS lovers.

I just put a deposit on a pure-bred GS puppy from a responsible
home breeder. He has pedigrees from both parents back three generations
in Germany and Crotia. My chosen puppy is 6 weeks old, so I'll be taking
him home in two weeks.

Yesterday, I went to visit him and bond. My concern is that he seems to sit kindof funny.

He was on his belly with front legs up a little, but his back legs were sprayed out flat like a frog's legs. Then later I saw him laying down with his back legs scrunched underneath his body in a weird way. I know NOTHING about dogs; my first puppy, so I don't know if this is normal for GS puppies or if it's a sign of hip dysplasia. When I saw him at 4 weeks, he did also walk with a little sideways tilt--a little.

Should I insist on a vet exam before paying the rest of the money and taking him home? Even if he does have hip problems, somebody has to raise him. What rights do I have to refuse him? The breeders never guaranteed a hip-problem free puppy. I want to do the right thing, but am worried...

Thanks for listening.

Puppies are very flexible and will lay in very precarious positions. All should be fine.
:)

Most breeders will have a contract saying that you have a specific number of days to have your puppy vet-checked for issues, during which they will offer a full refund or give you another puppy. Usually the vet check is required within 2 day to a week. Check your contract. Problem is that once they bring the puppy home, people bond, and cannot fathom giving the pup back, even if they turn out to have health problems.

A responsible breeder should notice any abnormal issues with a pup, pursue vet care themselves, and refuse to sell them to a new owner until they know what the issues are. Or if they do know, then to give full disclosure of the health problems, and give the perspective owner the right to refuse, or to get another puppy.

You have every right to refuse this pup if you have concerns, and if you feel the breeder is not forthcoming about possible health issues. The problem is that you may not get your deposit back, but again, that will depend on the terms of the contract.

Personally, if I had concerns that the breeder I was dealing with was not transparent, and did not feel that they were completely honest and open about the health and development of the pups, I would just walk away, and sacrifice my deposit, and take it as lesson learned.


That said, puppies ARE flexible, and do lie and sit in weird positions sometimes, and it does not mean that there are issues. lying on their belly with their legs straight out is actually supposed to be a sign of good hips, but probably not really indicative of anything in a six week old. I don't even know if it would be possible to diagnose hip displasia in such a young pup, as their bones are still not fully formed.

The six generation pedigree only means that the dogs are pure bred, it does not mean that they are free of genetic health issues. And even if they were, it is still possible for an offspring to pop up with bad hips - that is just the way the genetic dice roll.

Thank you for our responses.

I appreciate the feedback and advice.
This forum is a great find.

God's blessing to you.:)

a "responsible home breeder" - no clue what you mean by that.....but I think that is pretty much a BYB with a couple of pets that they have bred and take good care of.....

If this person is not a breeder with a background of training, showing, education about the breed - they may have no clue if this pup has a problem or not.....

That is why "home breeders" are not recommended here by anyone with experience...

Lee

Simone,

Welcome. Getting your first GSD pup -- and even second or third or fourth --is always occasion for a few months freaking out about ears and hips and any number of other things. So relax just a little. As others have said, puppies are basically bundles or cartilage wrapped up by skin, so at his age, you can't make any pro or con judgements on him based on the way he sits.

What you can do though is ask for hip certification of the sire and dam, and for that matter the bloodline. If the breeder is truly responsible, he should have it...if not, well, your decision, but at least you'll be making it with your eyes open.

umm, responsible home breeder. what is a responsible
home breeder? any test, certs, titles on the parents?
any guarantee? without any of the forementioned you
could have a nice dog.

Yes,

The pup has pedigree papers on both side of his parents.

I found out that the pups mother's parents got "Good" certification on hips.
The pup's father's father received "Good" also. The pup's father's mother was tested at
20 months so got a "preliminary" test of "good," but I guess she wasn't old enough for an official "good" rating.

Thanks so much! I did contact the breeder just now and they responded. I just posted above that most of the immediate ancestors are "good" on hip cert.

I realize I'm kindof freaking out a bit ...

Thanks to those who have responded with much needed encouragement about not over-reacting...

I'm such a newbee at this. So grateful you wonderful people are here to turn to.

:-)

My seven week old pup lies the same way you described, on her belly legs straight out. That's not a sign of hip problems, from what I've seen. This pup is my second from the same breeder, a responsible home breeder as your put it. Her pedigree is available going back eight generations, and I've seen both parents along with cousins on property.

If you can't see the parents and see health records on both sides, don't buy. But don't not buy just because it's not a business.

Best o'luck!