A Question for Breeders RE: Puppy Health

[Rugbysmom]

For those who breed--I have to ask, don't breeders know by the time a puppy is 8 weeks old if it is healthy or not??!! I realize some things don't show up until later, but with something like hydrocephalus & congenital birth defects, shouldn't the breeder have known before they sold the pup to somebody? It makes me so sad--all the people who end up with heartbreaking situations when they had every right to expect that they were bringing home a healthy, happy puppy....

[6 Beautiful Pugs]

Yes, the breeder should have known. Did the pup have symptoms or was the head misshapen?

Take care,
Lisa

[shaynapug]

Hydrocephalis....yes........

For me....I know knees, that the heart sounds normal, stool is good, etc.

Also......a good breeder will almost insist that you take your new pup to your vet for a check up within 72 hrs....and you can return it for a full refund if they find something like that!

My guys are checked at birth ( I section) again at 4 days when they have dew claws done........anytime before 8 wks that I have any concerns. Again at 8 wks old......for their first shot and a better check up.

I have gotten pups from breeders with coccidia and giardia...but that is nothing. It's treatable.....and I took care of it.

I'm so very sorry for what you are going through!

IF this person that bred your pup is a member of a club.......in WA or a local club...or the Pug Dog of America...you can write a complaint on them. If they aren't....you really have no recourse except to return the pup and try and get your money back! I cannot call this person a breeder.....as a good breeder would NEVER have sold you this puppy!!!!

[CSollers]

The whole difference is given in Dianes answer. She states " a good breeder". This is not a puppy mill operator or a profit driven BYB. Knowing what I know now I would have never gotten Minni from the ad in the paper for $400.00. We have been relatively lucky with her health and I wouldn't trade her for a 28 generation champion. It's a roll of the dice, we could have been heart-broken getting an unhealthy puppy. We adopted Ray from MAPR and all subsequent Pugs will be adopted through rescue.

[Rugbysmom]

Oh, I'm sorry--I think I made a confusing thread here....it wasn't me that bought the hydrocephalic puppy--I was actually thinking of the thread started by Rockypug on 4/10/12. I was feeling so sad for her, but as it turns out, she ended up saying it wasn't her puppy, but the puppy of a friend of a friend.....So it started out confusing & looks like I made it worse! Anyway, I do feel bad for the people who buy sick puppies, because they think they are going to bring home a healthy, happy addition to their family, & sometimes they end up with such a ton of heartache! Even if the breeder will take the puppy back & give a refund, the buyers would still have the remorse about what would happen to the puppy, now? And we all know how long it takes to fall in love with a Pug puppy--about 2 minutes!

Thank you for your answers, tho--you have reassured me that there are breeders who do take every precaution that the puppies they sell are healthy.