Parvo is DEADLY!
So many people do not understand why we keep our puppies until theyThere are a few very good reasons for that and one is of course for socialization and it is proven that puppies that leave their PACK to young can be prone to being adult dogs with high seperation anxiety. It is important that dogs stay with thier Moms and siblings to they can learn about PACK leader and can learn to play well with siblings so they can interact well with humans, We also do what is CALLED IMPRINTING! these are behaviors that we go over with each and every puppy in puppy kidenrgarden class regularly so they can be well rounded when they arrive home to you. BUT THE BIGGEST REASON WE KEEP OUR PUPPIES LONGER is to make sure they have enpugh vaccines before arriving to you and to make sure they are protected against the PARVO VIRUS! No breeder should be showing any PUPPIES at anytime until they are at least 10 weeks old and have had thier vaccines. If a breed opens their home to visitors the enitre litter has now become at RISK for contacting the PARVO virus. This is a letter from one of clients in Nevada. Garnette now has 2 of our puppies. BUT PRIOR TO FINDING US... Garnette has purchased a puppy from another breeder in her area of Nevad perfect example of WHY!!! breeders should not have showings of their puppies prior to at least 10 weeks old.
Please read Garnettes story. Make sure the breeder you buy your puppy from has a CLOSED VIEWING POLICY until pups are at least 10 weeks old and have had 3 or more sets of shots.
Here is Garnettes story of what happend to her when she bought a puppy from a breeder who allow people in and around the puppies before they were 10 weeks old
January 31, 2014
I wanted to detail my family’s experience with trying to adopt a Shorkie puppy before we found Steffy and her priceless pups. In the past I have always had Shih Tzu dogs and after a year of having only a big dog I wanted another small dog. I found a breeder here in Las Vegas in March 2012 but she did not have any current Shih Tzu puppies but stated she had a “Shorkie” litter of puppies. I went to visit the puppies at her private home. I put a deposit down on a female puppy that would come home at 8 weeks in April. While I was at the home I noticed she had several different types of dogs she was breeding. After the deposit she let me bring my kids one weekend to visit the puppy and noticed several other families there looking at puppies. I looked up some research to familiarize myself with the Shorkie breed and found Steffy’s website. I was very impressed by Steffy’s methods and overall philosophy about puppies. I remember thinking ”I wish I would have found her first” but I already had a deposit on my other puppy.
The day before I was to bring the puppy home I called the breeder to inquire about some questions related to food and to confirm the time I could pick her up. The breeder acted very distant and funny initially saying that she was keeping the puppies a little longer before coming home. Upon further questioning the breeder admitted that the litter of 4 puppies had all gotten Parvo and one had died. She said mine was still alive and she was trying to save them. I tried to call her several times to check on the puppy but again the breeder was avoiding my calls. My kids were upset not knowing what was going on. That Saturday I contacted Steffy to inquire about Parvo in the puppies because everything I was reading said that even if they survive they can have their overall health compromised. She discussed her philosophy of not allowing visitors to her home because of the risk for Parvo. She also discussed keeping the puppies until 11 or 12 weeks for extra socialization and to alleviate some of the risk for Parvo. Everything she discussed made sense especially with my experience of knowing the breeder here was allowing lots of people into her home to look at puppies. The next day I contacted the breeder again in the afternoon and she stated that my puppy had died during the night. She hung up without discussing what happened next. I immediately contacted Steffy and after a discussion I made the decision to adopt one of her puppies a little tiny Shorkie with the name “Little Bit”. She was very tiny so Steffy was keeping her an extra month so she could be safe to fly. I was a little hesitant to send money to someone I had never met but something about Steffy made me feel comfortable. A couple days later the breeder called saying she would find another puppy but I told her I had found one already.
Our baby Snookie (Little Bit) flew into our airport the day before mother’s day and was everything that Steffy had described including her big personality in an extremely tiny package. We absolutely love her and I think Steffy’s methods related to not having people come to her home and keeping the puppies make a huge difference in her puppies’ personalities. She is 5 lbs full grown and we got our 2nd priceless pups Coco in September 2013. Our two babies are a year and a half apart and play with each other all day long. In the future I will settle for nothing but the best when getting a dog. I will be a priceless pup family member forever and will never consider another breeder because I have found the best with the most amazing loving puppies I have ever met.
Thank you,
Garnette McCracken
Snookie and Coco’s mommy