Any concerns about getting a puppy from a litter where the mom got sick & no contact from day 2?

Question

We are looking at buying a puppy from some friends who had an oops breeding of their pure-bred American Bull Dogs. Puppies are being bottle fed and have been since day 2. Mom got an infection and was put down when puppies were 9 days old. They are all together but no mom. Anyone who has had litters with & without mom...any advice? We have been over to feed them a few times and are going back at week 3 but have some concerns with them not learning all those little dominance/respect, etc. things that they get from mom before going to new homes at 8 weeks. Just not sure if those things they get from mom are so crutial that they will end up not being the best dogs later. Any assistance would be appreciated.

TIA!!!

More details - the mom had an infected tit and the puppies couldn't nurse after she was finished birthing (36 hrs of labor and 7 of 11 puppies lived). They have been to the vet each week and are growing normally. There should be nothing passed on to the pups b/c they have been bottle fed.

The infection spread to her uterius and then into her blood stream and the vet couldn't save her...Those are all the details I know. They had not planned on puppies. She was a puppy sired by "chance" from Homeward bound and was their baby so they are devistated; not smart keeping to un-fixed dogs together and then being surprised by a litter, but still very upset at her loss. So much so that they are going to try and adopt out the male rescue that is the dad and just keep a puppy to replace her. This is my hubby's call and he has some gut concerns so I am trying to do research on raising a dog that has had no mother to see what additional things we need to be aware of.

Answer 1

Soialization will be a big problem for them, not having a mother or foster mother means they for the most part never learned how to be a dog. It can be worked through, but it will be considerably more work than a pup who lived with his mother for 12 weeks. I am just a lowly student in vet school, you might want to consult with a professional behaviorist for a concrete answer.

Hopefully some rescuers and responsible breeders will be able to provide some more insight too, I would guess some of them will have seen this before.

Answer 2

A lot is taught to pups by the mother in those first 8 weeks. So yes, there will be added problems a pup with a mother would not have. The fact that this a dominant type breed like an American Bulldog is also a concern. I would contact a local obedience training club & find a behavioral specialist to get their opinion. I know with my Rottweiler pups, the breeder told me the mother will flip & hold them down gently to teach them when enough is enough. She said at least once a day, when I wanted the pup to stop playing rough, barking or any other non-desirable behavior, I should say 'NO!" firmly, roll the pup over on it's back, and hold it with my hand on it's chest till it quit squirming & goes limp. This was a continuation of what it's mother had done. As the pup got older, it respected the "NO", and was weaned off the flipping/pinning. I never had a problem with dominance issues in one of my Rotties raised like this. But had they not had a mother, they would have missed this important lesson from birth. So realize there may be problems, be prepared & get as much information as possible to nip problems in the bud as they appear. Good luck!

Answer 3

There's less of a concern becasue the puppy was kept with its littermates and not removed from both mom and litter (that's a recipe for major behavior problems). Puppies often teach each other more about being a dog than mom teaches because they are constantly playing and wrestling with each other.

I'd really urge these folks to keep the pups at home and together for longer than 8 weeks to help make up for the loss of mom's socialization. I'd say 12 weeks would be really ideal.

Answer 4

You will have to take a more in depth role to train him.

More concerning is the put her down for an infection. After birth infections of the uterus are common in poor breeding. Its call pymetria and the last one we had we saved the mom but the babies all had heart problems and 8 of the ten died before 3 months of age. All they had to do was spay her. Remove the uterus and the infection she would have been on antibiotics but I guess they didn't want her if she couldn't have babies??

Added:

You can do it. We have had wonderful dogs that were found in horrid conditions and bottle fed. Go to the library and check out some training videos. And as soon as you see your puppy sit teach it to sit on command with puppy biscuits. This teaches you are in charge and patience till you give him the biscuit.

Answer 5

No offense, yet as unhappy because it rather is for the domestic dog, you have been soliciting for it. the quantity one rule is to learn out the breeding facility (ie the abode, etc). If a breeder specially says you could no longer pass some the place they deliver about or have the canines that would desire to be an on the spot pink-flag, and you may pass else the place. in basic terms stated, keep all your receipts for the vet, and and all information for the canines (and its obvious invoice of well being, etc), and make contact with up a criminal expert. you're able to sue for small claims... yet i think of you're screwed seeing as the style you stated you probably did no longer sign a freelance. no longer doing so would positioned you into the "purchaser pay attention" class the place you technically could have common greater clever, a minimum of in accordance to the regulation.

Answer 6

Tia,
I think if I were you I would talk to a vet. Alot of times what the mother has can be passed on through the blood, milk,I would take them and get test run on them soon as possible.
Indiana2006

Answer 7

Have vet check first, and your friends will probably have done this since they lost the mom, be safe.