Thinking of purchasing the only surviving puppy from a liter?

Question

I am in the market for a Welsh Corgi and put a deposit on one with a breeder. After talking to her more and meeting her dogs I found out that the puppy I put a deposit on is the only one that lived out of 6 dogs. I'm not sure if I should go through with the purchase or find another puppy?

Answer 1

Depends on the reason the other puppies died. Most of the time purchasing the lone survivor isn't an issue.
If the breeder is a responsible breeder that did health testing (not just simple vet exams), breeds to the breed standard, keeps pups & mom clean and feeds quality foods and has good references then it shouldn't be an issue..anything less then I would say pass.

Answer 2

Definately avoid this one. My best friend Tracey recently did something similar with a chihuahua, she bought the only surviving pup from a litter of 6 and two weeks after he passed away, she was heartbroken. When she took it to the vet to have an autopsy done, the vet asked her for more information and asked if for the breeders contact information. As it turns out the breeder had been over whelping her dog and the dog refused to care for any more puppies and had just let them die. The breeder has had her license revoked and all of her dogs are now desexed, which is a very sad end.

Answer 3

HI
Ask her if she took it to the vet for a check. Sometimes breeders do lose puppies to the fading away syndrome which has not yet been fully understood, some vets think it is the belly button getting infected or hypoglocemic, or the puppies were just not fully developed. Sometimes the mothers can lay on their puppies by accident and suffercate them if the breeder isn't watching them closely. Ask if you can take the puppy for a vet check before you purchase it if she hasn't. you can also ask for a health certificate if she says she has taken it. I unfortuneately lost some puppies to the fade away syndrome and there was nothing the vet could do he put them on IV's and they still perished but the puppy that survived was very healthy and now is 3 and nothing wrong yet.
Lammy

Answer 4

Get a different puppy because you don't know what the others died from; and if she did tell you you really don't know if she's telling you the truth. I hope that you can get your deposit back. If you really are thinking of going ahead and taking the pup tell her you have got to have proof from a vet that the puppy IS healthy. If she doesn't give it to you demand your money back and find another breeder.

Answer 5

I'd be very, very leary. Have you asked this breeder what health checks she's done on her dogs? Was the mother wormed before being bred? Did she do a brucellosis test? And most importantly, why did the puppies die? If she can't answer these questions to your satisfaction, find another puppy.

Answer 6

Denintely keep looking. A reputable breeder will not give you any hassle over backing out of a situation like this.
If you do go ahead with this adoption, be sure to get a medical checkup prior.
Good luck __ I Love my Corgi, Sarah!!!!!

Answer 7

Depending on what they died from and you would have to know that the breeder is telling you the truth.
I personally would seek out a different puppy from a different breeder. It is uncommon to loose an entire litter unless something is really wrong.

Answer 8

For me it would depend on what the other puppies died of.

I would also ask that the puppy had a full medical check up with a vet just to be sure.

Answer 9

Sounds like you have the answer already. Any idea what was wrong with the other pups? Sometimes if the bedding are is to small or the Mother is a first timer she will roll over on pups and suffocate them, this happened to my lab and her first litter. But go with your instincts. Good Luck

Answer 10

That sounds a little strange I would look to buy a different puppy from a more healthy litter