# 12 weeks rule...



## elysian pearls (May 14, 2008)

QUOTE (Elysian Pearls @ Jun 10 2008, 03:24 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=589065


> Here in europe it's normal to sell a (pet) puppy around the age of 9 weeks. In holland the law states that a puppy is not to leave a kennel under the age of 7,5 weeks. But many breeders consider this to be rather early for a maltese, so they leave more around 9 weeks old.
> 
> When I have my first litter I am planning to let them move to their new homes at the age of 10 to 11 weeks. Why?
> 
> ...


This is my own post, posted 2 mos ago when I first joined here. Looking back, I'm surprised that I didn't get more comments on this post. :smheat: Of course you all are very respectful in your reactions, but do not hide your opinions most of the time. That's one of the things I love most about SM.. :biggrin: 

I think I should tell you that a maltese over here in Europe is a bit of a heavier built dog than american maltese, most of the time. So a 10 wks old puppy over here is not as tiny as a 10 wks old puppy in the US. 

Then there is the "mental" state of a puppy. The reason why I will let my puppies leave at about 10-11 weeks is described in my earlier post. This is how most breeders do it over here. All of which considered very reputable breeders. 

So please, please don't think I don't have the puppies' best interest at heart. I do! It's just that over here the conception of when to let a puppy leave for his new home differs a little. (larger breeds tend to leave their breeders earlier than toy breeds) I even was taught this conception at the course given by the Dutch Kennel Club (equivalent of the AKC) that is required when you want to breed under a registered kennel name. 

And a last note: If I feel a puppy isn't ready to go to his/her new home at 10-11 wks for any reason at all, it will stay here until it is.. 

Perhaps it wasn't necessary at all to explain myself once more on this topic, but I just would feel bad if y'all thought I'm a kind of a barbarian that doesn't care about her puppies and just wants to get rid of them as soon as possible.... :hiding: (Of course I'm exaggerating a little, but I hope you know what I mean)

BTW.. My little girl Baia is now 15 months and in heat for the 2nd time. So next time, if all goes well, she can have herself a real date... :yahoo: I'm so looking forward to this... (It will be the very first "Elysian Pearls" litter) Been preparing myself by watching and assisting a in natural birth and a C-section "live" a few weeks ago. And there are two more births (females from a good friend who breeds shih tzu) coming up I can watch before having to assist in Baia's delivery. :sweatdrop: 

Thank you for letting me rant a bit.. Srry... :blush:


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## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

See this thread from April:




SM Thread


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## elysian pearls (May 14, 2008)

Thank you for that thread. I'm sorry if I opened a discussion that's been had over and over again. That wasn't my intention at all.

I just wanted to stress that the "rules" and conceptions over here are just different. That's why my puppies leave two weeks sooner. To give them those 2 weeks of imprinting at their new homes. Of course the new puppy-owners will be informed about how to handle their puppy. 

My little boy Castor came to us when he was 10 weeks old. We had just moved into our new home and were redecorating it. He stayed in his playpen (when we were busy, not all day!) and we were around him all day. But he was exposed to some loud noises (drilling in walls) he hadn't heard before. He handled it very well. His breeder made sure that he was exposed to other loud noises while growing up there. From the 2nd week for instance, she attached a balloon on a elastic string in the litterbox. It would pop unexpectedly en the puppies got used to the pops. (I'm NOT using this method, I use a CD with "puppy"noises instead) 

Castor is a happy little maltese and I don't regret getting him at 10 weeks. But I wouldn't have wanted him to be much younger than that. 

About the hypoglycemia thing: it isn't something breeders worry about much, over here. Why? I wouldn't know the aswer. It just doesn't occur that often here. Really, it doesn't.


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## Harley & Dakotas Mum (Jun 11, 2005)

Is it a 'Rule' or is a 'Recommendation' ?

There is no such 'Rule' in this country either. There is a recommendation, and that is 8 + weeks. Right or wrong, that's what it is. Just like, right or wrong, the AMA recommends 12 weeks.

I can see the merit in the AMA 'Recommendation', however, and this is a bug bear of mine, the AMA isn't the be all & end all for the entire world. I understand people need to be guided by authorities/governing bodies/clubs/ etc, and there needs to be a consistent source of information. So in this country, breeders are not irresponsible, nor are they not reputable when they let their pups go before 12 weeks. It irks me every time I see a general comment about breeders being irresponsible, or not reputable for letting pups go before 12 weeks. Just my opinion.


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## jodublin (Sep 27, 2006)

yes pups can not be sold before 8 weeks irish kennel club say..also all pups now have to be microchipped or no ikc reg papers will be sent out ..sugas pups left us at 8 weeks ,i kept shiloh shes 10 weeks old..i have suga her mum since she was 6 weeks old??jo


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## villemo (Aug 21, 2006)

QUOTE


> Here in europe it's normal to sell a (pet) puppy around the age of 9 weeks.[/B]


from what I´ve seen on german breeder-sites , most of the breeders sell their puppies at 12 weeks, so I don´t think its an *europe-thing*
what BYB do, is another story... :smmadder:


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## elysian pearls (May 14, 2008)

QUOTE (villemo @ Aug 10 2008, 09:00 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=617785


> QUOTE





> Here in europe it's normal to sell a (pet) puppy around the age of 9 weeks.[/B]


from what I´ve seen on german breeder-sites , most of the breeders sell their puppies at 12 weeks, so I don´t think its an *europe-thing*
what BYB do, is another story... :smmadder:
[/B][/QUOTE]

Well, I was talking about puppies in general, I should have made that more clear, I guess. The larger breeds do go earlier than toys. 

Still, here in Holland there are about 10 reputable breeders. Their puppies mostly leave at 9-11 weeks of age! Among those breeders there are world renowned ones... I while ago I was in contact with a German breeder for a puppy. She sold her pups at 12 weeks.


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## elysian pearls (May 14, 2008)

I was thinking why hypoglycemia isn't that much of an issue over here. Could it be because the maltese puppies over here tend to be heavier than american ones? (The FCI standard says an adult maltese should be betw. 6,6 and 8,8 lbs)


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## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

6-8 lbs is not that far off from the American Maltese standard.
I think it's a matter of opinion and for the most part, we believe
an 8-9 week old pup is too young and too small to leave the
security and stability of its mother and siblings. Whether a pup
has an issue with blood sugar levels cannot be established
until the pup has an episode. Most breeders here don't feel it's
worth the risk just to get a pup sold a few weeks sooner.


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