December 05, 2011

Is it recommended to NOT keep a puppy from a mother's litter? Also, my vet said the first set of puppy shots is not needed. What are your thoughts?

Full Question:
Hello!

I have 2 questions- my dog has given birth to 6 gorgeous healthy pups. Samoyed x husky - the pregnancy was planned. She is 2 and I would love to keep a puppy. Is it recommended to NOT keep a puppy from a mother's litter?? Also, our local vet said there is no evidence now days to show puppies need the 6-8 week vaccination, they only need the 8-12 weeks then the 12-16 weeks one. I was sure they need 3 in total, but he gave me info saying only 2 times worth of injections.

Your help would be greatly appreciated :)
Cindy
Cindy Cindy's Answer:
I see absolutely no reason why you should not keep a puppy from your litter. My 4 year old competition dog, Rush, is from my last litter I had with my own female Malinois.

If you want to keep one of your puppies, you should do so.

I think you have a rare gem of a vet, who is more up to date on current vaccination protocols. Your vet is absolutely correct, most vets over vaccinate puppies which can lead to many serious health issues for the dog. Personally, I think the later you vaccinate the puppies the better and I don't vaccinate my own personal dogs at all but waiting until about 10- 12 weeks is the best option if you are going to do puppy shots. The puppies are protected by immunity they receive through their mother’s milk until about 12 weeks of age (or longer).

You could read our information on vaccinosis here.

Cindy Rhodes

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Expert Dog Trainer Cindy Rhodes
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