Expert: Dlee - 3/24/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hi. Yesterday we bought a Beagle puppy, male. He is only 5 weeks old. I don't know much about dogs but I have heard that they cannot be separated from the mother before the 6-8 weeks. Since he is 5 weeks, will this affect him in any way? The other question is about feeding. His not eating puppy food and not drinking water. I gave him milk and that is what he is eating but everybody says milk is not good for them. What can you suggest? I thanks in advance your help. Carolina
ANSWER: I sugest reporting the breeder a FIVE week old beagle isnt weaned! a 7 to 8 week old beagle is weaned. Get some puppy milk replacement formaula and leave it out for him, soak his hard kibble with hot water then mush it leave this also...this must have been a backyard breeder or puppy milelr as no good breeder will let a five week old puppy go home.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Yes, definetely is a backyard breeder. But this fact will affect the dog in some way?

Answer
Hello again Carolina. It can...puppies that are force weaned so early can have beahvier issues later on including sever seperation anxiety. Also dogs from backyard breeders or puppy mills in my experiance always have health problems later on...I have cursed myself so many times for buying all three of my dogs on the cheap without papers from whoever I could find because my 3 year old labrador retreiver Haylie has always gotten canine acne on her chin and lips every spring...and always had returning yeast in her ears. Luke my jack russell terrier aged 2 years has horrible allergies and needs to take Benadryl 25 ml people pills on a daily basis to pervent him scratching himself to a bloody pulp and he seems to get yeast in his ears at lest four times a year...Hannah my not even one year old boston terrier was the worst...I bought her at 8 weeks unknowing this she had Stenic nares nad had to have surgery at 10 weeks so she could acctaully breath without gulping air through her mouth....then she had a sever allergy break out over the winter and had yeast in her ear once...was on and still has to be kept on benadryl 25 ml people allergy pills or she will scratch her face hairless and scabby...also shes had a bacterial infection in her ear about a month and a half ago and is going back to the vet tomarrow because I think shes got another one...she'd been on antibotics for the bacterial infection.... and think shes not even one yet she turns one on the 23ard on April now thats sad..... I expect you'll have simaler problems with your dog when it starts to grow up a bit or maybe I've just bad luck but they've cost me a fortune this past year and sinc ethe two small dogs are now on fish and potatoe diet by 'Blue buffalo or  blue as its offen know' its very expensive as well....the small dogs need speacail shampoos and when tehre allergys get really nasty they need several sokes in oatmeal water weekly and to see how misrable they are during these times is horrible like a sick child you cant do anything for...my dogs never were bad enough to get steriods and hopefully never will be. You might expect liver problems also beagles are prone to liver problems as they get older he may get problmes as young as 2 or 3 weathers a well bred dog maybe only at 7 or 8. Anyway you'll have to live with anything he might get wrong with him now because yuo've brought him home and he is here to stay thats it case closed but as you can tell I'm very informed about comman problems in dogs and will be here to help whenever you need advice. Best of luck with your new puppy and to be on the safe side get him in for a check up/deworming and a vaccine if he's not had it yet(most are given the first shot at 6 weeks). to let you and whoever amy read this later on know I take wonderful care of my dogs walking them daily feeding them top quaility foods and taking them into the vet at the first sign of a problem its not my neglagence that causes these problems but what I firmly bealive is because they were produced by people seeking money not show prospective dogs and not loving compnaion people who bred for only the money caring les where the puppies went as long as they get there "cut". Enjoy your pooch I've always wanted a beagle lol.