i think personally its better for a chi-baby to go to a new home and then get vacinated.. Some breeders are an exception i agree but in my opinion the baby can then meet their future vet and came become a bit more familiar with these surroundings with a new family ... rather than me taking them to the vets getting them used to being comforted by me then carried off and probably not seeing a vet again until he/she is spayed or neutered & being totally terrified at the time!
Itgets them used to you for support and comfort and to your vets too.

My puppies are regularly health checked every 2 weeks from birth im not a breeder who wants to chuck them in a crate and leave them there till their 8 weeks old and think hmm i can get loads of money for them now! It takes time to play and socialise with them! get them used to noises, people, children, toys etc. Soem breeders i agree dont care for the puppy and would rather have the money .. but every breeder and puppy is different no matter the breed in my opinion

Just a quick note to say thanks for posting this valuable information. As I tell people all the time, just because the law says they can be sold at 8 weeks doesn't mean they should be. Chis benefit so much from being with mom and littermates until they are 12 weeks old. This allows them to start the path to being happy, well adjusted, life long companions. It also allows time for safe weaning, socialization, and a good portion of the puppy series and deworming protocol to be done prior to their leaving the safety of the breeder's home. If the breeder isn't dedicated to putting all this love and effort into each and every puppy, they should not be breeding.

Lisa

I actually breed maltese and i have to agree that they need to be 12 weeks old as they are far to little to be given to a new home, my last litter however where weaned at 5 weeks!!! and were very forward but still to small to be going to a new home, its a pitty more breeders dont do the same!!!

OK I know this is a very dead topic but I have just one problem with this article.

I don't know how knowledgeable they are about labs but it must not be much as lab puppies are NOT 20-25 lbs at 8 weeks old!! Lincoln at 8 weeks was 8.6 lbs and at 3 months 23.2 and he was right on par...I am assuming that is what she means ;p

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Great info. Thanks for sharing. There are so many "breeders" out there who dont take the propper responcibility for their litters. Great example, a girl from where i go with my dogs just got a Chi puppy...at 6 weeks old!! I haven't seen the actual puppy yet, i only met teh girl on my way home from work. The fact that she also accepted a 6 week old puppy shows me that she has done no reading or research about dogs or Chihuahuas. When i first got Locco and i was considering getting him a new home, she was one of the people interested in having him...very interested as a matter of fact. I asked her what she knew about Chi's and why she wanted one and she looked stunned...i dont know anything. I want a small dog. So, that and a few more indicators told me she woudl not be able to provide a good home for him so here he still is with me and here he will stay. But i can't beleive, both breeder and owner who woudl accept a dog from 6 weks old. I will print this article and share it with her so that she will know what she may be up for.

Thanks again for sharing.

Out of curiosity? Why were you rehoming Locco?

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The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of a low price is forgotten....

Well, it is quite a long story if i were to give all the details. But to cut it down short, i was only supose to take care of Locco for a week but the owner never came back to pick him up and told me that she could not take care of him and that i could either keep him or find him a new home. It was up to me. I have to admit i was a bit dumbfounded. First of all i already had a dog whom i was allowed to bring with me in to the office. Asking to bring two dogs in to a laywers office is a bit much so...further to that, i am really only allowed having one small dog in my appartment and i have a special contract for my first dog Lady. So, if my landlord finds out, I am in trouble...Of course i did not have the hart to bring him over to the local shelter but instead I set about to try and find him a good home myself. I had two people who were interested, one which changed her mind as her living conditions changed and one which i didn't think would be good for him (for a number of different reasons, amongst them i found out she was laying to me) and so i myself said no to her. After a while i realaized that Locco had bounded with us and it would just not be right to give him away to yet another home so...here he is, now a full worthy member of the pack. Me and Lady have had to do some rearangemnts in our lives to fit him in but as they say...you do what you got to do And we love him, spite all the trouble he is giving us at times

I agree. If I could have gotten Dixie later than 5 weeks I would have, but it would have been someone else that got her and I would have never experienced her precious personality. But me being mama and having to teach her social skills has been challenging and entertaining. She was easy tho and I have no regrets. But yes, they need to stay with their mamas for atleast 10 to 12 weeks for so many reasons.