Hi there My puppy is 7 weeks

[kimberlyhoward]

Thanks I am planning on it for sure.

[kimberlyhoward]

Yes, Rocky is my only one and he is so much fun he is sleeping thru the night now and in the daytime is playing quite a bit, he is learning how to fetch now he goes and gets it and brings it back but i have to take it out of his mouth lol

[krunzer]

Sounds like you are having fun with your baby. Do make a mental note though that this breed is prone to certain diseases if health testing was not done prior to breeding, which it kind of sounds like it wasn't. Make sure to order the Fanconi test as it is very prevalent in this breed. I wonder what kind of eye problem the other puppy has, as basenji's do have eye problems in their breed as well.

[lvoss]

First off, it is illegal in the state of California to sell puppies under the age of 8 weeks so the person who sold you your puppy lied when they said it was okay. The newspaper is not supposed to run ads for puppies being sold under the age of 8 weeks old.

Second, after your puppy has had its first set of shots it can start attending puppy socialization classes. You will also need to get your puppy out and about and exposed to lots of different experiences. Here is a link to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior's position statement on early socialization, http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonline/images/stories/Position_Statements/puppy%20socialization.pdf

Here is a link to the OFA website, http://www.offa.org/dnatesting/fanconi.html, so you can order a Fanconi test for your puppy.

[Chealsie508]

Congratulations on your puppy! I'm sure it's a tiny little peanut at 7 weeks…I definitely agree that you should get the fanconi test cheek swab kit. As a basenji owner it's important to do. Socialization will really be KEY and I see a lot of people replying to this thread about it. It's so important since you got him at such a young age to expose him to noises, sights,places and experiences and teach bite inhibition since that wasn't given at the appropriate times by the mother and litter. It's like "getting ahead of the eight ball" if you will. There's a lot more work you'll need to do for your pup than say I had to ( great breeder, got him at 10weeks..really great foundation to work off of). Regardless of where you got your pup from doesn't matter..just that you build a really great foundation for him to grow up on is important. Keep up the good work and let us know if you have questions...people are glad to give their input
Ps- Oakley did great with clicker training, might make it easier to train for behaviors you want

[tanza]

It might also be worth you while to ask your Vet for the name of an eye specialist and have him checked out. A regular Vet is not qualified to do full eye exams.

Is the pup registered? or did he come with registration papers? And as for telling you it was OK to take him at 5 wks, those people should be reported to animal control, because as stated in is not legal in California (or many other states) to sell a puppy at less then 8wks.

Would love to see pictures.

And it is really important that you have him DNA tested for Fanconi… that way you know the situation for the future.

[dcmclcm4]

Do you know what was wrong with the puppy's eyes? Was it blue in color or something else? It could be a genetic disorder so your puppy should have a complete eye exam done by an opthalmologist. I rescued a mom and her pups and the mom and one of the pups have eye problems!

Jennifer

[Patty]

You certainly have a good puppy and kudos to you as well for his training.

You've already had good advice re health checks and the very great necessity of socializing Rocky.

In the UK we've no compulsory minimum age for selling a puppy but I totally agree that 5 weeks is too young to leave Mum and siblings.. It'll now be up to you to introduce him to other puppies (after shots) and older dogs. I hope there are others not too far from you who you can meet up with, - that should be a great help.

[aasterbeatrix]

@kimberlyhoward:

Hi there everyone,

I'm Kimberly from CA

My 7 week old puppy his name is Rocky and he is such a good pup he sleeps thru the night now thank god LOL He is getting there with the potty training but still having some accidents, he is in a crate at night and he tends to fall asleep on my shoulder or under my neck and then I put him to bed in his crate and he goes right to sleep, what I do is when he goes potty I tell him good boy and he gets a treat for going potty and so far its been working… he is a smart little guy I got him at 5wks and he never wined in his crate or anything, when I throw him a ball he goes after it and brings it back to me already lol he is not afraid of other people he likes going for a ride in the car.... I am so lucky to have such a good puppy.....

i also have a puppy but he is too young. Nature of my yorkshire is really so good and charming personality as well. You will love to meet again and again. What a classic scene it would be when he used to sleep on your shoulder lol i wish i could have this scene

[Bettawhippet]

Congratulations on your puppy! Good job getting him out of that situation, 5 weeks is too young to leave the mother but I am glad you got him away from that bad breeder.

If I were you I would report that breeder…sounds like the animals she still has are in an abusive situation.