Reply #15: I'm still concerned this isn't on the up-and-up

[LeftyMom]

For one thing, five weeks is too early to be weaned and away from Mom, and a pup needs interaction with Mom for early socialization.

For another, this pup hasn't had it's first shots yet, and any reputable person would make sure those were done before a move was made- a pup gets most of it's antibodies from it's mother's milk, and doesn't have anything close to a robust immune system yet.

Finally, even if they know your family, they should be checking on the suitability of your home, making sure that you and your family interact well with the pup, etc. Especially in a circumstance where there are very young kids in the home (unless I'm mistaking you for somebody else, in which case, I apologize) and many won't even place a pup in a family with small kids, due to the risk of injury to the pup, or of biting to kids who don't know how to handle a dog (a situation that often results in the dog being put down, and thus something that needs to be avoided for the dog's safety.) Since that's not happening, that would be a very strong warning sign that the health and welfare of the pup is not these people's first priority, which should be an indicator that this is not a good dog to bring into your home.

Honestly, this sounds like a train wreck waiting to happen. Find a reputable rescue organization via petfinder. You'll get a dog that's already had it's shots, is altered and is socialized and almost certainly potty trained, and a good rescue will help you find the dog that's an ideal fit for your family. And you'll be doing your part to save a life.