Puppy Care
Puppy care can be a lot of work, but is also quite rewarding. This article should answer a lot of your questions you might have about your new puppy, or the puppy you are thinking about getting. Here we cover the basics you need to know.
Feeding
Most people will have received their puppy after they are weaned. But if you actually need to wean your puppy, starting at about 2-3 weeks of age your puppy should start to eat solid food. Offer the puppies solid food at least three times a day. You can start by offering dry puppy food mixed with some warm water to soften it.
When the puppy reaches about 12 weeks of age, slowly start feeding dry puppy food only twice a day. Only offer the food for about 15 minutes and then take the dish away, to train the dog for eating twice a day. Between 6-9 months of age start mixing puppy food with an adult dog food over the course of a month.
The dry food should be specially formulated for puppies. If you have a large breed puppy feed a large breed formula. But be careful not to over feed large breed dogs. If you do they are more prone to joint and bone problems. Also stay away from a lot of extra treats, and be careful not to over feed your puppy over 6 months of age to prevent obesity.
Vaccines
Vaccinating your puppy is the basis of good puppy care. Vaccines help reduce the risk of you puppy acquiring diseases like parvovirus, distemper, kennel cough, and rabies. Vaccines are given when puppies reach 6-8 weeks of age and are given every 2-4 weeks until the puppy reaches 16-20 weeks of age. Boosters are then needed every one to three years. There are many different vaccine schedules your veterinarian might use. For example you puppy might receive shots at the following ages: 6, 9, 12, and 15 weeks of age.
Puppies are usually vaccinated against: Distemper, Adenovirus (hepatitis), Parvovirus, and Parainfluenza. All of these vaccines are usually combined in one vaccine typically referred to as “the distemper shot.” Also depending on where you live, you may also need vaccines against Coronavirus, Giardia, Lyme disease, Leptospirosis, and Bordetella. Also Rabies is needed as well. Usually at sixteen weeks of age, and then boostered a year later, and then boostered one to three years later depending on the local laws and regulations. Rabies vaccine is the only vaccine that you must absolutely get for your dog. Only a veterinarian is licensed to administer rabies vaccine.
Parasites
1. Heartworm prevention
Most puppies should be started on a heartworm preventative at least by two months of age. And now in most areas of the United States, it is recommended that heartworm preventative be given all year long, although the risk of getting heartworms is still greatest in the summer months.
Heartworm preventative is usually given monthly in the form of a chewable tablet. The most popular brands are Heartgard and Interceptor. It is important the you give this tablet every month and if you miss a month, to tell your veterinarian.
2. Intestinal Parasites (Worms)
It is important that you get your puppy dewormed. Roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, coccidian, and giardia are the most common parasites that can affect your puppy. It is recommended that you have a fecal done on your pet, and then yearly after that.
Deworming medication is commonly placed in heartworm medication these days, these include Heartgard plus and Interceptor. Intestinal parasites can cause diarrhea, weight loss, and death. Tapeworms often found around the anus of your puppy. They look like grains of white rice. These are the egg filled segments of the tapeworm.
3. Fleas and Ticks
Most flea products these days are also effective against ticks as well as fleas. The most popular of these is Frontline. It is a medication that is applied once a month to help prevent fleas and ticks. It is a liquid product applied topically to the skin between the shoulder blades.
Grooming
Grooming is also a part of good puppy care. All pets need some degree of grooming. It is an important part of taking care of your new puppy. By starting to brush and bath your puppy while they are young, they will grow accustomed to the contact as they grow up.
Exercise and Training
It is important for you to provide plenty of space for your puppy to run and exercise. Also, now is the right time to begin training your puppy to help avoid unwanted behaviors. Also be sure to avoid taking your puppy to dog parks until after they have had their full series of vaccines.
If you take the time to learn about proper puppy care, you soon will have a healthy happy dog. Take the time to ask lots of question when you see your Veterinarian. They are the best source for puppy care and health information.
Find out what additional steps you can take to help your puppy at http://www.free-online-veterinarian-advice.com
You can submit a question to the veterinarian by clicking here http://www.free-online-veterinarian-advice.com/askavet.html
Chris Suckow, DVM, currently lives and works in Los Angeles.
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Weave Poles can be the most challenging obstacle for you to teach and for your dog to learn. Many agility obstacles resemble natural obstacles that dogs could find out on a hike out in the woods, jumps, frames, and tunnels. Going over, under, or through things and places are natural for dogs,however, weaving the poles is not.
How do you teach an unnatural skill……..with lots of patience, the right motivators for your dog, and a plan. There are many great methods to teach the weave poles. If you’ve gone to agility camps with several top instructors, you know that most have their own method . So, there is not one method that is the best or one method that produces the best weaving dog.
There are many methods of teaching weave poles. Some of these include, the Push-Pull method, the Angled Weave Approach, Chute Training, Two-Pole Method, Gate method, and more……….
How do you decide on which method to choose? Research each method and find out what you like about it and what you don’t. What method are they teaching at your agility school? Most handlers just starting agility will teach the method being presented at their facility. If you attend a large agility school, sit in on some of the advanced classes and watch the skilled dogs weave. Ask those individuals how they taught their dog to weave. Most instructors have a preference of weave training, it may be the method they are teaching or it may not be.
Once you decide on a method, get the poles you want and then, outline a plan to train 5 minutes a day on weaves. Five minutes a day will take your dog much further than once a week in class. If you are into agility and want to progress, the weave poles are an absolute must to have at home.
Get your dog, grab his motivators, take a deep breath and go have fun for five minutes a day.
Brad Carlson is a dog trainer at Agility by Carlson. For more training details, visit our website at http://www.carlson-agility.com/
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“YOU ARE THE GREATEST TEACHER”
Ron Hevener
Author, “The Blue Ribbon” and “Fate of the Stallion”
Having a kennel and loving dogs, I’m lucky enough to meet a lot of people they are important to; people from all walks of life. Today, the dogs we love and care for have a great affect on how we look at the world around us. Dogs are in the news, in movies, books, and all kinds of advertisements. What is their appeal? We know the answer to that. Dogs appeal to every sense we have, from visual to touch, and the magical result is the most powerful appeal of all … emotional.
Forget about the evolutionary history of dogs and worrying about how they may have come into being. Forget about making television documentaries about which breed was the “Original Dog” and traveling to exotic places to find the last remaining members of that breed on Earth. That’s all grand in a National Geographic kind of way, but the truth is lost in so many forgotten memories that it doesn’t matter to the dog in your life right now. What matters is the diversity of this species, and the possibility that there was no single original breed.
Do I believe in spontaneous genetics and things like that? Oh, yes; very much so. I also believe the emotional make-up of a living creature, and its mentality, are affected by its physical appearance. But, that could be my years of dog shows, raising just about every breed of dog there is at one time or another, or the artist in me speaking.
We all know our own personalities can rub off on our dogs. We know dogs are different from cats or birds or horses and other animals in their basic nature. Along those lines, customers at our kennel often ask which puppy in a litter is the ruler, which is the most loving or which is the most playful. Sometimes, when looking at a puppy by itself and searching for an emotional connection with this prospective fur-child, customers will ask if I think the pup will turn out this way or that. When I say it depends on them more than anything else, they are often surprised. “The dog is going to learn from you,” I say. “You are the greatest teacher.”
Here at our kennels, sometimes we raise whole litters together and we have a graduation system, like in school. Littermates start out together, but as they become more dominant, or according to their growth and the special feeding they may require along the way, they move up the ladder into the next run. They haven’t lost sight of their littermates because they are in the next kennel run beside them. And the new kennel mates aren’t strangers either because they’ve been housed next to each other for a while. The result is, our litters don’t have just one dominant pup with a bunch of followers. Instead, what we have is a bunch of confident, independent thinkers.
When I say, “You are the greatest teacher” I’m not speaking about rigid discipline such as one endures in Obedience classes. Maybe “rigid” isn’t the right word for that, but I think it illustrates the difference between fundamental training and the invisible “something” beyond that which develops between you and your dog just by traveling the same path in life. In my novel “Fate of the Stallion,” this mysterious bond is expressed in a scene where Dan Marshall senses the presence of an Arabian stallion running along the river beside him. The horse seems to be calling him, as if saying “Find me! I am yours!” and the story reveals the parallels of their lives, showing how man and stallion share the same fate. Likewise, in “The Blue Ribbon” a novel set in the competitive world of dog shows, there is a scene called “Miles To Go.” In this scene, Robert Sheffield, a dog show judge loved by two different women who own rival kennels, is hiking in the Canadian woods with his dog, reflecting on love. If you’ll notice, the path in the woods symbolizes Robert’s own path in life, and his dog is right there beside him. Like many of us do, Robert is thinking to his dog in a mental conversation, wondering if he has made the right decision by letting the woman he really loves slip through his fingers. Among the trees, the dog sees a deer, runs after it, but, of course, the deer gets away. “She got away?” Robert asks. “It’s OK, fella. We’ve got miles to go.” In those miles, will there be other deer? Will they see the same deer again? I wasn’t sure when I wrote that scene how it would turn out.
Dogs have an emotional appeal that covers our widest range of feeling. In my writing, whether about dogs or horses, the stories often deal with keeping our sense of love alive. Over and over again, at book signings and lectures, I am asked “What does keeping love alive matter to a man like you, who has everything he could possibly want and more than he can handle? I guess my reputation for playfulness has something to do with that. Surely, someone like me doesn’t have a care in the world! I say this with tongue in cheek, of course. Married at nineteen, a father soon after that and selling my artwork as souvenirs to tourists, you could say I’ve been around the block a few times. In fact, I’d say I’ve been around the block and all over the neighborhood! I’ve met many people in that neighborhood and I’ve come to believe our ability to love is eroded by the rotten things that happen to us. It is also nurtured by anything that makes us feel good and important.
As an artist, my studio has been committed to uplifting, encouraging work such as the Hevener figurines and paintings for over thirty years now. Very few animal lovers are not familiar with our collectible figurines with their open expressions and smiling faces. Even The Antiques Road Show has featured them. And all of our figurines, prints, books or CDs are made in honor of the animals who keep alive our ability to love, in a world where it is very difficult to do so.
Let’s talk about that world.
Today, we are facing a crumbling economy. Let me rephrase that. We’re not facing a crumbling economy; we’re in it. Just about everywhere we turn, something is falling apart. All of us know people who have lost their jobs. All of us see businesses closing. All of us see odd legislation being passed - things we never would have considered before the day in September that changed it all. There is an uneasiness around us. And it’s growing. As we deal with serious issues more and more, as our families fracture and our natures become more hardened, our pets become a comfort to us and sometimes the only way to keep our hearts open.
At a recent high school appearance, I spoke in the auditorium about the many things people can do with their lives; the many adventures they can have in the creative fields I know something about. Publishing, the record business, television, movies, horse racing, dog shows, horse shows, the art world; surely I could open doors for them in an exciting array of life’s opportunities. But, looking around that auditorium, I saw no spark of interest or imagination. As we left that school, I said to my assistant, “Maxine, this is the first time I can ever remember not even reaching one soul.” And I asked myself what kind of society would want zombie-like citizens such as I had just seen. Was it an “inner city” school I had just been to? Yes. Was it New York or Chicago or Philadelphia? No. It was a school in the town of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; in the county known for its industrious Pennsylvania Dutch; the county in which I live. Were they Pennsylvania Dutch kids I was speaking with? No, they were not. In much the same way that Hawaii was invaded by outsiders and the values of its native population changed forever, Lancaster County has changed and I doubt if there was even one student of Pennsylvania Dutch background in that school. This is serious. It’s why teachers are giving up. And it has happened in our lifetime!
The hopelessness of those students mirrored the hopelessness of their homes. But I knew these kids had pets at home, too. How did I know? I asked them. In a show of hands, reluctant at first, I had found out how many had horses, dogs, cats, fish and other pets. And I thought to myself, this is the first thing they’re responding to. In a world where so much is out of their control, they don’t feel like they can reach the lofty things I’m talking about and maybe they can’t. But they can have an influence on their pets, and that’s a start.
Today, right now, pets are more important than ever. In order to keep pets and take care of them, we have to provide for them. To provide for your pet, you have to buy food. Which is best, you wonder?
You must take your pet to the veterinarian. Who is the best vet around, you ask?
If you want a litter of puppies, you must find a mate. Where do I find the perfect match, you ask, searching out the local kennel club.
When the pups are born, it’s one of the most magical experiences of your life. You’ll always remember it. Now, you must raise them and for the next couple of months you will do everything you can to raise them well. You’ll have paper work to fill out: registrations and pedigrees to prepare and sign. You’ll meet new people when families come to you for the puppies you brought into the world. Everywhere your pet takes you, it means dealing with other people, talking things over and finding out what works for you. Before you know it, you have a lifestyle and a reason to live.
That school of the zombies? It took me a while, but I finally figured it out. They didn’t want to see an author that day. They wanted a ray of hope. I guess I should have brought a puppy with me.
Next time, I’ll remember that.
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“To Whom It May Concern:
B. del Castillo has my permission to submit “You Are The Greatest Teacher” to you for publication. This is one of several lectures I use at my book signings. The important thing is to get the words out there, in as many ways as possible, and I hope your readers understand that this essay is meant for them.
Best Regards,
Ron Hevener
www.ronhevener.com“
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Shorter, edited version available upon request.
Photos available upon request.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Author/Artist RON HEVENER specializes in animal sports and entertainment. An accomplished artist, Hevener figurines and prints from his novels are bought and traded throughout the world. “Life is a movie,” he says. “On with the show!”
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presented by David the Dogman
As an ardent reader of the Collins Dog Photoguide I came across this article, which I feel, might be of interest to readers.
Traffic Accidents
A traffic accident is probably the most common cause of serious injury to a cat or dog. Always approach the animal with caution, it may react aggressively because of the pain.
Move the dog as little as possible, but if you must move it, it is probably best to use a blanket, sliding it underneath the dog. Seek the assistance of another person and lift the dog gently to safety. Check for heartbeat and any haemorrhaging. Attempt to stem excessive bleeding by holding a clean pad or clean handkerchief over the wound, binding it tightly with a makeshift bandage. Call the nearest vet’s surgery to warn of your arrival.
Burns
The only recommended first aid is to clean off the offending substance and immerse the body part under cold running water for as long as possible. Seek professional advice immediately.
Heat Stroke
This occurs most commonly when a dog has been left alone on a hot day without ventilation. If your dog has not already collapsed it may be panting, vomiting or frothing at the mouth.
Remove froth and lower the dog’s temperature as soon as possible by placing or dousing the animal in cold water. Take the dog to the vet immediately where it will be treated with drugs and more cold water.
Poisoning
Signs of poisoning may include collapse, muscular twitching, vomiting, bleeding or convulsion. Do not hesitate to contact the vet. Take some of the noxious substance to the vet with you if you know what it is. If the dog has recently swallowed the poison, try to make it vomit. Salt and mustard in water will usually work quickly, or a small piece of washing soda (sodium carbonate0 pushed down the throat.
Drowning
It is a popular misconception that all dogs can swim, but this is not always the case. You must attempt to empty the dog’s lungs of water as soon as possible. You must attempt to empty the dog’s lungs of water as soon as possible. Place the dog’s head lower than its body, open its mouth and begin to pump the chest by pressing down on the ribs and releasing the pressure immediately. Repeat at five-second intervals.
Choking
Sometimes a piece of stick, bone or small rubber ball may get stuck in a dog’s throat. Your dog may be unable to breath as a result and swift action is necessary.
Open the dog’s mouth carefully and see if you can see the object. Pumping the chest, as in the case of drowning (see above) may dislodge the foreign body, get your dog to the vet as soon as possible where the object can be removed under anaesthetic.
Commitment, Firmness, but kindness.
 Brought to you by: World Wide Information Outlet - http://certificate.net/wwio/, your source of FREEWare Content online.
Do you have any problems with your pet? Then why not send your problem to DAVID THE DOGMAN.
David is a Canine Behaviourist who works and lives in Marbella, Spain. Tel/Fax (00345) 2883388.
His web site is located at: http://www.thedogman.net.
David has his own radio and TV shows, and writes for many newspapers and magazines. David has been working with dogs for many years and started his career in Israel, working on the Border Police. He has been involved in all forms of training, including air sea rescue, air scent work, and has trained dogs for finding drugs. David has devoted the past 10 years to studying behaviour and the very passive approach. He does not use choke chains, check chains, or any form of aggression.
David The Dogman is available for private consultations in your home, for further details telephone; Tel; (95) 2883388
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Gastrointestinal stasis (or G.I. stasis) is a serious and potentially fatal condition that occurs in some rabbits in which gut motility is severely reduced and possibly completely stopped. Treatment should be sought immediately from a veterinarian specializing in exotic animals and with significant rabbit experience. When untreated or improperly treated, G.I. stasis can be fatal in as little as 24 hours.
G.I. stasis is the condition of food not moving through the gut as quickly as normal. The gut contents may dehydrate and compact into a hard, immobile mass (impacted gut), blocking the digestive tract of the rabbit. Food in an immobile gut may also ferment, causing significant gas buildup and resultant gas pain for the rabbit.
The first noticeable symptom of G.I. stasis may be that the rabbit suddenly stops eating. Treatment frequently includes subcutaneous fluid therapy (rehydration through injection of saline solution under the skin), drugs for treatment of the buildup of gas in the digestive tract, massage to promote gas expulsion and comfort, possible drugs to promote gut motility, and careful monitoring of all inputs and outputs. The rabbit’s diet may also be changed as part of treatment.
Some rabbits are more prone to G.I. stasis than others. The causes of G.I. stasis are not completely understood, but common contributing factors are thought to include:
* a lack of fiber in the diet. Many pet rabbits do not get sufficient fresh grass hay but are instead mistakenly fed only commercial alfalfa pellets originally developed for rapidly increasing mass in rabbits bred for meat.
* insufficient moisture in the diet. Fresh, leafy greens are a critical part of a rabbit’s diet in part because of their moisture content, which helps prevent the gut contents from becoming impacted.
* lack of exercise. Rabbits confined to a cage frequently do not get the opportunity (or motivation) to run, jump, and play which is critical in maintaining gut motility.
In addition, G.I. stasis can be caused by the rabbit not eating for other reasons, such as stress, dental problems, or other unrelated health problems.
G.I. stasis is sometimes misdiagnosed as cat-like “hair balls” by veterinarians not familiar with rabbit physiology.
Hagar lagarto is a long time Pet lover with many articles and websites on the subject.You can get much more info at pet.freehostia.com
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How to Start a Dog Bakery Business
A dog bakery business is a lucrative choice for a pet business to start if you want to enter the pet industry! Opening a dog bakery also allows you a few different choices as to how you want to set up your business. You open a store front dog bakery, online store and within these two choices come more choices; wholesale, retail or both!
Find out the Laws in your state:
Your first step should be contacting your state Agriculture Department to make sure you are able to bake dog treats from your kitchen. It is important to understand that the laws vary from state to state so you need to call or email your agriculture department directly to find out. It is also a good idea to check with the county you live in. There are a few states that do not allow you to bake and sell dog treats that are made from your kitchen. Better to find out now before you start your business!
Baking, Wholesaling or Private Label Options:
Next, will you be baking the dog treats for your dog bakery? You should really “love” to bake if this is your option. While you can make a very lucrative living baking dog treats, you will be baking thousands and thousands of treats. If you don’t enjoy baking you will quickly become frustrated and it will affect your business. When you bake your own dog treats you have the option of selling them wholesale and private label to other pet shops and dog bakeries.
If you are one of the people that does not like to bake but still wants to open a dog bakery you still have options! You can find a wholesaler to buy your treats from and many will even let you private label their treats. Private labeling is a good option as it will allow you to put your dog bakery name on the labels as if they were your own.
When choosing to private Label your treats be sure to ask them if they will supply you with the ingredient labels for your treats and if there is an additional fee to do so. It will depend on the dog bakery and how they have it set up.
Online, Offline or Both:
Choosing to open your dog bakery online, offline or both is a personal decision that will of course depend on what you want and how much money you have to invest in your dog bakery business. That being said, when you pick your dog bakery business name be sure that you can also purchase a domain name that matches. Even if you aren’t sure that you will ever take your business online it’s good for you to have set aside and it will also prevent another company from opening under your name.
These are just the very basic things to consider when considering a dog bakery business. If you have specific questions and want other dog bakery owners to speak with, you can join us on the Indulge Your Pet Forum to find out more information and to ask questions.
About the Author
Chrissie Cole is the owner of a pet site that focuses on Pet Business Ideas, Dog Bakery Business and more! Stop by the Pet Lover Forums and talk to other pet business owners and lovers!
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