How can I housebreak my puppy?
Frequently a puppy becomes a member of a family that is unaccustomed to the behavior of a canine youngster. A pup might be the first pet in a home, the companion for a geriatric dog, or a replacement to fill the spot vacated by a deceased pet. The introduction of a puppy into a home can create chaos or, with proper training of the animal, result in a loving human-animal bond.
Of all a puppy's lessons, acquisition of acceptable toilet habits is a priority. The number one rule to remember during a dog's adolescence is that accidents will happen despite the most conscientious efforts of the owner. These incidents are not purposefull attempts by the pet to get even with the owner. Instead, they represent skill not mastered, or often, unreasonable expectations from the owner. Areas such as carpeting must, from the beginning, be delineated as off limits.
Patience and consistence are essential. It is a common mistake to take the puppy out for a few minutes, returning to the house just when the puppy is ready to defecate. This happens most often during inclement weather when neither the owner nor puppy wants to stay outside. Make sure the puppy has completed urinating and defecating before it comes back in.
Housetraining should begin when the puppy is between 8 and 16 weeks old and capable of learning short lessons. At this time, the young dog also learns to use a canine group elimination area. Simplified housetraining involves adherence to a schedule, a confined bedding area, and lavish amounts of verbal reward.
A PUPPY'S SCHEDULE
There are four times a puppy typically eliminates:
Strict schedules and a regular routine of resting, eating, and playing regulate the elimination process. When family members pursue random activities, the puppy's schedule, including the need to eliminate varies also. in households where the puppy is left alone for eight to ten hours at a time, the pet tends to sleep most of the day. Occasionally, accidents will happen because, at this age, the puppy's bladder simply does not have the required capacity.
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Rather than name your new dog "Spot" or "Rover", let your imagination go a bit and select a name that appeals to you and suits your pet's personality or individual traits. Here are a few suggestions - the rest is up to you!
Royalty or Rank: Duke, Duchess, Count, Countess, Colonel, Major, Prince, Princess, Sabrina, Royce, Conal, Vance, Nolan, Sarge, King Arthur, King Richard, Prince Valiant, Queen Victoria, Caesar, King, Queenie.
Famous Names: Napoleon, Bonaparte, Wellington, Disraeli, Dinah, Creta, Brutus, Sampson, Delilah, Mickey, Minnie, Caspar, Bambi, Scarlett, Rhett, Dancer, Prancer, Blitzen, Tallulah, Frosty, Kojak, Rhoda, Maude, Archie, Linus, Jabba, Yoda, Elvis, Fabian, Bonnie, Clyde, Solomon, Salome, Noah, Byron, Keats, Shelley, Moses, Stacy, Pepe, Flip, Oliver, Duffy, Maxwell, Chiquita, Sherlock, Omar, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Tarzan, Sheena, Humphrey, Woodrow.
Famous Places: Camelot, Redwood, Reno, Savannah, Tacoma, Tampa, San Fran, Dallas, Cheyenne, Yokon, Jersey, Dakota, Sierra, Dixie, Omaha, Utah, Calcutta.
Colors: Whitey, Blanco, Blondie, Rud, Red Rambler, Red Rover, Rufus, Blaze, Red Rose, Rouge, Rory, Rusty, Sandy, Ruby, Mustard, Mocha, Bruno, Sable, Cocoa, Goldie, Copper, Blackie, Pepper, Black Velvet, Silver, Crystal, Ebony.
Brand Names: Maxim, Yuban, Ballantine, Olympia, Budweiser, Pabst, Coke, Pepsi, Tang, Honeycomb, Prime, Gainsey, Ruppert, Chivas, Bosco.
Western: Ringo, Comanche, Apache, Navaho, Tonto, Trigger, Champion, Annie Oakley, Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone, Hondo, Billy the Kid, Waco, Denver, Tex, Fargo, Belle, Bullet, Buck, Pinto.
Sports: Johnny U., Catfish, O.J., Ali, Kareem, Yogi, Zimmie, Andre, Tug, Casey, Dizzy, Daffy, Babe, Arnie, Pele, Kyle, Rocky, Magic.
Zodiac: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces.
Mythology: Zeus, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Neptune, Pluto, Mercury, Saturn, Apollo, Vesta, Thor, Diana, Adonis, Juno, Odin.
Miscellaneous: Tuffy, Taffy, Toffy, Brandy, Sherry, Scrappy, Happy, Frolic, Spiffy, Nugget, Peanuts, Rufus, Speedy, Lightning, Twinkie, Muffin, Cindy, Penny, Molly, Lady, Joker, Gypsy, Claude, Angus, Waldo, Festus, Melissa, Dory, Seth, Olaf, Marcus, Noel, Benji, Cara, Melinda, Boris, Gunther, Tessie, Fritzie, Babette, Cali, Frenchie, Dutchie, Aussie, Snoopy, Lad, Ruff, Tory, Abdul, Pal, Checkers, Heather, Wolf, Ginger, Cider, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Clover, Vixen, Toby, Nipper, Fala, Mopsy, Curly, Trooper, Flush, Perry, Pudgie, Butch, Trixie.
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You may eventually decide to breed your dog. Please don't take this responsibility lightly. There are already too many unwanted dogs in the world. As dog lovers, let's try to resolve rather than aggravate this unfortunate situation. You must have plans for each and every puppy before the litter is even conceived.
Also, it's over-optimistic to assume that you can recoup your investment or even profit by breeding dogs. Few people come out ahead by selling puppies, once they have paid stud fees, provided veterinary care and and food for the mother and litter and have accounted for enormous investment of time.
Breeding dogs also has its emotional costs. Ask a breeder what it's like to see a bitch through a difficult birth or Caesarian section, or to witness the death of a beloved bitch or her puppies. Death plays as large a role as life when it comes to breeding dogs, and rare is the litter in which all the puppies survive.
If you decide to go forward and become a breeder, we hope you will embrace the belief that each new litter you produce should represent an improvement over the last. This means that you don't choose the dog who lives down the street to mix genes with your bitch because he happens to be close by and performs for free. Try to find an individual whose bloodlines will strengthen your dog's weaknesses and emphasize his or her good qualities. The rewards of your discretion will be long-lived.
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My dog has been diagnosed with heartworms. What should I do?
Adult heartworms are treated with a drug called Immiticide. Immiticide is a derivative of arsenic. It is safer than the older drug used, Caparsolate. A combination of labwork, urinalysis and radiographic evaluations allow us to prepare and/or adjust our treatment regimen.
The actual administration of Immiticide occurs over two days. It consists of one injection per day for the two days of treatment. The effect on the adult heartworm is fortunately slow. The adult heartworm lives on the right side of the heart. A sudden kill would cause fatal obstruction of the dog's heart or lungs. Instead the worms slowly break up and leave the heart. These portions are gradually absorbed by the dog's body. We hospitalize most heartworm treatment dogs during the first two days of treatment for observation.
Because the dying heartworms are pumped to the lungs by the right side of the heart, normal activity should not be allowed after treatment. These dying heartworms act as emboli (mobile blood clots) which may lodge in the lungs. Because any increase in activity would cause the heart to pump harder and more dying worms would be pumped into the lungs, activity must be severely restricted after treatment.
Three to four weeks post adulticide treatment, the microfilaria that the adults have been producing will need to be killed to prevent them from being picked up by a mosquito and transmitted to another host.
Now your dog should be as heartworm free as Modern Medicine can bring him/her. After a few more negative tests, your dog can go on heartworm preventative and annual testing is all that is necessary thereafter.
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What are canine distemper and parvo, and how serious are they?
Canine distemper is a very prevalent, highly contagious disease of dogs caused by a virus. The virus may be spread by contact with mucous and watery secretion discharged from the eyes and nose of infected dogs. Infection may also occur from exposure to urine, fecal material, and through the air.
Better than 50% of adult dogs that contact the disease will die. Among puppies, the death rate often reaches 80%.
Signs of distemper include squinting, congestion of the eyes, and eye discharge. Weight loss, vomiting, nasal discharge, poor appetite, and diarrhea sometimes occur. In some cases, no signs are observed until seizures begin. Occasionally the virus affects the foot pads resulting in "hard pads".
Prevention is easily accomplished by proper vaccination beginning when the pup is six to eight weeks of age. A series of immunizations must be given to provide proper immunity. Boosters are required to keep proper immunity as an adult.
Treatment is very difficult since the cause is a virus. There are currently NO drugs available to kill the virus, just as there are no drugs to kill most of the viruses affecting people.
Recovery often takes six to eight weeks before it can be assumed the dog will not be left with any of the permanent damage affecting the brain.
Parvo or Parvo Viral Enteritis is a virus of dogs which attacks the intestinal tract. Clinical signs include fever, vomiting, diarrhea (usually bloody), dehydration, septicemia, and in some cases myocarditis (heart muscle damage).
The virus attacks the lining of the gastrointestinal tract causing bleeding into the intestines, thus the bloody diarrhea. The dog must be treated with antibiotics to combat a potentially serious infection.
Once the virus does its damage, the body becomes immune to it for a short period of time. Meanwhile the patient must be supported with IV fluids, antibiotic injections, and anti-vomiting injections. This treatment is successful 50% of the time - unfortunately we can't save all animals infected with parvo virus.
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What are the most challenging breeds of dogs to own?
After taking into consideration several factors, including, demeanor, and potential health-related problems, the following breeds of dogs present the greatest challenge for a novice dog handler to own:
Akitas, Chow Chows, Sharpeis, Rottweilers and Dalmations
The difficulty with Akitas, Chow Chows, Rottweilers and Sharpeis comes from the inability of the owner to read its temperament. The breeding history of these dogs has been for them to guard their territory, and if necessary to act with aggression. These three breeds are masters at hiding their subtle warnings of aggression. They can tend to be aggressive to people as well as other dogs. In addition to the behavioral challenges presented by these breeds, there is also a long list of genetic and/or congenital problems.
When people acquire a Dalmation, they are expecting to get a dog that will be similar to a calm gentle Golden Retriever. Yet in actuality most Dalmations are energetic, fun-loving and sometimes excitable dogs. Dalmations also have a long list of health related problems.
While these five breeds can be challenging and difficult to manage, several factors such as how you train the dog, how it is socialized and what type of environment it will be subjected to, can and do play a large part in how the dog behaves.
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I'm going to be getting a new puppy . What are some tips on giving him a healthy head start?
Your new puppy depends on you to help him or her have a healthy, happy life. Next to you, your veterinarian is your pet's best friend. By establishing a preventive health care program with your veterinarian as soon as you acquire your new pet, you can help protect your pet from contagious diseases, parasites and other health related problems.
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Will spaying my dog early in life keep her healthy longer?
Yes. Very much so. In fact, see the chart below, that displays the age at time of spaying as it relates to the incidence of cancer.
Age at time of spaying Incidence of Cancer
Prior to first heat
Decreased incidence to less than 1 in 100
After one heat cycle
8 in 100
After two or more cycles
1 in 4
After 2+ years
No significant protection but may delay growth or metastasis of tumors which are already present
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