Pup Archives - Page 6 of 7

2 Items To Insist From Your Breeder When Buying A Puppy

May 14, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

1. Written Guarantee: Good breeders provide written guarantees against genetic disease. It is essential to get a guarantee on the hips and eyes of your pup, given the epidemics of hip dysplasia and various forms of progressive blindness among the nation’s dogs. The guarantee entitles you to a refund of the price of the puppy or a replacement puppy should there be a problem. The guarantee should also allow you to take your new puppy to your own vet within a certain period of time in order to have its good health independently confirmed before the sale is considered final.

Beyond the guarantee of your pup, you want to see copies of the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) certificate on the hips of both parents, plus the Canine Eye Registration Foundation (GERF) certificate on the eyes of both parents. Do not take the breeder’s word that the parent animals are so registered. Good breeders will not be troubled by your request.

However, you must be prepared to run into the occasional breeder whom will not want to comply with your request. You are almost sure to run into “prominent” breeders who don’t believe in having their dogs’ hips and eyes checked, even if they are from seriously afflicted breeds.

Both in a personal quest for a dog and in researching this information I had this experience again and again. For instance, there is a dog breed about which Michele Lowell says in Your Purebred Puppy: A Buyer’s Guide, “He is susceptible to hip dysplasia and serious tumors.” She urges: “Buy only from OFA-registered parents.” A leading breeder of this breed, a person who sits on the national club’s breed standard committee, told me she didn’t have her animals OFA-certified because “I’ve never had any hip problems. If I ever start, I’ll have my dogs checked.” Even in the midst of a plague of canine hereditary disease, this ton-of-cure-is-worth-an-ounce-of-prevention attitude is still common. Be ready to decide for yourself if you find it acceptable.

2. Restricted Transfers: Responsible breeders are answering the distress call of America’s dogs by trying to minimize inappropriate breeding. One way to do this is with “restricted transfers.” These can involve a contract between the new owner and the breeder stipulating that the dog will not be bred until it is old enough to be tested for inherited disease and has been certified disease free. Some restricted transfers require that the animal be spayed or neutered at six months of age, with AKC papers not passing to the purchaser until this is done. You may not be interested in acquiring a pet under such conditions, but you can be sure that breeders imposing them are deeply committed to improving the quality of their breed.

Teaching Your Puppy To “Leave It”

May 6, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

There is one command your puppy needs to learn for his own protection, and that is the safety command of “Leave it.”

You are out for a walk and puppy comes upon a roadkill or carelessly discarded garbage. For the sake of his health, you command, “Leave it!” and you will need to enforce it with a gentle snap-and-release of the leash.

If he does not hear (or understand) the “Leave it” command, get his attention followed by “Leave it.”

This one is so important that at four to six months of age you can even use an entrapment as a teaching tool.

When the puppy cannot see you do it, plant a piece of trash, maybe an empty cereal box, on the floor and stick around until the pup goes to investigate.

As he goes to sniff it, shout “Leave it!” and as he retreats at the force of your voice, say “Good dog.”

It is an extremely versatile and useful Puppy training command. It also has an amusing side effect.

Many young puppies respond to the extreme urgency in your voice and not only “Leave it” but do an instant Down flat on the ground!

Avoiding Stress When Training Your Puppy

May 2, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

The main purpose in Puppy training is to build a communication system between the two of you. You are teaching your dog how to learn. In contrast to the positive approach of puppy training, many obedience classes use a lot of leash jerking and a certain amount of punishment if the dog is not performing well.

There is a fine line between the two attitudes and it is a vitally important difference.

With a young puppy, if you are forcing him to perform perfectly and punishing him even mildly if he does not, you may be asking for trouble later on.

After a puppy is six to eight months old, he can usually begin to handle corrections and accept much more firmness in his training but not at three, four and five months of age.

Stress should not be a specific part of puppy training. That comes later when the pup is six to eight months old and ready for a more formal training.

Of course, it is not possible or necessary to completely avoid stress because there is often a small amount in any of a puppy’s activities. However, stress should be eliminated as a planned part of the actual training.

Adopting Your Dog From A Shelter? Be Prepared To Answer These Questions (Part 1)

July 16, 2009 by admin Leave a Comment

1. What kind of dog are you looking for? This is typically the very first question that a shelter will ask you. You should already be well- prepared to answer this question and can tell the staff members what sort of pup you want and why. Be thorough but flexible; as you chat, the staff may come up with new ideas for you, or they may be able to spot potential problems in your profile and suggest adjustments. Don’t let them talk you into anything you don’t want, but do let their knowledge guide you.

2. What are your living quarters like? The staff needs to know, for example, whether you live in a big house or a tiny apartment or something in between, so that they can help you find a dog of an appropriate size and energy level. They’ll be wary of adopting, say, a big, active dog to a family that lives in a twentieth story apartment, so if you’re interested in getting a dog who might seem unsuited to your living environment, you’ll have to convince them that you can make it work.

They’ll also need to know whether you rent or own your home. If you’re a renter, now is a good time to show proof that you’re allowed to have a canine roommate: either a copy of a lease with a “pets allowed” provision, or a signed statement from your landlord.

3. Do you have a fenced yard? If the answer is “no,” don’t feel bad; just explain to the staff that you understand that your dog will need exercise and outdoor play, and that you intend to walk her and have fun in the sun (or rain or snow) with her regularly. Tell the staff whether you have – or plan to build – an outdoor pen or kennel for your dog. And if you have special outdoor interests that you’ll be sharing with your new dog (hiking or jogging, for example), those, too, can make the absence of a fenced yard less of a drawback.

Even if the answer is “yes,” let them know that your fence is high enough and secure enough to confine the kind of dog you want, and that the yard provides adequate shelter from the sun, hot or cold temperatures and precipitation. And be sure the staff understands that you’re not going to leave your new dog by herself in the yard all day long.

4. Are you looking for an indoor or an outdoor dog? You already know that there is no such thing as an “outdoor dog.” No responsible shelter will adopt a dog to someone who intends to keep her outside all the time. Assure the staff that your dog will be a beloved family pet that will not be ignored outside.

How To Teach Your New Puppy To Play-Bite Softly

July 6, 2009 by admin Leave a Comment

One of the first dog training protocol you will want to initiate when you get a new puppy is to teach him to inhibit the force of his play-bites. It is not necessary to reprimand the pup, and certainly physical punishments are not called for. But it is essential to let your puppy know that bites can hurt. A simple “Ouch!” is usually sufficient. When the puppy backs off, take a short time-out to “lick your wounds,” instruct your pup to come, sit, and lie down to apologize and make up. Then resume playing.

If your puppy does not respond to your yelp by easing up or backing off, an effective technique is to call the puppy a “Bully!” and then leave the room and shut the door. Allow the pup a minute or two time-out to reflect on the association between his painful bite and the immediate departure of his favorite human chew-toy. Then return to make up. It is important to show that you still love your puppy, only that his painful bites are objectionable. Have your pup come and sit and then resume playing once more.

It is much better for you to walk away from the pup than to physically restrain him or remove him to his confinement area at a time when he is biting too hard. So make a habit of playing with your puppy in his long-term confinement area. This technique is remarkably effective with lead-headed dogs, since it is precisely the way puppies learn to inhibit the force of their bites when playing with each other. If one puppy bites another too hard, the dog who gets bitten yelps and playing is postponed while he licks his wounds. The biter soon learns that hard bites interrupt an otherwise enjoyable play session. He learns to bite more softly once play resumes.

The next step is to eliminate bite pressure entirely, even though the “bites” no longer hurt. While your puppy is chewing his human chew-toy, wait for a bite that is harder than the rest and respond as if it really hurt, even though it didn’t: “Ouch – Gennntly! That really hurt me, you bully!” Your puppy begins to think, “Good heavens! These humans are soooooo sensitive. I’ll have to be really careful when mouthing their delicate skin.” And that’s precisely what you want your pup to think: that he needs to be extremely careful and gentle when playing with people.

Your pup should learn not to hurt people well before he is three months old. Ideally, by the time he is four and a half months old (before he develops strong jaws and adult canine teeth) he should no longer be exerting any pressure when mouthing.

Pet Insurance ? Lower The Cost Of Veterinarian Visits With Pet Insurance

June 25, 2009 by admin Leave a Comment

Bringing home a new puppy is the equivalent to adding a new member to your family, literally. With this new edition comes lots of love and excitement, as well as new responsibilities, especially in his first few weeks at the house. These responsibilities include feeding him well and providing the pup with necessary supplies such as a crate, blanket, toys, etc. Most importantly, you need to make sure that he is healthy and will stay that way throughout his life.

Finding The Right Vet

A very important requirement that many new pet owners tend to overlook is finding the right veterinarian for their pets. Taking your puppy to the vet right away, preferably within the first two days of bringing him home, is a must. This is to ensure that he is in perfect health and that he is getting all of the preventive caring needed, like vaccinations and regular routine exams.

Your family and friends may be able to recommend you to a nearby vet clinic. You may also do your own research by calling several clinics and setting up an appointment to see the place and find out first hand if it is the right one for you and your pet.

Veterinarian Expenses

For many pet owners, finding the right vet is not the problem, but rather the costs of veterinary care. Visits to the vet can be pricey, even with minor cases such as getting his yearly vaccination or a routine checkup. In addition, an illness or severe injury can occur at any time, and many dog owners end up having to pay a lot of out-of-pocket expenses to the vet clinic. This is why it is highly recommended that you get pet insurance as soon as possible.

Having pet insurance is the best way to ensure that your puppy is getting the best health care possible. Pet insurance is a practical way to lessen the cost of veterinary expenses, whether it is related to routine care, accidents, or injuries. Pet insurance also covers the cost of minor surgeries, major surgeries, treatments for illnesses and diseases, and other medical procedures such as neutering or spaying.

Finding the right, affordable pet insurance is as easy as picking up the yellow pages or searching online. Most pet insurance plans offer a monthly premium that is less than what you typically pay for your cable bill.

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