Puppy Play

Stimulating play is important. Stalking and pouncing are important play behaviors in puppies and are necessary for proper muscular development. If given a sufficient outlet for these behaviors with toys, your puppy will be less likely to use family members for these activities. The best toys are lightweight and movable. These include wads of paper for very young puppies and hard rubber toys for older puppies and adult dogs. Any toy that is small enough to be swallowed should be avoided.

Discipline

Disciplining a young puppy may be necessary if its behavior threatens people or property, but harsh punishment should be avoided. Just like with children, it is better to avoid situations where undesirable behavior can occur than to punish the undesirable behavior. However, if it does become necessary to discourage an undesirable behavior, hand-clapping and shaker-cans or horns are often effective. In instances where the puppy is so excited that he will not stop undesirable behavior, a "time out" in his kennel may be warranted. Positive reinforcement of good behavior is always most effective.

We strongly recommend that all puppies be enrolled in a reputable puppy kindergarten program to facilitate socialization with both people and other dogs.

Vaccinations

There are many diseases that are fatal to dogs. Fortunately, we have the ability to prevent many of these by the use of very effective vaccines. In order to be effective, these vaccines must be given as a series of injections. Ideally, they are given every 3-4 weeks between the ages of 8 and 20 weeks, but this schedule may vary somewhat depending on several factors.

The routine vaccination schedule protects your puppy from five diseases: distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza virus, parvovirus, and rabies. The first four are included in one injection that is given at each appointment up to 19 weeks old. The rabies vaccine is given at 16 weeks of age. There are two other optional vaccinations that are appropriate in certain situations. Your puppy should receive the kennel cough vaccine if you are planning to board him, or he's participating in a puppy training class that requires this vaccine. The lyme vaccine is given to dogs that are exposed to ticks because Lyme Disease is transmitted by ticks.

Why Vaccinate?

When the puppy nurses its mother, it receives a temporary form of immunity through the mother's milk. This immunity is in the form of proteins called antibodies. For about 24-48 hours after birth, the puppy's intestine allows absorption of these antibodies directly into the bloodstream. This immunity is of benefit during the first few weeks of the puppy's life, but, at some point, this immunity fails and the puppy must be able to make its own long-lasting immunity. Vaccinations are used for this purpose. As long as the mother's antibodies are present, vaccinations cannot stimulate the puppy's immune system; the mother's antibodies interfere by neutralizing the vaccine.

Many factors determine when the puppy will be able to respond to the vaccinations. These include the level of immunity in the mother dog, how much antibody has been absorbed, and the number of vaccines given to the puppy. Since we do not know when an individual puppy will lose the short-term immunity, we give a series of vaccinations. We hope that at least two of these will fall in the window of time when the puppy has lost immunity from its mother but has not yet been exposed to disease. A single vaccination, even if effective, is not likely to stimulate the long-term immunity that is so important.

The rabies vaccine is an exception to this, since one injection given at the proper time is enough to produce long-term immunity.

To receive e-mail reminders when your puppy or dog is due for its annual exam, vaccinations, etc., please send us your address.

Intestinal Worms

Intestinal parasites are common in puppies. Puppies can become infected with parasites before they are born or later through their mother's milk. The microscopic examination of a stool sample will usually help us detect the presence of intestinal parasites. We recommend this exam for all puppies. If you cannot get a stool sample in time for your appointment, please bring one at your earliest convenience. Even without a stool sample, we recommend the use of Strongid-T or Interceptor, deworming products that are safe and effective against several of the common worms of dogs. They are given once and repeated in about 3 weeks. The two doses are important because deworming medications only kill adult worms. Within 3-4 weeks, the larvae will become adults that will need to be treated.

Dogs remain susceptible to reinfection with hookworms and roundworms. Periodic deworming throughout the dog's life may be recommended for dogs that go outdoors.

Tapeworms are another common intestinal parasite of dogs. Puppies become infected with them when they swallow fleas; the eggs of the tapeworm live inside the flea. When the dog chews or licks its skin as a flea bites, the flea may be swallowed. The flea is digested within the dog's intestine; the tapeworm hatches and then anchors itself to the intestinal lining. Therefore, exposure to fleas may result in a new infection; this can occur in as little as two weeks.

Dogs infected with tapeworms will pass small segments of the worms in their stool. The segments are white in color and look like grains of rice. They are about 1/8" long and may be seen crawling on the surface of the stool. They may also stick to the hair under the tail. If that occurs, they will dry out, shrink to about half their size, and become golden in color (looking like a grain of white rice).

Tapeworm segments do not pass every day or in every stool sample; therefore, inspection of several consecutive bowel movements may be needed to find them. We may examine a stool sample in our office and not find them, and then you may find them the next day. If you find them at any time, please notify us so we may prescribe the appropriate drug for treatment.

Heartworms

Heartworms are dangerous parasites that live in your dog's heart and cause major damage to the heart and lungs. They are transmitted by mosquitos, so your dog does not have to be in contact with another dog to be exposed. Fortunately, we have safe and effective drugs that will protect your dog from heartworms: Interceptor and Revolution.

Heartworm preventatives are dosed according to your dog's weight. As the weight increases, the dosage should also increase. Please note the dosing instructions on the package. These products are very safe; you could overdose your dog by three or four times the recommended dose without causing harm. Therefore, it is always better to overdose rather than underdose.

Diet

A proper diet is extremely important in the growing months of a dog's life, and there are two important criteria that should be met in selecting food for your puppy:

Look for a NAME-BRAND FOOD made by a national dog food company (not a generic or local brand), and

A form of food MADE FOR PUPPIES. This should be fed until your puppy is about 6-10 months of age, depending on its size.

We also recommend that you only buy food that has the AAFCO certification. Usually, you can find this information very easily on the label. AAFCO is an organization that oversees the entire pet food industry. It does not endorse any particular food, but it will certify that the food has met the minimum requirements for nutrition. Most of the commercial pet foods will have the AAFCO label. Generic brands often do not have it.

Feeding a dry, canned, or semi-moist form of dog food is acceptable. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Dry food is definitely the most inexpensive. It can be left in the dog's bowl without drying. The good brands of dry food are just as nutritious as the other forms. As a rule, most veterinarians will recommend dry food for your puppy.

Semi-moist and canned foods are also acceptable. However, both are considerably more expensive than dry food. They often are more appealing to the dog's taste, but they are not more nutritious. In fact, they're very high in sugar. If you feed a very tasty food, you are running the risk of creating a dog with a finicky appetite.

Table foods are not recommended. Because they are generally very tasty, dogs will often begin to hold out for these and not eat their well-balanced dog food. If you choose to give your puppy table food, be sure that at least 90% of its diet is good quality commercial puppy food.

We enjoy variety in our diet. However, most dogs actually prefer not to change from one food to another unless they are trained to do so by the way you feed them. Do not feel guilty if your dog is happy to just eat one food day after day, week after week.

Commercials for dog food can be very misleading. If you watch carefully you will notice that many commercials promote dog food on one basis, TASTE. Nutrition is rarely mentioned. Most of the "gourmet" foods are marketed to appeal to owners who want the best for their dogs; however, they do not offer the dog any nutritional advantage over a good quality dry food, and they are far more expensive. If your dog eats a gourmet food for a long period of time, it will probably not be happy with other foods. If it needs a special diet due to a health problem later in life, it is very unlikely to accept it. Therefore, we do not encourage feeding gourmet dog foods.

In addition to table foods, it is also important that you not give certain other things to dogs. Bones of birds (chicken, turkey, etc.) are hollow and splinter easily, producing very sharp, pointed pieces of bones. These can easily pierce the esophagus, stomach, and intestines resulting in peritonitis and death.

Feeding Schedules

There are several "right" ways to feed puppies. The most popular method is commonly called "meal feeding." This means that the puppy is fed at specific times of the day. A measured amount of food should be offered four times per day for 5-12 week old puppies. Anything not eaten within 20 minutes should be removed. If all of the food is eaten within 3-4 minutes, the quantity is probably not sufficient. Puppies fed in this manner generally begin to cut themselves out of one of those meals by 3-4 months of age and perhaps another one later. If a meal is ignored for several days, it should be discontinued.

"Free choice feeding" means that food is available at all times. Most dogs tend to overeat and become obese with this method.

Housebreaking

Crate Selection: Crates (often called "flight kennels") may be plastic or collapsible metal pens. They come in different sizes and can be purchased at most pet supply stores. Your dog's crate should be just large enough for him to stand up and turn around in.

Crate Training: Crate training can take days or weeks, depending on your dog's age, temperament, and past experiences. It's important to keep two things in mind while crate training: the crate should always be associated with something pleasant, and training should take place in a series of small steps - don't go too fast.

1. Introduce your dog to the crate: Place the crate in an area of your house where the family spends a lot of time, such as the family room, with a soft blanket or towel inside. Bring your dog to the crate, talking to him in a happy tone of voice. Make sure the crate door is securely held open so it won't slam close or hit your dog and frighten him.

   To encourage your dog to enter the crate, drop some small food treats near it, then just inside the door, and finally, all the way inside the crate. If he refuses to go all the way in at first, that's okay - don't force him to enter. Continue tossing treats into the crate until your dog will walk calmly all the way into the crate to get the food. If he isn't interested in treats, try tossing a favorite toy in the crate. This step may take a few minutes or as long as several days.

2. Feeding your dog in the crate: After introducing your dog to the crate, begin feeding him his regular meals near the crate. This will create a pleasant association with the crate. If your dog is readily entering the crate when you begin Step 2, put the food dish all the way at the back of the crate. If your dog is still reluctant to enter the crate, put the dish only as far inside as he will readily go without becoming fearful or anxious. Each time you feed him, place the dish a little further back in the crate.

   Once your dog is standing comfortably in the crate to eat his meal, you can close the door while he's eating. At first, open the door as soon as he finishes his meal. With each successive feeding, leave the door closed a few minutes longer, until he's staying in the crate for ten minutes or so after eating. If he begins to whine to be let out, you may have increased the length of time too quickly. Next time, try leaving him in the crate for a shorter time period. If he does whine or cry in the crate, it's imperative that you not let him out until he stops. Otherwise, he'll learn that the way to get out of the crate is to whine, so he'll keep doing it.

3. Conditioning for longer time periods: After your dog is eating his regular meals in the crate with no sign of fear or anxiety, you can confine him there for short time periods while you're home. Call him over to the crate and give him a treat. Give him a command to enter such as, "kennel up." Encourage him by pointing to the inside of the crate with a treat in your hand. After your dog enters the crate, praise him, give him the treat and close the door. Sit quietly near the crate for 5-10 minutes, then go into another room for a few minutes. Return, sit quietly again for a short time, and then let him out of the crate. Repeat this process several times a day. With each repetition, gradually increase the length of time you leave him in the crate and the length of time you're out of his sight. Once your dog will stay quietly in the crate for about 30 minutes with you out of sight the majority of the time, you can begin leaving him crated when you're gone for short time periods and/or letting him sleep there at night. This may take several days or several weeks.

4. Crating your dog when you're not home: After your dog is spending about 30 minutes in the crate without becoming anxious or afraid, you can begin leaving him crated for short periods when you leave the house. Put him in the crate using your regular command and a treat. You might also want to leave him with a few safe toys in the cage. You'll want to vary at what point in your "getting ready to leave" routine you put your dog in the crate. Although he shouldn't be crated for a long time before you leave, you can crate him anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes prior to leaving. Don't make your departures emotional and prolonged, but matter-of-fact. Praise your dog briefly, give him a treat for entering the crate and then leave quietly. When you return home, don't reward your dog for excited behavior by responding to him in an excited, enthusiastic way. Keep arrivals low key. Continue to crate your dog for short periods from time to time when you're home so he doesn't associate crating with being left alone.

   Crating your dog overnight: Put your dog in the crate using your regular command and a treat. Initially, it may be a good idea to put the crate in your bedroom or nearby in a hallway, especially if you have a puppy. Puppies often need to go outside to eliminate during the night, and you'll want to be able to hear your puppy when he whines to be let outside. Older dogs, too, should initially be kept nearby so that crating doesn't become associated with social isolation. Once your dog is sleeping comfortably through the night with his crate near you, you can begin to gradually move it to the location you prefer.

Socialization

The Socialization Period for dogs is between 4 and 12 weeks of age. During that time, the puppy is very impressionable to social influences. If it has good experiences with men, women, children, cats, other dogs, etc., it is likely to accept them throughout life. If the experiences are absent or unpleasant, it may become apprehensive or adverse to any of them. Therefore, during the period of socialization, we encourage you to expose your dog to as many types of social events and influences as possible.

Flea Control

Fleas do not stay on your puppy all of the time; occasionally, they will jump off and seek another host. Therefore, it is important to kill fleas on your new puppy before they can become established in your house. Many of the flea control products that are safe on adult dogs are not safe for puppies less than 4 months of age. Be sure that any flea product you use is labeled safe for puppies.

If you use a flea spray, your puppy should be sprayed lightly. Flea and tick dip is not recommended for puppies unless they are at least 4 months of age. Remember, not all insecticides that can be used on adult dogs are safe for puppies.

There is a trick to spraying a puppy that will make the outcome safer and more successful. When a puppy is sprayed, the fleas tend to run away from the insecticide. If you spray the body first, many fleas will run to the head where they are very difficult to kill. The best method is to spray a cotton ball, and then use that to wipe the flea spray onto the puppy's face, from the nose to the level of the ears. That will keep you from getting it in the eyes and will cause the fleas to run toward the body. Wait about 2 minutes, then spray the back of the head and the body. Leave the spray on for about 3 minutes, then wipe off the excess. This will permit you to kill the most fleas while putting the least amount of insecticide on the puppy.

There are products that are given only once per month and are much safer than sprays and collars; some can be used in puppies as young as 8 weeks. Frontline Top Spot and Revolution are liquids that are applied to the skin at the base of the neck to kill adult fleas. They are very effective and easy to use.

Chewing

One of the characteristics of puppies is chewing. Puppies are trying their new teeth, so chewing is a normal behavior. The puppy's baby teeth are present by about 4 weeks of age. They begin to fall out at 4 months of age and are replaced by the adult (permanent) teeth by about 6 months of age. Therefore, chewing is a puppy characteristic that you can expect until about 6-7 months of age. It is important that you do what you can to direct your puppy's chewing toward acceptable objects. You should provide items such as rawhide chew bones, nylon chew bones, and other chew toys so your personal objects are spared. Never allow a puppy to chew on your hands or feet - even in play.

Trimming Toenails

Puppies have very sharp toenails. They can be trimmed with your regular finger nail clippers or with nail trimmers made for dogs and cats. If you take too much off the nail, you will get into the quick and bleeding and pain will occur. If this happens, neither you nor your dog will want to do this again. Therefore, a few points are helpful:

1. If your dog has clear or white nails you can see the pink of the quick through the nail. Avoid the pink area, and you should be out of the quick.

2. If your dog has black nails you will not be able to see the quick, so only cut 1/32" of the nail at a time until the dog begins to get sensitive. The sensitivity will usually occur before you are into the blood vessel. With black nails, it is likely that you will get too close on at least one nail.

3. If your dog has some clear and some black nails, use the average clear nail as a guide for cutting the black ones.

4. When cutting nails, use sharp trimmers. Dull trimmers tend to crush the nail and cause pain even if you are not in the quick.

5. You should always have styptic powder available. This is sold in pet stores under several trade names, but it will be labeled for use in trimming nails.

Ear Mites

Ear mites are tiny parasites that live in the ear canal of dogs (and cats). The most common sign of ear mite infestation is scratching of the ears. Sometimes the ears will appear dirty because of a black material in the ear canal; this material is sometimes shaken out. The instrument we use for examining the ear canals, an otoscope, has the necessary magnification to allow us to see the mites. Sometimes, we can find the mites by taking a small amount of the black material from the ear canal and examining it with a microscope. Although they may leave the ear canals for short periods of time, they spend the vast majority of their lives within the protection of the ear canal. Transmission generally requires direct ear-to-ear contact. Ear mites are common in litters of puppies if their mother has ear mites.

Ear infections may also cause the production of a dark discharge in the ear canals. It is important that we examine your puppy to be sure the black material is due to ear mites and not infection. Please do not ask us to just dispense medication without having the opportunity to make an accurate diagnosis.

Spaying Females

Spaying offers several advantages:

The female's heat periods result in about 2-3 weeks of vaginal bleeding every 6 months. This can be quite messy if your dog is kept indoors.

A female in heat can attract male dogs from blocks away. Spaying removes the uterus and the ovaries so these heat periods no longer occur.

In many cases, despite your best efforts, the female will become pregnant; spaying prevents unplanned litters of puppies.

It has also been proven that as the female dog gets older, there is a significant incidence of breast cancer and uterine infections if she has not been spayed. Spaying before she has any heat periods will virtually eliminate the chance of either.

If you do not plan to breed your dog, we strongly recommend that she be spayed before her first heat period. This can be done anytime after she is 6 months old.

Neutering Males

Neutering offers several advantages:

Testicular cancer is very prevalent in intact male dogs.

Intact male dogs are attracted to female dogs in heat and will climb over or go through fences to find them.

Intact male dogs are more aggressive and more likely to fight, especially with other male dogs.

As dogs age, the prostate gland frequently enlarges and causes difficulty urinating and defecating.

Neutering will solve, or greatly help, all of these problems. The surgery can be performed any time after the dog is 6 months old.

Breeding

If you plan to breed your dog, she should have at least one or two heat periods first. This will allow her to physically mature so she can be a better mother and pregnancy does not take such a physical toll on her body. We do not recommend breeding after 5 years of age unless she has been bred prior to that. Having her first litter after 5 years of age increases the risk of problems during the pregnancy and/or delivery. Once your dog has had her last litter, she should be spayed to prevent reproductive problems prevalent in older dogs.

Pet Identification

The latest innovation in lost pet retrieval is microchipping. This tiny device is implanted with a needle, so the process is very similar to getting an injection. Our scanner can detect these chips, and humane societies and animal shelters across the country also have scanners. A national registry facilitates the return of microchipped pets throughout the United States and Canada. We highly recommend microchipping dogs.

Emergency Tips

Here are some recommendations for common emergency situations:

Hit by car: Let your dog stand up by itself. If it cannot, transfer it to a hard board for transporting. Apply pressure to wounds with soft gauze, and keep your dog warm to prevent shock. An injured dog may bite - even people that it knows very well. Use caution for the safety of both you and your dog. Seek medical attention quickly.

Overheating: If you suspect your dog has collapsed from heat stress, start to cool it down with a cool water bath, fans, cold compresses, or ice packs. Seek medical attention immediately.

Minor Burns: Treat with cool water and seek medical attention.

Curiosities

Puppies may make unusual sounds or movements during their sleep. This is called "activated sleep." It probably occurs because your puppy is dreaming and trying to participate in the dream. This behavior usually lasts just a few months, and very rarely continues into adulthood.

Puppies have "puppy breath." It is not particularly offensive or desirable (much like the smell of a new car), but only lasts a few weeks.

Puppies frequently have hiccups. They may occur for 10-20 minutes at a time then stop. They are probably related to your puppy swallowing air when eating, and do not cause any significant distress to your dog. They will stop as your puppy gets a little older.