Be Your Dog's Best Friend
Module 3 - Section 1
Module 3 - Section 1
After the pup comes home – the first few days.
- One Event Learning
- Pups and fear behaviour
- The first few days
- Toilet Training
- Feeding the Pup
- Pups crying at night
- Furniture etc
- Basic Care
1. One Event Learning
What is so important is that you make all the new experiences your pup is going to have pleasant ones – you do this by management.
It is very doubtful that your pup would remember what you fed him yesterday, but if you were to ask him where he was when a child pounced on him without warning – it he could speak, he would tell you exactly where he was and what the circumstances were!
If we relate this to humans, if I asked you what you were doing at this time, last week, unless it was a major event, the odds are, that off-hand, without checking your diary, you would not have the foggiest idea.
However, those of you who were around when JFK was assassinated, would remember exactly what you were doing and where you were, when it occurred. A more recent example was the Twin Towers – nearly everybody can remember what they were doing, where they were, and the unbelievable shock we felt as we saw those planes flying into the Twin Towers and the devastation that followed.
Dogs are no different at remembering stressful events – this is called’ One Event Learning’ or ‘Single Event Learning’ and if the pup does get a big fright, and he is not helped over this, each and every time, he encounters the same scenario, the fear will occur again, and normally increases.
If this does happen to your pup, get professional help as soon as possible.
2 Pups and fear behaviour
If your pup does exhibit fear over something you may think is silly, or it has seen before - just remember that fear is a strong emotional response to what the pup perceives as something being a threat - it's fear is very real - and this normal emotion cal trigger the flight or flee response.
When your pup is fearful, you will see the changes in its body position, and based on what you have already learnt about Dog Language, the pup's ears may go back, it's tail may go between the legs, it may try to escape from perceived threat etc. If the pup reacts with aggression (which is also normal - it sees something as a threat and is trying to protect itself and drive the threat away), the pup may growl, bark, pilo erection may occur, and mostly the ears become flattened against the head.
The most important thing is to try and avoid situations that could prove fearful for a pup, such as a child, or a few kids virtually jumping on your pup, or picking it up badly and it gets a fright. Interestingly enough, fear of children was a common fear that pups brought with them to puppy school. The most common occurrence was kids hurting a pup when picking up, and on occasion dropping the pup. If you see a child running towards your pup, just step in front of the pup, put up your hand to the child, and tell them to come slowly and gently say hello to your pup. If the child is going to pick up the pup, then under your strict supervision. We have some notes further on regarding children and dogs.
If the pup does react to a loud noise, for example, the last thing you will do is to pamper the pup, pick it up, cuddle it etc. To do this actually has the opposite effect, the pup will think that you are scared as well! By the same token, you never punish a pup for being fearful - again, you will only reinforce the fear and possible hurt your bond with the pup, where it starts to become fearful of you.
Rather, laugh, joke, throw a ball or something to divert the pup’s attention onto something else and act as if what happened is no big deal. If the fear continues, please do get professional help. Fear increases unless helped, especially One Event Learning.
3.The first few days
You have got a totally ‘blank slate’ in front of you, so now is the time to mold the pup for life and what you do, or don’t do, in the first few days will make a huge difference. It is much easier to teach the behaviour you do want, rather than change the behaviour you don’t want at a later stage! So often one comes across people that would never dream of letting their dogs on the furniture, totally changing when the pup comes home, and then lo and behold, a pattern has been set and a new habit successfully taught by you.
When you bring the pup home, immediately take it to the place that is going to be its toilet area and see if it wants to relieve itself. There are notes on toilet training, but do remember to verbally praise the pup and bring in a cue to associate with toilet, such as ‘wee, wee’ ‘hurry ups’ etc. You can choose the place you want the pup to eliminate in, and always take it there – this sets up a good habit for life and keeps other areas of the garden clean.
Then take the pup straight to the area you have chosen for it to sleep and be safe in, and make sure there is clean fresh water as it will be thirsty after the drive. Have some nice chew toys such as a Busy Buddy or Kong for the pup to chew on, as well as a soft cuddly blanket for it to cuddle up in (or the one you brought back from the breeder) and let it have a lie down and take in what has happened.
This may well be the first time that the pup has been away from its family, so it may be a bit stressed and this may result in whimpering or crying. Whatever you do, ignore this behaviour and rather offer the pup a delicious chew bone to distract it. If you give into the crying/whining and go and pick up the pup, the pup has just successfully managed the first part in ‘people training’! Ignoring the pup will set a precedent for settling down quietly and calmly and learning that whining, crying, barking etc doesn’t work. Because a pup is so cute and cuddly, we seem to get into the habit of continually being with it and picking it up. Just remember that you are now training your pup to expect that particular behaviour from you! This will just make it harder for the pup to learn to be alone at a later stage; rather teach the pup the appropriate behaviour as it first comes home.
We do suggest that for the first few days, do make use of the FOTD Dog Behaviour Spray, to help the pup adjust, and this will also help other dogs in the family as well - this is only after the initial introductions have been made and the pup brought home. (https://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/dog-behaviour-sprays.html).
When the pup wakes up again, pick it up and take it outside to the chosen toilet site and again reward the elimination behaviour. Now bring the pup into the area where the family is and begin the introductions and start to get the pup used to it name. This can be an overwhelming experience for a pup, so doing slowly, and one person at a time with a break in-between is the best option.
The same applies if you need to go to the shops or out for a while – after habituating the pup to its crate/safe area (and after having taken it to the toilet) with some chew toys to keep it busy. Dr. Ian Dunbar, the eminent veterinarian and behaviourist and founder of Sirius Puppy Training, advocates that all pups should become ‘Chewaholics”. This makes for the pup only chewing legal items and is a wonderful way to entertain your pup as well as safeguard the furniture! Once the pup gets used to being left for a few minutes, you can gradually extend the time period the puppy is left alone, remembering that as soon as it wakens, it must be taken immediately to the elimination area.
A short time before bedtime, spend some time playing with the pup in order to tire it a bit (a tired dog is normally a good dog!) and then last thing at night, take the pup out to the toilet and then pop it in its crate. We find that it is best to keep the pup in its crate on the floor, next to owner in the bedroom. A good idea is to put in a hot water bottle with warm water in it and cover this with the blanket brought back from the breeder if it is cold. Do be careful not to let the pup get either cold, or too hot – remember they have fur, not skin.
If the pup cries during the night, take it out to the toilet and then pop it back in with a nice chew bone, and do not interact more than this with the pup. To do so would encourage the pup to cry and look for attention. If it continues crying, try covering the crate with a blanket and leave it. If the crying continues move the crate to another room and then take the pup out about once every hour and a half (an eight-week pup normally eliminates between every hour and a half to every three hours). Using the crate in this manner, the average is that the majority of pups are toilet trained in a few days and will go through the night fairly quickly, as long as you take them as late as possible and first thing in the morning, even going to bed later or getting up earlier than usual.
When taking the pup to eliminate during the night or in the morning, carry him so that he cannot have a mistake – the sphincter muscle is still under developed and the pup will have virtually no control when the urge to eliminate occurs. The more persistent you are in implementing this routine, the quicker the pup will be trained. It is a lot of work but well worth the effort. The majority of pups go through the night (from about 11p.m. to 6a.m. by the third day) and we believe this is due to crate training and consistency on owner’s part.
If you have not stopped off at the vet for a check-up before bringing the pup home, do take your pup to the vet as soon as possible, especially if brought from anywhere other than a reputable breeder. This will give you the peace of mind that a full medical has been carried out and lower the chance of disease, fleas, worms etc, being spread.
Your vet may suggest changing the food to another brand, however we do believe it is better to use the food the breeder has been feeding for the first week or two or until the pup has settled and its normal elimination pattern and consistency of the stools is known. After that start changing the food to the one the vet has recommended. When changing food (even with an adult dog), do it slowly by substituting a little of the new food daily and gradually change it over a period of a week or so. When we say a little, we mean about 1 Teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon at a time. With a puppy go very slowly and this can even take up to two weeks to change food. Doing it this way allows the time to see if the pup is having any reaction to the new food. If the pup shows any change in tummy motions, does not want to eat or shows any listlessness, don’t increase the new food; keep the proportions constant for the day. If the tummy does not settle, or gets worse, contact your vet immediately. Pups are very susceptible to tummy problems and illness and getting your pup to the vet as soon as possible is very important. If your pup is showing any other signs of not being happy, then maybe an illness is brewing – don’t’ take a chance, phone the vet and take the pup through if necessary.
Bringing in the above will allow you to put into place the behaviour you want from your pup for it to become a well-mannered, well behaved and well-loved member of your family and, together with some of the articles mentioned above, will pave the way for success.
What is so important is that you make all the new experiences your pup is going to have pleasant ones – you do this by management.
It is very doubtful that your pup would remember what you fed him yesterday, but if you were to ask him where he was when a child pounced on him without warning – it he could speak, he would tell you exactly where he was and what the circumstances were!
If we relate this to humans, if I asked you what you were doing at this time, last week, unless it was a major event, the odds are, that off-hand, without checking your diary, you would not have the foggiest idea.
However, those of you who were around when JFK was assassinated, would remember exactly what you were doing and where you were, when it occurred. A more recent example was the Twin Towers – nearly everybody can remember what they were doing, where they were, and the unbelievable shock we felt as we saw those planes flying into the Twin Towers and the devastation that followed.
Dogs are no different at remembering stressful events – this is called’ One Event Learning’ or ‘Single Event Learning’ and if the pup does get a big fright, and he is not helped over this, each and every time, he encounters the same scenario, the fear will occur again, and normally increases.
If this does happen to your pup, get professional help as soon as possible.
2 Pups and fear behaviour
If your pup does exhibit fear over something you may think is silly, or it has seen before - just remember that fear is a strong emotional response to what the pup perceives as something being a threat - it's fear is very real - and this normal emotion cal trigger the flight or flee response.
When your pup is fearful, you will see the changes in its body position, and based on what you have already learnt about Dog Language, the pup's ears may go back, it's tail may go between the legs, it may try to escape from perceived threat etc. If the pup reacts with aggression (which is also normal - it sees something as a threat and is trying to protect itself and drive the threat away), the pup may growl, bark, pilo erection may occur, and mostly the ears become flattened against the head.
The most important thing is to try and avoid situations that could prove fearful for a pup, such as a child, or a few kids virtually jumping on your pup, or picking it up badly and it gets a fright. Interestingly enough, fear of children was a common fear that pups brought with them to puppy school. The most common occurrence was kids hurting a pup when picking up, and on occasion dropping the pup. If you see a child running towards your pup, just step in front of the pup, put up your hand to the child, and tell them to come slowly and gently say hello to your pup. If the child is going to pick up the pup, then under your strict supervision. We have some notes further on regarding children and dogs.
If the pup does react to a loud noise, for example, the last thing you will do is to pamper the pup, pick it up, cuddle it etc. To do this actually has the opposite effect, the pup will think that you are scared as well! By the same token, you never punish a pup for being fearful - again, you will only reinforce the fear and possible hurt your bond with the pup, where it starts to become fearful of you.
Rather, laugh, joke, throw a ball or something to divert the pup’s attention onto something else and act as if what happened is no big deal. If the fear continues, please do get professional help. Fear increases unless helped, especially One Event Learning.
3.The first few days
You have got a totally ‘blank slate’ in front of you, so now is the time to mold the pup for life and what you do, or don’t do, in the first few days will make a huge difference. It is much easier to teach the behaviour you do want, rather than change the behaviour you don’t want at a later stage! So often one comes across people that would never dream of letting their dogs on the furniture, totally changing when the pup comes home, and then lo and behold, a pattern has been set and a new habit successfully taught by you.
When you bring the pup home, immediately take it to the place that is going to be its toilet area and see if it wants to relieve itself. There are notes on toilet training, but do remember to verbally praise the pup and bring in a cue to associate with toilet, such as ‘wee, wee’ ‘hurry ups’ etc. You can choose the place you want the pup to eliminate in, and always take it there – this sets up a good habit for life and keeps other areas of the garden clean.
Then take the pup straight to the area you have chosen for it to sleep and be safe in, and make sure there is clean fresh water as it will be thirsty after the drive. Have some nice chew toys such as a Busy Buddy or Kong for the pup to chew on, as well as a soft cuddly blanket for it to cuddle up in (or the one you brought back from the breeder) and let it have a lie down and take in what has happened.
This may well be the first time that the pup has been away from its family, so it may be a bit stressed and this may result in whimpering or crying. Whatever you do, ignore this behaviour and rather offer the pup a delicious chew bone to distract it. If you give into the crying/whining and go and pick up the pup, the pup has just successfully managed the first part in ‘people training’! Ignoring the pup will set a precedent for settling down quietly and calmly and learning that whining, crying, barking etc doesn’t work. Because a pup is so cute and cuddly, we seem to get into the habit of continually being with it and picking it up. Just remember that you are now training your pup to expect that particular behaviour from you! This will just make it harder for the pup to learn to be alone at a later stage; rather teach the pup the appropriate behaviour as it first comes home.
We do suggest that for the first few days, do make use of the FOTD Dog Behaviour Spray, to help the pup adjust, and this will also help other dogs in the family as well - this is only after the initial introductions have been made and the pup brought home. (https://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/dog-behaviour-sprays.html).
When the pup wakes up again, pick it up and take it outside to the chosen toilet site and again reward the elimination behaviour. Now bring the pup into the area where the family is and begin the introductions and start to get the pup used to it name. This can be an overwhelming experience for a pup, so doing slowly, and one person at a time with a break in-between is the best option.
The same applies if you need to go to the shops or out for a while – after habituating the pup to its crate/safe area (and after having taken it to the toilet) with some chew toys to keep it busy. Dr. Ian Dunbar, the eminent veterinarian and behaviourist and founder of Sirius Puppy Training, advocates that all pups should become ‘Chewaholics”. This makes for the pup only chewing legal items and is a wonderful way to entertain your pup as well as safeguard the furniture! Once the pup gets used to being left for a few minutes, you can gradually extend the time period the puppy is left alone, remembering that as soon as it wakens, it must be taken immediately to the elimination area.
A short time before bedtime, spend some time playing with the pup in order to tire it a bit (a tired dog is normally a good dog!) and then last thing at night, take the pup out to the toilet and then pop it in its crate. We find that it is best to keep the pup in its crate on the floor, next to owner in the bedroom. A good idea is to put in a hot water bottle with warm water in it and cover this with the blanket brought back from the breeder if it is cold. Do be careful not to let the pup get either cold, or too hot – remember they have fur, not skin.
If the pup cries during the night, take it out to the toilet and then pop it back in with a nice chew bone, and do not interact more than this with the pup. To do so would encourage the pup to cry and look for attention. If it continues crying, try covering the crate with a blanket and leave it. If the crying continues move the crate to another room and then take the pup out about once every hour and a half (an eight-week pup normally eliminates between every hour and a half to every three hours). Using the crate in this manner, the average is that the majority of pups are toilet trained in a few days and will go through the night fairly quickly, as long as you take them as late as possible and first thing in the morning, even going to bed later or getting up earlier than usual.
When taking the pup to eliminate during the night or in the morning, carry him so that he cannot have a mistake – the sphincter muscle is still under developed and the pup will have virtually no control when the urge to eliminate occurs. The more persistent you are in implementing this routine, the quicker the pup will be trained. It is a lot of work but well worth the effort. The majority of pups go through the night (from about 11p.m. to 6a.m. by the third day) and we believe this is due to crate training and consistency on owner’s part.
If you have not stopped off at the vet for a check-up before bringing the pup home, do take your pup to the vet as soon as possible, especially if brought from anywhere other than a reputable breeder. This will give you the peace of mind that a full medical has been carried out and lower the chance of disease, fleas, worms etc, being spread.
Your vet may suggest changing the food to another brand, however we do believe it is better to use the food the breeder has been feeding for the first week or two or until the pup has settled and its normal elimination pattern and consistency of the stools is known. After that start changing the food to the one the vet has recommended. When changing food (even with an adult dog), do it slowly by substituting a little of the new food daily and gradually change it over a period of a week or so. When we say a little, we mean about 1 Teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon at a time. With a puppy go very slowly and this can even take up to two weeks to change food. Doing it this way allows the time to see if the pup is having any reaction to the new food. If the pup shows any change in tummy motions, does not want to eat or shows any listlessness, don’t increase the new food; keep the proportions constant for the day. If the tummy does not settle, or gets worse, contact your vet immediately. Pups are very susceptible to tummy problems and illness and getting your pup to the vet as soon as possible is very important. If your pup is showing any other signs of not being happy, then maybe an illness is brewing – don’t’ take a chance, phone the vet and take the pup through if necessary.
Bringing in the above will allow you to put into place the behaviour you want from your pup for it to become a well-mannered, well behaved and well-loved member of your family and, together with some of the articles mentioned above, will pave the way for success.
4.Toilet Training
We refer to this as toilet training as opposed to house training as you can train the pup to go to the area you choose, not just in the home.
The act of eliminating is totally normal and what we, as owners dislike, is when the puppy performs in inappropriate places (to us at least). Toilet training is very quickly and easily accomplished simply by praising and treating your pup every time he/she performs the behaviour. A cue such as ‘wee-wee’ or ‘hurry-ups’ can be paired with the action which will make your life even easier.
The use of a crate for toilet training makes this a much quicker exercise to master as you are controlling the situation a lot of the time, especially at night. What has to be remembered is that WE have to be present in order to ensure that the pup learns, and we achieve this by showing the pup what we expect, in the place we expect it and praising every single time.
The following does sound like hard work, but all it entails is taking time and being consistent and in no time at all you will have a toilet trained puppy – what you do have to remember is that if you leave the pup to wander around unsupervised, you will have accidents, the pup simply can’t train itself, you have to be there to supervise.
Where toilet training is concerned, the most important factor is timing. For this we need to be aware of the normal times a puppy will eliminate and simply bring in the training at the appropriate time. On average, puppies will eliminate within about thirty - sixty seconds of waking up and the defecation usually takes place a couple of minutes after that. To make life easier, wake up the puppy yourself when you see it begin to stir. Pick it up (avoids accidents) and take it to the designated place, remembering to praise as soon as the behaviour has been performed and pairing the new cue of ‘wee-wee/hurry ups’’ etc with it. Not only will the puppy start to go to the place you require, you are developing an excellent habit of going to the elimination place on waking up. Carry the treat in your hand or pocket as opposed to a moon bag. It is not unusual where clients who always used a moon bag to carry food around in and it ended up that the dog would only eliminate when owner wearing the moon bag – it associated the treats from coming from there!
A puppy’s bladder has a capacity of approximately 75 minutes at eight weeks, ninety minutes at approximately 12 weeks and in the region of two hours at eighteen weeks. Therefore, if you take the puppy to eliminate every hour on the hour, and after playing, after eating and after sleeping, you are well on the way to successful toilet training. Knowing that your puppy is likely to eliminate at these specific times allows you to get your puppy to his/her spot, and most importantly allows you to praise and treat every time it happens.
Teaching your pup to eliminate in one specific place also ensures that the pup does not eliminate all over the garden and especially in areas where children play. Dogs are extremely bright animals and will happily perform behaviours especially when they know that they will be treated and praised afterwards. Another indicator that your puppy may need to eliminate is if he/she starts to smell the ground and walk in circles. This may sound like a lot of work, but they really do learn very quickly and the rewards to us, as their guardians, are having a house that doesn’t smell like dog pee, being able to take our dogs with us on holiday and a much better relationship with our dogs.
What to do when your puppy has an accident and performs in the house. First, determine why the accident happened. Did you forget to take him/her out after playing? Was the play a bit rougher than usual and the puppy got unduly excited etc? When you are following a toilet training routine as explained above, there are very seldom accidents, but if they do occur, examine why so that you can prevent the same thing from happening in future.
Pups that have been kept in a pen at pet shops are normally harder to house train as they have been forced to soil their living area. We believe that this has a bigger effect on pups than we imagine and causes stress. With these types of pup’s, we would recommend crate training (restricted to sleeping area only) in order to control the situation and owner would be even more observant as to when the pup is about to eliminate and ensure that the pup is being watched 100% of the time. Initially, the owner goes totally overboard with praise and gives several ‘jackpots’ (a few treats at a time with lots of praise) to encourage the re-occurrence of this behaviour.
If you see the pup about to ‘squat’ to perform, pick it up quickly (as already mentioned this will cause the sphincter nerves to contract and take it immediately to the toilet area. Put it down in the appropriate place, and wait till it performs, praise lavishly.
The one thing you do not do if your puppy does have an accident, is shout or perform, rub its nose in it or anything along those lines. Rather take a newspaper and hit yourself over the head for not realizing that the pup needed to eliminate in the first place! The area that has been marked needs to be cleaned as soon as possible. Do not use any household cleaning products as they often contain pine scent, chlorine or ammonia, and although they may smell good to us, to a dog it makes the area smell even more like a toilet. Instead rather use one of the pet stain removers or simply use a mixture of one third white vinegar to two thirds water. Whatever method used, ensure that it is cleaned several times. A dog has a far superior olfactory sense than we do and if it smells the marking, the outcome will be that it continues to use the place as an inside toilet. Make sure that the mixture will not stain your carpets or surfaces first. Once the area has been cleaned thoroughly, a few drops of pure Citronella oil can be applied - these tends to keep pups/dogs away from this area.
Another aspect of toilet training that many owners do not think about, is training their pups to eliminate in one place. We can choose a place that is away from the front door which will eliminate the sight and smell of stools as well as the possibility of them being trodden on and
traipsed around the garden and back into the house. This will keep the rest of the garden clean for children.
Stools should be removed at least twice a day. This is for several reasons – dogs do not like their toilet areas to be full of stools and if they are, they will simply start ‘spreading their stools around’ – picking them up will encourage the dog to eliminate in that area again - the likelihood of disease from worm infestation is reduced, as is the possibility of female flies laying their eggs in dry stools thereby giving raise to further disease. It will also prevent any other dogs eating the stools or even the puppy itself.
We refer to this as toilet training as opposed to house training as you can train the pup to go to the area you choose, not just in the home.
The act of eliminating is totally normal and what we, as owners dislike, is when the puppy performs in inappropriate places (to us at least). Toilet training is very quickly and easily accomplished simply by praising and treating your pup every time he/she performs the behaviour. A cue such as ‘wee-wee’ or ‘hurry-ups’ can be paired with the action which will make your life even easier.
The use of a crate for toilet training makes this a much quicker exercise to master as you are controlling the situation a lot of the time, especially at night. What has to be remembered is that WE have to be present in order to ensure that the pup learns, and we achieve this by showing the pup what we expect, in the place we expect it and praising every single time.
The following does sound like hard work, but all it entails is taking time and being consistent and in no time at all you will have a toilet trained puppy – what you do have to remember is that if you leave the pup to wander around unsupervised, you will have accidents, the pup simply can’t train itself, you have to be there to supervise.
Where toilet training is concerned, the most important factor is timing. For this we need to be aware of the normal times a puppy will eliminate and simply bring in the training at the appropriate time. On average, puppies will eliminate within about thirty - sixty seconds of waking up and the defecation usually takes place a couple of minutes after that. To make life easier, wake up the puppy yourself when you see it begin to stir. Pick it up (avoids accidents) and take it to the designated place, remembering to praise as soon as the behaviour has been performed and pairing the new cue of ‘wee-wee/hurry ups’’ etc with it. Not only will the puppy start to go to the place you require, you are developing an excellent habit of going to the elimination place on waking up. Carry the treat in your hand or pocket as opposed to a moon bag. It is not unusual where clients who always used a moon bag to carry food around in and it ended up that the dog would only eliminate when owner wearing the moon bag – it associated the treats from coming from there!
A puppy’s bladder has a capacity of approximately 75 minutes at eight weeks, ninety minutes at approximately 12 weeks and in the region of two hours at eighteen weeks. Therefore, if you take the puppy to eliminate every hour on the hour, and after playing, after eating and after sleeping, you are well on the way to successful toilet training. Knowing that your puppy is likely to eliminate at these specific times allows you to get your puppy to his/her spot, and most importantly allows you to praise and treat every time it happens.
Teaching your pup to eliminate in one specific place also ensures that the pup does not eliminate all over the garden and especially in areas where children play. Dogs are extremely bright animals and will happily perform behaviours especially when they know that they will be treated and praised afterwards. Another indicator that your puppy may need to eliminate is if he/she starts to smell the ground and walk in circles. This may sound like a lot of work, but they really do learn very quickly and the rewards to us, as their guardians, are having a house that doesn’t smell like dog pee, being able to take our dogs with us on holiday and a much better relationship with our dogs.
What to do when your puppy has an accident and performs in the house. First, determine why the accident happened. Did you forget to take him/her out after playing? Was the play a bit rougher than usual and the puppy got unduly excited etc? When you are following a toilet training routine as explained above, there are very seldom accidents, but if they do occur, examine why so that you can prevent the same thing from happening in future.
Pups that have been kept in a pen at pet shops are normally harder to house train as they have been forced to soil their living area. We believe that this has a bigger effect on pups than we imagine and causes stress. With these types of pup’s, we would recommend crate training (restricted to sleeping area only) in order to control the situation and owner would be even more observant as to when the pup is about to eliminate and ensure that the pup is being watched 100% of the time. Initially, the owner goes totally overboard with praise and gives several ‘jackpots’ (a few treats at a time with lots of praise) to encourage the re-occurrence of this behaviour.
If you see the pup about to ‘squat’ to perform, pick it up quickly (as already mentioned this will cause the sphincter nerves to contract and take it immediately to the toilet area. Put it down in the appropriate place, and wait till it performs, praise lavishly.
The one thing you do not do if your puppy does have an accident, is shout or perform, rub its nose in it or anything along those lines. Rather take a newspaper and hit yourself over the head for not realizing that the pup needed to eliminate in the first place! The area that has been marked needs to be cleaned as soon as possible. Do not use any household cleaning products as they often contain pine scent, chlorine or ammonia, and although they may smell good to us, to a dog it makes the area smell even more like a toilet. Instead rather use one of the pet stain removers or simply use a mixture of one third white vinegar to two thirds water. Whatever method used, ensure that it is cleaned several times. A dog has a far superior olfactory sense than we do and if it smells the marking, the outcome will be that it continues to use the place as an inside toilet. Make sure that the mixture will not stain your carpets or surfaces first. Once the area has been cleaned thoroughly, a few drops of pure Citronella oil can be applied - these tends to keep pups/dogs away from this area.
Another aspect of toilet training that many owners do not think about, is training their pups to eliminate in one place. We can choose a place that is away from the front door which will eliminate the sight and smell of stools as well as the possibility of them being trodden on and
traipsed around the garden and back into the house. This will keep the rest of the garden clean for children.
Stools should be removed at least twice a day. This is for several reasons – dogs do not like their toilet areas to be full of stools and if they are, they will simply start ‘spreading their stools around’ – picking them up will encourage the dog to eliminate in that area again - the likelihood of disease from worm infestation is reduced, as is the possibility of female flies laying their eggs in dry stools thereby giving raise to further disease. It will also prevent any other dogs eating the stools or even the puppy itself.
5. Feeding Pups
Diet is extremely important as not only does it affect a dog’s health it has also been proven to influence a dog’s behaviour, which many pet owners are not aware of.
The word ‘pet food’ is misleading, as this term denotes too many owners that we are being offered something which is wholesome and nutritious and contains all the necessary vitamins etc for our dog’s well-being. In fact, due to the ingredients that are put into some dog food, this can far from being correct, if not using a top-quality product. Many of the cheaper foods contain inferior ingredients, preservatives and colouring. It is now known that preservatives and colourings can have an effect on both human and canine behaviour.
We personally, prefer a high quality raw dog food, such as Pin Oaks (www.pinoakskennels.co.za) or Simply Pets (www.simplypets.co.za, however, this is not for everybody. If you do decide to go this route, only purchase raw food that has been registered by the Department of Agriculture and it will have a V number – there should be one V number per product.
Always try to give our pup the best dog food you can afford, especially for the 1st year of your pup’s life (small breed) and 18 months of age in larger breeds. During this period of time there are major changes taking place in the skeleton, and providing a good quality food ensures that the pup will develop at the correct rate, neither too fast or too slowly, and cuts down on the possibility of any skeletal abnormalities developing.
Purchasing an economy food can result in the pup receiving poorer grade ingredients with less digestibility, which means that a lot of the food passes through their systems without being absorbed – in addition to not providing the nutrition required, this results in the dog needing more food and producing larger stools. If feeding a good quality food, the pup will not need to eat as much, and there will be less stools for you to pick up. We also find on the better-quality foods (especially raw) that there is a lot less (often none) flatulence. Think of this from a human point of view – if something that causes gas every time you eat it, is it agreeing with your body?
Never feed a pup or dog cat food, it has far too high a protein level as well as ash which is believed to cause urinary tract problems. If your pup does get hold of cat food, you don’t have to rush to the vet. Having it on the odd occasion will not cause harm; it is when the pup is having cat food on a regular basis that problems occur.
The majority of tinned foods are made up of approximately 75% water - there are some exceptions, and these are normally the vet branded tinned food, otherwise that is what you are paying for! The balanced formulation consists of a meat base and meat by-products, balanced by grain, mineral and vitamin supplements. In addition, it is in the region of three times more expensive than dry food. Dogs were genetically designed to chew, so unless your dog has a physical problem, such as no teeth or recovering from ill health, a dog should eat raw or kibble. You should always consult your vet as to which brand and type would be best for your pup. Most vets are extremely thorough when you bring in your pup for the first time and take additional time to ensure that you get all the advice you need. They are more than happy to advise and guide you as to what suits your pup best. Most vets still recommend kibble, thankfully, as more knowledge is gained on the effect of grains etc, on dog’s health, this view is slowly changing - especially as there are now vets with excellent nutrition knowledge that are recommending a good quality raw food that is in line with what dogs are meant to eat in nature. Many vets are now suggesting kibble products without grain, which is a step in the right direction, and will benefit the pup’s health.
What should be remembered about the amounts suggested on the back of dog food packages, is that these are guidelines only – depending on the pup’s activity levels these may need to be changed and discuss same with your vet. Scotty knew a lady who used to breed Border collies. Her dogs were always in mint condition – neither too fat nor too thin, shiny coats, bright eyes etc. When Scotty asked her what her formula for maintaining this peak condition was. Instead of receiving the scientific explanation she expected, she replied “when they start looking fat, I cut the food – when they start looking thin, I up the food”. Well, so much for scientific explanations, but it makes perfect sense and a good practice to follow.
The majority of food manufactures have a brand especially for puppies which is often broken down into large and small breeds. Choose specifically for your own pup, as the large breed puppy food may well have different levels of protein, calcium and phosphorus levels than for smaller breeds.
Many people ask if they should give their pups milk in addition to dog food and the answer to that is no. You will find that the majority of pups (and dogs) love milk but giving same to them is not recommended at all, as these products are lactose-based. Lactose is a type of sugar which cannot be digested by dogs. This can lead to a build-up of mucus (which can be seen by examining the stool which may look as if it has a slimy coating on it) and possibly diarrhoea.
Don’t feed your dog table scraps etc especially from the table, this is one sure way to end up with a dog that begs and demands food. Also, table scraps are usually higher in calories, are not fortified with vitamins, minerals and amino acids, and are certainly not balanced. They could cause diarrhoea, or other intestinal problems. If you are determined to give your pup leftovers from the family meal, then put them in the fridge and add them to the food at mealtime, or, alternatively use them as ‘jackpot’ treats. The very worst thing you can do is to overfeed your puppy. To have a fat pup is an indication of problems in adulthood - allergies, dysplasia, liver, heart problems etc. There is a long list of foods that can be harmful to dogs such as onions, chocolate etc and as it is so long, we suggest that you get onto Internet and Google it. Two of the worst culprits, where accidental consumption often occurs, are chocolate and Xylitol poisoning.
Have a set routine for the pup. This will allow the pup to feel more secure as it knows when food will arrive, and it will make life a lot easier for toilet training. After eating allow your pup to go to the toilet and then to have a sleep or settle it down with a chewy. Don’t play or engage in exercise until about an hour has passed. As with grown dogs this can result in severe tummy upsets or even torsion.
Here is a rough guideline on feeding pups, but do discuss same with their own vet, as pups are so individual: -
When the pup reaches the 6-month period and 2 meals per day are supplied, this should be kept in place the rest of the dog’s life. Feeding twice a day helps to balance sugar levels and additionally gives the dog something to look forward too.
Our own opinion, is that apart from practicing giving food out of a bowl to prevent resource guarding, every other piece of food should be either be given by hand to really cement the association that people are good things to have around, used for training exercises, and the balance of the food should be slightly moistened and stuffed into a Kong or similar toy (first with the tiniest smear of honey in it which is anti-bacterial) and given to the puppy at the approximate feeding times. We speak more about this in a later section.
Diet is extremely important as not only does it affect a dog’s health it has also been proven to influence a dog’s behaviour, which many pet owners are not aware of.
The word ‘pet food’ is misleading, as this term denotes too many owners that we are being offered something which is wholesome and nutritious and contains all the necessary vitamins etc for our dog’s well-being. In fact, due to the ingredients that are put into some dog food, this can far from being correct, if not using a top-quality product. Many of the cheaper foods contain inferior ingredients, preservatives and colouring. It is now known that preservatives and colourings can have an effect on both human and canine behaviour.
We personally, prefer a high quality raw dog food, such as Pin Oaks (www.pinoakskennels.co.za) or Simply Pets (www.simplypets.co.za, however, this is not for everybody. If you do decide to go this route, only purchase raw food that has been registered by the Department of Agriculture and it will have a V number – there should be one V number per product.
Always try to give our pup the best dog food you can afford, especially for the 1st year of your pup’s life (small breed) and 18 months of age in larger breeds. During this period of time there are major changes taking place in the skeleton, and providing a good quality food ensures that the pup will develop at the correct rate, neither too fast or too slowly, and cuts down on the possibility of any skeletal abnormalities developing.
Purchasing an economy food can result in the pup receiving poorer grade ingredients with less digestibility, which means that a lot of the food passes through their systems without being absorbed – in addition to not providing the nutrition required, this results in the dog needing more food and producing larger stools. If feeding a good quality food, the pup will not need to eat as much, and there will be less stools for you to pick up. We also find on the better-quality foods (especially raw) that there is a lot less (often none) flatulence. Think of this from a human point of view – if something that causes gas every time you eat it, is it agreeing with your body?
Never feed a pup or dog cat food, it has far too high a protein level as well as ash which is believed to cause urinary tract problems. If your pup does get hold of cat food, you don’t have to rush to the vet. Having it on the odd occasion will not cause harm; it is when the pup is having cat food on a regular basis that problems occur.
The majority of tinned foods are made up of approximately 75% water - there are some exceptions, and these are normally the vet branded tinned food, otherwise that is what you are paying for! The balanced formulation consists of a meat base and meat by-products, balanced by grain, mineral and vitamin supplements. In addition, it is in the region of three times more expensive than dry food. Dogs were genetically designed to chew, so unless your dog has a physical problem, such as no teeth or recovering from ill health, a dog should eat raw or kibble. You should always consult your vet as to which brand and type would be best for your pup. Most vets are extremely thorough when you bring in your pup for the first time and take additional time to ensure that you get all the advice you need. They are more than happy to advise and guide you as to what suits your pup best. Most vets still recommend kibble, thankfully, as more knowledge is gained on the effect of grains etc, on dog’s health, this view is slowly changing - especially as there are now vets with excellent nutrition knowledge that are recommending a good quality raw food that is in line with what dogs are meant to eat in nature. Many vets are now suggesting kibble products without grain, which is a step in the right direction, and will benefit the pup’s health.
What should be remembered about the amounts suggested on the back of dog food packages, is that these are guidelines only – depending on the pup’s activity levels these may need to be changed and discuss same with your vet. Scotty knew a lady who used to breed Border collies. Her dogs were always in mint condition – neither too fat nor too thin, shiny coats, bright eyes etc. When Scotty asked her what her formula for maintaining this peak condition was. Instead of receiving the scientific explanation she expected, she replied “when they start looking fat, I cut the food – when they start looking thin, I up the food”. Well, so much for scientific explanations, but it makes perfect sense and a good practice to follow.
The majority of food manufactures have a brand especially for puppies which is often broken down into large and small breeds. Choose specifically for your own pup, as the large breed puppy food may well have different levels of protein, calcium and phosphorus levels than for smaller breeds.
Many people ask if they should give their pups milk in addition to dog food and the answer to that is no. You will find that the majority of pups (and dogs) love milk but giving same to them is not recommended at all, as these products are lactose-based. Lactose is a type of sugar which cannot be digested by dogs. This can lead to a build-up of mucus (which can be seen by examining the stool which may look as if it has a slimy coating on it) and possibly diarrhoea.
Don’t feed your dog table scraps etc especially from the table, this is one sure way to end up with a dog that begs and demands food. Also, table scraps are usually higher in calories, are not fortified with vitamins, minerals and amino acids, and are certainly not balanced. They could cause diarrhoea, or other intestinal problems. If you are determined to give your pup leftovers from the family meal, then put them in the fridge and add them to the food at mealtime, or, alternatively use them as ‘jackpot’ treats. The very worst thing you can do is to overfeed your puppy. To have a fat pup is an indication of problems in adulthood - allergies, dysplasia, liver, heart problems etc. There is a long list of foods that can be harmful to dogs such as onions, chocolate etc and as it is so long, we suggest that you get onto Internet and Google it. Two of the worst culprits, where accidental consumption often occurs, are chocolate and Xylitol poisoning.
Have a set routine for the pup. This will allow the pup to feel more secure as it knows when food will arrive, and it will make life a lot easier for toilet training. After eating allow your pup to go to the toilet and then to have a sleep or settle it down with a chewy. Don’t play or engage in exercise until about an hour has passed. As with grown dogs this can result in severe tummy upsets or even torsion.
Here is a rough guideline on feeding pups, but do discuss same with their own vet, as pups are so individual: -
- 2-3 months of age: 4 meals per day
- 4-6 months of age: 2 – 3 meals per day
- 6 months and up - 2 meals per day.
When the pup reaches the 6-month period and 2 meals per day are supplied, this should be kept in place the rest of the dog’s life. Feeding twice a day helps to balance sugar levels and additionally gives the dog something to look forward too.
Our own opinion, is that apart from practicing giving food out of a bowl to prevent resource guarding, every other piece of food should be either be given by hand to really cement the association that people are good things to have around, used for training exercises, and the balance of the food should be slightly moistened and stuffed into a Kong or similar toy (first with the tiniest smear of honey in it which is anti-bacterial) and given to the puppy at the approximate feeding times. We speak more about this in a later section.
6. Pups crying at night
The pup has spent all its short life with its mom and other pups and now suddenly it is expected to sleep in a strange place alone – no wonder they cry! Also remember that a pup alone in the wild would naturally call for the rest of its pack, so the behaviour of crying is totally normal.
As you will have realized by now, we work very much on the premise that prevention is better than cure, so here is what we suggest: -
The pup has spent all its short life with its mom and other pups and now suddenly it is expected to sleep in a strange place alone – no wonder they cry! Also remember that a pup alone in the wild would naturally call for the rest of its pack, so the behaviour of crying is totally normal.
As you will have realized by now, we work very much on the premise that prevention is better than cure, so here is what we suggest: -
- Either have a crate next to the bed or a box the pup can go in. The benefits of crate training are huge, and this is another instance where a crate will help.
- Put in a cosy blanket in it and either a stuffed toy (be careful of eye’s which can come out, plastic noses etc) in the shape of a dog or teddy bear and just under this a hot water bottle. Nowadays you can buy a teddy bear with an opening in it for inserting a hot water bottle if the weather is cool or cold – these are perfect. We would suggest putting one drop of Lavender oil on the back of the teddy bear – furthest away from the pup or even better spray in some FOTD Dog Behaviour Spray – General Anxiety (https://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/dog-behaviour-sprays.html). Just remember that the pup has a fur coat, you don’t want it to be too hot, or cold, so a hot water blanket in summer would be too much.
- Place a clock close by the crate/box. This mimics the sound of a heart beating.
- Have a large towel at hand to pop over the crate in the event the pup cries.
- Have a really nice chew bone (or two), stuffed as mentioned, available close by.
- As late as possible in the evening, play with the pup, then take it out to eliminate and as you are going to bed, pop the pup inside with its chew bone.
- If the pup cries when put inside the crate, just ignore it. You know it has just been to the toilet, so the chances of needing to go again have been rules out.
- If the crying continues, no interaction with the pup, and pop the towel over the top of the crate. This often helps a pup to settle.
- If the crying still carries on, rather than give in and comfort the pup, move the crate further away from the bed. If you give in to the crying, all you are doing is to re-enforce the behaviour of crying - the pup will eventually stop.
- If the pup wakes up during the night, carry it to the toilet, then pop it back into the crate and repeat as above – makes sure stuffed toy has some food in it, and that the pup is neither too hot or too cold, and repeat as above. If the weather is cold, you can top up the hot water bottle.
7. Furniture
When it comes to whether a dog is allowed on furniture and beds, it is very much one of personal choice. For example, our own dogs are allowed on the couches and bed, but only by invitation.
If the dog is not going to be allowed onto the furniture when older, simply keep it off right from the beginning and supply a bed or area where the dog can lie down on, in the same area (lounge or bedroom for example) as the family. If the pup jumps up, without talking, gently pick it up and place on the floor. This is so very easy to do with a pup as we are putting in place the rules regarding furniture right from the beginning and absolutely no modifications are required – we just remove the pup.
When you do this, initially no talking at all - just pick up the pup and place on the floor. By doing this we are not giving additional attention to the pup by way of talking - we are just placing it on the floor and this indicates the behaviour we do want no praise if forthcoming.
If you have a situation whereby you have a multi dog household, we recommend that dogs sleep on the floor, as dogs on couches or beds, is an area where reactive behaviour can happen. When one dog is higher up than the other, it may well be reactive to the dog approaching it.
Additionally, another reason why reactive behaviour occurs is simply because the dog starts to regard the bed/couch etc as its own territory and resource guarding can become a factor.
The one area that really causes me concern is when there are young children in the family or visiting. If a dog is on a couch and a toddler approaches, its face may well be on the same level as the dog on the couch and a bite can occur.
8. Basic Care
In addition to the factors we are covering in more depth, such as grooming, sterilization, diet etc, do be aware of the following to keep your pup in optimum health: -
Elimination Patterns
Knowing your pup’s normal elimination patterns, will give you a signal that something may be brewing if the patterns go out of sync. Additionally, see what normal colour of urine is, and the colour and consistency of stools.
Daily Handling
We recommend owners to gently stroke all areas of their pups’ body daily, not just focusing on the areas that they like a good scratch. Look inside the pup’s mouth, in between their toes, feel down the legs, the areas of elimination etc – every part of your pup should be touched. By knowing your pups (and dogs) body intimately, you will very easily feel if any lumps and bumps appear and if not gone within 48 hours, do check with your vet. The number of dog’s lives that have been saved by early detection of suspicious lumps and bumps and the necessary steps to remove anything that could prove to affect the long-term health of the pup is enormous.
This also gets your pup used to being handled and touched in all areas and will make any future trips to the vet a lot less stressful for the pup.
Dental Care
Right from the beginning, get your pup used to having its teeth brushed daily. Think of how we would feel if we only brushed our teeth once a month or so! There are numerous You Tube videos on the internet that show you how to brush your pups’ teeth, but the most important factor is to make the association of same a pleasant experience for the puppy.
It is believed, according to US Vet journals and research, that at least 80% of dogs over four years of age will experience some form of gum disease. This can lead to irreversible damage to teeth and the organs of the body. Apart from this, the cost of the vet cleaning the teeth while the dog is under anaesthetic is not only very costly, and an anaesthetic comes with risks to the dog.
Ensure well balanced diet and that the pup is given the opportunity to chew – either weekly dental sticks which help to clean the teeth, or if you can supervise the pup – a raw femur bone. Not all vets are in favour of dogs having raw bones, so do check with you vet first. Your vet will also check your dogs’ teeth at the annual health check.
By the pup being used to its mouth being handled, it will be much easier for you to get out any items that have become lodged in the mouth, and the giving of pills and medication will be much easier.
Ears
Your pups’ ears should be clean and dry – there should be no odour or discharge – if there is, there could be an ear infection. If your pup is shaking its head, tilting its head to one side in-particular, or scratching, this could also indicate a problem in the ear. Ears are very delicate, and we do not recommend home care if it looks like something may be wrong – let the vet check and advise you rather.
Flea and Tick Control
There are always fleas and ticks around, so the majority of dogs will be exposed to them at some time. As with behaviour, prevention is always better than cure, so check with your vet as to when you can start applying monthly prevention treatment and follow their suggestions for the products to use. Another alternative is to research natural flea and tick prevention – most of these do work, but you have to be absolutely consistent and apply on a regular basis, as a treatment will not last as long as one of the commercial products – these normally last a month.
Medication
Many human medications, even aspirin and paracetamol, can be dangerous, even lethal to pups and dogs, so never use them – only give medication that has been supplied by your vet and ensure you complete the course – even if your pup seems to be better.
Worming
Your vet will advise you and may follow a slightly different protocol than suggested here – always go with your vets’ recommendations. On average, pups should receive de-worming every two weeks until 12 weeks of age, and then monthly until 6 months of age. Thereafter, deworming every 3 months on an on-going basis. Please note, that you do not wait until you see worms in the stools, as many as simply too small to be seen – as before, prevention is better than cure.
If your pup is scooting (rubbing its bottom on the floor), it could be to dislodge a bit of faecal, so do check to see if rear end is clean first. If no faecal matter and the pup is following a de-worming schedule in the correct manner, it could be that the pup’s anal glands need attention.
The majority of pups don’t have problems with anal glands, however, some pups may have overactive anal sacs that can cause an odour problem and may to have the anal glands expressed. Although there are countless articles on how to express anal glands, it is always the best option to have them expressed by the vet, as you could do it incorrectly and cause further problems. Impacted anal glands really be painful and infected.
When it comes to whether a dog is allowed on furniture and beds, it is very much one of personal choice. For example, our own dogs are allowed on the couches and bed, but only by invitation.
If the dog is not going to be allowed onto the furniture when older, simply keep it off right from the beginning and supply a bed or area where the dog can lie down on, in the same area (lounge or bedroom for example) as the family. If the pup jumps up, without talking, gently pick it up and place on the floor. This is so very easy to do with a pup as we are putting in place the rules regarding furniture right from the beginning and absolutely no modifications are required – we just remove the pup.
When you do this, initially no talking at all - just pick up the pup and place on the floor. By doing this we are not giving additional attention to the pup by way of talking - we are just placing it on the floor and this indicates the behaviour we do want no praise if forthcoming.
If you have a situation whereby you have a multi dog household, we recommend that dogs sleep on the floor, as dogs on couches or beds, is an area where reactive behaviour can happen. When one dog is higher up than the other, it may well be reactive to the dog approaching it.
Additionally, another reason why reactive behaviour occurs is simply because the dog starts to regard the bed/couch etc as its own territory and resource guarding can become a factor.
The one area that really causes me concern is when there are young children in the family or visiting. If a dog is on a couch and a toddler approaches, its face may well be on the same level as the dog on the couch and a bite can occur.
8. Basic Care
In addition to the factors we are covering in more depth, such as grooming, sterilization, diet etc, do be aware of the following to keep your pup in optimum health: -
Elimination Patterns
Knowing your pup’s normal elimination patterns, will give you a signal that something may be brewing if the patterns go out of sync. Additionally, see what normal colour of urine is, and the colour and consistency of stools.
Daily Handling
We recommend owners to gently stroke all areas of their pups’ body daily, not just focusing on the areas that they like a good scratch. Look inside the pup’s mouth, in between their toes, feel down the legs, the areas of elimination etc – every part of your pup should be touched. By knowing your pups (and dogs) body intimately, you will very easily feel if any lumps and bumps appear and if not gone within 48 hours, do check with your vet. The number of dog’s lives that have been saved by early detection of suspicious lumps and bumps and the necessary steps to remove anything that could prove to affect the long-term health of the pup is enormous.
This also gets your pup used to being handled and touched in all areas and will make any future trips to the vet a lot less stressful for the pup.
Dental Care
Right from the beginning, get your pup used to having its teeth brushed daily. Think of how we would feel if we only brushed our teeth once a month or so! There are numerous You Tube videos on the internet that show you how to brush your pups’ teeth, but the most important factor is to make the association of same a pleasant experience for the puppy.
It is believed, according to US Vet journals and research, that at least 80% of dogs over four years of age will experience some form of gum disease. This can lead to irreversible damage to teeth and the organs of the body. Apart from this, the cost of the vet cleaning the teeth while the dog is under anaesthetic is not only very costly, and an anaesthetic comes with risks to the dog.
Ensure well balanced diet and that the pup is given the opportunity to chew – either weekly dental sticks which help to clean the teeth, or if you can supervise the pup – a raw femur bone. Not all vets are in favour of dogs having raw bones, so do check with you vet first. Your vet will also check your dogs’ teeth at the annual health check.
By the pup being used to its mouth being handled, it will be much easier for you to get out any items that have become lodged in the mouth, and the giving of pills and medication will be much easier.
Ears
Your pups’ ears should be clean and dry – there should be no odour or discharge – if there is, there could be an ear infection. If your pup is shaking its head, tilting its head to one side in-particular, or scratching, this could also indicate a problem in the ear. Ears are very delicate, and we do not recommend home care if it looks like something may be wrong – let the vet check and advise you rather.
Flea and Tick Control
There are always fleas and ticks around, so the majority of dogs will be exposed to them at some time. As with behaviour, prevention is always better than cure, so check with your vet as to when you can start applying monthly prevention treatment and follow their suggestions for the products to use. Another alternative is to research natural flea and tick prevention – most of these do work, but you have to be absolutely consistent and apply on a regular basis, as a treatment will not last as long as one of the commercial products – these normally last a month.
Medication
Many human medications, even aspirin and paracetamol, can be dangerous, even lethal to pups and dogs, so never use them – only give medication that has been supplied by your vet and ensure you complete the course – even if your pup seems to be better.
Worming
Your vet will advise you and may follow a slightly different protocol than suggested here – always go with your vets’ recommendations. On average, pups should receive de-worming every two weeks until 12 weeks of age, and then monthly until 6 months of age. Thereafter, deworming every 3 months on an on-going basis. Please note, that you do not wait until you see worms in the stools, as many as simply too small to be seen – as before, prevention is better than cure.
If your pup is scooting (rubbing its bottom on the floor), it could be to dislodge a bit of faecal, so do check to see if rear end is clean first. If no faecal matter and the pup is following a de-worming schedule in the correct manner, it could be that the pup’s anal glands need attention.
The majority of pups don’t have problems with anal glands, however, some pups may have overactive anal sacs that can cause an odour problem and may to have the anal glands expressed. Although there are countless articles on how to express anal glands, it is always the best option to have them expressed by the vet, as you could do it incorrectly and cause further problems. Impacted anal glands really be painful and infected.
