Puppies Teeth

The first baby teeth to come in are the canine teeth. These are the longer teeth on each side in the front of their mouth, which erupt around 3 or 4 weeks of age.  The incisors, (tiny teeth in front) and the premolars, (larger side teeth), start coming in about 4 -6 weeks of age. The pups should have all their baby teeth by the age of 8 weeks, which total  28 baby teeth.

As most of you may know, puppy teeth are sharp as little needles when they are young. That is why people will start puppies on a gruel or mushy food about 3 weeks old. It makes life a little easier for the bitch, as the pups teeth will soon become uncomfortable for her. When this food is offered to the pups, it makes weaning the pups easier.

At or about 4 – 5 months old, the pups will begin shedding their baby teeth. By age 7 – 8 months, all the permanent incisors, canines, premolars and molars should be in. Most adult dog breeds have a total of 42 permanent teeth.

Puppy Teething

All puppies love to chew. They chew on things because it eases the discomfort of teething and they chew too, out of boredom. You may have noticed that the pups chew on or “mouth” each other. This is a form of playing with each other. When they are young it is natural for them to chew on things as they explore the new world. That’s just part of being a puppy and will continue as he grows and matures.

Although at a certain point in his life, he must learn, especially with his sharp teeth, that chewing on everything is not acceptable and must be taught to chew only on certain things like his toys and not to “nip” our hands or face. To train your pup to stop “nipping,” you can say the word, “no” in a stern voice and stop playing with him for a minute or two. He will learn over time, that you don’t like this ‘rough playing’ and will stop doing it.

I know that your first thought when the pup nips at your face or hands, would be to slap the pups mouth because it hurt you and you want to let the pup know that it hurt. This will only make matters worse. Hitting or slapping a pup or adult dog could lead to making him aggressive or even become hand shy, (meaning that if you raise your hand toward him, even if it’s to pet him, he will back up or cower down because he is afraid you might hit him).

This is why you need patience, time and love, to raise well-adjusted puppies that will do well when they go out into this big wide world, and not be afraid of anything or anybody.

Tips

For puppy teething, try giving your pup a large carrot to chew on to help relieve sore teething gums, or freeze a wet rope toy, as this would ease the pain of teething with a cooling effect on the gums.  Try freezing beef broth in ice cube trays and giving him one to chew on.  Also, puppy teething toys can be bought in Pet stores.

To help keep the pup (or adult dog), from getting bored, or from chewing on things he is not suppose to, let him have plenty of playtime and exercise.

Give the pup (and adult dog), plenty of safe toys to chew on. Never give him toys that pieces could be chewed off and swallowed. I found the safest toys for my dogs are Kong toys. Kong toys can also be filled with treats that could keep the dogs busy for hours, and they come in all sizes.

Always puppy proof your house. Keep electrical cords out of their reach. Basically – anything that doesn’t belong on the floor or in his reach should be picked up (pens, paperclips, pencils, TV remotes, garbage, medicine bottles, etc.), and use a baby gate  because this will keep him out of any area you don’t want him in.

How many times have your heard that one? It is especially hard to cut toenails if you can’t even hold his paw long enough.

To gain his trust

Start touching and rubbing the dogs feet at a very young age. This way he will be accustom to having his feet touch and you won’t have that problem. I have found that touching and rubbing the dogs feet and between the pads of his feet starting out at a very young age, will help out greatly as he gets older so I could hold his paw while cutting the toenails.

For dogs that are older and are not used to having their feet touched, slowly touch one of his paws and say good boy and give him a treat. Talk to him calmly and reassuringly while you rub his paw and give treats. Do this several times a day, touching only one of his paws. The next day try touching or rubbing another paw, as you give him his treats. This will take time, as it requires a great deal of trust from your dog and plenty of patience on your part.

Cutting nails

After you have gained his trust, you can introduce him to the toenail cutter or dremel. Have treats handy and give him several. Then you can try cutting the toenails on his foot. I suggest that when you start cutting the nails, you do it slowly and just cut a very small amount of nail off, and do it more often. This way you won’t cut to far down. If this happens, the dog remembers the pain associated with it and doesn’t want to cooperate as well. Remember to praise the dog when he holds still after cutting each nail. When you are all finished, make a big deal out of it. Give him hugs and treats and tell him he’s a good boy.

I’ve had many dogs throughout the years. Cutting toenails is one of the things I dislike most, not only because they won’t stand still long enough, but I’m always afraid that I will cut to far down which will hurt them. Toenails bleed ‘forever’ it seems if they get ’nicked’. Then you have to watch out for infection.

I’ve always cut the pups toenails while they are still in the whelping box. I know the mother of these pups appreciates it. Their toenails become sharp as little needles. I use  ‘human’ fingernail clippers while they are still young.

Then as they grow I use a ‘human’ toenail clipper.  As they mature, I had to use a regular toenail cutter designed especially for dogs, as their toenails become to tough to cut otherwise, at least on my large breed of dogs. This is where I have problems cutting the toenail. Since some of my adult dogs haven’t had their toenails cut for a while, they become very thick and hard. Cutting them with regular toenail cutters don’t work as well. I haven’t cut them as often as I should have, their toenails are now really thick and tough to cut through, and if they move or pull their foot away, I sometimes cut to far down.

Then finally, I’ve started using a dremel. It sure is a lifesaver for me. I’ve found one that is cordless and super quite. Because the dremel is quick and easy to use, it makes it so much easier to trim the nails. If I ‘cut’ to far down, the heat from this dremel seals the “nicked” part so it does not bleed. In my opinion, the dremel is the best way to cut nails, at least on the larger breed of dogs.

2   Med.   Bananas  (ripe but not rotten)
4   Cup     Plain Yogurt
2   tsp       Honey

Slice banana, place in blender.  Add yogurt and honey.   Blend smooth & freeze in plastic ice cube tray or small paper cups.

Since this recipe is made with ingredients that is also good for us, you and your dog can sit down and share these treats together.

Taken from my book, “Howling Good Dog Cookies”

My dog has arthritis, so what can I do for him to help relieve the pain from his sore and stiff joints? Can I give him over-the-counter drugs? Should I stop taking him for walks? You have lots of questions – we have lots of answers…

Arthritis is a general term for abnormal changes in a joint and it is common in dogs, especially if they are aging and over weight. Dogs that are over weight have more trouble with arthritis because it affects their joints. With the extra weigh, more pressure is placed on the already sore and stiff joints, thus causing further pain.

To help find a drug treatment that will help ease your dogs pain for arthritis, talk to your Veterinarian and follow his advise. He may prescribe an over-the-counter drug that may help decrease the dogs pain and its progression. Never give your dog any medication that is meant for a human without first checking with you Veterinarian. Certain medications can be toxic to dogs. Especially medications such as: acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Let your Veterinarian help you make the correct and safest choice on what to give your dog.

Some of the signs of arthritis in dogs

•  Dogs that seem to have stiff or sore joints
•  Not wanting to play as much
•  Trouble sitting or standing
•  Not wanting to jump up on you
•  Having trouble climbing stairs
•  Favoring a limb
•  Weight gain
•  Sleeping more

If you dog starts to show these symptoms, it’s time to take him to the Veterinarian for a check up. The Veterinarian might also want X-rays for a better diagnosis. This way if the dog has arthritis, you can start treating him right away.

Treatments

The Veterinarian will want you to put your dog on a healthy diet rich in proteins, fiber and minerals and an exercise program that is designed for his condition at that time. By having regular check ups, your veterinarian can adjust the exercise program and medications as needed.

› Over-the-counter pills or food that contain either or both, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplements, will reduce the swelling and pain from the arthritis.

› Omega fatty acids in the dogs diet can help alleviate the inflammation and discomfort of an arthritic dog. Flax and flax oil are good sources of Omega 3.  Cold-pressed flax oil is another excellent choice, but should be kept in the refrigerator because it has a short shelf life.

› Oils such as cod liver oil derived from cold-water fish are also an excellent source of Omega 3.

› Vitamin E has help in some cases, as it is said to have moderate anti-inflammatory properties. What I’ve been told by my Veterinarian is 2000IU a day for dogs over 50 lbs.  Although the veterinarian would start dogs out on a lower dose at first and build the dose up over time. Always ask your Veterinarian on how much is appropriate for your dog.

› I found that a product called Arthramine works well for my 12 year old. Arthramine is for healthy joints and bones. It contains: Glucosamine HCI – Vitamin C – Manganese – Omega-3 fatty acids.  This can be bought over-the-counter at pet stores; but is much cheaper when bought in a mail-order catalog, such as: Omaha Vaccine Company.

Food to avoid

Try to avoid food that contains grains, which are said to cause inflammation. Some veterinarians think this might aggravate the pain of arthritis even more.

Ways to help relieve the pain of arthritis

« Try giving your dog a massage to help relieve the sore, stiff muscles and joints.

« Keep him warm and off cold or damp surfaces. Try placing blankets, or extra rugs for him to lie on.

« Keep his weight under control so there is less stress to his joints.

« Give him some exercise, in moderation of course. It’s better to let him walk outside with you everyday, than to take him on a long walk one day and forget about him for the next several days.

Remember, dogs do better if they know that someone cares about them. Give them lots of love and attention.

The above material is just a guideline of  information on arthritis. Always consult your Vet  first before starting your dog on any treatment.

When you get a new puppy or dog, you will want to teach him at least some ‘manners” or basic dog training and obedience.

Once you have made a decision on what kind of dog you want as part of your family, you’ll need to train your dog. This will make your life and his more pleasant. Training could start at an early age,  regular obedience is a little more complicated and a little harder for him to understand, and should probably not be started until 5-6 months old.  “Manners” can be started at a young age, with proper care not to do it harshly. If you don’t want to go through the whole course of obedience training, at least teach him some “manners.”

The basic things to teach him are:  Sit, heel, Come, Off and Give

Sit.   It’s easier to teach him if he has a training collar on him with a leash attached to it. (A training collar is a choker chain). If he has a regular collar on, he won’t feel the correction as well.  Now stand at the dog’s side, not in front of him.  The leash should be in your right hand, and the dog on your left side. To get the dog to sit just pull straight up on the leash using your right hand and push his butt down with your left hand, while you say the word “SIT”.  Once he is sitting, praise him. Don’t expect him to sit there for long, as he doesn’t know what stay means yet.   Repeat the steps several times, with praise when he listens.

Heel.  Now that you have the hang of your dog “Sitting”, lets move to heel.  Heel is good to teach the dog, because when you are taking the dog for a walk, he is at your side and not pulling you every which a way.  To start, have your dog on your left side, leash in your right hand and dog sitting.  Just a note here, you don’t want to choke the dog as he is walking by your side. You need to give him some slack, but not too much because if he starts going the other way, you need to jerk on the leash to get his attention.  If there is too much slack in your lead, you can’t give the correction at the right time, and it does no good. Now, with that said, let’s go on. With the dog in the sitting position on your left side, to teach him to heal, you need to step off on your left foot while saying “heel”! You will need to give the dog a little jerk on the leash to get him off the sit position, just as you say “heel” and step off on your left foot. Timing is very important.  You may want to “over exaggerate” sticking out your left foot at first when you step off on the heeling position.  By doing it this way at first, it will help the dog learn that when your left foot goes out he has to get up and start heeling.  Then as he learns it, you just go back to your normal way of starting out on your left foot.

The Ultimate Dog Training Secrets – Click Here

Keep your dog on your left side at all times. If he starts to pull away, give him a sharp jerk with the leash to pull him back to your left side. Once he returns, praise him. Every time he strays away, another good jerk to make him come back, and again praise. You can talk to him while you are training him, telling him he is a good boy, or when you have to jerk him back, say ‘heel’ and then praise when he returns.

Do the training of sitting and heeling for 10 to 15 minutes each day for a week. (Less time if he dog is young, about 10 minutes a day.    If you find yourself getting angry because he isn’t listening right away, stop training.  If you are angry he’ll know it and he will give up trying, so just start your training again the next day. After each training session make it fun.  Romp and play with your dog…give him doggie cookies as treats after the session. Dogs want to please their masters so keep him happy and you’ll be happy.

Stay and Come commands

The first step in teaching your dog to come when he is called is to first teach him to stay.  When you are teaching him the “stay” command, you have the dog sitting and you on the left side. Place your left hand in front of his face and at the same time say “stay”, and step off on your right foot so you are facing him and are just a few inches away from his face. In the beginning only stay in front of the dog for about 10-15 seconds, because when he sees you move, he’ll want to move too.  After a few seconds, return to the dogs side, and release him from the command as he should still be sitting, and praise him.  Because he won’t stay when he is told at first, you’ll have to repeat this several times.   If he moves, just get him in the sitting position again and start over. As he starts staying as he is told, you can then start moving farther away from him each time, and coming back to his side without him moving.  When you are done with that command, you can release him from the commands by saying “Okay” or “Good Job” and then start petting him and praising him enthusiastically.  If he knows he did well, he’ll want to keep pleasing you.

Once he has learned “stay”, you can start on the “come” command. This is an important command, especially for his safety. You should strive to train your dog to respond immediately to this command.   Have your dog in the sitting position and you by his side. Again, place your left hand in front of his face and at the same time say “stay”, and step off on your right foot so you are facing him and are about a foot or so away.   Then wait for 20 seconds or so and call the dog in a happy voice. He won’t come if he thinks he’s in trouble. You can say the dog’s name and the word Come if you like, (Example:  Rover, COME!), and give a small jerk on his leash to get him up and started coming towards you. When he starts coming towards you, run backwards 4 or 5 steps, all the while praising your dog for coming towards you. Once he is there, give him the “sit” command, so he sits in front of you. Then lavish him with praise for doing a good job.   Repeat these steps until he has learned to come to you and sits.

“OFF” is another good command to teach him.  A small dog that jumps on everyone, may be ‘cute’ at first, but that dog may grow up to be a huge dog and he can knock you over if you are not expecting it.   Also a small child could get hurt if he jumps up on them to play.  It’s also annoying if the dog is muddy and he jumps up on you or your guests.

When a dog jumps up they just want attention from you, and they associate  ‘YOU’    with your face, and they feel they have to jump up to get closer to you.

You decide to take “Dusty” out for a walk.  You stop to talk to a friend of yours and “Dusty” tries to jump up on them. What do you do?  When he starts to jump up, pull backwards on the leash with a firm jerk, and say   “NO….OFF.”  Then tell him to sit.  If he is sitting, he can’t jump on anyone.  Once he is sitting, praise him.  Your dog may be cute, but that doesn’t mean that your friends want him jumping up on them.

I recently was given a German Shepherd male,  (which they call Zeus), that my son could not keep anymore. He is a huge dog and is only 1 year old. We own the father of this dog, (Dancer) and when 2 of my sons rough house with Dancer, (and they are in their 30’s), he has knocked them both on their butts. He is strong. His son, Zeus, is much bigger. Larger and bigger boned than any we’ve owned. The point is he was never taught any manners.  So I have just started teaching him the word “Off”.  What I do is stretch both my arms out in front of me while holding my palms facing him and say in a forceful voice, “OFF!”  If he still tries to jump on me, I push him away and repeat OFF!  He seems to be getting it, because when I’m cleaning up his yard he runs toward me and I say OFF!  While holding up my arms, palms facing him and he stops and doesn’t jump on me.

Break Any Bad Habit Your Dog Has With This Simple Technique.

Another way to stop larger dogs that are trying to jump on you, is to grab their front paws as they jump, one in each hand and hold them gently but firmly.  Don’t say anything to him but continue to hold him up on his hind feet for a few seconds longer when he tries to get down. This position is unnatural to him, and will make jumping up less fun. When you let go and he has all four feet on the ground, praise him. If a small dog jumps on you, give him a quick shake on his collar and say “off!”   Then as soon as he has all four feet on the floor, give him praise but in a calm voice. If you sound too excited in your praise, your puppy or small dog will jump up again, wanting your attention. Repeat this exercise over and over, until they grasp the concept.

Give –To get him to give something to you, grab what is in his mouth, such as a toy, and while you are holding onto part of the toy he has in his mouth, keep saying “give,” as you work it out of his mouth. Once it is out, tell him he’s a good boy.  It can also be fun when your dog is playing with his toy, and you say, “give,” he will let go, so you can throw it for him to bring back.
This is also important thing to teach your dog because if he has something in his mouth that is harmful, you want him to give it to you before he eats it.

Tips:

When teaching your dog these commands above, always have him on his leash and in his training collar. You need him on his leash to make the right corrections when needed and also for his safety.

The tone of your voice is very important in training. Give commands in a firm, moderate voice, never threatening.  Give praise in a high-pitched, excited voice.  Give corrections and/or reprimands are a low, gruff voice (not threatening) and draw out the words. Example: “Ba-a-ad   do-o-og”.

When doing the recall or “Come” exercise, NEVER, NEVER, punish your dog if he has done something wrong after he has come to you. If he heads the other way when he is called, you must go to him, to correct him. Otherwise, he will associate coming to you with punishment and will want to go the other way.

On the OFF command, never push the dog to hard to get him off you. Just a gentle, but firm push to get him on all fours again and then, praise him.

Once you think you and your dog are ready to learn the full course of Obedience, ask your Veterinarian if he knows of any classes. Check out any Dog clubs in your area to see if they offer classes and you can also look in your local newspaper for Obedience classes.

Training should be fun for both you and your dog.  Have patience with your dog and praise, praise, praise.

Remember too, dogs love to please their masters.
Do not break their spirit or their hearts.

More On Dog Training

1 ½     lb.        Fatty Raw Hamburger
½        Cup     Wheat Germ
3         Cup     Oatmeal (un-cooked)
½        Cup      Rice  (cooked)
3                      Eggs  (raw)

Mix all ingredients together and form into meatballs. Place on cookie sheet in single layer, put in freezer.    After frozen, put in covered containers. Microwave about 30 seconds per meatball, depending on size. Give 2-3 per day. An excellent treat for the finicky eater too.

For more doggy treats, check out my book,  “Howling Good Dog Cookies”

When you think of acne, you probably think of those teenage years in that embarrassing age of young youth when the face is breaking out with those unsightly ugly lumps and bumps, but acne is not just for human adolescence teenagers. Your dog can get acne as well.

What is canine acne?

This condition usually begins at puberty when the dog is 5 – 8 months old. Canine acne are multiple blackheads, (or “comedones),” which appear on the dogs chin, lips and muzzle. Plugs of keratin and sebum block the hair follicles, which form these “blackheads.” Nearly all of the dogs will improve with age as this condition almost always resolves itself after the dog is a year old – although some dogs can develop chronic acne.

These bumps and blackheads on their lips, chin and muzzle, do not usually bother the dog unless a secondary bacterial skin infection develops. This secondary bacterial skin infection can cause pain and itching.

If you notice your dog pawing at his/her face or rubbing their face across the carpet, and see something you suspect might be canine acne, make an appointment with your Veterinarian so he can check it out.

Diagnosis

For a diagnosis, your Veterinarian  will need to do an examination. You first want to rule out other conditions like demodecosis, (which is a mite infestation), ringworm or underlying allergies. Your veterinarian can make this diagnosis by taking a skin biopsy to confirm if your dog has canine acne. This procedure is done with a local anesthetic where a small sample of skin is removed and sent off to a veterinarian pathologist.

Treatment

There is no cure for canine acne, but it can be controlled. If your dog has a mild case of acne, it’s not usually treated at all. The dog’s general health is not affected by canine acne, so there is no cause for alarm, however, if secondary bacterial infection develops your dog will need to take antibiotics for 3 – 4 weeks.

In some cases there are repeated infections and you’ll need to do a regular cleansing of the area with an acne-cleaning product like benzoyl peroxide. You can also use a mild anti-seborrheic shampoo to cleanse the area. These products will decrease the bacteria on the dogs skin and will also remove the cellular debris that could contribute the blocking of the pores.  Your Vet will discuss this with you, and will tell you what needs to be done to keep this under control.

Inherited?

This is still unknown. It is known however, that certain breed of dogs are more likely to get canine acne than others. This condition is significant in young adult Boxers, English Bulldogs, Doberman Pinchers, Great Danes and a few others.

*****    take a peak to learn more *****

½      Cup         Whole Wheat Flour
2                       Eggs
1½    Pounds    Beef Liver (cut up pieces)

Line a 10″ x 15″ jellyroll pan with wax paper.  Place the liver into a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add the flour & eggs.  Process until smooth. Spread evenly in pan.  Bake at 350°  for 15 min. or until the center is firm. Cool. Cut into squares using a pizza cutter. The treats will be spongy.  Refrigerate in an airtight container.

There are many factors that play a part in the safety or dangers of a dog toy. One of the  most important things is to buy the right size of toy for the size of your dog. Dogs also have their own personal preference. I’ve learned this from trial and error. I can’t tell you how many times I thought I bought the perfect toy for my dogs, and they won’t even touch it.

Looking for toys for our dogs can be fun, but be careful what you choose to buy for him. Although no guarantees can be made for your dogs excitement or safety with any specific toy, the following guidelines are offered.

Unsafe Toys

» Unless you can safely remove these, avoid toys with parts on it that your dog could swallow or that could get caught in the dogs mouth or throat, like: price tags, ribbons, stables and/or strings.

» Don’t buy toys that have pieces that could be chewed off and eaten.

» Stuffed animals can be dangerous for your dog. The eyes can be chewed off and swallowed and the stuffing is dangerous for the dog if eaten.

» Don’t buy small toys or balls for large dogs. To small of toys could get struck in the dogs throat causing breathing problems and could even lead to the death your dog.

» For large dogs, don’t give them those soft rubber toys. This type of toy will last my German shepherd about 1 minute before he has it in pieces. Not worth it for me to buy him one of these and especially not worth the risk that he would eat any piece of it before I could get it away from him. These should be okay for a small dog.

» Don’t buy toys that have polystyrene beads or nutshells for their filling.

» Watch too, for toys that have a squeaker in it. It sounds great to the dog, but watch for any breaks in the toy where the squeaker is located. You don’t want the dog swallow that.

» In my opinion, rawhide bones should not be given to dogs, unless supervised. When they chewed on them, they become soaked and start to stretch out. These soaked slimy pieces can slip down their throat and they could choke on it. Others like, hooves and pig’s ears should also be with supervision.

Safe Toys

Now here are a few toys that are ‘safer’ than some others.

· Buy hard rubber toys for your dog, especially for large breeds as they have a lot of ‘chew power’ in their jaws. Toys like ‘Kong’ toys are very good.  Nylabone type products are good, if they like them. (Mine don’t.)

· Tennis balls may be good for the medium size dogs, but not large breeds in my opinion.  I had a German shepherd once that was playing with one; he turned his head up and it slipped to the back of the throat and got caught.

· The ‘rope’ toys are good. Just be careful with the ones that have the strings at the ends. They are good to help clean between the dogs teeth, but you don’t want them to chew off and swallow any of it.

· I also buy a product called ‘Air Dog’ toys. These toys come in different shapes, and are wrapped in the tennis ball material. My Zeus likes the large bone shaped toy the best and his father, Dancer, likes the football shaped toy.  These are larger than the tennis balls, but they do not get these unless I’m right there to supervise them and when if gets torn, it goes in the garbage.

Rotate the toys

Most dogs get bored with the same toy, so rotate the toys they play with about once a week or so. Have 4-5 toys out for him to play with, but if they have a favorite toy, always keep it out.  Zeus won’t play with any toy but his one favorite, whereas our old guy Jerry, will go to his toy box and root through it to find the toy he wants to play with that day and will run the length of the house and back again about 3 – 4 times. Then he’s tired and lies down with the toy and takes a nap.

Until you know what your dog is capable of, supervise! Giving your dogs safe toys to play with and supervising are just two ways to watch out for their welfare.

For more complete information on the health, welfare and safey of your dog, check out my book, “The Dog Owners Handbook,”   here.

Perhaps you have heard by now…Vice President-elect Joe Biden told his wife that if he was elected VP that he would buy them a big dog.  Well, last week Biden picked out a male German Shepherd puppy at the home of  breeder Linda Brown in Chester county, Pa.   Biden showed up at her house along with his brother’s family,  Secret Service agents, and a trainer he hired to take the pup when it’s old enough, and train it. Then the pup will be placed with the Biden family as their family pet.

The vice president-elect has previously owned three other German shepherds so they are familiar with this breed.  Biden promised that his grandchildren can name it.

Now we just have to wait, along with the Obama girls, to see what kind of dog they are going to get. If you remember, he also promised to get a family dog on election night.