Regardless of the breed of dog, the principles of raising puppies are basically the same. Convenient, dry room, sun, fresh air, plenty of space to play, ample walks and rest, all of this is very important for raising good, strong, healthy puppies, as well as proper balanced diet, regular meals, human love and friendship. All this helps shape health, mind and character. future dog.
After the puppies are finally separated from their mother, they can continue to live together if the larger ones do not offend the smaller or weaker ones. Puppies of some breeds, such as most terriers, should never be left together overnight, at least not more than two in one crate or run, as they often get into serious fights.
Even if only two grown-up puppies are in the same pen and they live together, each needs to have its own sleeping box. If there is one box for two, they will quarrel over it, but with two boxes, the puppies will happily sleep together in one of them.
The sleeping box should not be too large; the puppies should feel comfortable and warm in it. The floor is better than wood. To prevent it from getting damp, it needs to be soaked linseed oil and varnish in two layers. It is very important that there are no drafts in the puppy's room, as puppies are very prone to colds. If the crate is not too large, puppies usually do not get dirty in it. It is very advisable to put newspaper in the paddock and the puppies will quickly learn to crawl out of the crate in order to free themselves on the newspaper.
What exactly is needed to raise puppies largely depends on the size of the kennel and the number of puppies. If a dog breeder deals with large breeds, then four bitches that whelped at about the same time can produce forty or even more puppies, so the kennel will naturally need a special puppy room with a convenient walking area.
Areas for walking puppies should be fenced with a metal mesh, have strong gates with reliable locks, the bottom of the net should be covered with iron, boards or brickwork, so that the dogs of neighboring areas do not see each other - then there will be less empty barking. An excellent permanent dividing wall is brickwork, 60-100 cm high, depending on the height of the dogs placed in the run. Its advantage is that dogs cannot dig under it, but it is expensive.
Room for puppies
Puppy quarters should be free of drafts, and some form of heating should be provided in case of damp, cold weather. Some breeds may only need heating during exceptionally wet and cold weather, but others may need it more often. The best form of heating is, of course, electric, provided it is installed by a professional and is well protected from moisture. It is even better if the electric heating has automatic control, because the temperature outside the room can change dramatically, for example, drop at night. A sudden drop in temperature can be very harmful to puppies.
Infrared lamps are very convenient for heating. They can be hung so that they are inaccessible to puppies. It must be remembered that these lamps do not heat the air, but only those objects or living beings on which their rays fall.
In addition to heating options, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of ventilating the puppy's room, and during ventilation there should be no drafts. It is better to install small transoms at the top of the wall, they should all be on one side, then there will be no drafts.
Walking area
Puppies should enjoy the sun as much as possible, but in the summer they should be able to get into the shade while remaining outdoors. These possibilities must be provided for when building a paddock.
Walking areas should not be located open to the prevailing wind direction. If the area is generally very exposed to winds, then it is better to make walking areas with closed side walls, rather than mesh ones.
In an ideal kennel, puppies should have a sleeping area, a covered walking area and a large outdoor pen. A covered outdoor area is not overkill at all, it is worth remembering at least rainy autumn days or wet winter snow.
Every day, growing puppies need to be taken out of the walking areas for a while and allowed to run free, play with them the games that are common in communication between the owner and his dog. It is important to allow them to explore and experience as much as possible before they are sold.
Most puppies are sold at 8-9 weeks of age, but the longer they are kept, the more attention needs to be paid to each individual puppy because they require practice with humans. You cannot sell small wild animals from a nursery to a person’s home.
Cleaning up excrement
It will be very convenient to clean everything up if you place a fairly large sheet of plastic on the walking area, pressing it with bricks. To begin with, you can throw newspapers familiar to puppies on it to indicate the purpose of this place. Puppies usually quickly understand everything and organize their own toilet there, which will be easy to clean, because the sheet of plastic can always be washed and put back clean. This is probably easier than scooping up puppy poop with a dustpan and brush several times a day.
Puppies usually urinate at intervals of about two hours. When male puppies learn to lift their legs, it is good to arrange for them a place where they can set up their signal post, for example, put an upside-down old bucket in the paddock, throwing newspapers around it.
If puppies try to chew the plastic sheet, you will have to remove it.
Sites must be cleared of all debris daily; even seemingly harmless objects such as twigs and tree branches must be removed. One day a branch fell on the Great Dane puppy pad, one of the puppies picked up the branch, and while carrying it, he probably bumped into something. When the puppy was examined by a veterinarian, he discovered something back wall throat. Eventually, a thin branch, 35 cm long, was pulled out. Unfortunately, it pierced the puppy, passing through the intestines and kidney, which was discovered at autopsy the next day. Probably no one could even think that a small stick could be the cause of such a tragic incident. You need to remove anything that your puppy can chew, swallow, or break off. In puppies exclusively strong jaws and you never cease to be amazed at how much trouble puppies, like children, can do.
Puppy bedding
Puppy games
Puppies like to have something placed in the center of the area so they can run around and play hide and seek. Puppies, like children, should not be bored and they certainly need several different objects to play with. There is no need to buy expensive toys. For example, a strong plastic box with a few pebbles inside would be an excellent toy. This "rattle" must be securely closed so that the pebbles do not fall out, as puppies can swallow them. A large, raw tibia, absolutely intact, without chips or sharp corners, will give kids tremendous pleasure. For puppies small breeds An old (but sturdy) towel with knots tied at the four corners will provide endless fun in a game of tug, with multiple puppies involved. Balls made of dense rubber that cannot be chewed and large enough not to be swallowed will also bring great pleasure.
But puppies must learn more than just “dog” games. From time to time, for example, using a walk outside the paddock, the owner should teach them those games that people usually like - fetching a fallen ball, for example, and be sure to show them what games people do not like - biting legs and arms, for example. Puppies must learn all this before being sold.
Exercise and rest. All puppies need exercise, but until they reach... at least, four months of age, they should not be overloaded. Young puppies quickly get tired and lie down. There is no need to bother them - they themselves know their limits. Exercises must be alternated with periods of rest.
Young puppies should not be allowed to jump from heights. Since they can damage the ligaments of the joints of the front legs.
Health of growing puppies
Diarrhea.
Any puppy will experience diarrhea from time to time and should be taken seriously. The cause could be “just” a sudden change in diet. It should be recalled here that only one new food per day should be added to the puppy’s diet, then it will be easy to determine which food is not tolerated by the puppies.
Diarrhea can also be caused by a cold, worms, teething or infection, so it is important to find the cause and begin treatment immediately.
With mild diarrhea, puppies usually recover quickly with the most simple remedies, for example, activated carbon, but if the digestive upset is severe, then the sick puppy should be isolated from others, since his diarrhea may be caused by an infection. If the diarrhea is severe, especially if the discharge has a foul or strange odor, or if traces of mucus or blood are found, you should immediately call veterinarian. This severe symptoms, the disease can be caused by a severe infection. Blood in the stool requires an immediate course of antibiotics and there is no time to waste to save the dog. In less serious cases, antibiotics can be prescribed in tablet form and this treatment will also give good results. Acute diarrhea is especially dangerous for puppies dwarf breeds.
The veterinarian, of course, will tell you what can be given to a sick puppy, but before his visit, you should completely stop feeding the sick puppy, especially milk, but you need to give a lot of water to drink to prevent dehydration.
All secretions must be removed immediately, as they can be a source of infection. It is convenient to use papers and newspapers. The puppy's bedding can also get dirty, you need to keep an eye on this and change it more often.
Once your puppy has not had diarrhea for a day, he can start by being given homemade crackers to chew on, followed by other foods as recommended by your veterinarian, but dairy products should be avoided for at least another 24 hours.
Rectal prolapse.
Some breeds of puppies are more likely to experience rectal prolapse than others. It is caused by straining during bowel movements as a result of constipation or diarrhea. You need to change your diet immediately. With a moistened piece of cotton wool, you need to set the prolapsed intestine back, and as soon as it appears again, set it back again. Adjusting your diet will also cure the disease. If the loss continues, you should contact your veterinarian.
Vaccination against infectious diseases.
Since this book deals with puppies up to nine weeks of age, it is worth mentioning vaccination against distemper, viral hepatitis and leptospirosis. Best time When puppies should be vaccinated depends largely on the type of vaccine used.
Let me remind you that with the mother’s colostrum, puppies receive the full set of antibodies that she herself has, and while the mother feeds them, this “milk” immunity is preserved and well protects the puppies from common infectious diseases of young animals. But this immunity remains strong enough for 10 to 12 weeks of the puppy’s life, and then weakens.
If a puppy is vaccinated before it reaches twelve weeks of age, it may happen that the immune bodies obtained from the mother's colostrum will interfere with the action of the vaccine and, despite the vaccination, the puppy after 12 weeks is as defenseless against infection as an unvaccinated puppy. Apparently, this is why most veterinarians strongly recommend not vaccinating puppies until the effect of “milk” immunity has ended, i.e. up to 12-16 weeks of age.
In some cases, an injection of serum containing a set of specific antibodies is recommended. It protects puppies for about three weeks, i.e. just before the time when they need to be vaccinated in full.
Currently, vaccines have been developed against infectious diseases of young animals, which can be administered much earlier and create sufficient strong immunity even in puppies aged 8-9 weeks. True, quite soon after the first vaccination, veterinarians advise giving it a second injection, the so-called revaccination, in order to be more confident that the puppy has immunity. And yet, there are no vaccines that provide 100% immunity, nor are there any for humans, because the microorganisms that cause these diseases change faster than new vaccines are created. You can imagine how complex and important the problem of immunity is.
This makes it clear how important it is to protect unvaccinated kennel puppies from adult dogs that come into contact with the outside world (matings, exhibitions, etc.)
Caring for young puppies
Handling the puppy
A puppy should never be scared. If he does not fit, under no circumstances should he be caught up, chased, or driven out from behind the furniture with a brush or stick. This is cruel and can spoil the puppy for life. You need to persuade the puppy with a kind voice and usually he appears, but if he continues to be stubborn, then a tasty piece or a nice juicy bone can do a miracle. If after this the puppy continues to hide, pretend that you are not paying any attention to him and start doing something else. The puppy's curiosity will do its job and he will instantly find himself at your feet.
It is important that the puppy does not get scared when he is picked up or picked up, and the sooner he enjoys this, the better. In any case, before the age of three weeks, the puppy must make sure that the touch of a person’s hand does not bring him harm. But it is not necessary for the puppy to be picked up often and different people, especially children. One or two people are enough to start with, and only as the puppy gets older can you accustom him to the touch of strangers' hands. But this outsider, of course, must be a dog lover who understands animals and knows how to properly lift and hold a puppy. Young puppies are very active and some are extremely strong; they need to be held carefully but firmly to prevent the puppy from jumping onto the floor from a height and getting hurt.
The puppy's elbows should always be pressed to its sides, you should not lift the puppy up holding it by the front legs - this weakens the ligaments, you should not lift it with both palms covering the chest under the elbows - if you often pick up the dog in this way, it will eventually have “twisted elbows” .
The puppy needs to be lifted by clasping both shoulders in front with one hand, and also supported from behind with the other. It is better to lift large breed puppies with one hand clasped from behind below the tail above the hocks, supporting with the other hand under the chest. You can then hang your front legs over your hand, as this is more comfortable. It is very important not to hurt a squirming puppy. Of course, a puppy should never be picked up by the skin on the back of the neck or, even worse, by the neck.
A puppy cannot be too young to begin learning and if he is a potential show dog, he, regardless of breed, must be taught to stand on a table in a show stand. Most puppies are very obedient at three weeks of age. They can be taught to stand very well and allow themselves to be examined.
Unfortunately, puppies often forget early training if it is not continued. Large breed puppies, when they become "teenagers" and suddenly realize their strength, go into a completely rebellious, frantic, rambunctious, typically " teenage years".
All dogs should receive some training, but large breed puppies require real training. For large breeds, it is important that they understand who the owner is.
It is easier to train puppies to walk on a leash than it is to train a teenage dog. There are age periods when education progresses more easily. For large breeds, the fifth, seventh and tenth weeks are considered the easiest to train.
"The Furious Period"
Most dogs go through a frantic period. In dwarf breeds it is barely noticeable, but in middle-aged breeds this period can be funny. But when it comes to large breed puppies, particularly those like Bloodhounds and Great Danes, the frenetic period can be very painful for the owner, especially if the puppy grabs an ankle or hand and treats it like a juicy bone. But no matter how painful the bite may be, the puppy should never be spanked because he is just playing. Owners of such dogs should be prudent and wear thick trousers, rubber boots and leather gloves when playing with such a puppy so that the exceptionally sharp, strong teeth cause less damage. Fortunately, however, the frenetic period does not last long. At this age, puppies need to be taught not to put their front paws on a person - when the puppy is small and reaches out to you, standing on hind legs, this is touching, but when a huge adult dog on the street in dirty weather repeats the same thing, it is unlikely to please the owner.
All puppies, regardless of size, must be handled sensibly. Puppies of toy breeds do not need to be wrapped in cotton wool like a fragile jewel, not allowing them to walk even on a sunny day. On the other hand, you can't ask too much from large breed puppies. Puppies, like children, must learn and comprehend various life situations, but preferably only one new thing or situation at a time.
Perhaps the puppy's very first lesson should be to not bark incessantly, and generally to teach him not to be annoying.
There is no doubt that the more love and attention given to puppies, the better, the more pleasant and intelligent friends they will become in the future. Puppies that have had little or no human contact grow up to be very wild and mistrustful, very difficult to train and will never make true loving human companions.
If puppies fight, they must be separated so that they do not injure each other. Of course, one should distinguish between what is a game or a practice fight, and what is a real battle. Puppies that have been separated from their companions for any reason must be returned to the common run carefully, as other puppies may attack them as strangers and seriously injure them. Often healthy puppies somehow determine which of them is sick and can attack that puppy and, if left unchecked, beat it to death.
From the book by Hilary Harmar, reprinted from ambull info
A puppy that has just been taken from a bitch requires special attention and care. The period from birth to 6 months is especially important for raising a puppy, since it is during this time that its main growth and development occurs; After six months, the dog's growth rate slows down.
Puppy food
For rapid growth and puppy development is required good nutrition. In the first days, after the puppy is weaned from its mother, it is given slightly warmed cow's milk, to which a little porridge or white bread is added.
For the puppy, they also cook thin semolina porridge in milk. While still under their mother, from the 20th to 25th day of life, puppies should be given raw minced meat or, better yet, finely chopped meat. When purchasing a puppy, you should definitely give raw meat in the amount of 30–100 g, depending on the breed.
The little puppy's diet also includes half or a teaspoon of medical fish oil, table salt and bone flour. For a two-month-old puppy, they begin to cook bone broth soup with vegetables and cereals, milk porridge with rolled oats or millet, give him a small amount of soft bones and cartilage and increase the portion of raw meat, which can be replaced with raw sea fish. .
You should not offer hard bones, which damage your teeth, and do not overuse them. soft bones and cartilage, which can cause indigestion, vomiting and constipation.
Below is an approximate daily feeding ration for puppies from large ones, whose standard weight is 25–30 kg.
The products indicated in the table can be replaced with others of equal value. For example, if there is no meat, it can be replaced with fish, cottage cheese, milk; cereal can be replaced with bread.
The puppy needs to be fed several times a day, at the same hours. The younger the puppy, the more often he is fed. Puppy diet of different ages presented in the table below.
Food for puppies and adult dogs is given slightly warmed up, but not hot (approximately the temperature of fresh milk).
Place for puppies
It is advisable to keep greyhound, hound and husky puppies in a fenced yard or enclosure with an insulated kennel where they can rest and hide from autumn and winter weather.
A straw bedding is placed in the doghouse; the entrance is covered with a thick, thick rag (preferably a tarpaulin), protecting the dog from rain, snow and wind; its lower edge should hang freely so as not to impede entry and exit. The earth is about doghouse regularly cleaned of dirt and sprinkled with sand.
The bowl is washed after each feeding of the puppy. hot water and clean up. Place another container nearby, which should always contain clean water.
A place for puppies is chosen on the sunny side. Solar ultra-violet rays contribute to the formation of vitamin D in the dog’s body, the absence of which causes rickets.
Pointing dogs, spaniels, smooth-haired dachshunds and fox terriers must be kept in heated premises in winter. Hunters, as a rule, keep them in apartments.
Development of young hunting dogs
Full physical development of a dog growing in an apartment is only possible with frequent walks with it. fresh air In any weather. Otherwise, the dog will grow up weak and pampered. It is unacceptable to keep a hunting dog on a chain.
In order for hunting dogs to grow strong, agile and fast, they need to exercise a lot. Raising two or three puppies together gives good results. While playing, puppies run after each other, jump, dodge attacks, and fight. These various exercises are excellent for developing the necessary physical qualities in young dogs.
If a dog grows up alone, you need to run with it on walks, play, throw balls and sticks, and even better, take it to the forest, to a meadow, where it will get acquainted with the world around it. One-month-old puppies are walked near the house for 20–30 minutes every 2–3 hours; from three to five months they can already be taken into the forest, field or meadows and walk there for 1.5–2 hours or more.
It should be borne in mind that young dogs can run around a lot during the day if they are given frequent breaks to rest. In this case, they are practically tireless. But long-term continuous operation in a field or forest it is harmful for young dogs, since they still have little stamina. That's why You should not use exercises such as long running behind an owner who is riding a bicycle.. The game tires the puppy little, since here intense movements alternate with rest.
Raising puppies
How your hunting dog will grow up largely depends on the proper maintenance and proper feeding of the breeding bitch, especially during her whelping period and feeding the puppies. After all, it is then that the health of the future puppy is laid down, on which some of its working qualities depend.
It is very important to feed mother’s milk for as long as possible, which contains all the necessary nutrients, vitamins and mineral salts, easily absorbed by the puppy’s intestines, help strengthen the body in the fight against various diseases, especially intestinal ones, to which puppies are very susceptible.
You should try to feed puppies no earlier than 15 days of age, unless, of course, there is a need for earlier feeding. Early feeding reduces the puppy's overall resistance and can have an impact later in the dog's life, even though the puppy appears to be growing well. For this reason, the desired number of puppies in a litter is no more than six to seven.
For two or three days, puppies should be fed with warm whole milk, then with thin milk porridge. After the twentieth day it is very useful to start complementary feeding raw meat. Moreover, it is recommended to give not minced meat, as is usually customary, but finely scraped meat, since it lingers longer in the puppy’s stomach and is more exposed to gastric juice, which means it is better digested and absorbed more fully. In the future, the meat will need to be cut into small pieces.
When feeding puppies, do not forget to ensure that they do not overeat - their tummies do not swell. Take the greedier ones away from food earlier. The amount of bait is adjusted depending on the availability of milk from the bitch and the needs of the puppies. Well-fed puppies sleep a lot; when there is not enough food, they are restless and “creak.”
At 30-35 days, puppies can feed on their own and are weaned from their mother. After weaning from the mother, a very important period begins in raising a puppy. At this time, the puppy still sleeps a lot, waking up only to eat and play a little. He needs to be fed five to six times a day for up to two months, making sure that he does not overeat, since an overloaded intestine leads to sagging of a fragile back and curvature of the shoulder blades.
On the first day of purchasing a puppy new owner must worm him, if the previous owner did not do this before distributing the puppies. At this age, puppies are often affected by worms, which they become infected with in utero. Worms stunt growth and normal development puppy, spoil intestinal function, predispose to various diseases, especially contribute to the disease rickets.
Deworming is carried out with piperazine preparations at a dose of 0.1 g per 1 kg of puppy weight. The entire calculated dose is given once a day, 30 minutes after meals, with a small amount of tasty food. The medicine is used for three days in a row. No diet is required. After 14 days, the course of treatment is repeated. In the absence of piperazine preparations, a decoction of garlic can be used. A finely crushed small bulb of garlic is taken into a glass of milk, the mixture is boiled and simmered over low heat for 15-20 minutes. It is filtered and given one teaspoon once a day on an empty stomach for five to six days. In this case, from the second day of using the drug, they begin to give one tablespoon every evening sunflower oil(for relaxation).
With food, the puppy should receive all the nutrients, vitamins and mineral salts it needs. During the spring-summer season in ready-made food add finely chopped green leaves of young nettle, two or three dandelion leaves or lettuce leaves, spinach. In the autumn-winter season, dry nettle leaves are used. Raw finely grated carrots and sauerkraut (chopped) are very useful. Greens and vegetables contain vitamins and microelements that regulate general metabolic processes.
As a supplement in the autumn-winter period, puppies from large litters should be given vitamins A and D (oil concentrates) or, even better, trivitamin (A, D, E) one or two drops (depending on height, breed) every other day . Remember that these vitamins accumulate in the body and an overdose in healthy puppies leads to unpleasant consequences. Store vitamin oil concentrates in a dark, cool place; when exposed to light, they decompose and become toxic. Vitamins can be replaced in winter fish oil half or one teaspoon per day (it is also stored in a dark, cool place). In addition to vitamins, the puppy’s body, especially the growing musculoskeletal system and dental apparatus need mineral salts. The puppy is given calcium and phosphorus-containing drugs. The dog's body absorbs acidic calcium compounds better, so calcium phosphate, calcium lactic acid, and calcium citrate are most recommended. From animal products - bone meal, fish-bone meal. Chalk and crushed eggshell are absorbed worse. Mineral fertilizing is given two to three times a day (at the tip of a knife).
To introduce iron salts into the puppy's body, many hunters practice an ancient but justified method: placing a large iron nail or horseshoe in the drinking bowl, and the rust formed on them enters the puppy's body with water. Deficiency in the body mineral salts often causes puppies to want to eat soil and their own feces.
Before the change of teeth, which begins at four months and ends at eight months, the puppy can be given large raw bones. He will be able to gnaw them, and they will serve as a toy for him at the same time. During the change of teeth, it is useful to give cartilage, and then, after seven to eight months, crushed raw bones. However, you should not get carried away with bones, and only raw bones are useful, boiled ones are useless ballast for the intestines. Do not give your dog tubular bird bones under any circumstances; they can cause the death of the animal.
People often ask, can a puppy be fed milk? Whole milk, especially fresh milk, is, of course, healthy, but moderate amount, as an additive to the main food, since after 1.5 months of age it does not satisfy the needs of the puppy’s body and, eating it in large quantities instead of the main food, the puppy loses weight and is stunted in growth.
From two to five months, the puppy needs to be fed four to five times at certain hours and in a certain place (there should also be a fresh water), gradually accustoming him to thicker food. Food should not be left out all day. A greedy puppy can eat everything put in a bowl at once, while for others the sight of constantly standing food does not cause normal discharge gastric juice, and therefore appetite. The puppy stops eating well.
You should not give your puppy pieces at the table. "Piece-making" has a very bad effect on gastrointestinal tract puppy and will affect the future. Do not teach your puppy to eat sweets (sugar, cookies and other sweets). In the future, this may have a bad effect on his health - itching will appear and hair will fall out.
Good feeding will be useless if the puppy is kept in a dark or damp room, on a leash, without walks.
In order for the nutrients necessary for the puppy to be properly absorbed, for the metabolism to proceed well and the bones to develop properly, the puppy should run and play freely for several hours a day in the air, especially in the sun. Only when exposed to sunlight are vitamins A and D2 absorbed, and only when moving does the puppy’s musculoskeletal system develop normally. However, you should not get carried away with long walks, during which the puppy may get tired. Physical fatigue slows down his growth. It is necessary to take into account the puppy’s age and its capabilities and not let it become overtired.
Constantly keeping a puppy in a cramped enclosure or on a leash, where his movements are limited, has a dramatic effect on his physical development and further on the exterior and working qualities. Such a “overstayed” puppy most likely develops rickets, his back sags, and defects appear in the limbs. He is physically weakened and more prone to illness.
Many owners are frightened by the presence of “bumps” on their puppies’ forelimbs and wrist joints. Is this a leg disease? No, these bumps are the so-called “growth nodes”. In the case of rickets, from these “knots” up and down the bones of the limb bend and bend.
For development chest Swimming and jumping in deep snow are very useful. For the limbs, especially if there are deficiencies, running from “mountain to mountain.” Until the age of 9 months, until the ligaments and muscles of the back, as well as the bones of the limbs, become stronger, the puppy should not be forced to jump over obstacles as training.
You should not wash your puppy unnecessarily before five or six months. Delicate skin may become irritated and fouling will be slow. The puppy's coat is cleaned with a brush or comb, depending on the length of the coat.
The puppy is given a dry place to sleep and kept clean. If the puppy lives outside, then it should be protected from winds and drafts.
If you live in an apartment, you can teach your puppy to be clean from the age of 2.5 months by taking him outside after each feeding and after sleep. The puppy very quickly gets used to this and later runs to the door on its own, but it must be taken into account that until the age of five or six months it cannot tolerate it for long and it should not be severely punished for mistakes. Any punishment of a puppy, that is, interruption of actions that are undesirable for you, must be carried out immediately, when these actions are performed, and not after some time, when the puppy has already forgotten and does not understand why he is being punished.
While walking and playing with your puppy, from the age of three months you can gradually begin to accustom him to certain commands, for which you must give him a treat. However, do not overload him with “activities”.
If, while running to the side, the puppy does not come to your call, being carried away by something, calmly get him to come to you and, no matter how annoyed you may be with his behavior, pet him and give him a treat. If a puppy who approaches you, even belatedly, is punished for disobedience, he will be afraid of you and will stop approaching you altogether. It is very important in raising a puppy to form its “psyche”. A puppy kept in an enclosure, a barn or walking only in his yard and not familiar with the world behind the fence, grows up timid and in the future his owner will experience many difficulties if he moves with him along the noisy streets of the city, among a large number of people. From the age of three to four months, the puppy gradually needs to be introduced to the outside world, the noise of the streets, and transport.
It is also important for the puppy to communicate with other puppies and dogs (certainly not stray ones). In addition to the development that a puppy receives by playing with other puppies, he grows up to be sociable. Dogs raised in isolation from others are often vicious or cowardly towards strangers' dogs, which also introduces a certain difficulty in their content.
G. Zotova, veterinarian
Magazine "Hunting and Game Management" 1979, No. 9.
Going to the veterinarian
It still makes sense to visit a veterinarian even if your puppy is healthy; he will get acquainted with a new environment, with new people, and the first visit to the veterinarian will not be associated with unpleasant sensations and impressions that will help him create positive emotions when visiting a veterinarian as necessary.
The first thing I want to draw your attention to is the need preventive vaccinations. There are a large number of viruses and bacteria that cause dangerous diseases. To avoid exposing animals to this risk, it is necessary to systematically vaccinate. In the first weeks of their life, puppies begin to develop maternal immunity, thanks to breast milk. Over time, the mother's immunity weakens and by 8-9 weeks the puppy is left without the necessary protection against infectious diseases. It is during this period that it is recommended to give the first vaccination, and in order to create reliable protection for a small puppy, it is necessary to receive 3 vaccinations with an interval of 3-4 weeks.
As a result of immunization, your puppy will receive protection from the following diseases: plague, infectious enteritis, hepatitis, leptospirosis, infectious tracheobronchitis, rabies. From 8 weeks of age, puppies enter a very important phase of their development, on which their behavior largely depends. adult dog. He desperately needs contact with other puppies; he should not be isolated with his own kind. Therefore, experts recommend visiting a dog school and getting to know new objects in the environment.
If you follow the recommended immunization plan, that is, during vaccinations, the risk of disease will be reduced to a minimum. Here I would like to draw your attention to the fact that if you notice that your puppy has symptoms such as: lethargy, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, discharge from the eyes or nose, cough, you should immediately consult a veterinarian. Contact with dogs that have similar symptoms, it is undesirable and a visit to dog school in this condition must be cancelled.
What most often scares the owner?
If you decide to change your dog's diet, you need to do it gradually. Add a small amount of a new food to familiar foods every day. Every day, increase the share of new food and decrease the amount of old food. Dogs are very sensitive to changes in diet. If you follow this rule, the transition to a new food will go without any problems. It is necessary to feed the puppy only food that is intended for small puppies of a certain size and age.
To be able to provide first aid in the event of an accident, you must have home first aid kit, which should contain:
- bandages of various widths,
- adhesive plaster,
- thermometer,
- tick removal tongs,
- means for washing wounds,
- wound disinfectant,
- solution for eye wash,
- toothpaste and brush,
- 5-10 ml. syringes,
- muzzle,
- waterproof boot.
Diseases can be prevented
In this article I want to draw the attention of owners to those dog diseases that they can prevent themselves. Gastric volvulus: this disease is very dangerous, and if measures are not taken in time, the dog may die. This disease is most often observed in large breed dogs, but owners of small dogs also need to have this information. Gastric volvulus can occur if a dog, after a heavy meal, begins to run, jump, play excessively, and the stomach may twist, resulting in important blood vessels are pinched.
If the animal is not helped within the next few hours, the dog will die. Symptoms of this disease may be: anxiety, pain, gagging, bloating, increasing shortness of breath. Poor circulation occurs quickly: weak pulse, pale mucous membranes of the eyes and oral cavity, loss of balance and consciousness. To prevent such a situation, especially in big dogs, they should be fed better after a walk and do not allow the dog to jump, gallop, or run after eating.
In my articles, I have already written about ticks, which are carriers of diseases dangerous to dogs. To protect your pets from tick bites, it is necessary to treat animals systematically with medications during the period of tick activity. Remember that favorable conditions for ticks are air temperatures of 15 to 20 degrees and high humidity. Your veterinarian will recommend the necessary medications for you. There are also skin mites. These ticks mainly infect animals with weak immune system- young, old or sick dogs. Skin mites live on the surface of the skin or bore passages in the surface layer. Dogs infected with these mites suffer from severe itching, skin inflammation, hair loss. If you suddenly notice these symptoms in your pet, seek help from your doctor. There is quite effective methods treatment of these ailments.
I don't want to scare you, but dog owners need to know that there are more than 30 types of helminths that can infect various organs dogs: intestines, blood vessels, lungs, liver, heart. To successfully combat worms, treatment must be carried out every 3 months. Small puppies are treated from 2 weeks of age every 2 weeks for 2-3 months.
It often happens that the owner turns to a veterinarian for help when, unfortunately, it is no longer possible to help. Know that dogs can compensate for any dysfunction of their body for a very long time without showing any symptoms, and only a veterinarian can, in various ways. side symptoms identify dysfunctions of the body and ultimately make the correct diagnosis. Treatment of the disease at the initial stage usually provides a good prognosis. That is why owners are obliged to regularly visit a veterinarian with for preventive purposes, this should be done at least once a year. If your dog is old, it makes sense to conduct a blood test once a year. Vaccinations are necessary for older animals, as they are very susceptible to various diseases due to reduced immunity. It makes sense to systematically monitor the condition of the oral cavity to prevent the development of caries, periodontal disease and gum inflammation. Owners often ask questions about castration of their pets. Here I would like to say only about the advantages of castration of bitches. This operation provides prevention false pregnancy, breast tumors and purulent inflammation uterus. Neutering male dogs will reduce your pet's aggression.
In conclusion, I would like to draw your attention to such an important issue as veterinary insurance. Treatment of animals is quite expensive, not to mention operations that “fall out of the blue” and these amounts can often exceed 1000 euros. In order not to find yourself in a difficult financial situation, I recommend that you carefully consider the insurance of your animal. Currently, there are a number of companies on the market where you can obtain veterinary insurance:
— Allianz Tierkrankenversicherung.
The average fee ranges from 15 to 30 euros per month, depending on the age of your dog and the type of insurance. You can only insure for operations, but you can also insure for treatment. Payment for vaccinations, medicines against helminths, ticks, castrations does not apply to the insured event.
Essential information for dog owners, know that:
The normal body temperature of an adult dog is 38-39 degrees;
The normal body temperature of a puppy is 38-39.5 degrees;
Puberty occurs on average from 7 to 11 months;
Puppies' teeth change between 4-6 months.
Bitches are bred 2 times a year and during the first 11-13 days the dog can become pregnant, the gestation period is approximately 63-65 days.
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Grow healthy puppy only possible if it is properly maintained. The puppy must be given a comfortable apartment permanent place(away from heating systems, units, refrigerators, vents and entrance doors), where to put a mattress with a removable cover or lay a rug. It should be dewormed in a timely manner and necessary vaccinations. The puppy needs to be fed frequently: 5-6 times a day for up to 2 months, 4 times for 2-4 months, 3-4 times for 4-7 months, 3 times for up to a year. For feeding, it is better to have 2 enamel or clay bowls, which can be placed on a low, reliable stand - this makes eating more convenient. If the puppy eats the prescribed portion of food and asks for more, the amount of food can be increased. If he does not eat his portion, the food is put in the refrigerator. When the time comes next. feeding, it is heated to a warm state and offered to the puppy. Depending on how the food is eaten, the frequency of food intake changes, while the total quantity indicated in the diet (table) remains unchanged.
Daily feeding ration for a puppy (g)
Feed
Body weight, kg dosage 3-5 5-8 Boneless beef meat 75.0 100.0 125.0 Whole milk 45.0 60.0 93.0 Rendered pork fat 5.0 7.0 9.0 Oatmeal 25.0 35.0 45.0 Wheat bread. . 50.0 65.0 88.0 Potatoes 35.0 50.0 67.0 Carrots, beets 16.0 24.0 33.0 Cabbage and other greens 22.0 30.0 40.0 Yeast 1.5 2.1 2.7 Fish oil 1 .3 2.2 2.5 Table salt 3.0 5.0 6.0 Bone meal or pure mineral salt (calcium gluconate, calcium glycerophosphate) 2.0 3.0 4.0 Puppies over one year old or overweight St. 8 kg (depending on the breed) should be the norm for an adult dog, respectively. body weight. A puppy that has just been purchased must be fed according to the instructions provided by the breeder. Within 2 weeks. After purchasing a puppy, all instructions from the breeder are strictly followed. Separation from littermates and a change in environment are sufficiently traumatic circumstances for a puppy to be aggravated by an upset stomach from unusual food. The basis of the diet is protein products: meat (mostly raw), dairy products, eggs. Raw meat is given to the puppy finely chopped (the minced meat does not linger in the stomach and passes into the intestines semi-digested). By-products (heart, lungs, spleen, kidneys, liver) contain a lot useful substances, but they often carry embryos of worms, so it is better to give them to older puppies (cut before feeding, then scald or boil). Basic dairy product - cottage cheese. A puppy aged 1-2 months and older can benefit from calcinir. cottage cheese, when preparing it, add 3-4 to a liter of boiling milk. tablespoons of 10% solution calcium chloride, the curdled milk is then filtered and the resulting curd is given to the puppy warm. Calcinir. Cottage cheese is a good way to prevent rickets, especially in the autumn-winter period. Dry milk can be added to raw milk (to a creamy consistency). Kefir, yogurt, acidophilus are better than milk, because they have a good effect on the digestion process. Very nourishing. are complete protein products chicken eggs, but in their raw form they are poorly absorbed, because they hardly linger in the stomach. Raw eggs It is better to give it mixed with dairy products and porridge. You can feed eggs in the form of omelettes. With systemic feeding meat to puppies ornamental breeds Enough eggs per week, 2-3 serving ones. Fish (preferably sea) is given raw and boiled, without entrails. Using raw fish as a base. food is undesirable and should not be given more than 2 times a week, because it contains few vitamins, in addition, fish proteins are not so complete. Soft raw bones and cartilage in small quantities are useful and good as a toy; It is not recommended to give boiled ones, because they can cause constipation and colitis. Poultry and rabbit bones are dangerous because they can lead to intestinal perforation. Cereals and bread cannot be the basis of a puppy’s diet, but are required to replenish energy. costs of the body. In 1st place is “Hercules” oat flakes (it is better to feed them soaked in kefir, yogurt or steamed with hot broth). It is good to add rice, buckwheat, and millet cooked in a mixture. When cooking porridges (with milk, fish, meat, bone broth), it is very good to add cabbage, carrots, and herbs to them. Bread should be given in small quantities and dry (in the form of crackers), since the dog takes a long time to digest fresh bread and digests it at great expense. juices It is useful to add carrots and cabbage to food raw with a small amount of butter or vegetable oil. An excellent vitamin supplement to the basics. feed - raw fruits and berries, raw, finely chopped lettuce, parsley, dandelion leaves, scalded young nettles. It is useful to include a small amount of canned food in your puppy’s diet. vegetables: sauerkraut, salted tomatoes and cucumbers, occasionally and little by little give salted herring and sprat. You can prepare a trace. mixture: bone meal - 1 glass, phytin - 30 tablets, calcium glycerophosphate - 6 tablets, brewer's yeast - 1 stick, school chalk - 3 sticks, activated charcoal - 2 tablets (crush, mix and add a teaspoon per day to the puppy's food ). Boiled pumpkin with porridge is good as a vitamin supplement, and pumpkin seeds are a good anthelmintic. It is useful to give one small clove of raw finely chopped garlic weekly as a preventative. anthelmintic (on an empty stomach, placing the index and middle fingers on the root of the tongue). Sweets and sausages spoil the appetite and disrupt digestion. A piece of cheese and crackers are convenient and healthy bait when rewarding a puppy for following commands. Chalk and charcoal are needed for puppies during the period of rapid bone growth (should be given in small pieces). Sea kale is a source of iodine, improves skin, promotes rich coat color (can be added little by little to the food). In winter, they give a mixture of vitamins A and D: puppies of decorative breeds - 2 drops, service puppies - 3-4, or half a spoon of fish oil.
For some puppies, it is useful to arrange a fasting day once a week, giving them only water and kefir, and in special cases, dry bread crust or crackers. Doesn’t last, hunger leads to the body’s release of toxins and is good remedy against obesity, while regulating the functioning of the stomach and intestines. Hunger stimulates the appetite, the puppy willingly eats on the trail. day something that I didn’t want to eat before. Water is given to the puppy several times. once a day at a certain time place. In the future, the dog should have free access to water, i.e. the bowl is not removed, but only the water in it is changed.
Along with rational feeding, it is necessary for the puppy to be outdoors as much as possible and actively move, especially for breeds hunting dogs, requiring increased physical loads If during a walk the puppy gets wet in the rain or snow, you need to wipe it dry with a soft cloth at home. Caring for a puppy includes washing, combing its coat, and periodic brushing. examination of the ears to prevent inflammation. If your puppy needs his tail or ears docked, only a veterinarian should do this. doctor. It is also necessary to contact him in all cases when the puppy’s behavior indicates his illness. See also Raising a Puppy.
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