Double trouble – why two puppies is not such a great idea

“My husband and I are looking for two puppies? Are you likely to have any available in the near future?  We have had a border collie before.”

What do you think?  Is it a good idea?  I know lots of people who have two puppies from the same litter.  The usual story is that they went to look at one and there was going to be one left, so they got both.  Why?

I’m going to say right up front that I was brought up to think this was a bad idea.  But let’s look at the pros and cons:

Positive reasons to have two puppies

• Playmates – what could be nicer for the puppies than to have a permanent, same age playmate?
• Easier to leave – puppies are less likely to suffer from separation anxiety if they are with another dog
• Less destructive – you might think that two pups together would ‘wear each other out’ so be less demanding and less destructive

Basically, it is lovely for a puppy to have another puppy to play with all the time, but it does come at a price..

Negatives around having two puppies at once

• Twice the trouble!
• Twice the chewing
• Twice the pooing
• Twice the training

That’s the truth of it – you will have to do twice as much training as with one puppy.  When you have two puppies together, they become a ‘unit’ and are totally focused on each other.    They rely on each for entertainment and look to each other for support.

To some extent, I have this problem with keeping a puppy when I already have the mother.  The pup will become totally fixated on her mum when we are out and it is much harder for me to gain her attention.  Fortunately, with Ounce, I had already had this experience, so I spent longer working on training her separately, before taking her out with the pack.  I also try to make sure that I do call her to me every day, so that she pays attention to me, rather than to Busy and the other dogs.

When you have two puppies at once, it is essential that you train them separately, so that they learn some level of independence.  Also, so that they learn to focus on you, not just on each other.

“They are so full on and it is hard to get them to listen to me.  Why are they such hard work?”

Not just as puppies – why two continues to be harder

As they get older, the chewing and the destruction caused by the double trouble should reduce, to some extent.  They won’t have been as easy to manage though, so it might take longer to get them into good habits.

However, you will continue to find that they are more than twice the work.  If they spend lots of time playing together, they will be really fit and therefore need more exercise!  If you want to go to classes, you will need to go to twice as many.  Trying to concentrate on more than one dog in a class is extremely demanding – trust me, I’ve tried it!

As they get older, you will find that they both start to have health issues around the same time.  You might then be paying out for two lots of health care and health management.  Then of course you will have two old dogs at the same time.

Finally, it is much harder for one dog to lose its sibling at an old age, than for a younger dog to lose its older companion.  And much harder for you, too.

Please think very carefully before getting two puppies from the same litter?  Why do you want to do it?  What do you hope to achieve?  If you think it will be easier, or that they will keep each other company because you are out all day, then please think again?

Remember..

If you are buying a dog, start by looking at the What Dog? page, then contact me?  Or if you want to breed, read the Dog Breeding Blog and then please CONTACT ME to discuss this, as I may be able to mentor you?

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.  If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.

Toilet training: how quickly can you stop the mess?

I am tempted to start by saying ‘it’s a dog, it comes with mess. Permanently.’  Of course it’s not that bad.  However if you have carpet downstairs in your house, you might want to re-think getting a dog, or keeping your carpet.

Let’s start with the basics – how soon does a puppy toilet purposefully?  Amazingly, this happens within a few weeks of birth.  As I have continued to have litters of pups, I have become astonished with how soon they move in order to toilet.  At birth, their mother licks them clean, which stimulates them to toilet.  This ensures that the bed stays pretty clean, although there will still be accidents.

When they are born, puppies are not able to see, hear or walk properly.  That doesn’t stop them from wriggling around and they can travel quite a distance if you forget to put the side of the whelping box back on!  After just a few days, I started to realise that if they had vet bed to sleep on and then newspaper to crawl onto, they would crawl onto the paper and wee, then crawl back onto the bed.  Pretty impressive huh?

Once they are around three weeks old, they start to be introduced to some solid food. Their eyes are open, they are up on their feet and beginning to interact with each other and their mum.

Making choices

As puppies become more mobile, they start to be able to make choices about where they go to the toilet.  However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they will make those choices.  Sometimes they are too busy, or too tired to be able to stop and go and find a ‘suitable’ place to go.  More often than not, they aren’t that bothered about where they go, as long as it isn’t in their bed.  NB: if they have vet bed to sleep on, they won’t even notice if they have had an accident, as it is super absorbent and comfortable.

While the puppies are with me, up to the age of 8 weeks, I try to make sure that they always have newspaper to toilet on and that this is changed frequently.  I also try to give them plenty of space to run around and the opportunity to spend time outside. They will have access to grass as early as possible, weather depending.  It is remarkable how soon they obviously prefer to toilet on grass.

Having control

Choosing to go outside is quite different from being able to wait until a suitable place is available.  Bladder and bowel control take longer to develop and this varies from breed to breed.  It is unrealistic to expect an 8 week-old puppy to wait any length of time to go to the toilet, or to know where you would prefer them to go.  It takes a good few weeks to develop these things and the success of this depends on how hard you are prepared to work.

Top tips for toilet training

• Establish a routine – the more consistent you are with your dog, the more likely you are to prevent accidents.  If you feed them at the same time and then take them outside, you should be successful.
• Provide frequent opportunities – puppies have small bladders!  You will need to encourage them to go to the toilet around every hour during the day. They will also usually need to be taken outside first thing in the morning, last thing at night, after each meal, waking from a nap, and after any exercise, play or excitement.  Often, in other words!
• Get up at night – by the time they are around 10 weeks old, Border Collie puppies generally go through the night without accidents.  However before this they either need to have space and paper to toilet on or you need to get up and take them out.
• Reward good behaviour – as with all areas of dog training, please reward the behaviour you are looking for?  With toileting, this means waiting till the dog starts to go, then saying ‘yes’ in a really positive way.  Then give the dog a treat.  Once you have this established, try saying ‘wee, wee’ or ‘go toilet’ or whatever you fancy saying, as the dog starts to go.  This then becomes a prompt for the behaviour. which is incredibly useful on a long car journey or if you are going out, as you can prompt the dog to toilet.
• Study their behaviour – dogs usually show signs of wanting to go to the toilet, even if they don’t come over to you and say ‘can I go outside please?’  If you pay attention to your dog, you will start to realise when they need to go.  They will become restless and fidgety, may whine or try and come up for a cuddle.
• Do NOT punish – puppies will always do their best to please you; they are not being naughty or lazy, so please don’t tell them off if they have an accident, especially if they wee because they are pleased to see you.

You might want to give them free access to the garden.  However, this makes it harder for them once that is removed.  It also allows them to do plenty of ‘gardening’ which you might regret!

Just a note about toilet training using a gravel tray, or similar.  I have not tried this but some people swear by it, saying their pups never have accidents.  This is similar to a cat’s litter tray.   Be aware that rugs and carpets make great places to toilet, as they resemble grass.  Ammonia-based cleaning fluids also smell like urine, so will not stop dogs from going in that spot again.

Patience pays off

Overall, it takes time, but it will happen. The more effort you put in, the more quickly and effectively your puppy will learn.

Remember..

If you are buying a dog, start by looking at the What Dog? page, then contact me?  Or if you want to breed, read this Dog Breeding Blog and then please CONTACT ME to discuss this, as I may be able to mentor you?

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.  If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.

How to keep your dog in the best grooming condition

Ask yourself: how lazy am I?  Then ask yourself: how rich am I?  I think these are the two key questions when considering what dog will suit you.  This is particularly important when thinking about the care your dog will need relating to its grooming requirements.

Long or short coat?

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that dogs with short coats require less care than dogs with long coats.  Common sense tells us that a Labrador will not need as much grooming as a Border Collie, for example.  Or will it?  Labradors have what is know as a ‘shedding coat’ which comes out all the time, scattering fine, short hairs throughout the house, sticking to every surface and getting into food.

As a result, short-haired dogs still need grooming.  Regular brushing will stop the hair being scattered everywhere.  You will also find that short-haired dogs tend to smell more, because dirt becomes trapped in the hair, prompting the need for more regular baths.  Dogs like Spaniels and Labradors also love the water, so will find puddles and ponds to jump into at every available opportunity.

Border Collies have a ‘moulting coat’, which comes out in armfuls once or twice a year.  Over a three week period, you will have ‘tumbleweeds’ around the house and may have to vacuum behind the sofas.  After that, not much hair comes out.  If you brush during those three weeks you can definitely reduce the impact, although you will be astonished with just how much hair comes from one dog!

Other care required for a Border Collie will include:

• Nail trimming – as with all dogs, their nails must be clipped or trimmed
• cutting out tats – sometimes Border Collies get hair clumped into tats, which have to be cut out. This is partly because they don’t need brushing on a daily basis.  Their hair is silky and usually sorts itself out, but sometimes the fine hair on the belly and round the back legs needs tidying up.

Hypoallergenic or ‘non-moulting’ coat

This sounds ideal doesn’t it?  A soft, cuddly coat, that doesn’t shed or moult – perfect, or is it?  Well, in my view, there are a number of issues with this type of coat:

• it will still come out, just not as much as with shedding or moulting breeds
• you aren’t guaranteed this type of coat if you have a crossbreed – it will depend on how the mix of breeds comes out in your individual dog
• dogs with these coats need regular care.  As with collies, their hair will form tats and because it is curly, this is going to happen all over their bodies, on a regular basis.  They will therefore need daily brushing, and/or frequent trips to the grooming parlour.

NB: Dogs do like to be muddy!  You won’t keep them clean and that’s as it should be.  They need to be outside, running around, smelling smells and exploring.  If you try and cover up their ‘dog smell’ with your silly perfumes and shampoos, they will just go and roll in some more mud.

Using a Grooming Service

I picked up a leaflet for one of these services recently, having never really looked into it before.  Wow, these things cost A LOT of money!  For example:

• Pug:  Bath, brush and blow dry every 4-6 weeks and Express groom every 6-8 weeks.  Total annual cost: £528
• Cockapoo:  Bath, brush and blow dry every 4-6 weeks and Full groom every 6-8 weeks.  Total annual cost: £594
• Newfoundland: Full groom every 6-8 weeks, including de-shedding or hand stripping as required.  Total annual cost: £816

By way of contrast: 

Border Collie:  Stand in a bucket when muddy, clip nails if not worn out by running around, cut out some tats, brush when moulting.  Total annual cost £0.  Lol.

Grooming tools

Of course there are many grooming tools to choose from to enable you to do the expensive stuff yourself.   This deshedding tool looks great and it comes in different colours!

There are also nail clippers to keep their toes trim.  People worry about doing their dog’s nails because if you catch the quick, they bleed profusely.  But the dogs aren’t especially bothered if this happens, and it’s much better to risk that than to have nails that are far too long, as this can be crippling for your dog.

Microchipping

Just a minor point here about microchipping, as the ‘grooming service’ I looked at offers to do this.  From 6th April 2016, all dogs are required by law to be microchipped.  As a breeder, I know that I am legally required to have my puppies microchipped by the time they are 8 weeks old.  I get this done by the vet.  I have to register the pups in my name and then the new owners have to transfer ownership to them.

So, if you are getting a puppy, check before you get it that it has been chipped?  You should therefore be able to trace its ownership back to the breeder.  If you are getting a rescue dog, it should now be chipped before you get it and that chip should be registered to the previous owner.  If not, why not?  There’s not much point having a legal requirement to microchip dogs if this doesn’t allow us to trace ownership of them.

Buy the Workbook

The Workbook – A Year With Your Puppy is available to buy. It is designed to be a hands-on, interactive book for you. This book will help you survive the first year with your puppy. It also acts as a memento of that time and the journey you have been on. You can write notes and stick in pictures of your puppy throughout the year. Lovely! Find out more by clicking here, or click the button to buy it.

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think. 

NO PUPPIES AVAILABLE

Exercise information: How far should you walk your dog?

I provide a comprehensive guide to exercising your puppy in my puppy packs.  All KC Assured Breeders must do this as part of the requirements of the scheme. Let’s start by talking about puppies and exercise.  How much exercise would you give this person?

Would you take her for a two hour hike as part of her daily exercies?  How about going for a run with her?  Would you take her out with a load of friends and other, older children and let her run around with them?  She’s raring to go and full of life, so that sounds about right, doesn’t it?  A puppy is like a toddler.  Just because they look like a dog and dogs need to be walked, doesn’t mean they can go wherever you want.  Be sensible, please?

Growth plates in dogs

There is another, important reason why puppies should not be over-exercised.  They have things called ‘growth plates’ which have to close.Growth plates are soft areas that sit at the ends of the long bones in puppies and young dogs. They contain rapidly dividing cells that allow bones to become longer until the end of puberty.  If you allow a puppy to do too much exercise, they will damage their bones and often suffer fractures.  More information about appropriate exercise can be found in this article.

How much is too much?

Puppies are self-regulating.  This means that when they’ve had enough exercise, they will stop.  So if you took a puppy out for a walk and they lay down, that means they’ve had enough.  It doesn’t take much.  You might think that they run around all day at home, but if you actually sit and watch them, you find that they run around like crazy for a few minutes, then stop and rest.  Then start again. Stopping and starting is their self-management.  If you watch Ounce and her sister at play, you will see that it’s actually quite laid back.

As a general rule of thumb, 5 minutes per month until around 6 months works well.

This means that a 3-4 month old puppy needs just 15 minutes of exercise per day.  That’s hard to do – it’s not much!

Adult dog walking requirements

What does an adult dog need?  I said yesterday that some people walk their dog several times daily in order for it to go to the toilet.  That’s not really any use in terms of exercise, and even less use for mental stimulation.

A fit dog needs at least 30-60 minutes walking per day.  The duration and frequency of exercise should remain consistent and any increases should be gradual. For the majority of dogs, exercise is an important part of their life and so they will take as much as you can give.

Dependant on breed and temperament and mobility, a dog will normally be capable of walking to the same capability as its owner, however as a dog becomes older, exercise should be reduced and your dog should be allowed to walk at its own pace.

Walking is really all that is needed to keep you and your dog fit and healthy, maintaining a good weight.  Of course it is easier to manage your dog’s diet than your own!  But if you provide good quality exercise, you should both be fit.

Factors to consider when walking your dog

• How much on-lead vs off-lead walking they have – preferably 90-100% off lead.  the more time they are on lead, the further they need to go.
• How often they do the same walk – ideally they should have several completely different areas to walk in each week and completely new areas every month or two.
• How often they meet other dogs – it’s great for dogs to have some interaction with others, but this needs to be manageable and stress free for the dog.  Meeting the same dogs on a regular basis allows the dog to get to know others and say hello without fear of attack.
• What other issues or challenges are there on the walk – are there lots of cyclists and runners?  Can you manage your dog around these?  Do you go near roads? Is your dog likely to run off after squirrels or other wildlife?
• What breed and size is your dog?  It is true (and obvious) that some dogs do need more exercise than others.  But it is NOT true that big dogs needs more than small dogs.  The big, heavy breeds of dog cannot go for mammoth hikes in the mountains.  Small terriers can keep going for miles, but toy dogs don’t need as much.  Which isn’t to say they won’t enjoy a nice walk every day.

Training and routine are the key

Before you even start walking your dog, you should practise recall training, which I have already talked about that at great length.

Dogs (like humans) really love a routine.  It is important to be consistent.  Just as you wouldn’t run a marathon without training, you can’t expect your dog to suddenly go for a long trek.  Whatever you are fit enough for, that is what your dog can do too.

Buy the Workbook

The Workbook – A Year With Your Puppy is available to buy. It is designed to be a hands-on, interactive book for you. This book will help you survive the first year with your puppy. It also acts as a memento of that time and the journey you have been on. You can write notes and stick in pictures of your puppy throughout the year. Lovely! Find out more by clicking here, or click the button to buy it.

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think. 

NO PUPPIES AVAILABLE

How do I manage my dog’s herding or chasing behaviour?

Border Collies are bred for herding.  They are part of the Pastoral group of breeds, which means that their natural predatory behaviour has been modified (slightly) to make them suitable for herding livestock. 

“The Border Collie gets in front of the animals and uses what is called strong eye to stare down the animals;^[3] they are known as headers. The headers or fetching dogs keep livestock in a group. They consistently go to the front or head of the animals to turn or stop the animal’s movement.”

Wikipedia’s Herding Dog page

Herding instincts and trainability can be measured when introducing a dog to livestock at a young age.  I was reminded of this when sharing a video to the Facebook page of some puppies with sheep. It fascinates me how confident they are with the sheep and one pup in particular is really keen to engage with the sheep.  Typically, farm bred collies will be put with livestock from a young age and their level of engagement will be assessed.

Herding in pet collies

When we take on a Border Collie as a pet, we don’t want that herding instinct to be too strong.  As Wikipedia says:

“They retain their herding instincts and may sometimes nip at people’s heels or bump them in an effort to ‘herd’ their family, and may need to be trained not to do so.^[1]“

The herding instinct can be hard to live with.  We had a farm collie when I was a teenager and she would always nip your heels as you were going out.  She was also far more neurotic than our next collie, who was from pedigree lines. I have talked about the nature of Border Collies on the Border Collie Breed information page.

That’s the challenge; have all the intelligence and trainability of the Border Collie, without the nippy, neurotic, herding drive.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.  I don’t currently ‘check’ for herding instinct like the farmer in the video – I don’t expect my pups to have it, or for it to be a problem in the homes my puppies go to.  But some puppies clearly do have more of a drive for this than others. Robbie, Ounce’s brother, has been described as having a strong herding drive.

How to manage herding behaviour

In order to manage this behaviour, we first have to realise that it is happening.  I met someone at the weekend who told me his collie was very jealous whenever he made a fuss of his other dogs – this is part of the same pattern of behaviours.  The dog is focusing on you and what you are doing and is very aware of other animals.  He wants to take control, to be in charge and drive away the other dogs.

Other examples of herding include the way a young collie engages with other dogs out on a walk. They might look as though they are taking part in a ‘chase’ game and running around after another dog.  However, this will very quickly become a case of the collie trying to drive the other dog and snapping or barking at it if it doesn’t go the right way!  Ounce does this and I think this is what her brother does too.

Once you have spotted it, you can take charge of it and distract your dog away.  As with any training of your dog, you need to be:

• patient
• persistent
• positive

Pay attention to what they are doing and positively call them away.  Engage with them in a different activity and reward them when they focus on you and not the ‘prey’ that they want to herd.

Manage the environment

I think ‘training away’ is the right thing to do when out walking and with Border Collies, this is relatively straightforward to do.  In the home environment, there may be times when it is easier to remove the temptation, rather than have to ‘train away’ all day long.  So if you have other animals, such as chickens, or rabbits, you may find your collie becoming obsessed with watching them all day long, waiting for a chance to herd them.  This might be OK, if you don’t mind them being obsessive and you think the animals are safe.  Or you might need to keep them physically apart.

Cats are another animal that a herding dog likes to chase.  You will need to pay attention to your dog if they think they can chase the cat, and again, distract and reward for non-chasing.  It takes time, but it is perfectly possible for a cat to live happily with dogs.

Buy the Workbook

The Workbook – A Year With Your Puppy is available to buy. It was written and designed to be a hands-on, interactive book for you. It will help you survive the first year with your puppy, but also act as a memento of that time and the journey you have been on. You can write notes and stick in pictures of your puppy throughout the year. Lovely!

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think. NO PUPPIES AVAILABLE

What is the correct policy for vaccinations in dogs?

I don’t know.  I know what I believe to be the right practice with regards vaccinations, according to veterinary recommendations, but I know that many people hold other opinions.

Puppy vaccinations

Traditionally, puppies were always sent off having had their first set of vaccinations.  However, when I took Sunny along to be registered with a vet, they insisted on starting the process off again, as they wanted to be happy that she had been given the same type of vaccination, from the same ‘batch’.

There are several different types and makes of vaccinations given to puppies and different vets have different practices and policies.  Some don’t want to vaccinate at 8 weeks, when puppies first arrive in their new homes.  Some say the pups can go out within a week of the second vaccination, some want you to wait a bit longer.

Puppies are covered by the mother’s immunity when they are being fed by her.  These levels of immunity from the mother come from the first few days of feeding and this can last for variable amounts of time, from 6 weeks up to 20 weeks.

Your vet will start your puppy on a course of vaccinations against the four main infectious diseases:

• Canine Distemper
• Hepatitis
• Parvovirus
• Leptospirosis

All these diseases are fatal, so it is vital that your dog is protected from these.

More details about what vaccinations should be given and when can be found at KC health advice.

Can I take my puppy out before they have been vaccinated?

Yes.  You need to make sure they do not come into contact with dogs that have not been vaccinated, or go someone where they might pick up these diseases.  However, it is really important for pups to get out and about, as long as they are carried, or you know the dogs they are mixing with.  It is great experience for your puppy and a chance to show them off to family and friends!  Use a handy Pet Sling such as this one and off you go!

Ongoing vaccinations – how often should they be done?

Once again, times have changed.  In the past, we accepted that we should vaccinate our dogs every year.  However, we have come to realise that it is not necessarily appropriate to give our dogs all these vaccinations.  Vets have discovered through scientific investigation that in fact the effect of the vaccinations last a bit longer than a year.  They have therefore reviewed their policy for vaccinating.

My vet now carries out a rolling programme of vaccination.  They vaccinate against leptospirosis every year, but other diseases are done every other year, or every third year.  I have also discovered that the dogs are covered for up to 15 months.  I therefore make sure that I don’t now take them on the anniversary of their last vaccination, but wait until a bit later.  That saves me money and make sure that my dogs don’t get done unnecessarily.

Alternatives to vaccination

Some people feel that they would rather treat their dogs another way, rather than ‘over vaccinating’.  They might ‘titer test’ their dogs, which is a blood test used to determine the level of immunity in the dog’s system.  This is fine, on the day of testing, but it is not a reliable measure of the long-term cover the dog has.

I value the knowledge and expertise of my vet.  I believe that they have spent years training and studying to understand what is best for my dog.  It’s easy to be critical of something you don’t understand, but I would prefer to trust a professional person, than go through the hassle of learning all about it myself.  I go to the MK Veterinary Group and I am happy with their service.

People complain that vets charge too much money, but it must cost a fortune to run a practice, ensuring that they are ready and able to deal with everything that we throw at them.  I think my Veterinary Practice is great!

Buy the Workbook

The Workbook – A Year With Your Puppy is available to buy. This book is a hands-on, interactive book for you. It will help you survive the first year with your puppy, but also act as a memento of that time and the journey you have been on. You can write notes and stick in pictures of your puppy throughout the year. Lovely! Find out lots more by looking at the Contents page.

Remember..

Please CONTACT ME if you want to know more about me and my dogs?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think. 

NO PUPPIES AVAILABLE

 

Question 20: Why should you keep your dog under control? 

Last week two people asked me to write about an issue and they were both relating to the same thing – keeping your dog under control.  I had already decided to talk about this because I was recently told off by someone while out on my walk, rightly so.

On Saturday mornings I walk up river, onto the OU campus, round by the church, across the bridge and into the park.  It’s a lovely walk and easy on a Saturday as there are no cars coming into the Open University.  However, because we do this walk around once a week, the dogs know the way and as we come round past the church they tend to rush ahead, over the bridge.  They then wait for me, usually lying around on the verge or the path.  Once I’ve crossed over, if they are lucky, I throw the ball.  So they wait.

Last week I was on the phone to a friend, chatting away, walking slowly.  As I came up to the bridge this woman stopped in front of me and told me that I should keep my dogs under control.  “They were out of sight of you and my dog is frightened of other dogs.  You were a long way behind.  And it’s happened before!”  I apologised profusely; she was in the right and I was in the wrong.

I could have said “oh but my dogs are under control, they are lying quietly waiting for me and not interested in your dog.”  That is not the point.  The point is that I wasn’t there, so my dogs could have attacked her dog.  Or her dog could have gone for mine and they could have retaliated.

“Don’t worry he’s friendly”

This is the most annoying thing you can say when walking your dog.  I can’t tell you how many people I see ranting on social media about how some idiot allowed a dog to come bounding over “just wanting to play” and getting right into a dog’s face.  Their owner is then astonished when their dog keeps getting attacked by other ‘horrible’ dogs.

Just like people, dogs do NOT like other dogs getting right in their faces.  It’s rude.  So if your dog does it to my dogs, they are likely to get snapped at, at best, or bitten at worst.  In my opinion, that would be your dog’s fault, not mine.

My dogs will never go up to another dog and attack it.  But they will tell another dog to f*ck off, if it gets in their face.  Fair enough, in my view.  My dogs are much too busy running around with each other and having a nice time together to talk to other dogs.  They don’t want to engage with other dogs.  That’s why we are able to go out for walks with other dogs, because generally, they will just get on with it.

The exceptions to this are when one of them is in season, when they might go and chat up another dog.  Or the puppy might decide to have a game of chase with another young dog.

Train your dog away

I have talked about this in the context of training the puppy.  When you have an excitable, friendly dog, it is up to you to keep their attention when another dog is going past.  Get their focus and reward that with treats, or play.  Be more interesting or exciting than the other dog.  It’s hard work, especially if you only have one dog, but it makes the walk much more rewarding for you.

If your dog goes for other dogs really aggressively, you will have to think about muzzling it.  A basket muzzle is a good way to manage this situation, as it means you can let the dog off lead and not have to worry about it the whole time.  The dog will not like the muzzle, but usually they can learn to tolerate it. This is a better solution than keeping the dog on the lead, which is miserable for the dog, hard work for you and can make the dog more reactive in any case.

Managing the fear from other people

This was the other issue raised to me last week.  How to help children cope with being afraid of dogs.  I have already written about helping children learn to speak dog, so that they understand why a dog might be running up to them and how to deal with that.

Once again though, it is your responsibility to manage your dog so that it doesn’t rush up to people it doesn’t know.   If you watch this video I made a couple of weeks ago, you can see that I have taught Ounce to stop.

Why don’t you try to teach your dog to do this?  Run towards you, then stop.  If you put up your hand and say “Stop!” or “Wait!” they should do it.  Say “yes!” straight away then go to them and reward.  It’s a really useful command to have.

Ask me for Advice?

You are very welcome to contact me to ask for my advice.  I can help you with a variety of issues and problems around getting a dog and suggestions for tackling training issues.  Go to the What Dog? page for more information on my new service.

Please let me know if you have found this post helpful?

If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.  Please CONTACT ME if you have a problem you would like me to talk about?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think.

Question 19: Why would you give up your dog?

We love our dogs, don’t we?  They are part of the family and we will do anything to give them the best life possible.  Just like we do for our children.  Hell, let’s face it, our dogs ARE our children.  Our fur babies.  So why on earth would we give them up?

I’ve written previously about choosing between a rescue or breeder when getting a dog, but that is not the whole story.  The more time I spend thinking about dogs and talking to people about their experiences, the more I realise that there are many scenarios for getting a dog.  Who can judge which is the right one for you?  Only you can do that.

Why would a dog need a new home?

Here are some possible reasons:

• Death of the owner.  Most people who have dogs want to continue owning a dog for their whole life and that’s fine, but sometimes that means the dog lasts longer than the owner.
• Moving into accommodation that does not allow dogs.  Again, this could be due to old age or ill health in the owner, but it could also be that a rental property that allows dogs cannot be found.  I do have advice for that, having had to rent a house with three dogs, a cat and a snake!
• Change of personal circumstances.  Often when a couple splits up, neither person is able or willing to take the dog with them.  They might be moving in with someone who cannot have their dog, due to allergy or the suitability of accommodation.
• Having a baby.  It is really common for couples to have a dog, then decide to start a family.  The dog usually adapts fine to the baby, although not in all cases.  However, children bring their own challenges and sometimes this means there is no longer any room, or more likely time, for a dog.  A dog might then become jealous, or snappy.

Reasons involving the dog:

• Bringing in a second (or subsequent) dog.   I have written about how many dogs you should have, but even though it is lovely to have more than one dog, they may simply not get on.  You are then faced with a life of managing the situation, or you can sort it out and move on.
• Dog breed/type is not suitable for the life and environment provided.  Ideally, this problem should be sorted out before getting a dog, but when you don’t have a dog, it is sometimes really hard to imagine what life will be like with that dog.  (My What Dog? service can help you with this process)

When we have children, all we want is for them to be happy.  We give them everything we have to achieve this, providing them with the best possible home and loving them unconditionally.  Despite this, they grow up and leave home, never to return.  They find a partner, have children and live their own lives.  That is how it should be.

When we have dogs, we also want them to be happy.  We work hard to provide a great home for them and to love them unconditionally.  Despite this, they might need something we cannot provide.  Or they might be happier living somewhere else.

Do you see?  Just because we love someone, doesn’t make us the best person for them.  It might be heart-breaking for us, but not for them.

Ask me for Advice?

You are very welcome to contact me to ask for my advice.  I can help you with a variety of issues and problems around getting a dog and suggestions for tackling training issues.  Please let me know if you have found this post helpful?

If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.  Please CONTACT ME if you have a problem you would like me to talk about?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think – what is the right number of dogs to have?

 

Dog Doc Question 16: What is the best food to give your dogs?

Honestly, I have no idea.  Arguments rage about this subject on social media and I know nothing.  It is definitely something I have grappled with, as a ‘responsible’ dog owner and breeder.  

I care about what I eat; it needs to be healthy and tasty (not necessarily in that order!) I cared about what I fed my sons, but sometimes life is too short to get really hung up about it. My son was really fussy, but he turned out fine. Most of my dogs are fussy too, but they are also pretty healthy.

What type of food?

The most suitable diet should be easily digested and produce dark brown, firm, formed stools, (which are easy to pick up!) If your puppy produces soft or light stools or has wind or diarrhoea, then the diet may not suit your puppy or it might have some kind of digestive problem or infection. If the condition persists for more than 2 days, consult your vet for advice.  Please remember that stability in the diet will help maintain good digestion.

I also think it is important that the dog likes  the food you give them and that it is suitable for the level of activity they are doing.  If your dog is always on the lookout for something more, then the food you are giving them is not satisfying their hunger.  A different type of food might deal with this more effectively.

Different foods:

• Dry complete foods
• Semi-moist, pouch, tinned and frozen foods
• Home-made food (raw fresh or frozen meat)

I feed my dogs Royal Canin complete food.  For better or worse, it suits me and my dogs.  My vet agrees that it is a good quality food.  I now feed veterinary Royal Canin to my diabetic Luna.  I feed my adult bitches Royal Canin Sensible and Sensitive on a 50:50 mix, as this suits their level of activity.  The younger, more active dogs have more Sensitive and less Sensible.  

I have tried feeding them the frozen raw food.  It feels more ‘natural’, less processed.  It is supposed to produce less stools, which are harder.  It is supposed to be ‘better’ for the dogs.  I think wild dogs also eat plants though, to aid digestion and provide additional minerals and vitamins.  I also think feeding farmed animals to dogs is probably not that healthy, compared to them eating wild animals.  Anyway, my dogs didn’t like it at all.  It was expensive.  I would also have concerns about hygiene around having raw meat around the house all the time.

I have tried feeding mine a more ‘natural’, less processed complete food.  There is an argument for not feeding dogs wheat, as it is not a food they would eat naturally and causes allergic reactions in some dogs.  They didn’t like it.

Feeding tips

• Make sure that water is ALWAYS available to your puppy, so never take its water bowl away. Provide fresh water every day, do not just leave it down until it is empty.
• Do not leave food down – throw away any uneaten food after 20 minutes. If your puppy does not eat all of its meal in one go, you may be offering it too much. Not all puppies eat the amount recommended by the pet food manufacturers. Puppies’ appetites can vary enormously, with some eating much less than the recommended amounts, whilst others scoff their meal down as if it was their last!
• Do not refill half empty bowls, but ensure that fresh food is always provided at each meal time. This is particularly true in the hot weather when food left in bowls can attract flies and other insects. Half full cans of dog food should be kept covered in the fridge, but allowed to stand until the food is up to room temperature before feeding.
• There are two different types of dog food manufactured ‘complete’ and ‘complementary’, clearly marked on the label. A complete food can be fed as a sole source of nutrition and is available as both canned and dry food. A complementary food is designed to accompany the complete food and should not be used as the only source of daily nutrition.
• It is better to stick to one variety of food, so you don’t need to add anything to the diet. Always remember that over-supplementing can be harmful to your puppy.
• As long as your puppy is not showing any growth or digestive problems, resist the temptation to change its diet or offer it a range of foods, as you may turn your puppy into a fussy eater.
• Never change your puppy’s diet abruptly (unless under the direction of your vet). If you want to change its diet, do it gradually over a period of a few days to a week or longer if necessary.
• Avoid feeding your puppy before travelling in the car, as this can encourage car sickness.
• Do not feed your puppy an hour before or after exercise or play, as this could lead to stomach dilation and torsion (also known as bloat), which is a life threatening condition requiring immediate veterinary intervention. For owners of breeds which are thought to be susceptible to this condition, you should seek advice from your breeder, vet and/or breed club on further precautionary measures.
• Leave your puppy in peace while it is eating from its bowl (preferably in his crate). Taking the bowl away while it is eating causes anxiety and this can lead to food aggression. If you want to be sure that your puppy is comfortable with you approaching it during mealtimes, add a little food to the bowl while it is eating, so it sees you as an asset, rather than a threat.
• Never feed your dog from the table or your plate, as this encourages drooling and attention-seeking behaviours, such as begging and barking.

Treats

NB: All treats should be given sparingly, and never comprise more than 15% of your puppy’s total calorie intake. If you use treats regularly, reduce the amount of main meal food your dog is receiving in order to avoid obesity. Some chew treats have proven ability to help prevent dental diseases, but again check the label to ensure you are getting a genuine product.

Always remember that table scraps contain calories so they should be taken into account as part of the daily diet. Better still; don’t be tempted to feed table scraps at all.

Food sensitivities and intolerances

Like humans, some dogs are sensitive or intolerant to certain foods, and this can cause a variety of problems. In extreme cases, they may develop colitis (slime and blood in their stools). Always consult your vet if you notice your dog displaying any of the following symptoms:

• Lethargy
• Aggressive or hyperactive behaviour
• Chronic skin and ear problems
• Light to mid-brown loose bulky stools or diarrhoea
• Slime and jelly being passed with stools and flatulence
• Bloating and weight gain or loss

Potential Toxins/Poisons

NB: This list is by no means complete and always consult your vet if you puppy ingests anything it shouldn’t

• Alcohol
• Bones
• Chocolate
• Coffee/Caffeine
• Raw Egg
• Green parts of tomato plants
• Grapes/Raisins/
• Artificial sweeteners
• Human vitamins and supplements
• Liquorice
• Milk/Lactose
• Mouldy food
• Onions, chives and garlic
• Raw or undercooked meat
• Slug pellets
• Yeast

Ask me for Advice?

You are very welcome to contact me to ask for my advice.  I won’t necessarily know the answer!  But I can help you with a variety of issues and problems around getting a dog and suggestions for tackling training issues.  Please let me know if you have found this post helpful?

If you want to know more, why not FOLLOW ME?  Then you will receive an email when there is a new post.  Please CONTACT ME if you would like help with a specific topic?  And feel free to COMMENT if you want to tell me what you think?