How To Hand Rear Puppies

admin | Dog Health | Thursday, 29 May 2008

When a bitch is unable to rear her family a foster-mother should be obtained if possible. Failing this, the litter must be raised by hand. It is an arduous and exhausting business, but there is no reason why such methods should not succeed if the owner is willing to sacrifice time and sleep. More than one champion has been reared by hand.

An especially rich full-cream baby milk food should be used (a good one is “Humanised Trufood”). This, during feeding, should be kept standing in a basin of hot water to maintain blood heat. It should be mixed to the consistency of condensed milk and then slightly thinned to resemble very rich, creamy cow’s milk. Add medicinal glucose (one salt spoonful per puppy for small breeds) and give a teaspoonful or more of the mixture to each puppy, using an old-fashioned medicine dropper with a rubber bulb.

It is best to feed each puppy on a covered hot water-bottle; they like to push at it with their feet while drinking. Open the puppy’s mouth, put the dropper in and feed slowly, allowing time for the little thing to swallow and breathe. He may protest at first but will quickly learn to enjoy it. Be careful not to give too much. The puppies should be fed every two hours during the day and every three hours at night. After ten days the night feeds are cut down to one at midnight, one at 4 a.m., and one at 8 a.m. After a fortnight there is no need to feed at night at all. Crooke’s halibut emulsion {not the halibut oil)the emulsion is specially prepared for infants and can be mixed with milk) is excellent and should be added to the feeds from two drops twice daily for each puppy.

The puppies must be kept very warm and if the dam is able to keep them clean so much the better, otherwise the abdomen should be gently rubbed in a circular action until the bowels have acted, and the puppies kept clean with cottonwool dipped in a mild antiseptic and carefully dried with dry cottonwool. A dusting with boracic powder on abdomen and rear completes the process. At three weeks scraped raw meat can be given, as with the normally reared puppy.

Hand-reared puppies usually thrive if kept very warm and fed regularly and punctually. Keep all utensils, medicine dropper and similar articles scrupulously clean, just as you would do for a human baby.

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8 Signs of a Healthy Puppy

admin | Dog Health | Thursday, 27 March 2008

Thousands of people across the world acquire a new puppy every single day! Unfortunately for those who are paying for one of these puppies, not all of them are completely healthy. We hope the list below will help you in determining whether or not the little puppy you are looking at is in good health. Of course, this list is not all-inclusive and is not meant to replace the advice of your Veterinarian.

We are simply providing this information as a starting point when you are actively searching for a new and healthy puppy. Spend a few moments with the puppy and look for the signs below.

1 EYES: A puppies eyes should look clear and shiny. There should be no signs of cloudiness or discharge from the eyes.

2. EARS: Do the pup’s ears look and smell clean? The inside of the ear should not look red or inflamed. Any odor or brown discharge could signal an infection.

3. NOSE: It should be slightly moist to the touch, but there should not be excessive discharge. The puppy should not be sneezing or sniffling persistently.

4. SKIN AND COAT: The puppy’s coat should be soft and shiny, without flakes or excessive shedding. Watch out for patches or missing hair, redness, bumps or sores. The pup should have a pleasant smell. Check for parasites, such as fleas or ticks.

5. REAR END: It should be free from debris and fecal matter.

6. ABDOMEN: You should be able to feel the puppy’s ribs, but the ribs shouldn’t poke out. The tummy can be round, but not swollen or potbellied.

7. KENNEL AND BEDDING AREA : This should be a relatively tidy area. Watch out for signs of diarrhea or vomiting.

8. BEHAVIOR: A healthy puppy may be sleepy, but not lethargic. A healthy puppy will be playful at times, not isolated in a corner. You should see occasional bursts of energy and interaction with littermates. When it’s mealtime, a healthy puppy will take an interest in its chow.

Healthy puppies have clear, bright eyes that are free from discharge
Again, this is just a short list of things to watch out for when you are searching for your new puppy. You should always have your new pet checked out (as soon as possible) by a Veterinarian and proceed as per their recommendations.

One more thing, all reputable breeders should offer to take back a pet that is deemed unhealthy by a professional Veterinarian.

About the Author
If you are looking for a happy and healthy miniature schnauzer puppy, make sure to visit Lonestar Farms Miniature Schnauzers. Their well-socialized and beautiful puppies are always healthy and adorable. They are all sold with a full 2 year health guarantee. They always have Top Quality Miniature Schnauzers for sale.

Teaching Your New Puppy Potty Training

admin | Dog Training | Sunday, 23 March 2008

When it comes to potty training puppy you should always be prepared for a few little accidents along the way. In fact, without these accidents it can be difficult to show your beloved puppy exactly where they can and cannot go. That said, on the whole, the process of potty training puppy would be much quicker and a lot easier if you get into a routine that means your puppy is unlikely to make mistakes.

As with all forms of puppy training you should use reprimand and reward. Only ever use verbal reprimand and only when it is absolutely necessary, but in comparison you should give your dog as much praise as possible when they do something well or do it correctly. In the case of potty training you should reprimand them for going indoors but only if you catch them in the act and you should reward them when they go outside.

You should remember that puppies will need to go and potty roughly half an hour after every meal but they will also need to go first thing in the morning and last thing at night. However, these are unlikely to be the only occasions they will need to go out and you should learn to read your puppy to know when he is sniffing for somewhere to go or is just exploring the house and trying to recognize the smells. Initially you should probably be letting your puppy out every two to three hours.

While your puppy is training you should not leave food down for them and instead you should have set meal times. Wherever possible, stick to these same times every day because this will help your puppy learn a routine of eating and going outside at the same time every day. As well as using the same time for your routine you should try to make everything as constant as possible. If you use a particular door to take them out on the first visit then you should continue to use this door.

When everything goes well and puppy does manage to potty outside then you should praise them and possibly even give them a tasty treat. If you do this regularly they will associate walking out of that door to go to the toilet and being given a treat for doing so. In the even you catch your puppy in the act, pick him up before he’s finished and take him outside. Once he finishes outside, give him praise and a treat.

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Puppy Potty Training and Dog Training product reviews so you know you are only teaching your dog the very best techniques.