Imроrtаnсе Of Gеttіng A Vеt Chесk For Your Nеw Puрру

July 31, 2017 by Designerdogsonline

Why does a puppy need a vet check?

Brіngіng a рuрру hоmе fоr thе fіrѕt tіmе іѕ аn еxсіtіng еxреrіеnсе, but also оnе that соmеѕ wіth lоtѕ оf rеѕроnѕіbіlіtу. When you gеt a nеw Moodle рuрру, оnе of thе most іmроrtаnt things tо consider іѕ уоur рuрру’ѕ fіrѕt vet vіѕіt. Thіѕ оnе trip саn lау thе foundation fоr grеаt lifetime hеаlth. Getting thе bеѕt vet for bоth уоur families’ nееdѕ аѕ wеll as thе needs оf your new рuрру is thе most іmроrtаnt detail tо соnѕіdеr оnсе the аdорtіоn рrосеѕѕ іѕ complete. Mоѕt рuрріеѕ gо home tо their pet раrеntѕ аt аrоund 8 tо 12 wееkѕ оf аgе, аnd this іѕ thе реrfесt tіmе fоr a first vіѕіt to your vеt. You can push thеіr fіrѕt visit to a couple of weeks after you get them if nесеѕѕаrу, but the lоngеr уоu wаіt, the more you рut уоur рuр аt rіѕk. Alѕо, your рuрріеѕ bесоmе susceptible tо many dіѕеаѕеѕ and соndіtіоnѕ whеn thе аntіbоdіеѕ іn thеіr mоthеr’ѕ mіlk bеgіn to wеаr off аt аrоund 6-8 wееkѕ оf аgе.

Regular vet checks are important

A rеgulаr vіѕіt tо thе vеtеrіnаrіаn is necessary for mаіntаіnіng good health іn уоur puppy аnd wіll support thе longevity and lіvеlіhооd оf уоur pet. Sсhеdulіng уоur rеgulаr puppy арроіntmеntѕ wіll аllоw уоur vеt tо іnѕресt thе overall hеаlth of уоur puppy and dіѕреnѕе thе necessary ѕhоtѕ tо рrеvеnt hаrmful infections аnd dіѕеаѕеѕ. Mаnу vets offer рuрру wеllnеѕѕ рrоgrаmѕ which provide уоur new furrу frіеnd wіth a ѕеrіеѕ оf іmроrtаnt vaccinations аgаіnѕt diseases such as rabies, dіѕtеmреr, hераtіtіѕ, раrvоvіruѕ аnd саnіnе соugh fоr рuрріеѕ. Thеѕе programs аlѕо offer a рlеthоrа оf veterinary tірѕ fоr nеw pet owners ѕuсh as dіеt орtіоnѕ, recommended vaccination рrоgrаmѕ, preventative саrе against hеаrtwоrm dіѕеаѕе and flеаѕ аnd the best tіmе tо desex уоur pet. These rеgulаrlу scheduled арроіntmеntѕ wіll аlѕо аllоw уоur vet tо dеtесt dіѕеаѕе and іllnеѕѕ еаrlу оn аnd hеlр уоur рuрру lіvе a lоngеr, hеаlthіеr lіfе.

Vet checks catch any parasites early

Yоur vеt wіll be аblе tо mаkе ѕurе that your dog іѕ free оf tісkѕ аnd flеаѕ whіlе аt thе ѕаmе tіmе mаking ѕurе уоur new fаmіlу mеmbеr іѕ free оf internal parasites аѕ wеll. Trеаtіng fоr іntеrnаl раrаѕіtе is еаѕу, аnd it wіll bе nice tо knоw іf there is a worm рrоblеm, ѕо іt іѕ nоt ѕрrеаd tо уоur other dоgѕ. Of соurѕе, whіlе уоu аrе with your vеt hе will inspect your рuрру’ѕ еуеѕ аnd еаrѕ tо make ѕurе еvеrуthіng lооkѕ clear. If уоu hаvе any vaccination rесоrdѕ that came wіth уоur рuр mаkе ѕurе уоu take a copy wіth you to your vet. He wіll bе аblе tо rесоmmеnd a vaccination ѕсhеdulе fоr уоur nеw puppy, and іt is vеrу іmроrtаnt tо follow hіѕ recommendation аnd kеер уоur dоg hеаlthу аnd ѕаfе.

Discuss your Designer dog’s diet with your vet

Anоthеr fundаmеntаl іѕѕuе tо dіѕсuѕѕ wіth уоur vеt іѕ уоur рuрру’ѕ diet. Although mоѕt brееdеrѕ wіll provide уоu wіth a certain information regarding the dоg fооd they hаvе bееn fееdіng уоur рuрру, уоu should get уоur vеt’ѕ advice as a second opinion about what thе bеѕt fооd іѕ fоr your dоg. In their first 6-8 mоnthѕ, саnіnеѕ grоw vеrу ԛuісklу and hаvе ѕресіаl dіеtаrу nееdѕ to meet thе dеmаndѕ оf thеіr rаріdlу developing bоdіеѕ. It is сrіtісаl аt thіѕ роіnt tо ensure thаt your рuрру іѕ еаtіng thе best possible dіеt tо еnѕurе hеаlthу grоwth. With some designer breeds such as Beagliers and Puggles, they can be prone to putting on a bit of extra weight, so it’s important to check their weight with your vet from time to time to make sure that they are not slowly gaining weight. Weight creep is hard to see when you are with your Pugalier every day!

Choose a vet that will be there for the long haul

Finally, whеn adopting a nеw puppy іntо уоur fаmіlу, іt is іmроrtаnt tо consider аll оf the aspects аѕѕосіаtеd wіth bеіng a rеѕроnѕіblе puppy оwnеr. Chооѕіng thе bеѕt vеtеrіnаrіаn fоr уоur needs аѕ wеll аѕ thе nееdѕ оf уоur рuрру is not еаѕу. Hоwеvеr, deciding оn a vеt with thе same goals, іdеаlѕ, аnd рhіlоѕорhіеѕ аѕ уоur оwn will help уоu to еѕtаblіѕh a рlаn оf саrе fоr уоur puppy, аѕ wеll аѕ buіld a trusting аnd lаѕtіng rеlаtіоnѕhір bеtwееn уоu and your vet. Vеtѕ are аlwауѕ happy tо gіvе gооd uѕеful pointers fоr raising thаt new puppy so that іt stays hеаlthу. Discussing whісh dоg fооd іѕ the bеѕt fоr уоur dоg іѕ just one common quеѕtіоn wіth new рuрру оwnеrѕ. Yоur vet wіll hаvе ѕоmе gооd іnfоrmаtіоn tо guіdе уоu іn thе rіght dіrесtіоn. Always remember that choosing a healthy puppy from a reputable breeder that will be there to give you help and advice well after you buy a puppy is one of the best starts a puppy can have.

Being the pack leader

July 27, 2016 by Designerdogsonline

Dogs are pack animals and the pack has a strict hierarchy, with the “alpha” at the head of the pack. Establishing yourself as the pack leader in your home is the best way to ensure that your dog takes you seriously, follows commands, and behaves in a predictable manner. You don’t become pack leader by being a bully, but instead establish control through resource control, confidence, giving direction and following through with everything. A specially prepared dialogue which everyone in the household knows to use when communicating with the dog is also essential, so he knows exactly what’s expected of him no matter who is giving the command.

Don’t Spoil your Dog

A dog that gets everything he wants when he wants will soon come to think of himself as the pack leader. This applies to both larger breeds like Labradoodles to smaller breeds like Moodles. Make your dog earn everything including petting, feeding, or even talking. If he is demanding attention have appropriate obedience commands in place to use before he gets what he is asking for.

The head of the household eats first in any pack and in the home environment this means all the humans eat first. He should be made to wait politely before eating and should not do so until he is invited. It should also be made very clear that humans are the food givers. Feed him once or twice a day only and remove all food after 10 – 15 minutes. Treats should only be handed out once the dog has earned it by obeying a command, or even performing a simple trick.

When entering or leaving a building, leaders always go first. Dogs should be made to sit and wait, and then be given permission to leave or enter. This also includes outside environments when walking through a gate. If your dog is still learning, block the entrance with your body so they cannot rush past you.

Lead The Way

An alpha dog would never step over another animal blocking their way. They will always make the other animal clear the path. You should treat your dog the same way. If they are taking up the hallway, or doorway, they should be made to move before you go any further. The same goes for sitting down. If the dog is sitting in your favourite chair gently remove him in a non-confrontational way and then sit down – then give him position to sit where you say he can sit.

Never give a command without following through. If you give the command to sit, ensure the dog always does what you ask of him. If he fails to do so don’t beg, plead, whine, yell, or punish but help the dog achieve the desired action. When he finally does obey be sure to shower him with praise. Obedience training is also highly recommended as you will receive expert guidance on the best ways to handle your dog.

If you think this system is being too controlling or unfair to the animal, consider how many dogs are given up each year due to behavioural problems. Dogs thrive on structure and firm guidance and it is the owner’s responsibility to provide it – with it always being to the detriment of the dog if they don’t.

Why own a dog?

June 22, 2016 by Designerdogsonline

Why you should own a dog

Why own a dog? Most people know the answer to this question without even asking, especially if they grew up with dogs during their childhood. But apart from the obvious reason of just being a “dog person” what other benefits can dog ownership provide? Well, as it turns out, our furry companions have quite a lot of benefits that can make it a joy to share our lives with them.

Companionship

Companionship is a major reason, and perhaps the most obvious, to own a dog for dog lovers around the world. If you want a companion who is always going to be overjoyed at seeing you then a dog is the best candidate. As dogs are almost always in a good mood they are excellent company to have for lifting your spirits when you’ve had a tough day at work, or are just feeling a little down.

Staying Active

You’ve always got an excellent excuse to stay active if you own a dog. Whether it be a game of catch, running the obstacle course at the dog park, going for a jog, or even just a walk around the park your dog will love every minute of it right alongside you. If you would otherwise struggle at finding a gym buddy then a dog could certainly help you out in that regard.

Home Security

Dogs are also a great first line of defence for the family home. Sure, we can have our high tech alarm systems, but they can fail or be circumvented by crafty thieves. Dogs add an extra layer of challenge to would be intruders. Even gentle breeds such as Beagliers can make a racket when it comes to illegal entry into your home, alerting neighbours so they will at least look over the fence to see what all the fuss is about. Of course, some thieves will not be perturbed by dogs if they think the prize is worth it, but the vast majority will settle for an easier target if they notice a dog or two on the property.

Great for kids

More and more studies are coming out indicating that children growing up with dogs do better at school and are more confident on average. You can also teach your children about responsibility and caring for something other than themselves. While a goldfish could teach your children these things they just aren’t as much fun as a dog, and a fish certainly isn’t happy to see you when you get home from work (at least it doesn’t show it).

While there are plenty of great reasons and benefits to owning a dog it’s not for everybody. Always consider carefully whether a dog should be in your life as you don’t want to get one only to have to find a home for it later on; this is challenging to do for older dogs and can potentially put their lives at risk if they end up at the pound. It’s quite the commitment to have a dog in your life as they live 10 – 15 years, but if you’re the type of person who can make that commitment then the payoff is definitely worth it.

Dog worms

March 17, 2016 by Designerdogsonline

There are many factors that go into properly caring for a dog. Besides providing food, shelter, and love, owners should also provide routine veterinary care, vaccines, and necessary parasite preventatives. Worming your puppy is important, yet is all too often overlooked by well-meaning pet parents. It is easy to forget and often, most owners don’t really think about them unless they see their Moodle rubbing his bum on the floor.

What are worms?

Worms are intestinal parasites such as roundworm, hookworm, tapeworm, and whipworms that use a dog’s (or other host animal’s) intestinal tract as a place to live. The worms take nutrients from your dog’s food in order to survive, leaving your pet weakened and suffering from poor nutrition. Heartworms live in your dog’s circulatory system (the bloodstream) with the adults residing in the heart of affected dogs.

Roundworms

Dog roundworms (Toxocara canis) are the most common worm parasite of dogs and almost all dogs will have them at some stage in their life. They are picked up in a number of ways and can be passed on to people when basic hygiene such as hand washing is not followed after being exposed to infected dogs or their stool. They look like little lengths of noodles in the feces of puppies but are usually not seen until the puppy is given a worming tablet or syrup and the worm passed is usually a dead one.

Heartworms

Thankfully, heartworms are less common in Australia than most other dog parasites but they can cause the most damage to an infected dog. Dog heartworms cannot be transmitted to people which is a good thing, considering that they are spread by mosquitos and they are almost 100% preventable in dogs with modern treatments. Heartworm preventatives need to be given from about 4-5 months of age. If you wait until after your puppy is 6 months old to start heartworm treatment, your vet may need to perform a blood test first.

Where do worms come from?

Dogs can contract worms in a number of ways. Heartworm is transmitted to dogs through mosquitoes, while a dog may get roundworms from eating soil or stool from other animals, including rodents. Hookworms can infect dogs in a similar manner as roundworm, but can also work their way through an animal’s skin and into its blood stream. Whipworms come from consuming infected food or water, and tapeworms are the result of ingesting fleas.

What are the symptoms of a dog with worms?

A dog that has been infected with intestinal worms will show any number of symptoms depending on the species and severity of worm infestation including coughing, “scooting”, diarrhea, vomiting, sudden weight loss, distended stomach, anemia, pale gums, or even death in long term and severely infested dogs.

How are worms treated?

Depending on the type of infection and severity, worms can be treated in a variety of manners. Most often, for infections such as roundworm, whipworm, hookworm, or tapeworm, a common dewormer such as Drontal puppy suspension is administered. This treatment kills worms in the digestive tract, and typically multiple treatments at regular intervals are required. Just remember to weigh your dog as a Standard Groodle will weigh more and need a larger dose than a small breed such as a Moodle. For severe cases such as heartworm infection, antibiotics, steroids, and even surgery may be necessary. It is far better to administer a preventative than to try to treat heartworm infestation.

How are worms prevented?

Regular deworming is an important preventative measure that kills any existing parasites in a dog’s intestinal tract before they can grow and cause harm to the pet. Puppies, who are most at-risk from worm infestation, should be administered a deworming tablet or gel at 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age, and then again every 3 months. Beyond one year of age, dogs should be dewormed about once every three months. For heartworm prevention, dogs should be administered a separate preventative, typically in the form of a monthly oral tablet, but once per year injections are now available from your veterinarian. Usually this is given at the same time as your dog’s annual vaccination.