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Quickly place your dog in their designated potty area. Praise them when they urinate or mess in the correct area. You must always watch them when they are loose in the house, or else they will have an accident. Follow this guide on potty training your German Shepherd , step-by-step, for a stress-free experience. Enjoy Gentle Daily Exercise German Shepherd puppies have lots of energy but still need gentle exercise. Your breed is highly active and loves the challenge of new activities! But these activities must consider their age. Start with a shorter walking session and work on building up the time and distance as your dog matures. Increase distance very slowly to avoid injuries to your dog. Begin with only 5 minutes of slow walking for every month your pup is old. An 8-week-old pup can walk 10 minutes at a time. A week-old pup can handle 15 minutes of walking at a leisurely pace. Your large-breed pup needs time to let its bone fully fuse and to gain an increase in strength. Here are a few more safe, healthy German Shepherd puppy exercise for steady growth. This is the same program I used for my GSD and she now jogs a 10k routinely. Mental Exercise and Training are Essentials Without proper mental exercise, your dog becomes bored. Boredom leads to destructive and annoying behaviors such as: excessive barking biting and nipping you and your guests mouthing your hands or digging up your yard Brain games mentally stimulate your dog. These games require your dog to figure out a small task to receive a reward. Mental activity is shown to help keep dogs more engaged in their environments and prevent boredom. They help control unwanted behaviors from boredom. I started my German Shepherd with this activity flip board dog brain puzzle. As your dog becomes proficient in a game, you make the game more challenging. There is no end to how easy or hard you can make these games! Learn the Joys of Grooming Start puppies out with grooming gloves, which are gentle and easier on their skin. GSDs need a brushing routine that keeps them and your house free from excessive loose hair and helps their skin stay healthy. Use these grooming gloves on your puppy while in a quiet area. They are soft and gentle and create a positive association with future grooming. Offer tasty treats to keep the grooming upbeat. Use a soothing voice and tell them how good they are. Above all, help make grooming and brushing positive experiences from the very start to save yourself and your dog stress later. A baby German Shepherd that tolerates and even enjoys a daily brushing is a dog that is easier to keep in better health and experiences less frustration when you bring out the grooming tools. While a puppy gets immunity through nursing in the first weeks of life, the immunity wears off shortly. Therefore puppies get a series of shots during their initial vaccination schedule. Vaccines prevent illness and keep your pet safe from disease. Your breeder should give your pup their first vaccination series before you bring them home. Bring this vaccination history with you to your vet on your first visit. Your Priority of Care What to Do 1. Make your house puppy ready for your new dog Prepare their sleep area, have the right supplies on hand, and make sure any hazards are put away out of reach. Communicate the essentials Have a list of words printed out so that you and your family know what to say to help your puppy learn what you want and what he needs to know. Meet their daily needs Your puppy has a lot to do each day for their basic care, so understand what routine you must develop for them to thrive. Set sleep routines Having a sleep routine in place keeps your puppy from becoming too unruly. Teach potty training Start from day 1 to teach potty and house training by using a structured schedule. Daily gentle exercise German Shepherd puppies need gentle exercise so avoid running, jumping, or jogging with them until around 18 months or so to prevent joint issues later. Brain training and mental stimulation Your smart breed needs to keep their mind occupied by using a training program to brain train their obedience skills and include mental stimulation with fun games and puzzles. Early introduction to grooming A grooming glove is your best friend for a safe, easy introduction to later brushing and coat maintenance. German Shepherd Puppy Care for Life While there are many aspects to puppies, this guide is a great start on learning how to take care of a German Shepherd puppy so you feel confident with your new puppy. These early encounters set the pattern of his future relationship with you. Use these ideas to make your German Shepherd love you and give them plenty of love and affection throughout the day. With proper care and attention, you and your GSD will enjoy a long, happy life together. Want more help with your German Shepherd puppy care for even smoother sailing? Are you prepared for any unusual and surprising behavior changes? Do you know what training your dog needs and when? She has a Bachelor of Science degree, with Honors, and has been training dogs for over a decade. Related Posts. Final Thoughts German Shepherds are amazing dogs with perfect guiding skills and prominent intellect. If you have decided to get one for your home, be sure that you will obtain an obedient, loyal, and reliable friend. However, you need to know the main principles of German Shepherd puppy care to understand how to raise your dog healthy, energetic, and well-trained. Consider whether this dog breed is for you. Home conditions play a great role, so ensure that your GS puppy will feel great at your home. Consider such things as feeding , house training, socializing, exercising, playing, bedding, teaching obedience, grooming, and medical treatment. This guide will help you to find out more about this fascinating breed and how to deal with it with less effort. German Shepherd Puppy Care Starts with the First Minutes You can select your German Shepherd either as a puppy from a reputable breeder or as an adult dog in a dog shelter. Remember that your relationships with your fluffy friend start with the very first minutes of your acquaintance. Bringing a Puppy Home Suppose you have chosen a puppy from a breeder. Now, the first task is to bring it home. Bring someone with you to facilitate the task. You can use a puppy crate. So, ask your breeder to introduce the puppy to it several days before you take it home. However, taking a young puppy from its mother and siblings is always a big stress. Do your best to reduce it. If it is purebred, you may need a copy of a pedigree certificate. It is important if you want your dog to participate in shows. If you take the puppy home in a car, try to reduce the stress from new odors and experiences by letting it explore the inside of a vehicle to get used to it for a while before you drive. The puppy can start whining, so you may want to put it on your lap. However, puppies usually feel carsick and frightened, so they may make a mess. If your trip is long, you may stop and let your puppy stretch and relieve itself. You have already prepared it for a new tenant. This preparation should involve taking away all electrical wires, dangerous materials, tiny and sharp items, and everything your puppy can chew or swallow. You will also need chew toys, and a good cleaning detergent because accidents can happen during the first days. Learn the basics of how to care for a German Shepherd puppy before you bring it home. You may need to know how to arrange an area for sleeping , playing, and relieving. Start with introducing your little one to the potty place outside, and then bring it inside. Your doggy needs to get used to its new home first. So, let it explore the room meant for its stay first. If your puppy starts chewing furniture or house items, give it a chewing toy. Your new friend wants to see a pack leader in you, so it is essential to take this role from the very first minute. You can do it right now because further on it may try to challenge this role. Speak calmly but firmly, call the puppy by its name, and encourage it. If you have young kids, explain to them how to deal with the doggy. Introduce other pets to it. If you have a cat, it is likely not to care much about the puppy. Your cat will just sit and observe. Though, if you have other dogs, they may show a sort of aggression. So, you may need a muzzle for your dog at first to protect the puppy. When you see that they start getting on well, you may take off the muzzle. After that, you can feed your pup. Offer it some food that it is used to. After eating, take the doggy outside for relief. Wait for minutes and then take it back inside. Young puppies need to be fed several times per day, and they should have a lot of drinking water in a separate bowl. It may be the start of house training. However, accidents may happen, so do not scold or punish it. You also need to take your pup outside after every playing session. Try not to feed the doggy before it goes to bed, or you will have a sleepless night. Your puppy needs a special place for bedding. It may be a crate or some mat in a designated part of the room. Your little dog will go to it as soon as it wants to take a nap when it understands that it is its bedding. The First Night at Home Is Challenging The first night in a new place is a challenging and stressful experience for a puppy. It may start crying and whining because it is a pack animal and its instincts prompt it that staying alone is hazardous. So, you need to be in contact with your little one all the time. Avoid giving it food or drink immediately before going to bed because it will end in a mess in the room. Play with the pup for a while to make sure it is tired and ready to sleep. Take it outside before sleep and praise it if it is successful in doing its job. It will be difficult to eliminate this habit in the future. The best way is using the crate. Though, keep the crate not far from you to keep an eye on the pup. You can put it in your bedroom for the first night to make it feel comfortable. Give the puppy a treat before placing it into a crate. The puppy may want to potty at night, so take it out every three hours. You may need to take it out just once during the first nine months of age. You should offer optimal conditions for health, well-being, and daily activities. Month One Breeders are usually fully responsible for the care of a puppy during its first month. There is a strong risk of infections from adult animals and people that can lead to death. The mother is responsible for hygiene. At the age of 3- 6 weeks , breeders should carry out the first deworming. If there is a risk of infections, the puppies should receive their first preventive vaccination. More about 6 week old GSD puppy care. Month Two At this age, a puppy can have its new owner. Weaning from a mother is always significant stress, so if you take the puppy from the breeder, try to distract it with toys and continuous communication. When at home, the doggy needs a determined place for living. The ideal option is to keep it in an enclosed space with a special booth. When you want to keep the dog in a kennel, use straw or hay for its bedding. You can leave your pet unattended for a while during this time, but not for a long time to avoid stress. Moreover, it can start gnawing on something dangerous, get poisoned, and die. Do hair brushing times a week. Do not bathe the puppy before the vaccination. Even adult German Shepherds should not be washed more than 3 times per year. If there is a need for more frequent washing, do not use shampoo. Clean the ears and teeth 1 or 2 times per month. Monitor the eyes. If some redness or tearing appears, contact the vet. Vaccinate your puppy against plague, infectious hepatitis, parvovirus enteritis, parainfluenza, and leptospirosis at this age. Do deworming 2 weeks before the vaccination. Observe a 3-week quarantine after the first vaccination before walking outside. Do not bathe the puppy, change its diet, or do much exercise during this time. More about 2 month old GSD puppy care. Months Three-Six The puppy grows quickly during this time. Its limbs become longer, and the doggy is getting stronger. Start regular walking with the puppy. The first walks should be no more than 5 minutes, but at the age of 4 months , you can walk with it for minutes already. Up to 6 months, it is advisable to walk times a day, but when the puppy gets older, 2 long walks are enough. Take your puppy outside in your arms for the first walks, and then offer it moderate runs and games. Take care of its musculoskeletal system from the first months. The second vaccination is needed at the age of 3 months , and the next one is after the change of teeth. The teeth change at months, so the ears may drop down during this period because of a lack of calcium. All rights reserved. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc. Since German shepherds are large, active dogs and are known to have hips that give out, it's important to make sure they have good nutrition throughout their lives. Make sure to buy healthy food that is not full of filler ingredients. For example, make sure you are feeding a quality food that contains animal protein and doesn't use corn for protein. You can feed your German shepherd dry or wet food, or a combination of both. If you choose to feed your German shepherd homemade meals, it's important to talk to your veterinarian about what they need to include. This will help ensure that the dog will get a balanced diet. Try to resist giving your dog table scraps, especially if it is begging for them. People food can be unhealthy for the dog and can impact its interest in its healthy food. As your dog ages, it will have different nutritional needs. Feed your dog a food that is designed for its specific age, such as a puppy food when it very young, an adult food when it is in middle age, and senior food when it is in old age. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source There are also specific formulas you may need to consider at some point, for example, special foods for large breeds or weight control food for overweight dogs. Talk to your vet about what food will work best for your dog. Because your vet will understand your specific dog's health issues, they may want it to get specific nutritional needs met. Instead, mix the foods together, gradually increasing the new food and decreasing the old food over the course of several weeks. Look at the packaging of the food to determine the suggested serving size. This should be based on the size and age of your dog. You can also talk to your veterinarian about how much they think your dog should be eating. It is best to divide your German shepherd's daily food into 2 or more smaller meals. Giving smaller meals helps to minimize the risk of bloat, which is a life-threatening swelling of the abdomen. Go to source When you feed your dog several times a day, your dog will need to relieve themselves shortly after each meal. Never exercise a German shepherd right after they eat since this could increase the risk of bloating. In addition to feeding it healthy food, the snacks you feed your German shepherd can have an impact on its health. Pick low calorie treats that are satisfying for dogs, including crunchy vegetables and kibble in a feeding toy that slows the dog's consumption down. Dogs can drink a lot of water every day and it's important that they do to prevent dehydration. Fill up its bowl with clean water every day and leave it where your dog has access to it. Also, check up on the bowl throughout the day, if possible, to make sure there is plenty of water available. However, German shepherds should drink small amounts of water throughout the day, instead of drinking a large amount at one time. Gradually hydrating throughout the day will ensure that the dog doesn't get bloat. Dehydration can be a threat to your dog's health. Signs that it might be dehydrated and needs more water include excessive panting, loss of appetite, and dry nose or gums. If you see these symptoms, give your dog water immediately. Go to source Advertisement. German Shepherd dogs are known for their athletic capabilities, intelligence, and loyalty, making them one of India's most sought after breeds. Dog lovers are enamoured by the German shepherd's majestic appearance, intellect and guarding abilities. If you have decided or have recently become a German Shepherd's parent, you should be grateful to have such a loving and loyal companion who will stand by you no matter what in the years to come. However, parenting a German Shepherd is not an easy feat. Multiple factors need to be taken into consideration before you are confident that you will be able to provide for the needs of this dog. Parenting a German Shepherd is a highly gratifying affair, but the first step is choosing your puppy and caring for it. It needs to be planned out carefully to ensure that you and your dog spend all your days enjoying maximum satisfaction. This article will run you down through all the crucial decisions and actions that must be taken, starting from whether you should parent a German Shepherd, all the way to how you can care for your puppy. Is a German Shepherd is right for you? Before answering this question, it is imperative to check if parenting any German Shepherd is right for you to begin with. This breed is a very demanding one. It requires plentiful exercise to remain physically and mentally healthy. Without adequate playtime and activity, dogs of this breed can become destructive. So the question here is, do you have the facilities required to give your German shepherd this level of exercise? Do you have a yard, a park or a lawn near you where you can exercise your dog? Do you have the time to take them out on frequent walks? German Shepherds are usually suitable for people who engage in high-intensity sports such as running and bicycling. Will you be able to engage in such activities for the benefit of your dog as well as you? Similarly, German Shepherds are highly sociable animals and thrive in interactive environments. They need other dogs or people around them most of the time. Does your daily routine allow you to be near your dog for long periods of time? If you plan to leave your German shepherd at home for hours a day while you are working, this breed may not be suitable for you. Dogs of this breed are also prone to excessive shedding, and you need to be ready to find a lot of dog fur all around you. Being a large breed, feeding and taking care of these dogs are time and money intensive. They live long lives and can suffer from health problems too, and thus, caring for them can be an expensive affair. Thus, these are some of the questions that need to be answered to gauge whether a German Shepherd is indeed right for you to begin with. With these conditions in place, this breed may not be ideal for first-time dog parents. Coming to the type of German Shepherd that is right for you, this breed can be classified into two categories - work line type and show line type dogs. The differentiation is based on the heritage of the dogs of this breed and the purpose for which they were bred. Show lines were mainly bred for their look, colour and body type. Work Lines were primarily bred for their health and personality rather than to look a certain way. The line you choose depends on what you really want to be doing with your German shepherd. Work lines should be chosen if you seek a family pet or want some type of function to be performed because this type is known for its trainability, knowledge and skill. However, if you are more concerned with your dog's appearance, then going after show lines might be more appropriate. It must be mentioned, though, that it is possible to find show line dogs with the same characteristics as work line dogs and vice versa if they have been bred by individuals who are concerned with their appearance as well as health. Beyond work and show lines, age is another essential factor to consider. A good breeder would not offer puppies that are lesser than 8 weeks old as they still require their mother's milk as well as other social skills. Puppies who have received this from their mothers will be less likely to engage in destructive and unruly behaviour. First and foremost, verify that the puppy's parents have good health and desirable temperaments. Then examine the puppy in terms of health and hygiene by checking the eyes, ears, teeth, skin, coat, paws, etc. Study the gait of your puppy; it should be even. With German Shepherds, in particular, it is vital that you choose a pup that does not have undesirable traits. Visit the breeder at least four to five times before making a decision. Choosing a pup from the litter that is neither the timidest nor the most dominant would be wise if you want a bit of both traits. A German Shepherd puppy that is well built, energetic and sociable would be ideal. Next, to gauge the temperament of a puppy you want to select, you could perform a few simple tests, such as making eye contact with them. If they hold contact, it reflects confidence. It might be a sign of nervousness and anxiety if it looks away. Clapping your hands is another simple test. If the puppy runs away, it can be judged as timid, but it can signify that the pup wants to be friends if it approaches you. Similarly, other tests include calling the puppy to pet it, introducing it to a new toy, making a sudden noise, lifting the puppy and holding it above your head, or grabbing its paw. The reaction of puppies to such actions can provide much-needed insight into a puppy's temperament and help prospective dog parents make the right choice. On the one hand, if you prefer a dog that isn't prone to undermining your authority, it would be sensible to choose a moderately submissive puppy. On the other hand, if you want a dog for protection, it would be wise to choose a tough, trainable, and courageous puppy. After four to five visits, it would be possible for you to judge correctly - the personality and various character traits of the puppy you're interested in. As German Shepherds have highly individual personalities, you might bond more with one German Shepherd than the other. Lastly, before making a final decision, it is always good to ask the breeder for their opinion, as good breeders often have vital information about their puppies and can provide valuable insight into their characteristics and temperaments, thereby ensuring that you exactly find what you are looking for. Bringing Your German Shepherd Puppy Home Once you have established a rapport with a puppy and have made up your mind about becoming a dog parent, or a dog parent to another puppy, take a friend or companion with you who can help you clean up if your puppy is carsick. If you intend on making your puppy comfortable in a crate, give the crate to the breeder a few days before you bring the puppy home so that the breeder can help it acclimatize itself to the crate. The first day at home will be a traumatic experience for your puppy as it is away from its family. Thus, ensure that your puppy has a place to be comfortable and relaxed, with an adequate amount of food and water. It would be wise to spend some time exclusively with your puppy initially, such as an extended weekend plan so that your bond can grow. Be sure to collect your puppy's adoption contract and veterinary records. Furthermore, find out the exact kind of food that the breeder was giving the puppy you just adopted. Giving your pup entirely different food during the first few days can be traumatic for them. With their unfamiliar sights, smells, and sounds, your home and car can frighten your puppy, leading it to stress out and get anxious. Anticipate this and give your pup some time to adjust to the new environment. The first few days can be demanding as a dog parent because you need to adapt to changes in your schedule with the arrival of your puppy. Similarly, the puppy, too, can cry, whine or get overly affectionate, which can be regarded as coping mechanisms to deal with the sudden change in environment. During this time, make sure you don't scold your puppy or be overly affectionate either. Before bringing your newly adopted puppy home, it is essential for you to puppy-proof your home! Go down on all fours and check for sharp objects, hazardous materials, or any other dangerous substance that your puppy might end up chewing or swallowing. Cover your electrical outlets as well. Stock your home with food that your puppy has been eating while under the breeder's care. Keep an adequate amount of food and water, water bowls, treats, and grooming tools such as brushes, shampoos for puppies and nail clippers. Cleaning detergent for stains and smells will also come in handy in case of any accidents. Decide on that area of the house that will be where your puppy spends most of its time. This step is crucial as constantly changing your puppy's place can lead to disruptive sleep patterns and cause stress. German Shepherds, being extremely active, will tend to run across your halls, and in such cases, an accident or two are bound to happen. In such cases, it would be a good idea to restrict your dog's movements to areas that can be cleaned easily. Furthermore, German Shepherds have sharp claws and can ruin expensive hardwood floors, so it would be wise to keep them away from such flooring. As mentioned previously, your puppy will be nervous during the first few days. Frequent bathroom breaks will be a necessity for your pup, and thus, keep an area designated just for this purpose. Also, let your dog run around the house and acquaint itself with its surroundings. If your dog is chewing or biting furniture in a puppy-proofed home, you could offer a toy as a distraction. If you have children, teach them how to properly handle your puppy without being too rough. If you have other pets, give your pup a chance to meet and acknowledge them. Be careful while introducing your puppy to other puppies and grown dogs. However, most dogs are not aggressive with puppies, so it is doubtful that you will face problems on this front. Between eight and sixteen weeks of age, Puppies require plenty of clean water to drink and many meals a day. They also have small bladders and hence, will urinate often. Since they expend a lot of energy during the day, they will take several naps. It would be recommended to begin a daily routine for your pup and stick to it. Since German Shepherds require a lot of physical activity, taking them out in the mornings and evenings for an adequate amount of time religiously would be necessary. The faster you get your pup accustomed to a routine, the more beneficial it is to better sleeping schedules and better mental and physical health. When you begin house training your dog, be sure to praise them when they relieve themselves in designated areas but refrain from punishing them if they fail to do so. Remember that your home is a new environment for them, and thus, it will take a while to house train them. Training Your German Shepherd Puppy. Training your dog from the day they come home is very important. Clear rules should be set that should not be broken. For example, if you do not want your dog to get on the bed, do not let them come on the bed ever. Allowing them sometimes and then not other times gets confusing for your dog, and they may not be able to learn the desired behaviour effectively. Training your puppy can be divided into two stages, each with different objectives. The first stage of training needs to take place when your pup is between eight to sixteen weeks of age. In this period, socialization, house training and crate training goals must be accomplished. The second stage of training needs to occur when your puppy is three months of age until about 9 months. The main objectives of this training phase are obedience training, impulse control, and recall. From 8 - 16 weeks Goal: Socialization German shepherds are very protective of their owners. This makes it essential to make them see that other individuals are not necessarily threats. This period is critical to expose your puppy to different people in non-threatening situations. This can help them grow more confident around strangers instead of becoming hostile. Socialization creates a strong foundation for the rest of your puppy's training. One example of socialization comes from the grooming requirements of this breed. German Shepherds need to be groomed regularly so that they don't shed a lot. Thus, introducing them to groomers at a young age and to tools like blow dryers and nail clippers can help achieve this goal of adapting to social environments. Furthermore, to improve their mental development, expose your puppy to new sights, sounds and smells to help their confidence improve. Goal: Crate Training Training your puppy to sleep or stay in a crate can be difficult at first as they might face separation anxiety. Crate training is necessary if you prefer sleeping alone or washing the utensils in the kitchen and need your puppy to stay in one place for a couple of minutes. Patience is key to achieving this goal. Help them get over their separation anxiety with the help of treats and toys. You can also use your crate for feeding purposes to help your pup get more acclimated to it. Goal: House Training A strict schedule can help get your dog house trained. When your pup is around 8 weeks old, it should be taken outside for a bathroom break every two hours or so. At 12 weeks, it should be taken every 3 hours and around 16 weeks, every 4 hours or so. Begin teaching your puppy how to eliminate on cue by looking for signs such as sniffing the floor or circling a particular spot, or going to an area where it has made a mess before. Using a command to push your puppy to go outside to relieve itself can be helpful. Remember to praise your pup when it obeys such actions. From 3 - 9 Months Goal: Obedience Training German Speherds are acutely intellectual and have a commendable work ethic. Training that has begun early and consistently can help your puppy's best traits and features emerge with time. Dogs of this breed are excellent at obeying commands, and you can begin this type of training by teaching basic commands such as stay, down, and up. They can even be trained to walk on a leash easily during this period. Goal: Recall When obedience training is done right, the goal of recalling or successfully calling your puppy to come to you becomes relatively easier. Achieving recall takes patience and practice. It should be done diligently and on a daily basis, using treats and toys as incentives. Achieving this goal can come in handy during emergency situations as well. Goal: Impulse Control German Shepherds are highly susceptible to boredom, often resulting in excessive and inappropriate chewing, barking, chasing, etc. They also have a tendency to chase down cars and even cats. Such impulses need to be controlled as they can otherwise lead to destructive and problematic behaviour. Training for impulse control simply means getting your puppy to pay attention to you when required. You can begin such type of training by getting your puppy to sit before eating or using commands during playtime, which makes them focus on your voice only. Treats and toys could be attractive incentives to encourage your pup to respond positively to commands. Feeding Your German Shepherd Puppy. Remember to follow the breeder's diet in the initial days and gradually change this diet to incorporate different foods. Milk should not be given to puppies at this age as it can cause diarrhoea. Puppies need to be given food rich in protein, calcium and fats as they are still growing. Their food needs to be higher in calories when compared to the food given to a grown dog. When you give your puppy a food bowl, give it a specific window of time to finish eating, such as 10 or 15 minutes. After this period, remove the bowl. This will help your pup understand that it has to eat during a specific period of time only, which is a valuable component of obedience training. Between 4 to 6 months of age, you can start feeding your puppy increased portions of food four times a day. Foods such as meat and vegetables would be ideal. Treats should only be resorted to during training and not as actual food for mealtimes. Make sure to never give leftover human food to puppies as they contain spices, salt, sugar and so on, which are very unhealthy for dogs. FAQs: Are german shepherd puppies hard to take care of? Not just german shepherds, all puppies are hard to take care of initially. This is because it is exactly like getting a newborn baby home. There will be sleepless nights, vet visits, training, creating and sticking to routines and so on. However, these efforts will eventually pay off, because once your pup is trained, they will be socialized and can adapt to your lifestyle easily. How many times should a german shepherd puppy eat a day? For up to four months, puppies should be fed three to four times a day. Post this period, gradually reduce the number of times your pup is fed. After eight to nine months, two meals a day will suffice. Where should my german shepherd sleep? German shepherds are highly sociable animals and should not be left alone for too long. Puppies should be trained to sleep in a crate or share the bed with you if you so desire. As they grow older, they can be allowed to sleep in a crate, or in an area specially designed for them. What are the best foods for german shepherd puppies? Like other puppies, they too require meals that are high in protein, grain-free, rich in good quality fats without any chemicals, artificial additives etc. Is it okay to feed a german Shephard 3 times a day? Up to eight to nine months of age, it is okay to feed your German Shepherd three times a day. However, feeding them twice a day is more than enough beyond this age. The amount of food ultimately depends on your dog's age, size, weight, and levels of physical activity. When do german shepherd puppies stop biting and jumping? It is perfectly normal for your puppy to constantly bite, chew, or jump for the first four to six months. However, while teething is normal, you must redirect your puppy to chew on toys and other things that are appropriate instead of household furniture. Do not wait to think issues will be resolved after months. Get professional help from day 1 to teach your pup the right behaviours. The transition period can be a little intimidating once you get over the cuteness overload and realize that your new puppy has no training whatsoever and it's up to you how things will progress from there. We'll try to make it easier for you with this short list of things to do the first 2 weeks after bringing your new puppy home. Your puppy is in a brand new place and it's their first time being away from their mom and siblings. I know you want to bring the puppy with you everywhere, play all day and show him or her off to all of your friends and family. But take it slow at first so that your new puppy can get settled and relax. Hang out at home. Become a professional treat dispenser. And begin the foundation of building your bond with your pup. Crate training is the best way to house train. Introduce your puppy to the crate early on by making it a positive experience. Toss a high value treat inside and let them explore and go inside on their own volition. Place a chew toy that can hold treats into the crate and close the door. Make sure the puppy sees you do this. When the puppy tries to paw and get inside the crate, open the door and let them in. When they start chewing on the toy, close the door for a few seconds before opening. And remember to reward your puppy when it's playing quietly inside the crate and to ignore any whining. Also remember the rules of potty training using the crate. If the pup just ate or drank, let them outside. If the pup is coming out of the crate for any extended time, let them outside. If your pup is so much as sniffing the ground a little too much, you guessed it, let them outside. The fewer accidents inside the house, the less likely it is for the puppy to get into the habit of going inside the house. Start immediately with potty training and socialization. Puppies aren't fully protected until their final vaccination at weeks, so openly socializing in public isn't the best idea. But you can have friends and family come over to meet your puppy, as well as their fully vaccinated, well behaved dogs and puppies. You can also begin the foundation of basic obedience commands. All that's necessary later on is getting consistency and working around distractions. Unless of course you want to compete in obedience or a sport that requires obedience. Competition makes things a little more complicated than that. This step is often overlooked and it's arguably the most important step for a new puppy. Puppies love a routine. It's comforting knowing what's going to happen. Wake up in the morning, outside to potty. A little training with treats, breakfast, outside to potty again. A little play time etc. If you have to go to work, make sure you have a friend, relative, dog walker or dog sitter to let the puppy outside if you can't make it home during your break to let the puppy use the potty. They have a tiny bladder and can't hold it for a full workday. When you have a routine that works, things will go smoothly. If you stray from that routine or never establish one, you'll have more accidents, a confused puppy, and quite possibly a headache. Consistency is key, and make sure you throw in several short training sessions. Most places require these. It may sound silly that you're probably legally required to get a license for your dog, but.But rules are rules. Better safe than fined! A vet who has fair prices for your area, yet is also professional and competent is a must. You will see your vet often enough that they will eventually know your name without having to check the paperwork. So your best bet is to find a good one! Routine checkups, vaccinations, and minor or even major health issues will happen. So build a relationship with a local vet as soon as possible. Also, if you have a German Shepherd or any other large breed and ever intend to breed, you should try to find either an orthopedic vet or a vet who is experienced in taking and sending in hip and elbow x-rays to the OFA to be graded. This may not be your primary veterinarian, but it's good to plan ahead. Even if you don't intend to breed, most breeders state in their contract that they will cover hips and elbows, but only if you get preliminary x-rays or have x-rays graded within a certain amount of time usually 2 years. As a bonus, taking hip and elbow x-rays at 2 years old can help extend the quality of life for your dog if they do end up having dysplasia. You'll know to dial down exercise that is hard on the joints, and that can mean the difference between a dog with pain at 5, and a dog who lives its whole life without pain. It'll also give you a head start on a medication and treatment plan. There are dogs with moderate hip dysplasia that live a very comfortable, long life without the need for surgery thanks to their owner taking that extra step of getting x-rays done. The advanced notice gives their owner a head start on supplements and getting into therapy programs, like swimming, to strengthen the muscle around the joint before they're ever in pain. So this may not be a necessary step if you don't care about your breeder's guarantee, but it can help ease your mind or give you a heads up before a problem even surfaces. But it'll be much less stressful if you have a plan in advance and stick with these 6 tips. If you have any other tips or tricks, leave them down in the comments below and be sure to leave a like and share! As a breed, however, German Shepherds often show these other traits: Easily bored if not given something to do, which may lead to barking or chewing Can be rambunctious and rowdy, especially as a younger dog Overprotective of family and territory if not socialized properly Can have an unstable temperament if not bred properly, including excessive barking, hyperactivity, or aggression Suspicious of strangers Prone to a number of health problems She is a faithful companion that can excel at most anything. With early socialization and confident leadership, she is a cheerful and dependable addition to any family. The German Shepherd Dog originated in Germany in .The German Shepherd has consistently been one of the most popular breeds in the United States since the early s with a rise in fame then attributed to canine film stars Rin-Tin-Tin and Strongheart. GSDs are favored working dogs because of their strength, intelligence, versatility, and obedient natures. The German Shepherd is unmatched in her devotion and courage. She is eager to serve a greater cause with her human companions. The German Shepherd is a generally healthy breed with an average lifespan of years. That is why we have summarized the health concerns we will be discussing with you over the life of your Shepherd. By knowing about health concerns specific to German Shepherd Dogs, we can tailor a preventive health plan to watch for and hopefully prevent some predictable risks. That does not mean your dog will have these problems; it just means that she is more at risk than other dogs. We will describe the most common issues seen in German Shepherd Dogs to give you an idea of what may come up in her future. This guide contains general health information important to all canines as well as the most important genetic predispositions for German Shepherd Dogs. At the end of the article, we have also included a description of what you can do at home to keep your GSD looking and feeling her best. Unfortunately, your German Shepherd is more likely than other dogs to have problems with her teeth. Dental disease starts with tartar build-up on the teeth and progresses to infection of the gums and roots of the teeth. Infections German Shepherd Dogs are susceptible to bacterial and viral infections — the same ones that all dogs can get — such as parvo, rabies, and distemper. Many of these infections are preventable through vaccination , which we will recommend based on her age, the diseases we see in our area, and other factors. Obesity Obesity can be a significant health problem in German Shepherd Dogs. It is a serious disease that may cause or worsen joint problems, metabolic and digestive disorders, back pain, and heart disease. Instead, give her a hug, brush her fur or teeth, play a game with her, or perhaps take her for a walk. Everything from fleas and ticks to ear mites can infest her skin and ears. Hookworms, roundworms, heartworms , and whipworms can get into her system in a number of ways: drinking unclean water, walking on contaminated soil, or being bitten by an infected mosquito. Some of these parasites can be transmitted to you or a family member and are a serious concern for everyone. The Vida Veterinary Care doctors will also recommend preventive medication as necessary to keep her healthy. Spay or Neuter One of the best things you can do for your Shepherd is to have her spayed neutered for males. In females, this means we surgically remove the ovaries and usually the uterus, and in males, it means we surgically remove the testicles. Spaying or neutering decreases the likelihood of certain types of cancers and eliminates the possibility of your pet becoming pregnant or fathering unwanted puppies. Performing this surgery also gives us a chance, while your pet is under anesthesia, to identify and address some of the diseases your dog is likely to develop. Routine blood testing prior to surgery also helps us to identify and take precautions against common problems that increase anesthetic or surgical risk. This means your Shepherd is more at risk than other breeds. When a dog bloats, the stomach twists on itself and fills with gas. The twisting cuts off the blood supply to the stomach and sometimes to the spleen. Left untreated, the disease is quickly fatal, sometimes in as little as half an hour. Your dog may retch or heave but little or nothing comes up , act restless, have an enlarged abdomen, or lie in a prayer position front feet down, rear end up. Preventive surgery in which the stomach is tacked down or sutured in place so that it is unlikely to twist is an option. If you see symptoms, take your pet to an emergency hospital immediately! Digestive Disorders Several inherited conditions can cause recurring vomiting, diarrhea, or weight loss in your Shepherd. These conditions include pancreatic or intestinal disease, food sensitivities, and food allergies. Some of these problems may begin very early in life. To help prevent these conditions, feed only a high-quality pet food we can help you choose the right diet and, most importantly, avoid snacks and table food. The healthcare chart included in this care guide lists the specific digestive disorders your pet may encounter. Bleeding Disorders Your breed is prone to a bleeding disorder called hemophilia. This is an important test, as we may not know your pet has this disorder until severe bleeding occurs during surgery or after a serious injury. Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency The pancreas has two major functions: regulating blood sugar and helping digest food. Digestive enzymes are produced by the exocrine part of the pancreas. GSDs are at an increased risk of having too few digestive enzymes, a disorder called exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. This causes inadequate digestion and absorption of nutrients leading to weight loss; foul-smelling, greasy diarrhea; and a dry and flaky coat due to his inability to absorb dietary fats. Lifelong dietary supplementation of digestive enzymes is an effective therapy. While it may seem overwhelming, each condition can be diagnosed and treated to prevent undue pain and suffering. The disease is caused when the jelly-like cushion between one or more vertebrae slips or ruptures, causing the disc to press on the spinal cord. If your dog is suddenly unable or unwilling to jump or go up stairs, is reluctant to move around, has a hunched back, cries out, or refuses to eat or go potty, he is likely in severe pain. He may even experience sudden paralysis—he may drag his back feet or be unable to get up or use his back legs. Call us or an emergency clinic immediately! For less severe cases, rest and medication may resolve the problem. And as with so many other diseases, weight control helps reduce the risk of IVDD. You should also provide ramps or steps for your pet from puppyhood on to prevent your dog from stressing his back by jumping on and off of the furniture. Both hips and elbows are at risk for dysplasia, an inherited disease that causes the joints to develop improperly and results in arthritis. You may notice that he begins to show lameness in his legs or has difficulty getting up from lying down. We can treat the arthritis—the sooner the better—to minimize discomfort and pain. Surgery is also sometimes a good option in severe and life-limiting cases. And keep in mind that overweight dogs may develop arthritis years earlier than those of normal weight, causing undue pain and suffering! Growing Shepherds can suffer from a painful inflammation of the long bones in the legs called eosinophilic panosteitis, or pano or eo-pan for short. It usually starts around six to ten months of age and shifts from leg to leg. Panosteitis usually causes no permanent damage, but requires pain medication. If your dog has this condition and develops an abnormal gait to compensate for the sore leg s , rehabilitation exercises may be required. Epilepsy There are three types of seizures in dogs: reactive, secondary, and primary. Secondary seizures are the result of a brain tumor, stroke, or trauma. If no other cause can be found, the disease is called primary or idiopathic epilepsy. This problem is often an inherited condition, and German Shepherd Dogs are commonly afflicted. If your friend is prone to seizures, episodes will usually begin between six months and three years of age. An initial diagnostic workup may help find the cause. Lifelong medication is usually necessary to help keep seizures under control with periodic blood testing required to monitor side effects and efficacy. Note the length of the seizure, and call us or an emergency hospital. Heart Disease German Shepherd Dogs are prone to multiple types of heart disease , which can occur both early and later in life. Veterinary dental care and weight control also go a long way in preventing heart disease. Unfortunately, German Shepherd Dogs can inherit or develop a number of different eye conditions, some of which may cause blindness if not treated right away, and most of which can be extremely painful! We will evaluate his eyes at every examination to look for any signs for concern. Cataracts are a common cause of blindness in older Shepherds. Many dogs adjust well to losing their vision and get along just fine. Surgery to remove cataracts and restore sight may also be an option. In affected breeds, inflammatory cells infiltrate the cornea the clear part of the eye , which then darkens with exposure to ultraviolet light, and may lead to complete blindness. Doggie sunglasses are also an option to help reduce sun exposure. Cancer Cancer is a leading cause of death in older dogs. Your GSD will likely live longer than many other breeds and therefore is more prone to get cancer in his golden years. Many cancers are curable by surgical removal, and some types are treatable with chemotherapy. Early detection is critical! The healthcare chart included in this care guide lists the specific cancers your pet may encounter. This is a common problem in dogs, and your Shepherd is more likely than other dogs to be affected. The condition usually develops slowly, and the early signs are easily missed. Symptoms include drinking and urinating more than normal, increased appetite, and reduced activity level followed later by a potbelly, thin skin, and hair loss. Treatment usually includes oral medications and requires close coordination with us to ensure correct dosing. Neurological Disease A genetically linked neurological condition, known as wobbler disease or wobbler syndrome, causes a wobbly, drunken gait in affected pets. Wobbler disease is the result of a narrowing of the vertebrae in the neck that pinches the spinal cord and associated nerves. When pinched, the nerves do not send signals to the brain as they should causing the pet to be unable to feel his feet. The first signs you will often notice with wobbler disease are unstable hind legs, stumbling, and sometimes falling. Treatment options include medications, neck braces, rehabilitation exercise programs, and surgery. It affects GSDs more frequently than other breeds. If your dog has this disease, he will become increasingly weak and disabled in the hind legs, eventually suffering from paralysis in his hindquarters, which also leads to incontinence. Rehabilitation, exercise, acupuncture , and dietary supplements can be helpful, but there is no cure for degenerative myelopathy. A genetic test is available to determine whether your dog is at risk for this heritable disease. Diabetes Diabetes mellitus is a fairly common disease in dogs. Any breed can be affected, but German Shepherds have an above average incidence. Dogs with diabetes are unable to regulate the metabolism of sugars in their bodies and require daily insulin injections. Diabetes is a serious condition and one that is important to diagnose and treat as early as possible. Symptoms include increased eating, drinking, and urination, along with weight loss. If he shows signs, we will conduct lab tests to determine if he has this condition and discuss treatment options with you. Treatment requires a serious commitment of time and resources. Well-regulated diabetic dogs today have the same life expectancy as other canines. Anal Gland Problems German Shepherds are prone to a painful, longterm condition in which the area around the anus becomes inflamed or develops sores. Signs include bleeding, constipation, licking of the area, smelly discharge around the rectum, and straining or apparent pain when defecating. This condition can be difficult to treat and requires lifelong medications, prescription food, and sometimes even surgery. Allergies In humans, allergies to pollen, mold, or dust make people sneeze. In dogs, rather than sneezing, allergies make their skin itchy. The feet, belly, folds of the skin, and ears are most commonly affected. Symptoms typically start between the ages of one and three and can get worse every year. Licking the paws, rubbing the face, and frequent ear infections are the most common signs of allergies. The good news is that there are many treatment options available for these conditions. Taking Care of Your German Shepherd Dog at Home Much of what you can do to keep your dog happy and healthy is common sense, just like it is for people. Be sure to adhere to the schedule of examinations and vaccinations that we recommend for her. Another very important step in caring for your pet is signing up for pet health insurance. There will certainly be medical tests and procedures she will need throughout her life and pet health insurance will help you cover those costs. Routine Care, Diet, and Exercise Build her routine care into your schedule to help your GSD live longer, stay healthier, and be happier during her lifetime. We cannot overemphasize the importance of a proper diet and exercise routine. Supervise your pet as you would a toddler. Keep doors closed, pick up after yourself, and block off rooms as necessary. She needs a thorough brushing at least weekly most of the year. Twice a year she blows her coat and loses crazy amounts of hair; daily brushing is recommended during this time. German Shepherd Dogs generally have good teeth, and you can keep them perfect by brushing them at least twice a week! Clean her ears weekly, even as a puppy. She has a high prey drive, so she needs to be leash walked and a fenced yard is a must. Feed a high-quality diet appropriate for her age. What to Watch For Any abnormal symptom could be a sign of serious disease or it could just be a minor or temporary problem. The important thing is to be able to tell when to seek veterinary help and how urgently. Many diseases cause dogs to have a characteristic combination of symptoms, which together can be a clear signal that your German Shepherd Dog needs help.

Chinese origins[ edit ] Pugs were brought from China to Europe in the sixteenth century. The pet pugs were highly valued by Chinese Emperors, and the royal dogs were kept in luxury and guarded by soldiers. In Tibet , Buddhist monks kept pugs as pets in their monasteries. Pugs were painted by Goya in Spain, and in Italy they rode up front on private carriages, dressed in jackets and pantaloons that matched those of the coachman. They were used by the military to track animals and people, and were also employed as guard dogs. His self-portrait , which is now in London's Tate Gallery , includes his pug, Trump. Every carriage I meet here has a Pug in it. Many responded to the breed's image of anti-functionalism and diminutive size during this period. The modern pug's appearance probably changed after when a new wave of pugs were imported directly from China. These pugs had shorter legs and the modern-style pug nose. The British aristocrat Lady Brassey is credited with making black pugs fashionable after she brought some back from China in .Hogarth's painting from the 18th century depicts the originally longer muzzle, as well as the picture in a edition of Brehms Tierleben. Since there has been a trend in some countries to breed "retro pugs". Following the deaths of pugs and other brachycephalic breeds, several airlines either banned their transport in cargo or enacted seasonal restrictions. Pugs have elongated palates. When excited, they are prone to " reverse sneezing " which causes them to quickly and seemingly laboriously gasp and snort. The veterinary name for this is pharyngeal gag reflex and it is caused by fluid or debris getting caught under the palate and irritating the throat or limiting breathing. Reverse sneezing episodes are usually not harmful, and massaging the dog's throat or covering its nose in order to make it breathe through its mouth can often shorten a sneezing fit. In serious cases, it makes breathing even more difficult and puts added pressure on the larynx. If this happens, one should inquire with their veterinarian whether or not surgery is needed to open the nostrils. If the prolapse happens on a regular basis, the pug might require surgery. This condition is caused when parasitic mites, that are often present in a dog's skin without causing symptoms, are allowed to do damage because their host has a weakened immune system. It is a problem for many young pugs, although not usually a major one, and is easily treatable, but some are especially susceptible and present with a systemic form of the condition. The condition occurs when two parts of a spinal vertebra do not fuse properly while a young pug is still growing, resulting in an irregularly shaped spinal cavity which can put pressure on the spinal cord. Pug photo, ca .Note its small head and long legs. A pug by Carl Reichert. The pug that was predominantly featured in the commercials was Cheeka. A few other adverts also appeared in the following months, inspired by the idea of a dog following a boy. Overview When you have a dog from the age of a young pup, this gives you a wonderful opportunity. It offers you a chance to bond with your dog from the very beginning. This also gives you an advantage because you will be able to train and teach your pup what they need to know before they learn any bad behavior from elsewhere. This section will discuss how to care for a Pug puppy, starting at 8 weeks old and up until he or she is an adult, at the age of 1 year. Transition to a New Home Things will run much smoother if you plan ahead and have most, if not all, of your puppy care items already in your home. Here are the most important items to have: A crate — One with an adjustable size is best to fit the needs of a growing Pug puppy. Crating is a good night time method to use until a pup is housebroken. Gates or a playpen — Choosing an area to gate off or using a canine playpen are good options for when you must leave your Pug puppy home alone or for when you cannot be right at his side. This keeps the pup in a controlled space which helps in regard to bathroom needs and keeping a puppy in one area when he or she has strong chewing urges. Puppy food — This should be obtained before the puppy is brought home. Owners will not always agree with the food that a puppy has been being fed, however any change should be done gradually. Have the food that the Pug has been used to eating on hand, as well as your new choice. Details regarding making this change can be found here: Feeding a Pug. You'll also want them to be sized appropriately and at floor level. Honey — Puppies are prone to the condition of hypoglycemia, which is a rapid and dangerous drop in blood sugar levels. Stress, among other things, can bring this on and while going to a new home is a happy event, it can also be stressful for a little pup that is leaving all that he knew and no longer has the companionship and friendship of his litter-mates. Treatment can be provided at home as plans are being made to bring the puppy to the closest animal hospital or veterinarian. A small dab of honey is rubbed onto the gums and then the puppy should receive professional treatment, sometimes an IV to restore sugar levels back to normal. Leash, collar and harness — Pugs are prone to conditions that involve breathing problems. The body structure of this breed confines breathing passages into a small space and Pugs can have smaller than normal nasal passages and openings stenotic nares. For this reason, using a harness can help a Pug breathe easier when on leash. A short 6 foot leash works best for both potty training and heeling. Read more : Choosing the Best Collar and Harness for a Pug Grooming supplies — The thick coat of a Pug sheds heavily and brushing it well and offering baths on a regular basis can help control shedding. Starting dental care at a young age can help a puppy become used to this grooming element and set up a foundation for a life time of good dental hygiene practices. Keeping the wrinkles, eyes and ears clean are important part of caring for a Pug puppy. Read more: Shedding - Expect your Pug to shed a lot and be prepared by having the right tools. Dental care - Taking care of your Pug's teeth should be high on your priority list. Ears - Expected shapes and proper care. Wrinkles - Keeping the wrinkles dry and clean. Sleeping supplies - Some owners prefer to have their puppy sleep in the bed with them and while this is not always a bad thing, an owner should think about how that will play out as the pup matures into a much larger adult dog. Having a pup get used to his own canine bed from the beginning, set up in a quiet corner of a room, may work out best. Do keep in mind that Pugs crave human companionship and do not like to feel isolated. Setting up the bed in a quiet corner of a well-used room allows a Pug to have a nice area to retreat to for rest and sleep while allowing him to be close to his human family. It will be normal for a little one to sleep anywhere from 16 to 18 hours a day.This included both night time sleep and naps that will be taken throughout the day. Chew Toys — Teething will begin around the age of 3 or 4 months old and can last up until a Pug puppy is 8 months old. Having a good supply of toys on hand for a puppy to chew on is important. Puppy Proofing Before bringing a puppy home and on a regular basis at least weekly owners are encouraged to go over all floors to remove any small objects that could be accidentally swallowed. All items that could be chewed on such as pocket books and shoes should be placed up high until the Pug has matured. Whining It is normal for very young puppies to cry when first brought to a new home, this usually only lasts for a week or so as the pup becomes used to his new family and environment. This can also be a sign of needing to go to the bathroom, so following house training guidelines, be sure to take your Pug puppy outside on a regular basis. Vaccinations for the Pug Puppy An important part of caring for your puppy will be to make sure he or she is up-to-date for all needed vaccinations. An 8-week-old should already have received his shots, as well as a de-worming. Veterinarians will have varying schedules, however this is a general guideline: 5 weeks Parvovirus: For puppies at high risk of exposure to parvo, some veterinarians recommend vaccinating at 5 weeks. Dogs at high risk are those that live in areas where wild life raccoon, skunk, deer, etc. The inclusion of either canine adenovirus-1 or adenovirus-2 in a vaccine will protect against both adenovirus cough and hepatitis; adenovirus-2 is highly preferred. You will want to talk to your veterinarian about this. Reactions to Vaccines Immunizations are intended to stimulate the immune system to then protect a dog against a specific infectious disease. It is very important to have your Pug receive all needed vaccinations. Your Pug may react to immunizations in ways that range from soreness at the site of injection to mild fever to allergic reactions. The allergic reactions can range from mild to severe. Mild- Mild reactions include fever, sluggishness, and loss of appetite. Mild reactions usually resolve without any treatment needed. This is called Urticaria. This happens when there is a reaction of the skin and shows as hives or bumps. It is usually extremely itchy. Urticaria may progress to anaphylaxis, which is considered life-threatening. However, Urticaria is the most common reaction in dogs if a reaction is to happen. Severe - The most severe reaction is anaphylaxis. This is a very fast, sudden, severe allergic response that causes breathing difficulties, collapse and possible death. This is very rare. Urticaria the moderate and most common reaction, if one is to occur happens soon after vaccination, often even before the puppy is brought home. It can happen in the car while you are driving back to your house. Your veterinarian will recommend immediate return to the hospital for treatment. Urticaria is usually treated successfully with injectable corticosteroids like dexamethasone or prednisone. Antihistamines do little to help with acute allergic reactions but may be given by injection to help prevent recurrence of symptoms after steroids wear off. Mild vaccination reactions usually require no treatment. However, if the symptoms persist for more than 24 hours, call your veterinarian. Growth Rate A Pug puppy grows quickly and this can happen gradually or with spurts and stops. Many Pug puppies have a growth spurt near the 3 to 5 month mark. As the pup nears the 1 year mark, growth will slow down. Once a Pug reaches his or her full height, there may still be some growth in the width of the Pug, as the chest widens and fills out. How a Pug ages and his growth is rapid, yet can be staggered during the first year. Getting Your Puppy Comfortable One of the most important parts of bringing a puppy home is allowing him or her to become used to their new surroundings. Allow your pup to roam around and check out his new environment. Be sure to keep a puppy's water in one designed spot so that the pup can know that it can always be found. The drinking and feeding area should be in a quite corner of a room, without much foot traffic or noise, since small puppies can feel vulnerable while eating. The absolute longest that a 2 month old pup can hold their needs is 2 hours. The bladder and bowel muscles are not yet fully developed. As they grow older, this time will increase as they have more control over their body. Usually it will increase by 1 hour for each month that goes by. Therefore, a 3 month old can hold on for about 3 hours, a 4 month old for about 4 hours and so on.With 8 hours being the maximum time for any age. Informational Note: When your 2 month old needs to go outside at least every 2 hours, be sure to not get stuck into that habit.It is important to slowly increase the time intervals. Your 3 month old can wait about 3 hours, but only if you allow the pup to use his bowel and bladder muscles to work and grow stronger. If an owner always brought their Pug outside every 2 hours, the dog would never learn to hold their needs for a longer period of time. Keep reading about the best way to house train a Pug puppy. All puppy vaccinations should be given before you take him or her out to the park, to pet supply stores or any other area in which there may have been or could be other animals. Many new owners already have another dog in the household. As your puppy grows older and is receiving the needed vaccinations, you can slowly begin introducing your new puppy to other dogs and allow normal socialization to begin. The Necessities of Care To have a healthy and happy puppy that will grow into a happy and healthy adult dog, make sure to always provide the essentials: A proper diet. You will need to decide if you want to offer manufacture food, home cooked food or a combination of both. Pugs are very sensitive to their human's emotions. A hug goes a long way! All rights reserved. Privacy Policy We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon. So do pugs get along with other Pugs and should you get the same sex or not? Having two pugs is better than having one. They are companion pugs and will understand each other better than with other breeds. Personally, I think two males can get along as they are neutered and have been properly socialized. After all, Pugs get along with cats and other animals, so having two should be no problem. A Little Bit About The Pug Dog These brachycephalic dogs make a great pet and it is possible to have more than one Pugs are some of the oldest breeds and originated in China. The breed gained popularity in the s when the British took over the Chinese Imperial Palace. They are toy dogs with short-muzzled faces. Another unique characteristic of the breed is that their tail curls tightly over the hip. Traditionally, pugs were used as watchdogs and performing tricks. Generally, the animals are intelligent, keen, and affectionate. Unlike some breeds, they are rarely aggressive but can be docile. Although the pups are inactive indoors, you can keep them even without a yard, which makes them ideal pets in apartments. Pugs are sensitive to hot or cold weather. Therefore, ensure you keep them at comfortable temperatures in your home. The pups will let you know when you have a visitor and will not bark unnecessarily. Ensure you socialize them while still young to prevent them from becoming jealous. If that happens, they will start guarding various items, including furniture and toys in your home. However, avoid overdoing it. Since they have a short nose, the dogs can overheat and experience breathing difficulties after over-exercising. If your first pet is well-trained, it will set an example for the others to follow. The first pug will set the acceptable behavior for the other pet in your home. Professional dog care can be expensive and is not an option for many pet lovers. Having two pugs will save you a significant amount of money in the long run. By having a companion, your pup will run around and play more than when alone. This means they will get extra exercise for physical health without your involvement. Every exercise counts. Pugs that grow up together tend to get along better than when introduced after maturity. The drawback is that training the two puppies can be difficult. Research shows that puppies of the opposite sex tend to be better together. Usually, male pups tend to be laid back after their juvenile age, which is 12 months. You will not experience major issues if your male pets are neutered. Same-sex adoptions can be either a hit or miss. Some people have never had issues raising two same-sex dogs from the same litter. While others have experienced nightmares when the dogs mature. According to Dr. Instead, choose a dog based on their personify, energy level, and demeanor. This is how you have a well-behaved dog that gets along with other animals regardless of sex. Some people prefer female dogs because they are less likely to mark in the house if they are spayed. Some say that females are easier to train than males? This way, the male gets to be alpha for the boys and the female is the alpha for the girls. Here is the best way to introduce two male Pugs or any other type of male dog to your first Pug. Use a harness on both dogs: This will give you complete control in case one of the dogs tries to start a fight. Take them to a neutral park, such as a public park: This way there are no scents of the other dog. When dogs approach each other for the first time, their emotional intensity is extremely high. You can let them start sniffing each other while they are walking. If one pees, let the other dog sniff it after the dog is done: Dogs sniff urine and poop as a way to exchange information and energy between the two dogs. Let them off the leash: Once they have sniffed each other and are feeling comfortable, and calm. There can be feelings of jealousy if you favor one dog over another. Separate toys, food, and water bowls: If you notice any aggressive behavior, you may want to keep food bowls, crates , toys, and etc separate. This way, if a fight breaks out, someone will be there to break it up before it escalates. Tips for Finding the Perfect Second Pug? Your Pug is more likely to get along with another Pug of the same demeanor It may not be easy for you to find the perfect match for your current pet. You need to perform due diligence, so both of them get along. Many people find rescue pugs to be better as they are likely to be trained. Additionally, this means you will not buy pups from farms with unethical practices. Although this is not the case for all pet stores, it happens from time to time. You can seek professional help to choose a pup with the traits that you want. Ensure you visit several dealers before you make a decision and bring your current pug along. Allow your pug to socialize with the others and observe which ones get along. You need to have patience while doing this. Final Word Two Pugs may require a little more work at the beginning.

Food, warmth and lots of shut-eye are required for health and growth in his first few weeks. But with his eyes closed during this time, he will need monitoring and a little help from you. Step 1 Rub a bit of the mother's milk on the puppy's nose, and help him find her nipple for nursing so he connects the two. Puppies must feed within the first 12 to 36 hours to receive the mother's colostrum, which contains vital antibodies and nutrition for his survival. He should be nursing every two hours the first week, with longer intervals between feedings after that. Step 2 Check the puppy throughout the day to make sure he is warm and breathing. Newborn boxers sleep constantly and typically make soft sounds in their sleep. Add a towel-covered hot water bottle or heating pad on a low setting to provide additional warmth for your puppy. Step 3 Make sure the newborn boxer puppy is going to the bathroom after he eats. As he is unable to do so himself, his mother will lick him to cause the urge to go each day. If possible, wipe this up immediately with a paper towel so he doesn't lie in it or his mother doesn't eat it a natural occurrence. Step 4 Weigh the puppy daily to make sure he is gaining weight; if not, he is either not nursing properly or not getting what he needs from his mother. Puppy formula can be purchased at pet centers to mix for bottle feeding if this occurs. Step 5 Visit your veterinarian on day three to have the puppy's dewclaws removed and tail docked, if you choose to have these procedures done. More Articles. Select Options How to treat your newborn Boxers during their first 8 weeks If you have a litter of a newborn Boxer puppies you should prepare to be close to them at least for 8 first weeks of their life. It is the crucial time when you have to be ready for any situation, as it is the time when the health of your puppy is shaped. Day 1 During this day mother-dog will feed her babies with Colostrum. This is a milky liquid that contains a lot of nutrients, providing the puppies with vital antibodies. This day can be called a " sleepy day", as the puppies will sleep almost all the time when not drinking. If the puppies' bodies are warm, they breathe naturally and make soft noises, they are full and fine. On the first day the puppies cannot eliminate waists from their organism themselves yet, so their mother will lick them to stimulate this process. Boxer puppies have their eyes still closed and it will stay this way for days. The umbilical cord still remains, as it is rather damp and not ready to fall off. Day 2 On this day your puppies can lose weight. Don't be afraid, it is absolutely normal. However, take care that the larger puppies don't push the weaker puppies off the nipple. Day 3 If you decided to dock your puppies' tails, it is the best day to do it. Consult with your vet and consider carefully your decision. It is also the day when the cord is dry enough to fall off. On this day you should remove the dewclaws, if you decided to do so. Remember, that it should be done only by your experienced veterinarian. Week 1 During this week you should weigh your puppy each day. Take a basket lined with a soft and clean towel and measure it first. Then put the puppy into the basket. Thus, you will be able to calculate accurate number. Each day your puppies must gain weight. If there is no increase, contact your vet immediately. The nails should be trimmed each day as they grow very quickly. Please, do it very carefully for not to hurt your dog. You must trim off only a small "hook" of the nail. Week 2 It is the time when your small Boxers begin to open their eyes. It is a slow process so be patient. The puppies still hold close to their mom, but they already make their attempts to communicate with you. Week 3 It is a "chatting time". Now the puppies should fully open their eyes. The ear canal is also should be fully formed so the small Boxers start hearing their voices and barking. Be ready that your little travelers will make an attempts to leave their place. Now they have everything to learn the world better! Although it is not desirable to allow them to run about the house as they can harm themselves. Connect one or more boxes together, thus, making a big "playing ground". This way, your puppies will have enough place to communicate and play with each other. And it will be a safe place! Week 4 On the 4th week you may start feeding your puppies with solid food. Make a mixture containing 14 of puppy dog food and 34 of water. Begin with small amounts. You should habituate your puppies to solid food gradually and slowly as their digestive system cannot accept it at once. You can also remove extra heating. The temperature in the room must be 72 F 23 C. Week 5 It is the time when you can give toys to your puppies. You still have to check their weight, but not necessarily each day. Normal weight should vary between 2 lbs. Gradually make the food more solid by adding more puppy dog food and less water. Mother-dog is tired and exhausted so she would like to spend less time with her children. It is a perfect time for your interaction with the puppies. They will be very happy to play with you. Week 6 On the 6th week you may introduce your puppies a new world. Be ready that your small Boxers will become more active and start eating a lot. However, it is still too early for training. It is better to involve them into outdoor walkings. Try to walk them separately and beware of other dogs. Your puppies will be really fascinated to feel the warmth of the sun and soft touch of the grass! Week 7 You Boxer puppies do not require nursing any more. It is a great time when they grew up enough to involve you in their quite active games. Outdoor walks must become a daily routine. You should also take mother-dog with you as well. She will start educating her children all necessary skills. This week is perfect to pass to the usual routine of dog feeding, grooming, exercise and playing. Week 8 During this week the puppies should have their first vaccinations. If you are not going to keep all the puppies, it is a good time to find a new home for them. Make sure that you give them to the kind and loving people, who will take care of their small Boxers. If you are going to keep all or some puppies, you can begin training them as well as falling back into your normal dog care schedule. Boxer Newborn Puppy Care Overview If you have had a litter of Boxer puppies at your home and you are in charge of taking care of a newborn Boxer puppy, much attention must be taken during the first 8 weeks. From the moment of birth until the pups are at least 2 months old, a person must be close by and ready for any situation. Each week will bring new changes and responsibilities. This is a crucial time for care that can shape the health of the dog for its lifetime. How to Know if a Boxer Puppy is Getting Enough Milk The amount of times that a newborn puppy drinks milk from its mother varies from pup to pup. The important aspect is to know if a puppy is receiving enough throughout the day. Sometimes larger newborns will push their way to Mama and smaller puppies may not be getting enough milk. Some puppies may not be strong enough to suckle from smaller nipples some will be larger than others or strong enough to suckle once other pups have done so, and as the milk supply runs lower a puppy needs to suckle harder. How do you know if a Boxer puppy is getting enough milk? It is important to weigh each puppy. This can be done with a baby scale or electronic kitchen scale. Of course, take great care when weighing them. Always use the same type of blanket or cushioning on the scale so that you always get an accurate weight and the blanket does not affect the weight Weigh each puppy 2 times per day: AM and PM Keep careful track of who is who! You can do this by using a dot of white-out fluid applied to the ear in a certain area or other gentle marking method If a puppy shows no weight gain each day, you must take steps to ensure that pup receives more nutrition If a newborn is not gaining weight: Give the larger puppies a supplement Allow the smaller puppy to drink first; the larger puppies will have more strength to suck harder to retrieve their milk If There is a Weight Loss: This can be extremely dangerous. During the first few days it will not be milk; it will be Colostrum. This is a highly nutritional fluid that gives vital antibodies to the puppy. The puppy will sleep almost all the time, when not drinking. The Boxer pup will also make soft noises. As long as the puppy's body is warm and you feel him or her breathing naturally, all should be fine. A puppy this young will not be able to eliminate on its own. The mother will lick the pup to stimulate the expulsion of bowel or urine. Do not be shocked if the dam then eats this. The newborn Boxer puppy will have its eyes closed. They will stay this way for about 10 to 15 days. The umbilical cord will still be damp and certainly not ready to fall off. Day 2 It is perfectly normal for a Boxer puppy to lose weight on its 2nd day of life. Carefully watch for any Boxer newborn that seems to be getting pushed out of the way by other pups and unable to drink from mom. If this is happening, remove the other puppies after they feed and allow the hungry puppy to nurse alone, not bothered by their brothers and sisters. Day 3 Talk to your veterinarian regarding docking the tail , if you have decided to do so. This is often done on day 3. This decision should be carefully thought about. In addition, the Boxer puppy's cord will be dry and just about ready to fall off. Dewclaws, if removed, are usually done so on this day by your dog's experienced veterinarian. Week 1 Puppies should be weighed each day. This can be done by preparing a small basket, lined with a soft and clean towel. The basket can be placed on the scale first, with the weight noted. Then, the puppy should be placed inside the basket. Subtract the weight of the basket to have the exact weight of your Boxer puppy. There should be an increase each day. If not, be sure to immediately contact your dog's veterinarian. Nails grow very quickly and should be trimmed as often as each day if needed. A clotting solution, such as Kwik Stop should be used in case the quick of the nail is cut by accident something to carefully avoid. As the pup matures, many owners find that a grinder tool works much better than a clipper. Some dogs need to learn to tolerate the noise, but once they do, grinding down nails can be fast and easy. Week 2 The eyes of the Boxer puppy may begin to open. This is a slow process in which they will open bigger and for more time each day. Puppies will still be nesting near mom. You should take a bit more time to handle the puppies. This is done to slowly allow the mother to become used to you holding them and for the puppies to begin bonding with you. Week 3 The Boxer puppy's eyes should be completely open. Ears will be open now, as well. The ear canal should be fully formed. This is a bit of a noisy time, as the Boxer puppies will begin to find their "voices" and begin to bark. A 3 week old Boxer will have an urge to leave the whelping box. They will have an instinctual urge to eliminate outside of their resting and sleeping area. One side of the box can be removed, with newspapers placed right outside. A 2nd box can be connected to the 1st whelping box. This will allow the pups to have room to romp around and play. This will also give the Boxer mom time to rest without her puppies jumping all over her. Allowing the puppies to play with each other in a safe and comfortable box is a necessary part of the first socialization they need. Week 4 When does a Boxer puppy begin eating solid food? The weaning process begins just about now, in Week 4. You may also wish to offer the very health option of homemade meals of only fresh ingredients. Start with small amounts. It will be a slow yet steady process for a puppy's digestive system to become used to solid food. Extra heating can be removed. The room should be at a comfortable 72 F .Week 5 You should begin introducing small toys to the puppy. The weight of the puppy should still be checked, this can be done every other day now. Normal weight varies very much but should fall in the range of 2 lbs. Feeding should change slightly, with more puppy food and less water. The dam may want to spend more time away from the puppies. This is where an owner must step in and have much more interaction with the puppies. While still fragile, they should be more than happy to be patted, cuddled and played with. Week 6 A Boxer puppy will be eating quite a bit of puppy dog food than before. Too young to be house trained , this may be a messy week or 2 since bowel movements will become more frequent. While it is too early to expect a puppy to be trained yet, if the weather is warm and day this is a great week to introduce a puppy to the outside world. If you are caring for more than 1 pup, take each one outside separately or 2 at the most. Always keep the Boxer on a leash and beware of any dogs in the area. Allow them to become used to what grass feels like! Allow a pup to enjoy the warmth of the sun and the refreshment of a cool breeze. Week 7 Puppies may not be nursing at all any more. They should be spending quite a bit of time with you and with the other puppies. Going outside should be a daily routine. The dam should be brought outside with the pups; she will use this time to teach them skills. This is the time to be very close to a dog's normal routine of grooming , feeding, exercise and play time. Week 8 This is the week that the puppies will receive their 1st vaccinations. If you will not be keeping the puppies, now is the time to begin the process of finding them a good home. All prospective owners should be evaluated fully. Make home visits if possible. Do not be afraid to ask many questions. If you will be keeping all or some of the puppies, now is the time to fall into normal care for your dog. Housebreaking training can begin as well as falling back into your normal schedule. See Also: Boxer puppy care - Overview of what is needed to take great care of a new Boxer puppy. Boxer dog questions and answers - Round-up of some of the most common issues and care elements with the Boxer breed. Gift ideas for your Boxer! By Boxer Blvd. Want a surprise gift for your favorite canine companion? Look no further! Here are some gift ideas for your furry friend. A Smart Bone Toy produced by Wickedbone is a cool toy that works like arobot dog toy. It can hop and jump away from your Boxer. The first notable Boxer pup was inMunich in .The breeders came up with a guide for future breedingand took the Boxer puppy to a local dog show… The post The origins of the Boxer Breed first appeared on Boxer Blvd. .Common Boxer breed health problems to watch out for! Knowing the symptoms and earlydetection are the best forms of defense to giving your Boxer a long andhealthy life. One of the most important health conditions as… The post Common Boxer breed health problems to watch out for! Over the course of a year, this can be raised —start at smaller increments of thirty minutes. Boxer puppies should notexceed one exercise per day and not more than twenty minutes in theirfirst year. Well, there actually can be quite a few issues that can occur while babies and dogs interact. When bringing home a newborn to meet your dog, there are lots of precautions that you can and should take. Dogs teeth are obviously an especially important part of their body, and while dogs might have tough mouths, even they can get toothaches and cavities. Part Two By Boxer Blvd. Part Two first appeared on Boxer Blvd. .Part One By Boxer Blvd. Part 1 Yes, all dogs are subject to the possibility of suffering from depression, and Boxers are no exception. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior recognizes this reality and its symptoms are very similar those experienced by their human counterparts. Part One first appeared on Boxer Blvd. .In fact, according to the American Kennel Club statistics, it is the seventh most popular breed in the United States, a spot it has held for four years. Or you already have one, and you would like to know more about his or her behavior?

Food allergies in French Bulldogs are commonly a reaction to different kinds of meat and other foods. These allergies cause inflammatory reactions which turn food allergies into skin issues such as dermatitis, lesions, pruritus, and hives. Additionally, food allergies can sometimes develop into more serious medical conditions such as French Bulldog inflammatory bowel disease IBD. Managing and Treating French Bulldog Skin Problems Food and environmental allergies that usually result in skin problems can be managed with proper hygiene, nutrition, and diet. Bathe with sulfate-free organic hypoallergenic shampoo. You can also look for shampoos that contain added anti-inflammatory ingredients such as hydrocortisone and aloe vera. These will help soothe your dog's itchy, red, inflamed skin. You might have to switch your Frenchie Bulldog to a plant-based protein dog food to help eliminate their allergy issues. Convert your dog to a fresh food diet. Just make sure you talk with your veterinarian to ensure your dog is getting the right amount of nutrition they need. Prebiotics and probiotics help reduce inflammation caused by allergies. And this will help stave off allergies. Make some dietary adjustments. You can opt for a combination of plant and insect-based ingredients in dog food to feed your protein-sensitive dog. Plant and insect-based dog foods and treats are delicious, nutritious, easily digestible, contain prebiotics, and are hypoallergenic. And, did we mention they are sustainable too? Disclaimer: We are not licensed veterinarians. This guide is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as veterinary advice. Get access to exclusive subscriber offers. Rice Wheat These foods are the allergens that have been commonly noticed but the simple truth is that any food can trigger an allergic reaction in your French bulldog. Also it is important to mention that f eeding your Frenchie a grain free diet can cause heart disease Treating Food Allergies in French Bulldogs The only way to effectively treat food allergies in your French bulldog would be to completely remove the food or ingredient that is causing the allergies. But to do this, you and your vet have to first figure out what the particular food or ingredient is. The simplest way to do this is to have the allergy test panel done by your trusted and local vet. Your vet might also suggest the elimination diet. If they do, you then begin to slowly add items back to their diet until you find the one causing the allergies. This will include blood and urine tests. If the cause is not present in the blood work, your vet will likely prescribe medication, probiotics, and a special diet they cannot deviate from for life. Once you notice any suspicious behavior in your French bulldog, you should contact your vet immediately. This is because all illnesses stand a chance of becoming better if they are recognized early and treated immediately. Can Frenchies Have Benadryl? Yes, Frenchies can have Benadryl. It is effective for dogs experiencing mild allergic symptoms. However, if your dog is experiencing an acute allergic reaction with facial swelling and breathing difficulty, do not give him anything, take him straight to the vet. Your vet might have to inject a steroid shot to ease the symptoms. Many times, because it is difficult for us to see our Frenchies in pain, we try to look for ways to ease their symptoms. You should speak to your vet about your concerns and ask prescribed medication or a skin cream to help soothe your Frenchie while the cause is being treated. Remember to speak to your vet before trying out any home remedies, this so that you avoid any situation that may put your French bulldog in danger. Chamomile and Herbal Tea Soaks: These teas have properties that can soothe and cool irritated skin. The soak works best if your Frenchie has hot, itchy patches of skin that are at risk of getting raw. Fill your tub or sink with warm water and let several herbal tea bag steeps for 3 minutes, remove the tea bags and let your dog soak for 5 minutes. Oatmeal Bath: Oatmeal is a good remedy for dry, itchy skin. It will take about 10 — 15 minutes to cool down red, angry skin no matter the cause. Oatmeal Paste:If your Frenchie cannot be in a bath for this long, make an oatmeal paste. Take the grounded oatmeal and add a little bit of water at a time untill you have a spreadable paste. Target the problem areas and make sure the paste contacts the skin. But not on raw or opened skin, if your Frenchie has scratched himself raw, the solution will sting the exposed wound. Sign up to our Frenchie Blog and snag yourself a front row seat to all the information. He seems to have red paws and soars under his chin. I just ordered paw soother and probiotics for him. I do hope they work. Chris Lesnar December 21, Thanks for the nice blog. It was very useful for me. Thank you for sharing with us, I always learn something new from your post. Leave a comment. Are French Bulldogs Hypoallergenic? Are French bulldogs hypoallergenic enough for allergy sufferers? There's nothing like petting a pooch to make you smile. In this case, you likely have an allergy to pet dander. Those dog-lovers who suffer from pet allergies may start to wonder which breeds are hypoallergenic. Whether you own a French bulldog or will adopt one soon, you might be asking: Are French bulldogs hypoallergenic? Don't worry yet — a French bulldog may still be safely in your future. Are French bulldogs hypoallergenic? And you might be surprised to learn that there is technically no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog breed. Allergy sufferers react to a protein in pet dander , not dog hair itself. Even hairless dog breeds can trigger allergies in very sensitive people. Because dander tends to attach itself to pet hair, dogs who shed very little are typically the best breeds for those of us with dog allergies. Low shedders leave a smaller amount of dander around the home to react to. French bulldogs have a two-layered coat that consists of a topcoat and an undercoat. During the spring and autumn, French bulldogs lose even more hair than usual because they shed their undercoat, leaving more allergen-laced hair in their wake. During these heavy-shedding periods, you'll need to groom your pet more more on that later. However, allergy sufferers will likely have a challenging time during this period. Aside from taking over-the-counter allergy medication or visiting your doctor for prescription allergy meds, there are ways to give your immune system a little break. Remember that your dog will shed more in the spring and autumn, so you might want to brush even more often during these seasons. Your dog will probably do fine with a bath once every months, but ask your veterinarian about a specific schedule. Visit your local pet store or Amazon. These stink-free, mess-free hard cheese chews also provide a tasty protein boost. Quality Diet When you feed your dog a well-balanced diet that contains the right amount of vitamins and minerals, it reduces overall shedding. Omega-3 fatty acids are particularly important for this, as they benefit the hair follicles and make for a smooth, shiny, low-shedding coat. Our formula can help address skin irritation while relieving joint pain. Lifestyle Changes Do you let your Frenchie sleep in bed with you? Allergy sufferers might also benefit from setting up high-efficiency particulate air HEPA air purifiers around the home. Cleaning Regular vacuuming and cleaning is another important step for keeping your allergic reactions under control if you own a French bulldog. Clean your bed sheets and linens regularly to get rid of any dander. Try using a hypoallergenic mattress, sheets, and pillowcases, too! Medication For occasional dog allergies, you can probably take over-the-counter allergy medications to reduce the severity and frequency of flare-ups. There are pill medications like Benadryl, as well as nasal sprays and other products. For severe allergies, however, you might need to visit the doctor. Allergy shots work by desensitizing your immune system to the allergen over time, and there are allergy shots available to combat pet dander allergies. In most cases, no. This breed is a moderate-to-heavy shedder and is likely to trigger allergies, resulting in the sneezing, watery eyes, and itching that allergy sufferers know so well. Those with severe allergies might be better suited with a hypoallergenic breed, like the maltese, Chinese crested, or poodle. With that being said, even people with allergies to dog dander may be able to safely own French bulldogs. That means brushing and bathing your Frenchie on a regular basis, feeding them properly to reduce shedding, keeping your home clean and using air filters, and making any necessary lifestyle changes to reduce allergy symptoms. This breed likes nothing more than spending time with those who love them most. Read more. Does this likely mean an allergy? I just gave him a bath about 4 days ago, but I used the same shampoo as always. Any suggestions? January 16, Frankie Hi Gracie, Thanks for reaching out. Bumps may be allergies, but they could also be a list of other things. Took her to the vet and they gave her some medicine, but she keeps doing it. Any help? You can also wash your pup more frequently with a hypo-allergenic shampoo. He no longer has skin issues. I found he was allergic to Chicken with process of elimination. His issue now is sleep apnea. He now has a very very runny nose, dry crusty nose, sleep apnea, and a wet cough. Thank you. February 1, Lisa Hi, I have a 2 year old frenchie girl and I believe she has environmental allergies. She scratches her face till it bleeds and her legs are hairless and red and the skin is thicker. Hope that helps! We read the list of commonly known allergy cause above and decided on pork based food. So we went from boiled chicken breast treat and lamb base Logic dry food to only pork diet. Oh, yes we checked with vet, and she seemed ok with trying out…. .The hard thing is that the allergies may be from environmental allergens and not the food at all, or it could be a combination. Here are some tips for managing environmental allergies: — Wash your pup regularly with a hypo-allergenic shampoo to remove the allergens — once a week or fortnight. If you are maintaining this routine, and the allergy persists, then it could be food-related. I have took her to multiple vets but none have been able to help. Nothing is working. .REPLY February 7, Mon HI I have a 4 month old male frenchie he eats a lot and very active but recently he started to build up some allergies as his skin turns pinkish first then now there are some pimple like on his stomach. I tried bathing him with sulfur some and apple cider as remedy. His nose is wet and normal, He vomit once but he is still active. What is the best thing to do? The skin there is very red and irritated. Is it an allergy? He eats grain-free, the company I use for food and treats is called Orijen and I use that because the stuff I gave him before was causing stomach problems. Any ideas? It could be a food allergy, it could be an environmental allergy, or it could be something else entirely. If it is a food allergy, the only way to determine the exact cause is with an elimination diet. Environmental allergies are much harder to diagnose and tend to require maintenance, such as allergy supplements and cleaning, rather than prevention. Good luck! This last week has been horrible. It all started first when he lost one of his baby teeth. After that he was really drooling a lot and he was biting everything so I got him a baby Kong , also froze a wet towel so he could chew on it. After that, I noticed that he started this harsh cough and he always hacked out a little phlegm. But every night he has been doing this and every day I come home, he has so much snot on his nose , but once I bring him out it fades off a little. The other day he pooped , and a hint of blood was there, I got really worried and brought him to the vet. The vet gave us antibiotics and probiotics. What could it be?! With instances like this, where there are multiple symptoms, we always recommend getting an expert diagnosis from your vet. Written by Dr. Sadly, the demand for French Bulldogs has led to intense and irresponsible breeding that has left the breed with many health issues including breathing difficulties, painful eye conditions, and sore skin. One health condition that French Bulldogs appear to be prone to is food allergies. What is a food allergy? An allergen can be anything from a substance in flea saliva or house dust mite poop, to a certain food or pollen. How common are food allergies in French Bulldogs? Although other allergies seem to be more common than food allergies in dogs, food allergies do exist. What are the symptoms of French Bulldog food allergies? An allergic rash normally starts as slightly pink inflamed skin and progresses to bright red because scratching and licking of the area by your dog usually cause infection. Food allergies can cause a variety of symptoms, including: Itchy skin Itchy skin and rashes caused by allergies are known as atopic dermatitis. Atopic dermatitis often affects the skin of the muzzle, feet, tummy , ears, armpit, and groin, although any area of skin can be affected. An allergic rash normally starts as slightly pink inflamed skin and progresses to bright red, oozy, and sometimes smelly lesions. This is because scratching and licking of the area by your dog usually cause infection. Ear infections The ear canals are lined by skin, so just as the skin elsewhere on your dog can be affected by allergies, so can the ears. Once the skin of the ear canal becomes inflamed, bacteria may take the opportunity to invade and cause an ear infection. You might notice your dog shaking their head or scratching at their ears because ear infections can be very itchy and painful. Hives You might associate allergies with hives, especially in people. Well, dogs can get hives too! Diarrhea Diarrhea might be liquid, paler than normal, or containing mucus and sometimes even spots of fresh red blood can be seen. Not all symptoms of food allergies are related to the skin. Food allergies can also cause a runny tummy. The diarrhea might be liquid, paler than normal, or containing mucus. Sometimes, spots of fresh red blood can be seen. If your dog has any amount of blood in their stools, you should speak to your veterinarian just in case. Vomiting Vomiting is an unusual symptom of food allergies and is more common with gut sensitivity. How do you find out if your French Bulldog has a food allergy? The only way to be certain whether your dog has a food allergy , and find out what is causing it, is by having them allergy tested. Allergy testing can be done with a skin patch test, but a blood test is more widely used. A series of blood tests will identify what type of allergy your dog has, and then narrow it down to a particular plant pollen, mold, insect, or food. How do you treat French Bulldog food allergies? A limited ingredient diet can be helpful as it contains fewer allergen triggers than diets with long ingredient lists. Choosing a limited ingredient diet that uses a single protein source should help, while a fresh, lightly cooked diet should contain fewer allergen triggers than an overly processed diet with long ingredient lists. Grain free diets can also help, especially if the allergen is from a plant-based protein, but be sure to source a nutritionally complete and balanced dog food, rather than making one at home. Homemade diets can cause nutritional problems for your dog if the amounts of vitamins and minerals are not correct. Summary French Bulldogs are commonly affected by allergies, and it seems many of these are food allergies. That way, you should be able to control their allergy symptoms, and you can more easily spot symptom patterns and identify any new food sensitivities FAQ What is the most common food allergy in French Bulldogs? Chicken and beef are the most common food allergies in dogs. How do you know if your Frenchie is allergic to food? Allergy symptoms vary from itchy skin and rashes to diarrhea and flatulence. To find out if the allergy is caused by food your vet can take a blood sample and send it for allergy testing. What food is best for a French Bulldog with allergies? Limited ingredient dog food can help to avoid certain allergens. Grain free diets can also be useful if your dog is allergic to plant-based proteins. Initially, she treated all species, but as the small animal hospital became busier, she focused on small animals from .She has a passion for soft tissue surgery as well as canine and feline dentistry, having completed additional training in both areas. Since , she has worked at a smaller, independent practice close to home, in order to devote more time to her other love — writing comedy fiction. She hopes to soon be a published author. Difficulty eating Labored breathing after light activity A pet parent of a French bulldog may take one look at these symptoms and shrug — many of these are typical Frenchie behaviors, after all. Diagnosing a soft palate defect may require anesthesia, as the examination is uncomfortable for dogs. Other medical conditions that affect breathing, like pneumonia or an upper respiratory infection, will be ruled out as well. Lentil was born with a cleft lip and palate, but successfully underwent surgery and is now a global ambassador. A minor cleft lip is primarily a cosmetic issue, but cases of secondary cleft palate in Frenchies often cause recurring respiratory infections. Corrective surgery can be risky in younger pets, who are already malnourished and have issues breathing as a result of the defect. Pets with smaller clefts have a good prognosis; antibiotics, soft foods, and are typically prescribed an E-collar as part of post-operative care. French Bulldogs and Heatstroke Small size and an adorably flat face make Frenchies extra susceptible to developing heatstroke , even in moderate temperatures. This condition is known as brachycephalic airway syndrome BAS , the result of centuries of breeding that created short yet compact nasal bones, coupled with an extended soft palate that blocks airflow to the trachea. Some airlines even ban bulldogs in cargo holds because a few have died in transit. Patty Khuly , VMD. Frenchies are extra prone to developing heat stroke, so keep walks short in summer! Signs of heatstroke in dogs include excessive panting and drooling, reddened gums, confusion, bloody vomit or diarrhea , and rapid heart rate. In severe cases, fainting, seizures, coma and death can result. Your dog will require treatment or even hospitalization if suffering from heatstroke. Prevent heatstroke in Frenchies by avoiding outdoor activity during peak temperatures, never leaving your dog in a car, or on the sidewalk. Pets who have experienced one episode of heatstroke are more likely to have another, so take extra precautions and always have water and some shade handy. Intervertebral Disc Disease Diagnosis Sudden lethargy or inability to lift the head can be a sign of intervertebral disc disease in French Bulldogs. IVDD can also occur as a result of traumatic or repetitive injury, like a fall, jumping off furniture or climbing up or down stairs. Pets can have intervertebral disc disease without suffering from symptoms, but many eventually develop pain in the neck or back. Pain manifests differently in dogs than humans; it may take some detective work to figure out what exactly hurts. Reluctance or inability to lift or turn the head and loss of interest in food are common signs of neck pain in dogs. Back pain may be signified by a reluctance to jump and vocalization or aggression when picked up. In severe cases of IVDD where the spinal cord is affected, neurological symptoms may arise — hunched body posture, odd walking gait, weakness, and even paralysis. Any physical movement can worsen an untreated case of intervertebral disc disease in French bulldogs. Diagnosis of IVDD is most common between ages four and eight but dogs as young as two have shown symptoms. The vet may take an x-ray to visualize the spine, looking for the location of a calcified disc. Most of the time, however, an MRI or CT is recommended in lieu of x-ray for better visualization of the spinal cord and discs. Surgery is the only way to solve the problem of a slipped disc, but in some mild cases where surgery is not elected by the pet parent, strict bed rest and anti-inflammatory medications will be required for the body to attempt to heal itself. Ear infections Ear infections in French Bulldogs are common. There are three main types of canine ear infections: otitis externa infection of the external ear , otitis media infection of the middle ear , and otitis interna infection of the inner ear. Bacteria, yeast or allergies can cause ear infections. Ear infections can be uncomfortable and even painful for your dog. Sometimes, the condition may just turn up periodically and then return to its normal position under the eyelid. Pink eye or conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the tissue that covers the front part of the eyeball and lines the eyelids. Symptoms include squinting or blinking, redness in the eye, discharge and swelling. If it is a bacterial infection, your veterinarian will probably prescribe an antibiotic ointment. In some cases, you may need surgery to remove an obstruction in a duct. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional veterinarian advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your veterinarian or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical diagnosis, condition, or treatment options. She is actively working to increase access to veterinary care, to develop more effective communication strategies to bridge the gap between veterinarian knowledge and pet parent understanding and build happy and sustainable veterinary teams. After graduation, Dr. Wallace started working with Just Food for Dogs, an innovative pet food startup out of southern California advocating fresh, whole-food diets for dogs. She also completed a small animal rotating internship at San Francisco Veterinary Specialists - receiving one-on-one training with San Francisco's top veterinarians in internal medicine, neurology, dermatology, oncology and surgery. After working in clinical practice, Dr. Wallace joined the field of telehealth. Wallace writes and reviews blog content for Healthy Paws Pet Insurance.

Temperament: The husky very friendly to people , very smart, not a great guard dog, non-aggressive. The worst he's done is just bark at people he doesn't know that enter the backyard. Does well with other small dogs like my chi-poodle I introduced to the family when the husky was 8 years old so quick learner. The German Shepherd female is a very loyal and well tempered dog and never shown any signs of aggressiveness , but I did train her to be comfortable around other dogs and people at the dog park at a early age a must for this breed and the husky. Does well with small animals raised the chi-poodle and her together. Very smart and normally like to stay near the owners Puppies: I got 5 males and 4 females. Currently the puppies are only 5 weeks old will turn 6 on , I normally don't like to separate them until they are weeks due to research showing they grow up to be a better dogs and have less separation anxiety as they grow so you don't have to worry about them howling and crying if you place them outside or leave them home when you work. I think i only have pictures of of the puppies i got more i didn't take pictures of because they look very similar to the ones listed. Isabella HAD to be put down at 30 months due to severe hip dyplasia. After having to fight for and refusing to take a replacement runt we took home beautiful Babychica in July .To our amazement and grief, Chica was also diagnosed with severe hip dyplasia last month when we had her examined for the OFA certification required by reputable breeders before they allow us to use their stud. We have the OFA diagnosis in writing to anyone who would care to review. Terry Gimple, owner of Vollkommen's, refuses any kind of restitution since she would not give any kind of guarantee on replacement pups. Our Vet says back to back defective pups indicates very bad breeding knowledge. Larry McCutcheon. Terry is not at all a BYB, and she has a lot of breeding knowledge. If everybody would care about dogs as she does, the dogworld would be much better. Nutrition also plays a large factor in HD. I think it is odd you got 2 HD puppies in a row. Not at all a breeder I would get a dog from, but they do seem from the few dogs I looked at, to have all health tested stock. Yes, I am aware dogs with excellent orthopedics can still produce poor orthopedics. I also find it odd they wouldn't do a guarantee on the replacement pup. I assume the pup would have been sold with one anyway? We got no pup replaced or Money back yet. Three vets involved. We r waiting. Our vet is his vet too n very upset that breeder has not done as vet suggested. But our pups breeder is not well known but is knowledgeae n should have quit breeding that pair but didn't Every breeder has ruled with guarantees When you are well known it helps to make a difference hopefully this will be forth coming Terry n her husband are honest people by hexe on 08 September - I'm sorry that you've had not just one, but two dysplastic pups in a row; I know how painful the experience had to be for you, and do not wish such sorrow on anyone. That said, any person believing they can really get ironclad certainty that their pup will not develop hip or elbow dysplasia, by virtue of both a warranty from the breeder and the breeder's efforts to avoid producing such a pup, seriously must rethink their decision to have a GSD in their lives, just as anyone who chooses to have a Bulldog should accept that regardless of the due diligence, knowledge and experience of the breeder, there is no way one can be assured their Bulldog puppy won't suffer from an elongated soft palate which can lead to the death of their dog, even if surgery is done to try and correct the condition. Hip and elbow dysplasia, among other conditions, are one reason I have no interest in or use for a warranty when I purchase a pup, and also why I will never, ever pay a small fortune for a pup, no matter how well bred he or she is.How very heartbreaking for you.I think that it is a very unlucky to have the roll of the dice you have had.However, they can guarantee that dogs who produce serious health problems will be taken out of production. I would consider severe HD a serious problem. I also find the breeder's decision not to provide any refund or replacement on the second dog to be deplorable. In all honesty, I would have given a refund as what buyer in their right mind would want a third dog from the same breeder who has given them, not one but two, dogs with severe HD. However, if environmental issues are found, than that is out of the breeder's hands.Again, whatever the circumstance, you must be devastated over the news. So sorry.

January 20, 0 Comments WorldAnimalFoundation. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More Labrador Retriever is a quite famous breed, topping the list of great family dogs due to their friendly and social personality. Now, what colors come to your mind when you think of the Labradors? Black, yellow, and chocolate. Silver Labrador Retriever is a beautiful color variation of traditional Labradors; because of the presence of a dilute gene. Their distinct coat color has caught the attention of many; however, not without some controversy. About the Breed Silver Labrador Retrievers are one of the rarest shades of labradors. They are a hyperactive breed with a compelling sporting nature. They respond well to training, enjoy exploring nature with you, love playing water sports, and are fond of the fetch game, making them perfect for active families. These beautiful dogs are well-known for befriending every creature they see without any degree of communication. They love being the center of attention and thrive on social interaction. A little clingy at times, but they deserve all that for their service just existing. Their agreeable personality and intelligence make them one of the most charming breeds. However, according to the breed standard set by Labrador Retriever Club, true labradors are yellow, black, and chocolate in color. Many breeders believe that the other colors are due to cross-breeding Labradors with Weimaraners. They were created in Newfoundland and were first introduced by the European to Britain settlers via the ships trading between Canada and Poole. Labs were initially bred for duck retrieving, assisting in fishing adventures, and as a hunting dog. But with time, their popularity grew more as household pets, and to this date, especially in the western world. They first started appearing, according to some sources, in , while others believe it was in the s. Now, it is clear that their distinct coat colors are due to the presence of the recessive dilute gene pair that has recently appeared in the Labrador gene pool. The source of that dilute gene is what makes their exact origin vague. This is why the profile of Silver Labs remains controversial for the most part. Silver Labrador Facts Silver Labradors have blue eyes as puppies. They are more prone to developing skin problems such as Color Dilution Alopecia than other Labradors. They are outgoing and social. They are intelligent and highly trainable Silver Labrador Appearance Just look at Silver Labrador slaying in this picture, like he was born to model. Silver Labs undoubtedly possess the most distinct silverish gray color that leaves an impact on the observer. Their eyes are a beautiful shade of yellow, on which a relatively small black pupil looks striking. They have long floppy ears that rest flat on the sides. Their nose, which is always in search of something to eat or sniffing butts , tends to be brown in color. These rare gray labradors have this indescribable charm that keeps winning people over. Owners tend to be drawn to their wide skulls and muscular build. The average height range for almost all grown Silver Labs is between .WeightThe male Silver Lab tends to have a slightly bulkier build in contrast to the female Lab. On average, the weight of a fully-grown Silver Labrador falls between 55 to 80 pounds. The weight range is 45 to 70 pounds in the case of female Labs. CoatSilver Lab has a double coat to protect them against harsh cold weather. Theirinner coatis denser and thicker as compared to their outer coat, which is thinand short. Their coat is overall smooth and shiny and feels euphoric to pet. Yellow and black are the most common coat shades in Labrador Retrievers, and silver and chocolate are the least common. Silver Lab Puppies A Silver Labrador puppy is one of the most aesthetically pleasing sights to the eyes in the world. The sparkly blue eyes and the smoky grey shade make a striking contrast. As time progresses, they tend to darken. Their eyes turn yellow after the Silver pups cross the age of 6 to 8 months. Silver Labrador Temperament and Personality Talking about Silver Lab temperament, just like other Labrador Retrievers, they too have friendly, affectionate, caring personalities. They are a very intelligent breed that makes the best companion to their human family. This high-spirited breed matures physically but remains child-like at heart, lifting the mood around the house by being jolly, goofy, jumpy, and adored by absolutely everyone. The Silver Labrador retriever has an easy-going personality, which means they enjoy every activity with you. They just want to feel your touch, no matter what you do. It is because of their attachment to their owners, which is why they are prone to exhibiting signs of separation anxiety when left alone on their own for too long. Moreover, it is a social breed that thrives on attention and being around people. These sweet creatures are the best friends of kids. Silver Labs are patient and gentle toward children; they can be their playmates for hours without getting tired. One of the best qualities of These dogs is they get along really well with other dogs and pets. On the contrary, they get excited at the sight of another human, hang out with them and try to impress them with how cool they are they actually are. They also tend to chewupon objects due to anxiety. The Silver Lab is an active breed, just like the black and yellow labs. In order to keep them away from destructive behaviors, they need to stay stimulated mentally and physically. They can be a little prone to nipping, so they do require a lot of your attention. Plus, if you enjoy outdoor adventures like hiking, then Silver Lab will prove to be an extraordinary companion to you. Due to being double-coated, they shed a fair amount of hair, especially the Silver Labrador, because of skin problems. Grooming Requirements Brushing As we mentioned above, labs shed quite a bit. And by this, we mean you will be able to collect an adequate amount of hair from all over the house, especially during peak season. Using coconut oil at least once a month can keep their coat neat, shiny, and soft. Gently massage the oil for about five minutes and then clean it with a towel. Bathing Bathing your Labrador Retriever once a month is adequate. Use lukewarm water and mild shampoo; it will keep their skin maintained. However, if you start noticing scratching of nails against the floor while running, walking, or jumping around, trim their nails immediately. Ear Cleaning Their adorable floppy ears need to be checked and cleaned frequently to prevent any potential infection. Always include ear cleaning in their grooming session. Health Complications in Silver Labrador Every breed is likely to face minor or major health complications. And we have listed all the possible health conditions your Labrador Breed could suffer from. When getting a Silver Labrador, always look for a reputable breeder. Life Expectancy Silver Labrador dogs typically have a lifespan between 10 to 14 years. It can vary from dog to dog based on health issues, environment, and other factors. It occurs due to the presence of a recessive gene. In this condition, your dog suffers from skin problems, including hair loss or thinning in the form of patches, itchiness, scaliness, or flaky skin. Vets give treatments to tackle secondary skin infections. Avoid using brushes with harsh bristles. The deficiency of type II muscle fibers causes muscle weakness, resulting in symptoms like stunted growth, trouble swallowing, stiff arched back, shrunken muscles, and low tolerance to exercise. They progressively get worse and are the most prominent in 5 months old puppy. Sadly, most puppies with CNM are subjected to euthanization due to their inability to function normally in life. No dog owner should ever have to go through this painful experience. This developmental issue in both joints causes difficulty or friction in climbing stairs, jumping, running, and even walking. Exercise Induced Collapse Labradors and their unending love for playing and exercise is not something hidden; their energy drive is high. EIC refers to the recessive autosomal inherited trait. Your Labrador Retriever, despite feeling weak, will still try to be active. Then after five to ten minutes, they collapse. Extreme exercise sessions are to be avoided in dogs with this condition. This results in excessive discharge from ears, inflammation, itching, foul odor, and head shaking. Otitis Externais one of the most common ear infections in Silver Labradors, characterized by ear canal inflammation. Ear infections are unpleasant and painful and cause discomfort for your dogs. Consult a local veterinarian right away if you notice any of the above symptoms. Over Eating Labrador Retrievers are quite popular for being foodies. Some scientists associate it with a genetic mutation. Sometimes, overeating might also indicate an underlying serious health issue like hypothyroidism. Silver Labrador Diet and Nutrition Your high-energy Labrador Retriever needs a high-quality, nutritious, and protein-rich diet to function healthily. The amount of dog food you feed them may vary a little with their size and weight. For example, your Silver Lab of 50 pounds will need about 2 and a half cups of good quality dog food daily. The calorie requirement for an pound Silver Labrador is a little higher; they will need about 3 and a half cups of dog food to fulfill their 1, calorie requirement each day. Consider getting dog food that has adequate calcium for better joint development. And remember, it is always best to divide the meals into 3 to 4 intervals for better digestion. These greedy creatures tend to unleash their inner ever-hungry beast at the sight of food, which causes bloating. In order to keep them physically and mentally stimulated, 60 minutes of exercise every day is essential. And if your Lab is super active, make it 1. Labs love playing fetch, running, going on fast-paced walking, and being goofy. Thus, their exercise session can include any activity; just make sure they get enough exercise every day! Dedicate one hour of your time daily to your dog, and give them all your attention and love. Apart from playing and exercising, you can keep them busy by getting them interactive and stimulating toys. Those toys also help them in providing comfort when you leave them alone for a while. They are a highly intelligent breed and can be easily trained. They are a welcome addition to most families. Positive reinforcements work well with them; their love for food makes it easier to lure them into doing literally anything you want. All you need is a favorite treat, toy, or any complimentary food, and boom; your Lab becomes the most obedient boy in the world. As puppies, they are easier to control and manage, while the adult Labs are larger in size and can be a little stubborn. Conclusion Altogether, Silver Labrador dogs have all lovable characteristics, just like the traditional Labrador. They are outgoing, energetic, sweet, intelligent, and loyal furry friends. Their friendliness towards kids, strangers and other pets makes them great dogs for families. You might face a little difficulty finding reputable silver labrador breeders when getting a Silver Labrador. Follow your heart and go for it! Related Guide:. What age do black Labs get grey hair? The term grey Lab means different things to different people. Some people interpret it as meaning a silver or charcoal colored Lab, whilst others will call to mind a senior Lab whose coat color is fading with old age. This litter of silver and charcoal Labrador puppies are grey from birth. Other Labs acquire greyness as they age. What is a grey Lab? Someone referring to a grey Labrador Retriever could mean: A black Labrador with color dilution, so their coat looks charcoal grey. A chocolate Labrador with color dilution, so their coat looks silver grey. Or even a senior Labrador, who is starting to lose the pigmentation in their coat. Each of these possibilities looks subtly or not so subtly different from the other two. And the first two are even considered rather scandalous among some Labrador Retriever purists. Are grey Labs purebred? The pedigree status of silver and charcoal grey Labs is a divisive topic. The three standard Labrador colors accepted by the American Kennel Club are black, brown and yellow. Charcoal and silver grey coats are modified versions of black and chocolate coats, respectively. The dilute gene suppresses pigment production in hair follicles, so the color appears less saturated. Color dilution inheritance is recessive, which means dogs with only one copy of the gene carry it silently without expressing it. And only puppies who inherit two copies — one from each parent — express it. Lab breeders are divided as to whether this means the dilute gene has always existed at low frequency in the Labrador population. It would have been expressed very rarely as long as breeders avoided mating two dogs with a known family history of dilute coats together. And affected puppies may simply have been culled at birth. On the other hand, some breeders remain convinced that the dilute gene was not present in Labradors when the breed was founded, and it must have been introduced later by outcrossing with dogs like Weimaraners and presumably lying about it on the pedigree certificate for the puppies. Silver Labs Silver Labs, like the dog below, are born with the genes for a chocolate brown coat, and two copies of the color dilution gene. The result is a soft, shimmering, ethereal warm grey. Their nose leather and paw pads are lighter than usual too, and their eyes are often green. Their temperament is the same as a non-dilute chocolate Lab. Compared to black and yellow Labs, chocolate Labs are consistently described in owner surveys as harder to train, more excitable, more agitated when ignored, and more reactive to loud noises. The exposed skin can also be prone to flaking and itchiness. The hair loss is irreversible, but veterinarians can prescribe medicines to relieve the itchiness and flaking. Unfortunately, chocolate Labradors are also more prone to ear infections, eczema and obesity than black and yellow Labs. They also live for one year less, on average. Since silver coats are based on chocolate, silver Lab puppies also have a shorter average lifespan than other grey Labrador dogs. Charcoal Lab Charcoal Labradors have the genetic instructions for a black coat, plus color dilution. The result is the same color known as blue in many other dog breeds. Charcoal Labradors have the same temperament as black Labs. All of them are intelligent, active, and friendly with other dogs and people alike. The finer details of their temperament will be influenced by: Sex Whether they come from working or show lines Early socialization How much physical activity they get And even diet. Charcoal grey Labrador health is generally better than silver Lab health, but they are also vulnerable to color dilution alopecia. Both charcoal and silver Lab puppies are prone to the same common health problems of all Labradors over their lifetime. Namely: Hip dysplasia. How the dilute gene works Labrador coat color is controlled by a set of genes. You can read about the way B genes and E genes influence coat color in this article on Labrador color inheritance. However, the silver color is controlled by a different gene, the D gene. The D gene acts as a type of switch. Some would like to see silver labradors banned In simple terms, genes come in pairs. Big D produces full strength coat color. Little d produces a dilute color. This means that a Labrador needs two copies of the dilute gene in order to have dilute fur. Only the third combination would produce a silver coat. Unless little d is paired with another little d, it will have no effect. In some breeds of dog, all individuals have two little d genes. Weimaraners, for example. And the recent appearance of the double little d gene in chocolate Labradors is what has enabled the silver Lab to appear on the scene. Where do silver Labs come from? Reports of silver Labradors seem to have first appeared in the United States in the s. Culo Silver Labs was one of the early kennels to produce this new silver color. You may be interested to read this report of an interview with the owner Dean Crist giving his account of the history of the silver Lab. Exactly how this new color came to be is a question that many people are asking, and arguing about. People want to know where silver Labradors came from and how they were created. In particular, they want to know how the double dd gene got into the purebred Labrador. How did the dilute gene get into Labradors? There are a number of options that can explain the appearance of a new gene in a purebred dog mixed breeding spontaneous mutation hidden genes The first and most obvious explanation is that at some point, an outcross occurred, between a Labrador and a breed of dog that carries the dilute gene. A Weimaraner for example 1 Mixed breeding Many people believe that the first silver Labs were crossbreeds. Not only is this theory plausible, there are clear motives for dog breeders to create a new color variation in an existing breed. I will let you be the judge, as there is no evidence at this time, one way or the other. However, it is interesting to note that Silver Labradors can be traced back to two breeders. An update to her original article, however, also notes that she previously claimed that Weimaraners were also bred in those same kennels, but found out that that fact was in doubt. Those in favor of the Weimaraner outcross theory often claim silvers have a houndy look about them. To be fair, this is true of many field-bred Labradors of any color. And most silver Labradors today look pretty much the same as any other Labrador Retriever — apart from the fact that they are silver. The cross-breeding theory has been a very popular one. But recently it has lost some credibility due to genetic testing of silver Labs which has failed to show a link to Weimaraners. This is another way that a rare or unusual characteristic can appear in a family of dogs that were previously unaffected by it. Partly because the other two explanations are both so plausible. For a mutation to be identical to a gene that already exists for an unusual coat color in another breed would be something of a coincidence. Many people feel that the spontaneous appearance of this dd dilution gene in the Labrador Retriever gene pool is, to say the least, unlikely. However, it cannot be entirely ruled out. This explanation for the appearance of the silver Labrador in the s is perhaps the most valid alternative to the cross breeding theory. We know that some genes are dominant over others. And can mask or hide them. We call the masked or hidden genes recessive. Many diseases are caused by recessive genes and only appear when the unfortunate individual inherits two copies Genes carrying rare diseases can remain hidden for decades, only to appear when closely related dogs are mated together. This happens more frequently when gene pools are small, as they are in our pedigree dog populations. Colors can be dominant or recessive too The B color gene that determines whether or not a Lab is basically black or brown, and favors black dogs. Brown is recessive and a Lab needs two copies of the little b brown gene to have a brown coat. Brown labradors only became common when breeders deliberately set about mating them to one another. Some people argue that the rare dilute gene has also been present in Labradors all along, and that it only appeared, as rare diseases sometimes do, when two closely related dogs were bred. The first Labradors were not registered by the AKC until .Before then there would have been regular outcrossing with other similar breeds. Including the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, a breed that does have the dilute gene. So it is entirely plausible that the little d gene passed from Chesapeakes into one or two Labs before the Labrador pedigree registers were closed and remained hidden in the breed only to reappear in the s when the demand for Chocolates was beginning to rise. Silver Lab temperament and training Whatever the origins of the silver Lab, the silver Labradors we see today are very much Labrador in both temperament and conformation. Training a silver Lab puppy is a huge amount of fun. It takes a little time and patience as Labs can be rather bitey when small and rather bouncy as they grow into teenagers. Silver Lab Poppy makes friends easily thanks to lots of positive experiences meeting all kinds of people. Photo credit — Alison Hanks.

Also called Miniature Labrapoos, Labradoodles, and Labradorpoos, the Miniature Labradoodle is a well-known hybrid breed in a smaller package. They are sweet-natured and smart, and they love to spend time with their people. They are affectionate with their family. They are also tolerant and compassionate, and they tend to be well-behaved around people of all ages and other pets. Labradoodles are generally healthy and should live to be 10 to 14 years old. These qualities make Miniature Labradoodles an ideal family dog that does well with other pets and children. Even the most inexperienced dog parents find this breed to be easy to train and eager to please. They are too gentle and sweet to make a good guard dog, but they can be useful watchdogs. They are small and fluffy, square and athletic. Long, furry ears are set on the top and back of their heads. Their muzzles can be medium to long. The Miniature Labradoodle coat varies a great deal, ranging from straight to loose curls, and usually kept about 4 to 6 inches in length. The coat may be one of three textures. They could have hair similar to fur in shedding dogs, they could have a more dense and non-shedding wool, or they could have more of a silky fleece. They come in a variety of colors: Gold. We are happy to refund deposits any time for any reason. We will clearly announce the pricing for each mini Labradoodle litter in a litter announcement. Apply Now If you are interested in a miniature Labradoodle puppy please consider filling out the application. Years ago, we'd announce litters to nearly people on an email waiting list. Within the first minute or two, the entire litter would be spoken for, and families who received a doodle puppy felt like they'd won the lottery. Since then, we've developed a thorough application process, seeking the very best mini Labradoodle forever homes. Please do not place a mini Labradoodle deposit unless your doodle application is accepted. We seek to fairly and thoroughly evaluate each miniature Labradoodle application within business days at which point we let you know the answer for your mini Labradoodle application: "yes," "no," or "wait. Your mini Labradoodle application does NOT obligate you to give a deposit or adopt a mini Labradoodle puppy. The mini Labradoodle application is simply your first step to express a level of interest in getting a mini Labradoodle puppy. After giving a deposit, your family would receive mini Labradoodle litter announcements in an effort to match you with the perfect miniature Labradoodle. Each adopting family has the option to pass on as many Labradoodle litters as they want until finding the perfect doodle puppy. Seeking to be the best mini Labradoodle breeders, we refund doodle deposits any time for any reason. It doesn't make sense to us why nearly every other mini Labradoodle breeder requires non-refundable deposits. We have FAR more demand than supply for our mini Labradoodles. Your application helps us determine if your family would make an excellent forever home to one of our precious mini Labradoodle puppies. We have no desire to keep a family's mini Labradoodle deposit if they've located a mini doodle with another breeder or if they've chosen not to get a mini Labradoodle at all. Typically a Black Poodle is bred with a Black Lab, but since black is a dominant color, sometimes another color of poodle red, chocolate, etc , can still have black puppies. Black Labradoodles have become wildly popular for their sweet, lovable nature, familiar black color, low-shedding and hypoallergenic coat characteristics. Labradoodles come in other colors, such as chocolate, yellow, cream, parti-colors, and occasionally red, but some people love the sweet nature of a Black Labradoodle. Many first generation Black Labradoodles f1 will shed. We recommend getting an F1b Black Labradoodle if you're worried about shedding or have dog allergies. Friendly Black Labradoodles One of the most desirable characteristics of the Black Labradoodle is their deep love of people. A Black Labradoodle is the happiest when they are surrounded by people that they love. They are highly intelligent and trainable, Black Labradoodles enjoy the stimulation of training and are eager to please their loved ones so they pick up on the cues very quickly. Some Black Labradoodle puppies receive many of the Poodle characteristics of being reserved, having a coat that is very fine and needs regular trimming. While other Black Labradoodles receive the excitable and almost immature nature of the Labrador Retrievers. As the Black Labradoodle becomes more common and breeders are crossing them with more consistency the discrepancies are becoming less of an issue and the breed is becoming more consistent. It is important to realize that the AKC does not yet recognize Black Labradoodles as an official breed, though most other registrations recognize them. The AKC actually does not yet recognize any of the doodles. Most families that want a wonderful dog, and are not concerned about show events do not care that the AKC does not officially recognize the Black Labradoodle currently. Black Labradoodle Best Breeders The best way to avoid the inconsistencies of the Black Labradoodle breed is to adopt from a reputable breeder. Avoid puppy mills at all cost and make sure that the breeder you buy from is caring for the health and wellness of your Labradoodle or mini Labradoodle puppy from before conception until you take your Black Labradoodle home with you. A Black Labradoodle should have a sleek, black coat with no sprinklings of any other color and have a black nose. Talk to your breeder about silver and blue Labradoodles as they often appear black as puppies. Some people prefer the looks of a silver or blue Labradoodle to a Black Labradoodle. A Blue Labradoodle, for instance, will start out looking like a Black Labradoodle, but as it grows its coat will come in a beautiful "blue" color. Although the color is called "blue" in the dog world it is almost a gun metal gray. Silver Labradoodles are a lighter silver color than a Blue Labradoodle. With high energy, this breed is not for the faint of heart. While your Mini Labradoodle will be perfectly content to snuggle up on the couch with you, he needs rigorous exercise to ensure optimal health. Thanks to their Poodle ancestry, our Mini Labradoodles are whip smart — making them a breeze to train with positive reinforcement — but this is tempered by the easygoing nature of the standard Labrador. Sociable and friendly, our Mini Labradoodles for sale get along well with other dogs — but their high energy may make them a bit too exuberant when it comes to play! Mini Labradoodle Puppies Health Considerations Every breed of dog comes with its own unique health considerations. Though generally healthy and long lived — with an average lifespan of 12 to 14 years — our Mini Labradoodle puppies for sale are no exception. This will help you quickly identify symptoms and seek immediate treatment should an issue arise. They can also be short, dense, and sometimes harsh in texture, more similar to the Labrador. Like all doodles, Mini Labradoodles come with a range of coat varieties. Some take more after their Labrador parent—with straighter coats—and others have the tight ringlets of their Poodle parent. Most will fall somewhere in between, and nearly all Mini Labradoodle puppies have coats with minimal shedding. Initially, you will need to brush your Mini Labradoodle puppy around four times a week until his coat is established — at around eight to 12 months, you can reduce this to three times a week. You can take your Mini Labradoodle pup to the groomer for a trim between two and four times a year — with many owners opting for seasonal cuts — but should wait until your pup sheds his baby fur before taking him for his first cut! Meet Mini Labradoodle Puppies for Sale. Life Span Did You Know? Second-generation crosses could include a Labradoodle and a Mini Poodle or two Mini Labradoodles as parents. This hybrid dog breed was originally developed to create smaller potential service dogs that might be a good fit for people with allergies to dog fur. With a mixed breed, you can end up with any combination of traits from the parent breeds. Often, Mini Labradoodles are smart, friendly, and sociable dogs that are highly trainable. They are often found working as service dogs and therapy dogs and living as beloved family companions. Although they are not recognized by the AKC, the Mini Labradoodle is recognized by other canine registries. A Mini Labradoodle is a combination of two friendly dog breeds that crave human affection and are always happy to have company. These dogs also tend to have playful, energetic personalities and low prey drives. Well-socialized Mini Labradoodles tend to get along well with children, other dogs, and other pets. Due to their smaller size, these dogs can be injured by accidental rough play or accidental falls, so any interactions between young kids and puppies should be closely supervised. Miniature Labradoodles will usually bark to alert you when someone is at the door, but generally are not prone to nuisance barking unless they have been trained into it. It may not be a bad idea to train your dog to stop barking early on. Well-socialized Mini Labradoodles may be initially wary of strangers, but tend to warm up quickly and will often be happy to make a new friend. Miniature Labradoodles are highly adaptable. Provided they get enough exercise, attention, and mental stimulation, they can adapt well to apartments as well as larger homes. They tend to do best in moderate climates, but can tolerate warmer or colder climates. As with any dog, they are sensitive to heat. Although they tend to have a fluffier coat, they are also smaller and may need to bundle up in some winter dog products to stay warm while out on walks in the cold. Mini Labradoodles are also very much companion breeds. They bond closely with their families and thrive on being near them, so they do not like to be left alone for long periods of time. The health of the parents and good breeding practices make a big difference in the health of Mini Labradoodle puppies. Reputable breeders will screen their dogs to avoid passing preventable issues to puppies. Make sure you are asking the breeder about the health and genetic history of both parents. You can also ask about any health tests or clearances that have been done to help allay any concerns you may have. Miniature Labradoodles tend to be highly intelligent and eager to please. This generally makes them easy to train and a good fit for owners of all experience levels. In fact, their parent breeds are considered some of the best dog breeds for first-time owners. These dogs respond best to consistent training and positive reinforcement. Puppy training classes can ensure that owners of any experience level learn the latest training techniques and start building a strong bond with their puppy. Grooming requirements with a Mini Labradoodle can vary. On the Poodle side, you have a low-shedding, but high-maintenance, coat that needs daily brushing along with trimming and grooming every weeks. On the Lab side, you have a higher shedding coat that is more low-maintenance, requiring some weekly brushing or brushing a few times a week and intermittent bathing. Overall, Mini Labradoodles range from having a non- to low-shedding coat. They can have one coat type or the other, or a combination of both of them. So, you will want to be prepared for brushing a coat a few times a week and the possibility of more grooming needs. Regardless of coat type, there are some other general grooming tasks you can count on. Regular dental care for your dog will help prevent serious dental issues like gum disease and tooth decay later in life. This is especially important for dog breeds with floppy ears as they are more prone to developing ear infections. Miniature Labradoodles can be high-energy dogs. In general, they require daily walks plus some playtime and extra activity to be happy and healthy. Since they love to be around their family and can have an exuberant and outgoing personality, they will likely be up for more playtime if you are. This little dog may get tired more easily at times and could push themselves too far in their excitement. On the other hand, they may just keep going and going with no signs of slowing down. What is most important is making sure your Miniature Labradoodle gets enough exercise and mental stimulation. Fully-grown Mini Labradoodles usually stand inches tall and weigh pounds. Miniature Labradoodles generally live for years on average. Featured Mini Labradoodle Article.

To stop, release the enter key. We are located in Gilbert, Az, which is right outside of Phoenix. All of our breeding dogs have been raised by us, and some have been placed in loving Guardian Homes. This allows us to have multiple dogs in our program, while each dog is a family member with an extraordinary quality of life. When you look through each dog's individual page, you will see pictures of them on hikes, family vacations and just living an extraordinary life with their forever families. We are very proud of the fact that our dogs will never be "kennel dogs". We breed because we are dedicated to improving the breed that we love so much. We select our breeding adults for health, temperament and conformation. We breed as close to the AKC standard as possible and use health testing to try and eliminate possible health concerns. We are proud to have produced puppies that have gone on to become seizure alert service dogs, mobility assistance dogs and search and rescue dogs! Our puppies are raised in our home, with children, other pets and normal, busy, household activities. We use the Bio Sensor "Super Dog" program to create more confident puppies. All puppies will start crate training, have their first shots and will be groomed before coming to your home. No stock photos here! Make sure you follow our Facebook and Instagram pages for hundreds of pictures of our dogs and puppies. And don't forget to subscribe to our email announcement list. You can unsubscribe at any time. Good luck on your search for the perfect puppy! There is no obligation and you can unsubscribe at any time. First Name. We are home-based professional breeder of toy poodles in which all our dogs and puppies are hand raised and loved within our family. We are committed to raising a healthy happy puppy who will give your family lots of love and happy memories. To ensure good health and lines all our breeding dogs are fully health tested, vet checked and fed premium food. We stand behind the health of our puppies with a 2-year health guarantee. Our dogs are never kenneled and live a happy life as part of our family. Our puppies are raised in large gated areas within our main family living area to ensure their safety and proper socialization. The puppies begin training on wee-wee pads as early as 5 weeks and receive one on one time daily exposing them to everyday noises, cats, kids, and our adult dogs to ensure they are well rounded and ready for their new homes! We do welcome visits into our home by appointment. We are committed to breeding only poodles that fit within the standards of AKC guidelines and pass all health and temperament testing. We have a 2-year health guarantee on all puppies. We offer a wide variety of colors, red, white, black, apricot, white, partis and phantoms A Furever Friend Toy Poodles are intelligent, fun and make amazing companions. They can be trained to be service dogs, help calm an anxious person, or just be a fun-loving pet. The ease in which a poodle is trained makes them a wonderful addition to almost any family. Reviews Be the first to hear about new litters, availability, and helpful pet advice. Address: E. This establishment is the creation of breeder Linda Weygant, and all the puppies are raised in a household and get lots of socialization. The super cute face of a young Toy Poodle puppy. This breeder begins grooming early, which is important for Poodles. After all, this breed has to learn to tolerate frequent grooming throughout its life. Lone Tree Poodles wants to know about you, your household, and lifestyle before letting you adopt a Poodle. Linda Weygant earned her licensed veterinary technician credentials for both Arizona and New York. She has operated her breeding establishment in Arizona for several years. Her main focus is always health, both of the breeding stock and the puppies. What is the correct Poodle teething age? How many teeth do they lose? Munaut Standard Poodles provides a health guarantee for its puppies. Manaut Standard Poodles is friendly and happy to answer any questions you may have. Visit their beautiful website for extensive information on the owners and their operations. If you have the show ring in mind, tell the breeders. They will show you the puppies thye currently have available in the different accepted colors, including Cream, White, Silver, Blue, and Black. The owners of Munaut Standard Poodles consider Poodles an essential part of their lives. Each of them grew up with the breed. You should also thoroughly read reviews left by other people who have adopted puppies from the establishment. All the breeders listed here are good Arizona Poodle breeders. Final Thoughts As seen here, Arizona has plenty of excellent Poodle breeders. Are you planning to adopt a Poodle puppy soon? Take a look at your household and lifestyle and double check this breed is the right one for you. The Poodle is highly intelligent and beautiful, but full of bountiful energy. Similar Posts. If you think you have a special female with great lines, give us a ring and show us her testing and lineage…. They live with their own families, are raised by them, and retire with them. These are FOSTER homes, the dogs will come to us for breeding and delivering of litters females have 3 litters and are retired to their families. SCSPoodles posts testing performed on each of the dogs profile pages. Then moved to an outside location for daytime playtime till they are 8 weeks old. Then moved back inside from weeks for crate and foundation training additional charge. All Litters are raised using several Puppy Culture techniques, as well as other techniques learned along the 27 years of breeding and training dogs to expose them and create a foundation of confidence for you to continue training. We do work with many breeders that not only have the time but the drive to do so, and respect what they do for the breed. Many of our dogs do work in hunting, agility, dock diving, show, therapy, service, and many other facets of the dog world and we are very proud of those accomplishments. This is a list that allows future owners to become involved with a litter list that they prefer based on size, temperament, color, and gender. Temperament is the utmost importance in placing any pup with any family. SCSPoodles directs each family to the best fit for what they need and want. The Deposit List is simply a way for families to secure their preferences and for SCSPoodles to determine what pairings the general public wants and needs so that we pair up our dogs to also fit what families want. In Phoenix, AZ we live on 3 acres. All of our dogs enjoy roaming the majority of those acres in Phoenix, AZ and interact with our children, grandchildren, horses, cats, and chickens, Guinea Fowl, sheep, pigs, and goats, on a daily basis. Breeding our dogs is something that brings us joy. Our dogs are a huge part of our life especially considering that we have 2 sons with Epilepsy who have their very own Standard Poodle Service Dogs. These dogs play, work, travel and do just about everything with us. We are a very active family and because of that our dogs are well socialized in many different settings. We raise each of our dogs as if they were going to be a Service Dog. The main concern of Springer Clan Standard Poodles is to produce healthy, intelligent, sound, versatile dogs so they easily fit into your family life and are able to perform any task that you may ask of them. We strive to develop long term relationships with every family that adds one of our puppies to their life, and we take that responsibility seriously. We are here to help you make the best decision when choosing your new puppy and will be with you through the many years after adding one of our pups to your family. If we had the time, we would show our dogs in AKC and UKC events, however, with running a ranch, homeschooling, caring for 2 epileptic children and so on, it just is not a priority to us to show. A quality dog…. No exceptions please do not ask! We mean no disrespect to those that choose to Doodle, it is a personal choice, and we have made ours. A few of the litters produced for our families! When you purchase a puppy from Springer Clan Standard Poodles you are getting much more than just a puppy. You are choosing a dog bred with integrity and raised with an educated focused training from birth on. You really are, in all truth, joining our family. We think that Standard Poodles are the perfect dog for everyone due to their intelligence and adaptability to any family life that they are introduced to. Standard Poodles are naturally smart, as you well know, however Springer Clan Standard Poodles are raised using the Puppy Culture protocol. This has allowed us to focus on raising confident puppies who excel as Service Dogs in all the different aspects of that work as well as family dogs that are exceptionally easy to train because they LOVE to learn! They are calm when required to be indoors and yet athletic when outdoors. Standard Poodles love to learn and they learn very quickly. They have wonderful temperaments and get along with just about everyone, yet, when they need to protect the ones they love they will not hesitate. Standard Poodles are labeled hypoallergenic, which means they shed very little and have minimal dander, therefore, they are able to be companions to most anyone who is allergic to animals. After all this IS a practical factor when deciding from whom and when to purchase a puppy. We have decided that our prices for our quality raised and genetically tested, pure bred pups will be: As of 6. The older a puppy becomes the higher the price becomes since they will will have much more training when they are taken from our home to yours. Puppies are handled daily from the moment of birth until the day they leave our family to join yours. Puppies are exposed to cats, horses, goats, chickens, cows at times and our other dogs daily and learn to get along with everyone. The Springer Clan home is an activity hub. Lots of noises, voices, movements, and crazy quads, lawn mowers, diesel engines, leaf blowers daily for dust on my porch , grooming vacuums and clippers, screaming children, and motorcycles constantly all around your new puppy. This exposes them to many sounds so that they are confident around loud situations. If you have ever been to our home, there is a smile on your face. Health: By the third day all puppies have their first examination, tails are docked and dew claws removed by my vet. We allow puppies to nurse as long as the mother remains healthy. This gives every puppy the best start in life. Every litter is protected from communicable diseases by allowing no one outside our family or those with deposits near them until one week after their first series of shots. All puppies are given a series of shots at 6 and 8 weeks of age. Every puppy is wormed before going home with their new family. Every puppy full price will be micro-chipped at 8 weeks of age Grooming: Since Poodles will be groomed their entire life, we begin at birth by getting them accustomed to being handled. At four weeks old puppies are introduced to the process of grooming by having their face and feet trimmed, and will be trimmed weekly thereafter. Training: We have children in our family and friends who regularly visit, and therefore all puppies are taught early on that jumping on and nipping at people is unacceptable behavior. At birth we begin neuro stimulation which increases brain activity and is proven to create the building blocks of smarter and more confident pups. By 4 weeks old we begin playing Puppy games during feeding time which teaches pups self control, patience, observance, and respect for human boundaries. Whining and unnecessary barking telling humans what to do is nipped in the bud quickly. We crate three puppies per large crate overnight. This allows them to feel comfortable with litter mates at their side and soon learn that crates are not a punishment but a haven. Sometimes it is just too hot for this and skip it! If rarely there are any pups remaining with me past 8 weeks old, we begin to crate them individually and work on leash — price goes up NOT DOWN, for this training…something to think about. We choose to have a limited amount of litters each year, sometimes the litters fall in the first or second half of any given year, all Future Planned Litters will be posted on that page. We do not include these as part of our Breeding Program, yet will include these and any dogs that are born to our family in our Warranty Program and will be raised in the exact same fashion as our very own dogs. We rarely will sell to breeders but it is not out of the question. If you wish to begin a working relationship with SCSP, contact us and let us know your plans. Thank you for visiting our website, we look forward to hearing from you very soon… The Springer Clan Limited Registration: This means that the dog is registered as a pure bred dog, but no litters produced by that dog are eligible for registration. Its skull is somewhat round with a long, straight muzzle. All three varieties have the same build and proportions. This breed is nothing short of athletic, and they will want plenty of opportunities to show this off. Discover more about our Toy Poodle puppies for sale below! Poodles are notorious for learning tricks quickly and will love to take part in a wide range of canine hobbies. Keep them entertained with exercise, activities, games, and puzzles and you will have a very happy Poodle. Their elegant shape covered in a beautiful curly or corded coat gives them their distinct and famous look. It is this widely adored appearance, plus their intelligence, has earned this breed the status of the official dog of France. The Poodle is thought to have originated from Germany as a breed of water retriever. However, some argue that it is a descendant of the French Barbet dog. What we do know is that this is an old breed, with a history stretching back to the 15th century at least. Disposition Poodles are famous for being one of the most intelligent breeds, making them incredibly responsive and trainable. Meaning, they are very sweet, lively and cheerful puppies who like to be with people. If they are socialized properly, a Poodle will both charm your friends and also make a wonderful watchdog. It is important to give them the proper amount of exercise they need because, without it, they can become stressed and timid. The Poodle is great with children, making them an excellent family dog. Poodles are active, intelligent and proud dogs. They love to spend time with their family and are eager to play and please. They are remarkably agile and smart, which makes them wonderful to train. They enjoy learning and puzzles, so keep your Poodle stimulated to avoid them being bored or anxious. This breed is very people-oriented, which makes them both loyal and kind. They will respond to training routines that are fun and positive, just keep it consistent. Exercise Poodle puppies of any size are very active and require a good amount of exercise every day to suit their high energy level. They will thrive when they are kept busy and get to act on those inherent impulses such as retrieving, hunting, swimming, and learning. Poodles love to go for walks and jogs. Some even learn to do it themselves with clippers, while others take their dog to a professional dog groomer about every six weeks to have their hair and nails trimmed. Training As with most dogs, the Poodle will do best when they receive early socialization and leadership. This opportunity to learn manners will help that they grow up into a confident, happy adult dog. This is largely due to how cute they are as well as how trainable they are. The best approach to training is to make it both fun for you and the dog. They will respond best to positive reinforcement as they can be a bit sensitive. Despite their quiet nature, Poodles can be fans of their own voices. They tend to alert you to visitors, which is a trait you may appreciate. If you are not a fan of barking, make sure to not react to the barks. You may also want to try clicker training if the barking persists as an issue. See store for details on a particular puppy. American Canine Association, Inc.

Please be sure to provide many chew toys to help with this transitional period. Cow hooves can be found at many pet stores and are recommended. Stay away from pig ears and cheap rawhide, and "greenies," as these can cause severe diarrhea, bloat, and are a choking hazard. For instance, keep an eye out for diarrhea if you change your pup's food. If your bulldog develops diarrhea then stop all food for 12 hours. If it persists for more than 24 hours, contact your veterinarian immediately to prevent dehydration. Puppies can dehydrate very rapidly so you need to take it seriously when diarrhea occurs. Dogs can pick up some unwanted guests: ticks, fleas, mites, lice, and intestinal worms. Your dog can be the perfect host for these pests if regular treatment for these nasty pests is not given. Your veterinarian is the best source of knowledge for the local bugs that bug the local dog population and how to prevent these pests. Heartworm is a widespread disease present spread by mosquitoes throughout most of the United States. There is a treatment for heartworm, but it is expensive and takes a toll physically on the dog and can take months to combat. This is especially important for dogs that spend a lot of time outside, that live on farms, or that hunt, as they are at increased risk of contracting this tick-borne disease. Puppies will generally have a first veterinary visit at the age of six weeks by the person who has the mother dog. The veterinarian will examine the puppies to make sure there are no hernias, heart, lung, or eye or ear problems in any of the pups. At 9 weeks, and then again at 12 weeks, the de-wormer and distemper vaccines will be repeated. Then these can be given once a year or on a schedule determined by you and your veterinarian. Lowell Ackerman. This vaccination is required by many communities. There can sometimes be severe penalties if your dog is not rabies vaccinated especially if the dog bites a person or another pet. As your dog ages, more frequent examinations will need to be given. Twice yearly examination will catch medical issues before they become big problems. Older dogs frequently suffer from arthritis and heart disease just like elderly humans. There are effective and safe treatments that can help your older dog live reasonably pain-free and pleasant golden years. It is important to spay females or neuter male your puppy. In addition to various health benefits for the dog decreased chances of certain tumors and infections , there is a big societal benefit in the decreased number of unwanted dogs. Microchipping is also encouraged in case your dog ever becomes lost. The inner ear part of the ear is normally white or darker colored, usually corresponding to the color of the dog's coat, so look for discoloring. The puppy's ears should also not smell nor have any discharge in the ear or on the flap. The ear should be free of debris, dirt, or parasites, like ticks or mites. Any of the following are abnormal: [9] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source Scratching or pawing the ear. Shaking the head excessively. If in doubt, or if you suspect an ear infection, have your veterinarian look in the ear using an otoscope to examine the eardrum. Never stick a q-tip or similar type of product into the ear canal. You will not be able to see the entire ear canal and should not try to put anything down there. Never use human toothpaste on a dog; only use dental toothpaste made for dogs. The fluoride in human toothpaste is poisonous to dogs and can cause serious health problems. Place a little puppy toothpaste on your fingertip and let your puppy lick it off. The next day put it on your finger and rub it along the outer gums. Then try to put a little on a dog toothbrush, let the puppy lick it then run the toothbrush along the outer edges of the teeth and gums. Only the outer part against the cheeks needs to be brushed. Even with regular tooth brushing, dogs may need dental cleanings once in a while. Plaque and bacteria can build up under the gum line causing problems there or in the roots of the teeth. Just like with their human owners, regular mouth examinations by their doggy dentist should be done once a year. Country: Congratulations on your puppy! Vaccinations It is critical that the puppy is dewormed days prior to each vaccination. If the puppy has worms, the immunity is weakened and the vaccines may not be effective because the puppy's organism may be unable to develop enough anti-bodies against the vaccine to actually make the puppy immune against the diseases being vaccinated against. In rare cases, a puppy with worms can lead to death. If worms are found in puppy's stool after deworming, then it is recommended to deworm again prior to vaccinations. Vaccinations should be administered to a healthy puppy! Critical to do deworming on the puppy days prior to vaccinations. If this is done by the breeder, be sure you get a health record from the breeder with physical labels taken from the vaccine bottles and the deworming medication. At 3 months, Rabies vaccine and another booster of the same set of vaccinations should be administered parvo, adenovirus, lepto, coronavirus, distemper, parainfluenza. In the U. We disagree with this because at this age the puppy is going through the change of baby teeth to adult teeth and that may adversely affect the puppy's immunity. Then follow the regular vet-recommended vaccine schedule. For example, some vaccinations are annual, some last for a number of years. Food For proper development of the puppy, it is important that proper bowls are used. Do not place bowls on the ground. Purchase adjustable-height bowls for both water and food so that the puppy is always eating in the correct posture. Here's one we use, available on Amazon. After 16 years of breeding, my conclusion is to use dry food of the highest grade. Cheap dog food does not contain the necessary balanced ingredients for proper growth of the puppy. There are debates of using raw vs. If a person is not an expert in the field of raising and feeding dogs, there is no way they will be able to provide a balanced diet using exclusively raw food. If an owner desires, they can add some raw beef or turkey no bones to the regular dry food diet. Some dog food that we've used with our dogs that we can recommend. Following these recommendations will help you raise as many healthy pups as possible and make the experience as easy and enjoyable as possible for both your family and your Bullbitch. When you raise a litter, you will feel an enormous sense of having accomplished a difficult task. You will enjoy many pleasurable hours with your pups, if you also make a profit, that is fine. But go into this venture with the realization that you may do everything right and still not raise a single pup. You may be emotionally traumatized by having your favorite pup die in your hands. You may lose every dollar you spend. Do not breed your bitch unless you are sure that you or a responsible person will be available to care for the bitch when she is ready to whelp and have time to care for the pups for the first few weeks. This may even mean having someone to care for the pups for 24 hours a day. If you anticipate your bitch will be due for her boosters at about the time of her season or during her pregnancy, have her boosters given early before the time you expect her to be in season. Before she comes into season, have her checked for intestinal worms and deworm her if necessary. This is for the bitch's good. It will not keep the pups from being born with worms. They will still need to be checked and dewormed. Your bitch should be checked for heartworms within the last 12 months. She should be on heartworm prevention. There is a fairly common misconception that heartworm preventive medicine causes infertility. This is nonsense! Heartworm infestation and heartworm disease cause infertility. Heartworm prevention is an absolute necessity. We recommend either Heartgard or Interceptor monthly. Go to dog shows and compare your Bullbitch to the champions and winning dogs. Decide what your bitch's faults are. Long back, small head, narrow jaw and light bone are the most common faults. Now select a stud that does not have any of the same faults your bitch has. It is not wise to breed to a closely related dog father, brother, uncle except in very special circumstances. Breeding to a very good quality more distantly related relative grandfather, granduncle many times will produce better pups than breeding to an unrelated dog. Breed to a dog that has produced some good quality pups. A champion stud that meets the above criteria will be a better choice for stud than a non-champion. We can provide you the names of serious breeders in the San Antonio area who have proven champion Bulldog studs. See as many studs as possible and choose the one that fits your breeding purposes THE MATING On a normal heat cycle, a bitch is ready to be mated the first time about the eighth to the thirteenth day. There is a lot of variation among bitches. Breeding according to the day of heat alone is not an accurate way of catching her at the right time. Vaginal smears can determine when a bitch is ready to breed. The cells lining the vagina change types when a bitch ovulates and is ready to mate. Bring your bitch in for us to do a vaginal smear about the fourth day of heat for the first vaginal smear. Then we will tell you when she will need the vaginal smear checked again. Do not be concerned if your bitch has a bloody discharge throughout her season. This is not unusual in bullbitches. We breed on the first day the vaginal smear indicates ovulation, skip a day and breed again. If there is any doubt that these were the best days, we will skip a day and breed a third time. Particularly when breeding a bitch that has failed to conceive before, it may be best to breed more than twice. We use only artificial insemination to breed bulldogs. Artificial insemination is easier on the bitch, the dog and the person doing the breeding. When people talk about "natural breeding" of bulldogs, they are really referring to hand breeding. This involves strapping the bitch to a breeding board and physically helping the stud dog mate her. We breed only by artificial insemination, Breeding boards are not used in artificial insemination. Serious breeders who have experience artificially inseminating with their own stud are usually very capable and can do the AI at their house. After you take your bitch home after breeding, continue to keep her away from all males for at least a week. For any bitch that has failed to conceive on a previous breeding, we strongly recommend using Progesterone tests to determine the correct time to breed. This is more expensive than breeding by vaginal smears but is worth the cost. The liver during their season increases fertility, during pregnancy reduces the chance of pups with cleft palates and makes for healthier pups with bigger livers of their own. This increases their chance of surviving any neonatal problems. Either beef, pork or venison liver is fine. Cut the liver into 1 ounce pieces and freeze them five pieces to a bag. That way you can thaw out a new bag every five days and make a pound of liver last 16 days. Some bitches will not eat liver the first day. Try again tomorrow and she will eat it. Some bitches will get loose stools from liver. Stop the liver and give cottage cheese with her food until the stools firm up and then start the liver again. During pregnancy, feed your bitch a good quality food. We recommend Purina Pro-Plan. Feed adult dog food for the first four weeks of pregnancy, feed half adult and half puppy food Purina Pro-Plan Puppy the fifth week, then puppy food through the rest of pregnancy and throughout all the time the mama is nursing pups. Do not feed generic or store brand dog food. With a good quality dog food, we feed no supplements other than the liver. Do not give bone meal or any other calcium supplements. They are not needed and can be harmful. With a bitch that will relax and cooperate, we might be able to feel the fetuses in her abdomen at 3 to 4 weeks. From 4 to 7 weeks, there is a lot of fluid around the fetuses making it difficult to feel them. By 7 weeks, most pregnant bitches will be obviously showing it. Almost all bitches will have some mammary enlargement 3 to 4 weeks after their season whether they are pregnant or not. If her vulva does not decrease much in size after she is out of season, she is probably pregnant. We can x-ray the bitch anytime after 45 days after breeding to determine pregnancy. Withhold food by 8 PM the night before the x-ray and be sure she is given a chance to move her bowels before bringing for the x-ray. Let her have all the water she wants. A sonogram done at 28 days is a very accurate way to determine if she is pregnant. We can refer you to a veterinarian who can do a sonogram if you wish. Even if your bitch does not look pregnant, bring her in one week before her due date for us to examine. A large bitch with only one or two pups can hide them up under her ribs and not appear pregnant. If there is any doubt, have an x-ray taken. If her season and discharge last longer that 3 weeks, bring her back for a check-up. She might be a bitch that just has a longer than 3 week season. Or the extended discharge might indicate an infection. If any time after her season she has a vaginal discharge again, bring her back for an exam and a white blood cell count. She could be aborting pups. She could have a minor vaginal infection or a serious uterine infection. A uterine infection needs immediate attention. The Cesarean Section is scheduled 60 days after the last breeding. We will make the appointment for 8 AM. We will also schedule an appointment for a week before the Cesarean to examine her and answer any questions you have. We can also do the pre-surgery lab work at that time. While this 60 day schedule works almost every pregnancy, occasionally a bitch will start labor before the Cesarean Section appointment. If your bitch starts labor during our regular office hours, call us to let us know you are coming in and bring her to the hospital. We will do the Cesarean. If your bitch starts labor during the night, weekend or holiday when our office is closed, call one of the emergency animal hospitals and take her there for the Cesarean. When you call our regular office number, the answering machine will give you the numbers of three emergency hospitals. We do not do emergency Cesarean surgery during non-office hours. A Cesarean requires a full staff of personnel that we cannot provide during non-office hours. Labor is not nesting or passing a mucus plug. Labor is seeing her abdomen contract and seeing her push. She may pass some fluid or you may see part of a puppy. This is labor and indicates she needs her Cesarean. Bullbitches have a difficult time trying to whelp naturally for a number of reasons. The pups have large heads. The bitch has a small pelvis. A bullbitch that has any breathing difficulty can find that labor is too strenuous for her. A bitch with a large number of pups can get too tired and exhausted before she has the last one. When there are only one or two pups, they are usually larger and more difficult to deliver. Many bulldog pups die during attempts at natural whelping. They could have lived if delivered by Cesarean section. A bitch that becomes exhausted trying to whelp naturally is then not a good anesthetic risk for Cesarean section. It is better to plan for a Cesarean ahead of time rather than make it an emergency procedure. It can be scheduled at a more convenient time than 2 AM some morning. Of course, saving only one pup with the Cesarean that might have been lost free whelping pays for the Cesarean. Most bitches will start nesting a week or so before they are due to whelp. They will gather up towels or scratch in the carpet or dig a hole in the yard to make a nest. This does not mean labor is imminent. While your bitch is pregnant, she has had a mucus plug in her cervix to seal it. She will start passing this clear mucus the last week of her pregnancy. This is normal. At the appointment for the Cesareans section, bring a box full of towels to take the pups home in and a sheet to lay the bitch on in the car on the way home. The bitch will have a heavy discharge for 3 days - red, black, green, almost any color is normal. After 3 days, the discharge should be no more than a little spotting - several half-dollar size spots a day at the most. A heavy discharge after 3 days or a brownish-red tomato soup discharge with a bad odor anytime is an indication of trouble. Bring your bitch back to the hospital. If the bitch has any discharge from her surgery incision, wash it with hydrogen peroxide and dry it before nursing. If the incision is dry without a discharge, leave it alone. If the incision should gap open more than a quarter of an inch or if a lump develops under the incision, bring her back to the hospital. It is not unusual for bullbitches to lie on pups and smother them. Some bullbitches will accidentally step on a pup and kill it or badly injury it. A few bullbitches will intentionally harm pups. For these reasons, we keep our pups in a puppy box and put them with the mama only while nursing. An adult or older child must be there watching all the time the pups are with her to be sure she does not harm the pups. Of course, this is a lot of trouble and takes a lot of time. But bulldoggers have found that this is the best way to raise as many pups as possible. We use a wooden puppy box. If you anticipate raising only one litter, a cardboard box will do. Our puppy box is 32 inches long by 16 inches wide and 12 inches deep. It has a Plexiglas window in the lid. There are holes in the side that can be opened for ventilation. There is a 60 watt light in one end of the box for heat. The light has a rheostat so that the heat can be controlled and adjusted. If you use a cardboard box, you can adjust the heat by using different watt light bulbs and by moving the light closer or farther away from the box. The important thing is to have a rectangular box with the light in one end. Adjust the heat by watching where the pups stay in the box. If the pups stay right under the light, adjust the heat higher. If the pups stay in the other end of the box to get away from the heat, adjust it lower. The box temperature will need to be about 95 degrees the first week, 85 degrees the second week and 75 degrees thereafter. However, it is important to adjust the heat according to what the pups do, rather than according to the thermometer. If pups lie on a hard flat surface all the time, they will become what we call swimmers. Their chests flatten out and their legs spread out sideways. They cannot get their legs under them. When the chests flatten they start having breathing problems. To prevent swimmers, it is important for the bottom of the box to be soft and irregular. We line the bottom of our box with foam rubber egg crate mattress pad material and cover it with towels. Two alternatives to egg crate material are rubber hot water bottles half filled with air and covered with towels or to wad up newspaper into balls to fill the bottom of the box and cover with towels. The first few days the pups should nurse every 2 hours. Put an old quilt on the floor for mama to lie on. If there is any discharge from mama's Cesarean incision, wash it off with hydrogen peroxide and dry it before putting the pups down to nurse. The first few times, squeeze the nipple to get a drop of milk to come out on it and put the pup's mouth to it. Watch to be sure all the pups get attached. Be sure the big pups do not push the little pups away. Allow the bitch to lick the pups to stimulate urination and defecation and to clean them up. If the mother refuses to lick and clean pups, you must use a cotton ball dipped in warm water to stimulate elimination. Rub the pups' sides, genital area and anus with the cotton ball. Pups can not eliminate freely on their own for the first 2 to 3 weeks of their lives. Someone must stay with the bitch all the time the pups are nursing. After you can see that the pups are gaining weight and are sleeping longer than 2 hours before they awaken and cry, you can start slowly lengthening the time between feedings. If the pups are not definitely gaining weight nursing on mama, start tube feeding them. If one pup is not growing like the rest, tube feed him. Also if you tube feed, you can go a longer time between feedings than you can nursing. We will be happy to show you how and help you start tube feeding and get you the equipment you need. Tube feed Esbilac Puppy Formula. If necessary, use Similac baby formula until you can get Esbilac. If for any reason you are tube feeding the pups exclusively, do not neglect stimulating their bowel and urinary functions. Either let mama lick them or use the cotton balls. Put Esbilac in a shallow bowl or pie pan. Put a pup up to the edge and spoon a little formula up to his mouth. Some of the pups will start eating on their own right away. Others will take a few days to learn. Grind the Puppy Chow in a blender to a fine meal. At first, mix just a little ground puppy chow with the Esbilac to make a thin gruel. When all the pups are eating this, gradually make it thicker. To get as close as possible to providing complete protection for your pups from preventable diseases, follow this vaccination schedule until you place the pups in their new homes and recommend that the new owner continue this schedule: Start vaccinations canine distemper, hepatitis, coronavirus, Parainfluenza and Parvovirus at six weeks old. Repeat this combination vaccination every three weeks till the pups are sixteen weeks old. The last vaccination should also contain Leptospirosis. Rabies vaccination can be given anytime after twelve weeks. If you have pups that did not nurse on the bitch during the first 24 hours of life, start their five-in-one combination vaccine at 3 weeks of age. However the time from 6 weeks to 12 weeks is a very important age for the behavioral development of the pup. During this time the pup must have both interaction with other dogs mother and littermates and interaction with people. Therefore 8 to 10 weeks is the best time for the pups to go to their new homes. Pups that go too early to a new home that does not have another dog in it may later in life have a fear of other dogs or be aggressive to other dogs. Pups that stay with their litter too long before being placed in their new homes may have a hard time adjusting to their new home after 12 weeks of age. If any pups are not going to their new homes by 10 weeks of age, be sure to socialize them to people. Separate them from the litter and give them individual attention for at least 30 minutes every day. All pups should have some contact with children before they are 12 weeks old so they will not be afraid of children later. Of course it is important that they are not hurt by a child early in life. If I send prospective puppy buyers to you, that means that I have recommended you and your pups to the prospective buyer. It does not mean that I am recommending the prospective buyer to you. It is not my place to screen buyers for you. It is up to you to interview prospective buyers and determine which ones can be entrusted with your precious pups. Ask about other dogs in the household. Do they have a fenced in yard? Do they know bulldogs need to be inside air-conditioned dogs? Will they continue the vaccination series? Do they know bulldogs are generally more expensive to care for than other dogs? Is the prospective buyer buying a pup for himself or is he a broker that is going to resell the pup? When you know the new owner is not going to breed or show, encourage the new owner to spay or neuter their pets. Spaying females prevents mammary cancer, uterine infection and accidental pregnancies. Neutering males prevents perianal cancer, perineal hernias and prostate problems. Be sure you are satisfied that your pup is going to a loving home. Tell the new owner that if something happens that causes them to have to give up their bulldog that you will take him back or help them place him in a good home. Fill out the dam's part and send it to the American Kennel Club. They will send you individual forms for each pup to be registered. This takes two to six weeks.