How do you bathe puppies?
 Puppies do not normally need bathed, but if he has had a particularly dirty experience the need may arise. However, you should not bath your puppy more often than necessary, since shampoos will remove the natural oils that protect your puppy's skin and hair. When shampooing, you should not use everyday soaps or cleaners. You can get advice about dog shampoos from your vet or from good stockists. Dog shampoos produce less lather, which is very useful if your dog does not like being rinsed! If your puppy experiences any skin reaction after bathing, consult your vet about the shampoo you are using - you may need to purchase a medicated shampoo. If you are not taking your dog to a professional groomer, you can use your bath at home. Be sure to put a non-slip mat in the bath to prevent your dog from slipping and hurting itself. This also prevents scratching to the enamel. When your dog is secure in the bath, gently introduce the water. This is best by use of an extendible shower head. The water should be warm, and avoid spraying the water straight at his face, ears or genitals. Wet the dog all over, talking to and massaging your dog as you go. Next introduce the shampoo, working from the top of the body down and finishing at the face. Dog shampoo will probably not sting the dog's eyes but you should still be careful. When you are sure your dog is thoroughly covered in shampoo, it is time to start rinsing. Again, start from the top. When you are sure that all shampoo has been removed, switch off the water and squeeze the hair with your hands to remove the excess. Do this before the dog gets out of the bath! Then give your dog a good rub down with an old towel to remove excess dampness. If your dog can tolerate a hairdryer, be sure not to put it too close to the skin. If not, then you will need a couple more towels.



Can a dog get pregnant by more than one dog? We have a male lab that we mated with a female lab but another dog got her afterwards. If your dog has been mated by more than one dog during her cycle, it is possible for her to give birth to puppies who have different fathers. That is, depending on the breeds of dogs who may have mated your bitch, the puppies may look entirely differently from each other. I would recommend that the best option is to take your dog to your vet. He will be able to tell you whether your dog is pregnant at an early stage. If you do not want to do this, your dog will develop the following symptoms if she is indeed pregnant: enlargement of the teats and milk production, increased weight and the selection of a ‘nest’ or whelping site.

For whelping pens that can be used as puppy playpen Click here

Taking a Dog Jogging
Generally I jog with my dog for 20 to 30 minutes. Is this too much exercise for her?
This depends on a number of factors, such as how quickly you jog and
the type of terrain you run on. However, the age of the dog is probably
 most important. Whilst a younger dog will be healthier and fitter,
and at less risk of problems such as heart attack, the joints and ligaments
 of younger dogs can be irreparably damaged by excessive exercise
 of the wrong type. However, this is more of a problem with large,
heavy breeds. From a dietary point of view, it may be necessary to
feed her a special food such as that for working dogs, so that the
 exercise does not drain her of essential nutrients. Your dog may also
 require a slightly higher intake of salts to replace that lost in exercise.
In conclusion, I think that unless your dog seems unhealthily exhausted
after jogging, becomes less enthusiastic about joining you, or suffers
 from ill-health, there is nothing to stop her going with you.



Why is Dog Moving Bedding Around the House?
I am curious why all of a sudden, after 3 years, our dog has started dragging her bedding out of her crate and into other rooms of the house? She's a Jack Russell whose pretty mellow compared to most other Jack's I've seen. Moving bedding material around the house is normally a strong sign of what is termed a 'phantom pregnancy'. Your dog does not have to have been mated or even in contact with a male to somehow believe she is pregnant, or at least adopt the behavior of a pregnant female - in some cases even producing milk. She will be trying to locate somewhere where she would like to keep her prospective puppies. Scraping at the carpet with her claws around the bedding pile is another good indicator. This behavior will normally correct itself quite quickly, but if it does not, or there are any other signs of pregnancy; or if you think there is any possibility she could have been mated, please consider having her checked over by your vet to find out for definite. 

For whelping pens and beds click here

Dog Won't Stop Biting
How do I stop my 12 week old Lhasa from biting? At times this is very vicious attacks on us and our Yorkie Bonnie. We no not want to use violence, have tried distraction and saying no with our finger in her mouth but all fails. I think this is a common problem with young puppies. You must remember that 12 weeks is still very young for a puppy. I know from personal experience that when you have several siblings of this age they are especially aggressive. Without a mother's guiding hand, they do not receive the specific 'tellings-off' that only a mother's communication can bring. Perhaps a lot of people would tell you to be patient, but I know of an old trick that sheep-dogs and guide-dogs are subjected to to stop them from attacking sheep in the open field. You will need something similar to a Thermos flask and some gravel. Every time your dog tries to bite you or your other dog, you should throw this flask (filled with a little gravel) at the ground near him. Be very careful not to hit him. This should, if properly carried out, make him associate this single behavior with a very scary noise. The great benefit of this is that over time you can replace the throwing of the Thermos with a simple rattle. If, however, he still appears to be too anxious after the initial shock has worn off, you should discontinue use. This can then be used for other behavioral problems. Another suggestion would be to use a strong whistle instead of the Thermos flask. We wish you luck!

Excessive Grass Eating in Dogs
 There are many common opinions about why dogs eat grass, and unfortunately most of them are ill-founded. For example, most people think dogs eat grass to intentionally make themselves sick. In most cases when a dog eats grass, however, the dog is not sick, nor does he have any underlying symptoms that may lead you to think he would want to be sick. Some dog owners will witness a specific correlation between eating grass and being sick but unfortunately there just is not enough evidence for this as a primary, common reason. Studies have been carried out to try and link grass easting with illness, vitamin or mineral deficiencies and lack of roughage in the diet, none of which found any significant evidence. In some cases, you see dogs only eating grass from specific areas, suggesting these might just taste better or have higher mineral deposits. Other ideas include that these are areas where other dogs have scented, or other animals have urinated. In most cases, routinely eating small amounts of grass will do no harm, and is perfectly normal. The dangers exist where this consumption is excessive. Apart from not being easily digestible, there is a danger where vomiting occurs that pieces of grass are deposited in the nasal cavity, which can lead to infection. In your case, if this excessive consumption has occurred suddenly, check his stools and urine for any changes. Also monitor his behavior. If you don't notice any other changes in his health or behavior, it is probably safe for you to wait and see if this is a temporary habit, or if it only happens in a specific place which you can avoid. However, if it continues, is affecting his consumption of his regular diet, or you notice any other minor health problems you should take him for a thorough medical examination.

My 2 year old male weimaraner loves dogs but hates people. He growls at anyone who approaches us when walking. If my husband gets up in the middle of the night, wyatt jumps up in bed and steals his spot. Then when he comes back and attempts to move him he growls and snaps at him. Only I can move him. Help learn to correct my dogs people problem!!!!

This does not sound like your dog actually hates people. It sounds very much liek he is over protective of you and sees your husband as a threat to your affection. You must show him who is boss, and he must learn his place in the family unit. Most dogs enjoy having a real 'master' who is in control without using violence. When he misbehaves by being aggressive you must show him your dissatisfaction by having the will to shun his affection and banish him from the room. Hopefully in time he will learn that he must behave well to win your affection. However, if he is already an adult this may take a long time or be impossible. Good luck!

My 12 year old lab gasps for air after walking even on very short walks. Is this normal for a dog his age?

 

A 12 year old dog is after all approximately equivalent to a 70 year old human so it is not abnormal for a dog of his age to find exercise difficult, and a slowing down of the cardiac or pulmonary system is usually responsible for such symptoms.

This means that either the heart is not pumping fast enough or efficiently enough to supply the lungs with sufficient oxygen, or the lungs are not exchanging the oxygen for the carbon dioxide quickly enough, hence the shortness of breath. Your vet will be able to carry out various tests to indicate what the exact problem is and in some cases can prescribe drugs to help ease the symptoms. A change in exercise routine to include more rests and a shorter walk would certainly be something to think about. For Asthma relief see  AmazaPet remedy. It is a 100% natural, safe and effective combination of herbal and homeopathic ingredients for the treatment of asthma in pets. Clears asthma symptoms and strengthens respiratory functioning. Vet visit is needed before using any remedy.

My dog had nine puppies two weeks ago. Since then she has lost a shocking amount of weight. She is literally skin and bones. Is this normal and if not what causes this?

 

Nine puppies is a large litter to feed. Is your dog eating enough? She should have been eating around 50% more food during the first week after giving birth and by now should have double her food intake (and by week three should have trebled it). This is best done by increasing the number of meals rather than increasing the quantity at each sitting. She also needs lots of water to allow her to produce the milk.

It is common for dogs to show a small degree of weight and hair loss after giving birth but if it is as severe as you say then it may be worth taking her to the vet, as she may require immediate hydration or application of electrolyte solutions. It is also worth checking her discharge which should have significantly reduced by now, should not contain any blood and should be odor free. If any of these indicators are not as they should be your dog requires immediate veterinary care.

I have just bought a dog. Does he need to have his teeth brushed?

 

Not as silly a question as some may think. You can buy dental chews and toys which will perform this function for you. While it is not usually necessary to brush his teeth, there are many toothbrushes and toothpastes designed especially for dogs. There are also bad breath solutions for preventing bad breath