My puppy just had surgery...

by Jenn
(Rosamond, CA)

Hi,
My 5 month old Lab/Akita mix just had surgery on his back left tibia..It has been a horrible few days.

He broke his leg on Thursday when we were playing fetch. Needless to say it broke my heart and caused sleepless nights. We just brought him home yesterday (saturday) and he is already starting to want to move around. He is on antibiotics and pain meds but that is not helping to keep him quiet and calm.

I have the whole house tip toeing around but he is becoming more and more restless. They were very vague at the vet on how long until he can really start walking on it again. I take him on the leash right now to do his business but he wants to walk around more.

I can see he can't get comfortable. I am trying to do everything possible to not crate him because he gets very upset when I do, but I am so afraid he is going to hurt himself...

What is the aftercare for this situation??? Please help if you can I am pulling out my hair and crying a lot! I hate to see my guy hurting like this...




Hi Jenn
I'm so sorry to hear about what happened to your pup, but it sounds as though you've done everything possible to help him heal properly, so try not to feel upset.

Unfortunately I'm not a veterinarian, so I can't give you a definitive answer to your question. He definitely needs to rest it somewhat, but he also needs to use it to make sure it heals. If he gets very upset in his crate, you're right to use this as little as possible, but he may need to be crated at times in his own best interests.

If he seems very anxious or restless, you could try one of the natural products available to help calm anxious dogs, you can find out more about these on my Dog Separation Anxiety Medication and Natural Health Products for Dogs pages.

If you're concerned I would definitely talk more with your veterinarians office. They need to give you all the information you need to take care of your pup properly. Another option, may be to try my Ask A Vet page.

I wish you the best of luck, and hope your puppy is 100% fit again soon.

Housetraining Regression

First off, thank you very much for an amazing website! Love it!

My 15 week puppy was nearly completely pad trained. About 2 weeks ago I began taking him outside to do his business. It has been going pretty well. BUT...for those times when I can't be there to take him out or when I'm not watching him VERY closely, he's now missing the pad about 90% of the time! Not only is he missing the pad, he now leaves a trail of poop!

He's home alone for 8 hours during the day and he now misses his pad. When I do catch him in the act, he runs away but the mess has been done. He looks as if he knows he did something wrong. (When he successfully makes it on the pad or when he goes outside, I pour on the praise.) Aaaagh!


Please give me advice on how to correct this awful problem! Thank you!




Hi
I'm glad you like my site, thanks for those kind words :o)

As for the potty training, it can definitely be a challenge. For 15 weeks old, your puppy is actually doing pretty well, but obviously this problem is frustrating and messy!

This is a classic sign of the problems that occur when a puppy is pad trained and then there's a change over to eliminating outdoors. He's just confused, and although he 'knows' the pad is for pee/poop, so is the outdoors, and so stepping off the pads now seems acceptable (to him). He's not trying to be difficult, and he doesn't know he's done something wrong. He knows by your body language and emotions that you're angry, so he's scared and that's why he runs off - he doesn't want to get in trouble, although he has no idea what he's done wrong.

The best suggestion I can make here is to get a crate and use it when you're not there. At 15 weeks he should have reasonable bladder/bowel control, and he's already on his way to being potty trained, so I think he should take to it fairly well. Check out my Crate Training page for all the advice and information you need on this method.

Puppies are creatures of habit, and they learn through association. If you prevent him from having the opportunity to mess indoors, and he gets into the habit of eliminating outside (with plenty of praise each time as you're already doing), he will eventually be 'conditioned' to the correct behavior, and will forget about going indoors.

It takes time and patience, but he will get there. Hope this helps some, best of luck with your pup.

fever

is it common for a small breed puppy to get a fever after having 2nd set of shots?



Hi
Running a low grade fever is one of the fairly common reactions to vaccination in some puppies.

There are other mild reactions that can occur, as well as some severe ones. The mild to moderate ones (such as the fever) generally don't last long and shouldn't cause concern, but there are others that puppy owners should be aware of.

For more information on this, check out my Puppy Shots page.

Good luck with your puppy

puppy acting weird

hi i just adopted my puppy today, she's a mix and about 2 months old. today took her to the vet and she took the de=parasite pill, and got her first shot, now she's acting really weird.

when i lift her up she whines, and when i touch her on the side that she got the shot she tries to nip at me.

Is she sore from the shot or is something wrong?




Hi
It sounds as though your puppy is having a fairly normal reaction to her vaccinations

Many puppies develop swelling or a lump at the site of the shot (which may be painful to the touch), and they may seem tired, lose their appetite or run a low grade fever. All of these are usually mild symptoms that last for a few days.

Other more serious reactions occur almost immediately after the shots are given and can include swelling of the face/head, hives all over the body, difficulty breathing and more. These need a vets attention right away.

However, your pups' reactions sound mild, and I'm sure she will be feeling back to normal in no time. If you're at all worried though, talk to your vet, they can put your mind at rest.

As a new puppy parent you may find my Bringing Home A New Puppy and New Puppy Care pages helpful.

Best of luck!

puppy sleep pattern

How long should a puppy sleep at night time? Just adopted a 6 week old redbone coondog and never had a puppy before.

We feed the dog 2/3 a cup of puppy food and gave water to it twice a day?




Hi
Puppies are like babies, they need to sleep a lot when they're young. When a new puppy first comes into your home he may sleep even more than usual as it's often his way of coping with the stress of leaving his canine family.

He needs access to fresh water all day, and start with the guidelines on the bag of puppy food you are using.

As this is the first time you've raised a puppy I'd recommend that you check out my bringing home a new puppy page and my new puppy care page. There are lots of tips and advice there to help you.

Best of luck with your little guy.

going outside in the snow

by Kristy
(PA)

We are getting a 7 week old shih tzu puppy very soon. We want to train him to go potty outside.

There is snow on the ground. What do we do? We could shovel a place but then if we get snow overnight and take him out first thing-that place will be covered in snow.

Any suggestions?





Hi Kristy
This is often a difficulty in the winter time, and small breed puppies don't tolerate the cold for long.

However, it's definitely best to train him to go outdoors from day one, so there are a few things you can do.

I would suggest trying to pick a fairly sheltered area of your yard, as close as feasible to the door you will go outside through. Fence off, or contain the area (using an exercise pen etc.) if possible, as that will speed up the process by reducing 'wandering' and the number of distractions around.

Keep it as clear of snow as is practical, but don't worry if your puppy has to contend with it now and then. It won't kill him.

If you want you can invest in boots and a little sweater for him to wear when he goes outside. But if he's in a hurry to pee, putting his boots on may be an issue :o)

You can buy dog-safe ice melt, and putting some of that down in his potty area may help to keep the snow and ice to a minimum. But always watch him carefully to make sure he doesn't eat/lick it.

Best of luck with your new puppy

my puppy is a mix of rottweilers, german shepherd,and blue healer how much does he cost

by jessie luvano

my puppy is a mix of rottweilers, german shepherd,and blue heeler.

how much does he cost? he is 8 weeks old.




Hi Jessie
I'm afraid I can't really answer that very accurately. Mixed breed puppies are generally either free or offered for a nominal price.

I wouldn't recommend giving away a puppy for free though, as some unscrupulous people may take him and sell him or use him illegally.

Asking anything from $10 - $20 would probably be fair (especially if you've given him his first vaccinations). But that is just a personal opinion.

The most important thing is finding loving, responsible homes for puppies like this.

Good luck

puppy with mass in eye

I have a dog that is now almost 2 years old and ever since he was 8 weeks (when i got him)he has had a mass on his eyeball. It is brown, on the white of the eye barely touching the iris.

It grew as he grew but hasn't grown since he reached maturity. It did have a single hair on it at one point.

My veterinarian said this mass was nothing to worry about but I'm just wondering what it could be.


Hi
There are melanomas (tumors) that can occur on the eye, and it sounds as though that is what your dog may have. They are most often benign (non-cancerous) and generally don't require treatment.

However, I'm not a veterinarian and can only give an non-professional opinion. In everything related to your dogs' health I would strongly recommend that you rely on your veterinarians' opinon/recommendations.

As he thinks this growth isn't anything to worry about he obviously knows what it is. I would suggest that you ask him what his diagnosis is. If it is an uveal melanoma, that is what I mention above. I'm sure there are other possibilities, but only your vet can tell you for sure.

If you talk to him about it I'm certain you will get the info. you need and he will be able to put your mind at rest. Best of luck.

Help Puppy is Terrifed to go to the bathroom outside

by PAPPILON OWNER
(NEW ENGLAND AREA USA)

I have a papillon puppy that is 5 1/2mths old. We were not planning on getting a puppy since we have a 18mth old son. However we were at a petstore that had him crated 24/7 and giving him raw meat for his diet!! They said he preferred that.

Needless to say the poor thing has been thru the wringer and has been treated for parasites and worms since we have gotten him out of that horrid environment.

The problem arises now that he was never introduced to the outdoors so he freezes, will not move shakes violently and WILL NOT go to the bathroom outside. We do crate him at night and he holds it we bring him right outside and he refuses to go. As soon as we bring him in (we live in the northeast so it is a cold winter here) he used to go on the puppy pad but now he won't even do that he goes on my hardwood floor or my area rug.

I am so frustrated. HELP ME PLEASE!!



Hi
Your poor little puppy, he must be very scared and it will take him a while to adjust to his new environment and relax a little.

At 5 1/2 months of age, he's spent quite a lot of time confined in a cage/crate and this sort of reaction to anything new is not unusual. In fact it's to be expected.

If you are very patient and consistent with him, he will learn to accept, and even enjoy, being outdoors but it will most definitely take some time. The fact that he's a small dog and it's cold outside isn't helping I'm sure.

I can understand that you don't want him crated '24/7' as he was previously, but I think you may need to use the crate more to begin with in order for him to learn the correct elimination habits. Obviously his control is pretty good, it's just a case of getting him to eliminate in the proper place.

Could you maybe fence off a small area of your yard, either using a puppy exercize/playpen or constructing the walls/fence yourself? If he was confined to a small area outside he may feel a lot more secure and be more willing/able to 'do his business'. He is likely afraid of the openness of the outdoors and the wind, noises etc. Making him feel more safe will help matters.

I would recommend using just the crate and his outdoor elimination area, with closely supervised free time indoors, rather than encouraging him to use the pee-pee pads. Allowing him to eliminate indoors and encouraging him to also eliminate outdoors may be confusing him. Stick with the outdoors.

I really think this is just going to take a lot of time and patience, this little guy is very anxious and nervous, but with your love and encouragement he will be able to overcome this.

I wish you the best of luck.

why bumps?

by Aara
(douglas GA.)

My puppy has little bumps on his stomach. they are just round bumps some small and some medium size. What would this be?




Hi Aara
It sounds as though this may be puppy pyoderma, it's a sort of staph infection of the skin that is commonly seen on a puppys' belly.

It can occur as a result of sleeping on a damp surface (wet bedding, crate etc.)Keeping your puppys' tummy clean and dry (use an anti-bacterial wash to clean his belly) is important.

If the infection is mild, this should clear it up, but if it doesn't improve within a few days (or gets worse) I would recommend taking your puppy to the vet. Sometimes oral antibiotics are needed to eliminate the infection.

Best of luck, hope he's all better soon :o)

jack russel

by cynthia
(mcallen, tx)

Hi, I just bought a jack russell about a week ago. This past two days he has been vomiting and has not ate for two days.

I assumed that this type of dog is very energetic, and since he got home he only wants to sleep. i am assuming that the vomiting is due to his food change, yet he doesn't have diarrhea.

what can be problem. he is also home alone all day cause i work, may he just be lonely?




Hi Cynthia
Feeling homesick and anxious can make a puppy seem lethargic and lose his appetite. Unless he's suffering from dog food allergies, a new food shouldn't make him vomit. It is much more likely to give him diarrhea.

It's important that he gets lots of fluid if he's vomiting or having diarrhea, dehydration alone can cause serious issues in a puppy.

I would strongly recommend that you take your puppy to a veterinarian to be examined. It may just be that he's adjusting to his new home See my Bringing Home A New Puppy for more information on this), but it's also possible he's sick.

There are several common, contagious canine illnesses that puppies are especially vulnerable to. It's very important to make sure he's not suffering from one of these.

Best of luck with him, hope he's feeling better soon.

can my shihtzu get her booster jag if she is pregnant?

by Leona
(ireland)

Can my shihtzu dog get her booster jag if she is pregnant?




Hi Leona
This issue really doesn't have a clear cut answer, and opinions vary.

In general, vaccinating a pregnant dog is advised against, although the particular vaccine and the stage of pregnancy are variables and in some cases it may be okay.

Most vaccines are safe for dogs who are nursing, so if possible it would probably be better to wait until your dog has had her puppies, and then vaccinate her.

If your dog has had her vaccinations on a regular basis prior to getting pregnant, she should have sufficient anti-bodies to transmit to the pups.

However, I would recommend checking with your own veterinarian on this, he/she will be in a better position to advise you.

Best of luck with those pups!

Help for little Stormy

by Stormy
(Jacksonville,FL,USA)

My 11 week old Yorkie puppy has a very upset tummy & seems very constipated, any advice as to what to do?

He won't eat or drink and is sleeping a lot. this just happened early this a.m. where he had a stool stuck half way out & half in. He eventually passed it but now is having these issues as I have explained.

If this is doesn't pass I will take him to the Dr asap in the a.m. But til then any advice? Could he have torn something ?





Hi
It's possible that he has hurt himself in some way due to the constipation, but simple hemorrhoids or something similar is most likely. I would definitely suggest that you have your vet take a look at him though as he seems to be acting as though he doesn't feel well. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

To help treat his constipation, and prevent it from becoming a regular occurrence, I'd recommend that you read my Puppy Constipation page. It has tons of tips and advice on dealing with this problem.

Best of luck with Stormy.

Bathing

by Heather
(Chattanooga, Tn)

I have a ten week old puppy. She is half chihuahua half dachshund. I bought her some shampoo but realized just now before i was about to bathe her that it says not to use on puppies under twelve weeks.

She really needs a bath tonight so i was wondering if it would be ok to use some Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo for humans on her for the next couple of weeks until she is old enough for this shampoo?



Hi Heather
The shampoo you bought may have a flea medication in it, that's probably why it says don't use it on puppies less than 12 weeks old.

You just need a very mild, gentle shampoo for such a young puppy. Johnsons' baby shampoo will be okay for now, but a young puppy really doesn't need to be bathed too often. Only if she's dirty, smelly and so on.

They have very delicate skin and overbathing can dry it out and cause itching and irritation.

I'd recommend that you check out my Bathing A Puppy page. It has lots of tips and advice on giving your puppy a bath.

Best of luck with her.

Diarrhea

by Ivette
(WA)

Hello,
Ivette here again, it has been awhile since I last wrote. My wobbly 8 week puppy is now a 7 month old pony.

Sam, my German Shepherd has had diarrhea going on his 3rd day today. He's on a raw diet due to allergies. We thought at first it was the introduction to a new food, but now I don't think so. He's still has lots of energy, plays and is eating, and most of drinking plenty of water. We gave him pumpkin and thought that would help but it hasn't. (worked in the past)

What should we do? How many days does diarrhea last on dogs?
Thank you in advance.
Ivette





Hi Ivette
It's difficult to say how long this will last, because that totally depends on what is causing his diarrhea.

Change in diet can definitely be a factor, and if he has allergies that could also be part of it. The fact that he's eating, drinking and playing normally are good signs, so hopefully he's not actually sick. Of course, diarrhea shouldn't go on indefinitely so it needs to be taken care of.

If you are confident that he's not sick, you could try fasting him for 24 hours - no food at all, but allow him plenty to drink. After 24 hours, give him plain boiled white rice (with a little chicken broth added if that works with his allergies), then gradually reintroduce his regular diet.

If this doesn't fix the problem, I would strongly advise taking him to your veterinarian for advice. Chronic diarrhea can become a sort of self-perpetuating condition by setting up inflammation which can lead to colitis. It can also cause dehydration quite easily.

If he seems sick in any way though, I would take him to your vet first rather than wait the 24 hours. It's better to be safe than sorry.

I wish you the best of luck, glad that your little guy has grown so well!

Puppy's ears have clicking sound when she scratches them...

by Amber A
(Gering, NE U.S.A.)

Hi! Our little puppy girl is a shih-poo that is about 6 months old.

When she scratches her ears, we hear a clicking sound - kind of sounds like cartilage. She scratches them quite a bit, but we can hear it too when we scratch her ears for her.

What could this mean? Is there something over the counter we could get for her or is it just the sound that the ears make for dogs when scratching? Please let us know - Thanks!




Hi Amber
I'm afraid I've never experienced this one! It could just be the cartilage in her ears, but I would mention it to your vet so that he can check it out.

Look in her ears, if they look clean and pale pink, with no dark, crusty build up and no redness or inflammation, chances are they are healthy. But it's always better to be on the safe side so check with your vet.

Good luck with her.

She won't eat.

by Scott C. Dunbar
(New Port Richey, FL U.S.A.)

My baby girl, Dakota.

About a month ago, we brought home a Rottweiler puppy. I did some research on puppy food, and decided to try her on Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lovers Soul. I bought a small bag for her to try, and she loved it! I decided to buy her the 35# bag, and she was doing ok for a couple of days.

Now she just turns her nose up at it! We've tried to dress it up a little with wet puppy food, but she mostly just picks out the wet, licking it of the kibble, then spitting it out. She will pick at some of the dry food. Then there are a couple of nights she will just wolf it all down. She is really defensive about her food bowl, whether she is eating it or not. We have 2 male dogs that if they come any where in the room,she jumps bad on them! Even if they are in the bedroom while she eats, she'll keep looking around for them.

She will chow down on chicken livers, or beef tips, and the like. Of course she'll eat up the wet food as well, but we really can't afford to keep feeding her a menu comprised mostly of people food or a full wet food diet. Can someone please give me some guidance with this problem?

This is my first Rottweiler, and I have waited a long time for her. I am worried because we can only get her to eat about a cup and a half, to two cups a day! Thank you for any help you can give me. She is still very active and seemingly healthy otherwise, although she does have frequent diarrhea. She runs and plays with the boys, and doesn't show any other signs of being ill.
Thank you!




Hi Scott
This sounds so familiar! It's actually a pretty common situation, and I myself have a male Rottie who acted this way when he was a pup. I did exactly what you are doing - to the point of cooking him scrambled eggs with steak for breakfast! However, when it got to the point that he needed a different 'menu' each day I decided enough was enough.

I chose a high quality food that seemed to suit his digestive system and simply offered him that and nothing else. Like you, I was afraid that he wouldn't get enough nutrition if he chose not to eat, but after about a week he figured it out and decided that he was hungry after all. He's now a 130lb adult who looks like he never missed a meal in his life.

I'm telling you all this so that you don't feel guilty about not pandering to her 'whims', and don't worry about her starving herself - it won't happen. She won't get the nutrition she needs from human food alone, or special treats etc., she needs a premium dry puppy food (I'm not sure how old she is, but I personally keep my pups on puppy food until they're a year old) especially formulated for large breeds.

If she is having diarrhea, I would look at some other foods. Check out my Dog Food Ratings and Best Dog Food pages for information on some of the premium brands. The more nutritionally dense the food is (less fillers, junk, additives etc.) the more nutrition she will get per cup. Obviously this is important when your pup is being 'picky'.

Some dogs are food-aggressive with other dogs, I have a couple who are that way, however they should NEVER guard their food from you. I would recommend getting her used to allowing you to touch or remove her food bowl when she's eating. If she doesn't like you around when she's eating, start by dropping a couple of tasty treats into her bowl while she's eating. Over a period of time, slowly get your hand closer to the bowl until you can place the treats on top of her food right in front of her nose.

Once she is okay with that, start to pick up her bowl when she's eating (tell her 'leave it' as you pick it up), let her clearly see you adding something good to it, and then put the bowl back down and tell her 'okay, eat up'. This way she associates your hand being near her dish as a good thing! However, just feed the dogs separately and don't try to push her to let them near her bowl, it will likely end in a fight.

From the photo her coat looks good and she appears to be in great condition, so I think you're doing fine for now. Dakota's a pretty girl :o) I wish you the best of luck with her.

7wk lab pup with diarrhea

Our puppies had their shots on sunday and were flown from joburg to durban on the same day. They were fine when they arrived. However for the past 2 days they have been suffering with diarrhea (watery & sludgy light brown in color), which is also very smelly. The puppies are still active.

They drink lots of water and eat their food. I feed them Pedigree Milky Kibbles (one night mixed kibbles with Pedigree Pouch) for supper and pronutro with warm water for breakfast. Please help me, im very worried!!! Should I take them to the vet?



Hi
It's difficult to say for sure what is going on with your puppies, as they've had quite a bit of stress over the last few days.

Vaccinations, air travel, a new home, and probably a change in diet, can all contribute to diarrhea.... and with all three at once, it's pretty much a given that they will experience some sort of upset.

However, diarrhea can also be a symptom of some very serious dog illnesses, including Parvo.

I would first recommend that you read my Puppy Diarrhea page, and the links in the above paragraph to information on dog illnesses. That will help you decide whether your pups are really sick, or their tummies are upset due to the changes they've gone through.

Usually if it's an illness, there is repeated diarrhea which gets worse fairly rapidly, generally there is repeated vomiting too, and a definite lethargy and loss of interest in food, surroundings, toys etc. Pups with Parvo for example, look as though they feel terrible... their eyes are dull, they don't want to move, and are unable to keep down food or water. However, not all illnesses appear so severe at first.

It's always better to be safe than sorry with puppies, and if you are concerned for them I would strongly recommend taking them for a check up. In fact, this is what I would suggest whenever you bring a new puppy home, whether he/she seems ill or not. It's always best to have an examination done to rule out any underlying health conditions etc.

I hope this helps some, and wish you the best of luck with your new puppies.

treatment for doggie mum

by helen
(queensland australia)

my toy foxy has 5 pups which are 5 weeks old
and the mum has has a bad rash and scratches all
over her tummy and teats how can i help her treat this?




Hi Helen
It sounds as though those puppies are being very demanding and rough with their momma, poor thing!

At 5 weeks old, these pups should be well on their way to being weaned and their nursing should be minimal. If you haven't already cut their nails I would recommend doing so. Make sure she has plenty of time away from the puppies, so that she can relax.

Keeping her belly clean by using an antibacterial wash and drying it thoroughly should help prevent any infection from setting in.

There are only a few more weeks until these babies are ready to go to their new homes, so the above measures should help keep your momma dog comfy until then.

If however, the scratches look red/inflamed or seem to contain pus, I would definitely take her to your veterinarian. She may need antibiotics.

Best of luck with your 'brood'!

puppy and the mirror

by jody
(las vegas)

i have a new mini schnauzer pup, 4 months old and bought from a breeder. She has been with us for 3 days and seemed to be adjusting well, until tonight.

Since we have brought her home she has been growling and barking at the mirror on my closet doors. even when not barking or pawing at it she still watches it. i have tried showing her there is nothing on the other side of the door, touching her paw and nose to it, to no avail.

Tonight she just went bersek, fighting at her own image. I was afraid she was going to hurt herself so I took her outside on her lead, she had been fine on it before, she went crazy, throwing herself around, to the point that she was hitting the ground and a wall, she wouldn't stop.

I took her off the lead, and she was still so agitated, pacing the house, sniffing at the floor. i tried covering the mirror but she still keeps going at it. Any way I can help her to understand there is no other dog in the house?



Hi Jody
Most puppies are confused by mirrors, and often bark, whine or paw at them. However, your pups' reaction does seem extreme.

I would suggest that you talk with the breeder to see if she's ever experienced this sort of behavior with her, or with other pups/dogs.

I'm not sure whether your pup is scared, or is being defensive/aggressive with her reflection. I think covering the mirror is a good idea for now.

It may just be that this will settle down as she adjusts to her new environment. Puppies do get anxious, depressed or homesick for the first week or so in a new situation, and your pup is 4 months old so may be finding the transition a bit more difficult.

You could take a look at some of the natural products that I recommend to help dogs through difficult situations or fear-stages. They are calming without having any medication-type side effects. Check out my Natural Remedies for Dogs and my Dog Separation Anxiety Medication pages for more about these products.

If you find that nothing seems to be helping, and she's still acting very agitated after giving her a bit more time to settle in, then I would recommend talking to your veterinarian. He may be able suggest something else to help.

Best of luck with her, hope this sorts itself out soon.

crust on eye of yorkie puppy

we have a litter of 12 day old yorkie puppies and 1 one the pups has a little crust on the eye, what is that and is that normal?

they don't have the eyes open yet.




Hi
It's possible that this puppy has an infection in his eye. It's not normal for there to be discharge or crusting.

Their eyes normally begin to open somewhere between 10 days and 2 weeks, but smaller breed pups can develop more slowly.

I would recommend that you have your veterinarian look at this puppy. He may need an antibiotic treatment. Little puppies spend a lot of time piled on top of each other, and infection can spread very easily, so it's important to find out if there is a problem right away.

Best of luck with your 'babies'.

Big bump on puppy's head

by Matt
(Lindsay,Ca.93247)

My seven week old pitbull hit his head on a coffee table and now has big bump.

It's the size of a golf ball. Please what can i do to help him.




Hi
I would recommend at least talking to your veterinarian about this, they may want to examine him to make sure everything is okay.

For a bump like this, the same sort of action that you would take for a child with a bump on the head is wise, but getting a puppy to sit still for an ice-pack is a bit more challenging!

Luckily, Pitbulls are strong dogs, and have heavy bones, so his skull should be pretty thick. If he seems to be fine, is eating, drinking and playing normally, chances are he will be just fine.

However, if he is panting, pacing, seems to be in pain or disoriented or lethargic, seek veterinary help right away.

Best of luck, hope your pup is feeling better soon!

My dog tears everything up!

by Brian
(South Carolina)

We have two wonderful dogs in the family. One is a Great Dane and is 5 years old and he is great. The other is a Tennessee Walker that I got from the pound not too long ago. They said he is about 3 years old.

Both the dogs stay outside for a majority of the time. The Walker tears up everything. He has chewed up my golf cart seats. He has chewed up the plastic cover on the trampoline. He has also busted through the screen porch. How do I correct him if I don't see him do this, but I know it's him.

Do I put him in a yard kennel? I'm just kind of lost here. Don't know how to correct the dog when we find the mess. Thanks for any info you can give me.






Hi Brian
Your new dog has probably been through a lot of stress and difficulty, possibly ill treated but definitely confused, scared and lonely at times.

He's now in a new, safe home, but he is likely continuing to suffer from the stress of his previous experiences. This will improve over time as he becomes less anxious and feels more secure in his new home. For now, it seems as though he's acting out by venting his anxiety on your belongings. Obviously this is frustrating and expensive, but it's not really surprising. Dogs have a limited number of ways of expressing themselves. He may also be suffering from some degree of separation anxiety. After all, from his point of view, he may not know how long he will get to stay with his nice, new family, or whether you are leaving him for good. Who knows for sure what is going on in his mind.

Understanding why he's acting the way he is may help reduce some of the frustration you feel, but you still need to find a way to reduce the destruction. If he's used to a crate, I would recommend getting a crate and confining him to that when you're gone. But, if he is very anxious, he may get even more stressed out and be frantic to get out of the crate. If this happens, a chain link kennel in the back yard would be a better option.

This will probably not be necessary in the long term, but for the next few months, while he adjusts to his experiences and becomes more 'at home' and secure with you, I think it will be beneficial. Do be sure that he gets plenty of one-on-one time, love and attention, when you are home though.

In order for him to understand what you are correcting him for, he needs to be 'caught in the act'. So, only allow him access to your yard/home/possessions etc., when you can supervise him. Correct him with a firm "NO" and redirect his attention to his own toys whenever you see him start to chew on your stuff. Be very consistent about this. He's well past the chewing stage though, so I doubt this will be a big problem while you're around. It's anxiety and possibly boredom that's fueling his behavior.

It's important to make sure that he has lots of safe, sturdy toys in his kennel/crate etc., so that he always has something to chomp down on. Chewing is a stress-relief behavior for dogs. As he seems to be a 'power chewer', check out my Indestructible DOg Toys page for some of the best, strongest toys with real play value.

With lots of love, patience and loving discipline I think you'll find his behavior will improve over time. Best of luck.

ANXIETY / DEPRESSION

Puppy went to groomer yesterday, came back very anxious, seems depressed, scared. Has not pooped today.

She did eat her breakfast but that's all. I've tried to play w/her, talk to her, took her for a ride which made her a little bit happy. What could be the problem?



Hi
It may be that something happened at the groomers that scared her, or it could just be that being away from you made her anxious. That's not uncommon.

I wouldn't worry too much right now. Just make sure she gets lots of attention and love, to help her feel secure again.

If she's a breed that needs professional grooming, make it a regular thing for her, and the more often she goes, the more comfortable she will be with it.

Hope she's back to her old self soon.

traveling problems

by Lesley Flood
(England)

Hi
Dougal is a seven months old westie. The problem we have with her is she hates traveling in the car. We have tried doing small journeys to help her get used to it. We have put toys and food treats in the back for her but all she does is cry and howl and then if we ignore her she barks very loudly.She seems so stressed.

We like to go rambling and take dougal with us, but the journey there and back is a nightmare and spoils the day out. We want her to be included in our hobbie but she is now stressing us out.

We have booked a holiday in May and had planned to take dougal with us but if this carries on, we may have to put her in kennels.Any Idea would be gratefully received
Thanks
Lesley





Hi Lesley
Some dogs take to car rides and road trips with glee, others just don't appreciate them! However, it is possible to 'condition' Dougal to tolerate the car, even if she never actually enjoys it.

You're doing the right thing by introducing her to the car for short rides to begin with. She needs to become accustomed to it. You can also try to put her in the car while it's stationary and then give her some treats. Wait a minute or so and the take her back out again. If you try doing this a couple of times a day she will begin to associate the car with the treats and be more willing to get in it.

Then take her on short trips - just once around the block for example. Someone should sit with her and talk to her calmly, and give her one or two treats. If she's prone to car sickness though you will need to be careful about this.

There are special, pheremone-based sprays that you can buy that help to calm an anxious dog. They work well in the car. Or you may want to try the Herbal or Homeopathic remedies for anxiety, a couple of drops on her tongue before a trip will calm her down and have no side effects the way sedatives or other drugs do.

You can find both these products on my Natural Health Products For Dogs page.

I'd also suggest that you read my Traveling with your Dog page. It has lots of tips and advice to make road trips easier.

Best of luck with her.

Orphaned Pups Swollen

by Samantha
(Delaware)

We have a litter of 4 orphaned pups 2 males 2 females. they are only a one week old. They were orphaned at 3 days old.

We have found them in a "puppy pile" many times, one of the females has a swollen genitals from the others "nursing" on her.

Do we have anything to be concerned about? The pups are "nursing" on the ears, tails and legs of each other also.





Hi
This is actually pretty common in young orphan puppies. They have a very strong instinct to suckle, and if they had their momma around they would be nursing on her for most of the time at this age.

If you're tube feeding, I would recommend substituting bottle feeding for at least 2 feedings a day. If you're already bottle feeding, feeding them more often may help.

Puppies who are warm and full sleep most of the time. If yours are sucking on each other a lot, they may not be getting enough milk, or are not warm enough.

Although they can cause sores or irritation by sucking on each other like this, it is something that improves with time. If you ever think there is any infection involved though, talk to your vet right away.

My New Born Puppies page has tips and advice you may find helpful.

Best of luck with your puppies.

Bit of a dispute...

by Jerry
(Ontario)

My beagle got pregnant by my neighbor's dog... When my dog went into her heat cycle I would keep her secluded from my other male on advice from the vet to wait for two or three cycles to get her pregnant... No problem... A little noisy but fine... One night I let my female outside for a bit and a few minutes later she was really loud... My neighbor's dog had mounted her and were stuck together... My neighbor thinks that she can get one of the puppies or the value of one of the puppies... I don't think so because we did not agree nor did I want another breed of dog to stud with my female... Just wondering what other people thought of the situation...



Hi Jerry
I can't give you any 'professional or legal' advice, just a personal opinion, but I honestly can't see any reason why your neighbor thinks she's entitled to a puppy from this litter being that there was no stud 'contract or agreement'.


If your dog was in your own yard when she was mated, your neighbors dog was there without permission, let alone encouragement (although your female was probably encouragement enough lol) in the first place. Of course, it was your responsibility to keep your female away from males, but these things happen from time to time, it only takes a minute!

I'm not sure what breed of dog the male was, but these puppies are obviously not purebred, and adding two dog breed names together doesn't produce a new 'breed' in most cases, so they will be mix breed puppies of little monetary value. Although of course, their individual value to you and their new owners will be immense.

I wouldn't worry about this too much if I were you. A simple "No, sorry" should take care of it. Best of luck with the puppies... and make sure you keep your 'girl' totally secluded next time she comes into season to avoid this happening again!

Fighting Puppies.

We have a 1 year old chihuahua who is obsessed with our new 9 week old maltese/shih tzu puppy.

Our 1 year old is three times larger than our 9 week old. They both run around chasing each other and barking, growling and nipping at each other all the time. The 1 year old keeps trying to roll the 9 week old over by pushing him with his head to lay on him or lick his penis.

I am very worried about this behavior because one I do not want either of them to get hurt. 2 I do not want them to become mean and aggressive dogs. I thought the 1 year old would feel sad or mad at us for getting a new puppy so we are trying to give him as much love as before but he does not seem to care. He just attacks us to get closer to the puppy to lick its penis or fight with it.

Should I be concerned they have only known each other a few days? How do I break this habit? Will it get better after they have known each other a while or have we made a huge mistake?




Hi
This sort of behavior is pretty normal, and it often takes a while for the resident dog to accept the new one. However, a lot depends on the personality of the older dog.

Also, when adding another pup to your family it's usually easier if the pup is of the opposite sex to the resident dog. Two males or two females are more likely to be combative when adult.

Your older dog is exhibiting dominant behavior and he is attempting to show the new pup 'who is boss'. This is normal, and unless they are seriously fighting (drawing blood and so on), it's best just to let them get on with it. Although obviously you need to supervise so that you can step in if things get too rough, and never leave them alone together until you're sure they've adjusted and the older dog has accepted the puppy.

Most older dogs will make allowances for puppy behavior and will ease up when a puppy submits to them (ie rolls over on their back etc.). The licking of the genitals is normal, it's just another way of showing dominance. If your older dog is aggressive or unfriendly by nature or with other dogs in general, you may find this is a problem.

I would recommend giving them some time to get to know each other before worrying too much about this being a big mistake. I would also recommend that you neuter your older dog asap if you haven't already done so, and do the same for the younger one before he reaches 6 months of age.

My Introducing A New Puppy page has lots more tips and advice for handling this situation, I think you'll find it helpful.

Best of luck.

puppy vaccinations

what if you miss the 3 week time frame for the second puppy shot? I know they had the first one for sure but am not positive on date. I believe it has probably been 4 or 5 weeks.





Hi
I would check with your veterinarian, if it's only been 4 weeks or so, and the puppies are healthy, he/she may just continue with the 2nd shots etc.

If it's been longer he may want to give them another 3 sets. Over-vaccinating isn't recommended, but obviously being under-vaccinated puts your pups' at risk of illness or disease.

Different vets may have differing opinions on this, so I would just check it out with yours. Best of luck.

should my 12 week old pup drink at night

by Doreen
(CT)

Hi, we just got a 12 week old chi-terrier mix pup. He seems to be adjusting well, but, when should he have his last drink of water before going to bed at night??

We have him in a crate at night, should we let him have a drink when we take him out to pee( 2-3a.m)?? Thanks




Hi Doreen
With young puppies, what goes in must come out, usually within a pretty short space of time!

Definitely do not give him a drink in the middle of the night. As long as he is getting free access to water during the day, he should be quite capable of going all night without a drink.

I would suggest picking up his water dish about 2 hours before his bedtime, that way he will be able to empty his bladder pretty well before going to sleep. As he gets a little older, you can pick up his water bowl around 7:30pm.

Once he's mature and has good bladder control, this won't be necessary.

Best of luck with your pup.

5 week old shelties won't drink water

by Karen
(New York)

My 5 week old shelties are eating wet food beautifully! however, they will not drink water!

I keep a water bowl in their play yard with them at all times. I pick them up and try to get them do drink individually.

I put their nose in the water and they don't even lick the water off of their face most times! How can I get them to drink?



Hi Karen
At 5 weeks old they should be drinking by now, but if they're still nursing they may not feel the need to drink water.

Also, if they are eating wet food (or dry food that is soaked in water) they may be getting enough fluids that way.

If they seem happy and healthy, they aren't suffering from lack of fluids. However, obviously it's important that they learn to drink water sooner or later.

In my experience, a puppy will drink water when it's thirsty enough. The lapping may be a bit awkward or splashy at first, but they naturally know what to do.

I would just continue to do as you're doing - giving them plenty of access to fresh water and encouragement to drink, when they find themselves thirsty they will go for it.

Perhaps changing over to dry food at this point would be a 'push' in the right direction.

If you're still worried about them, talk to your veterinarian, I'm sure he/she can put your mind at rest. Best of luck with your puppies.

puppy problem

by JoAnn
(Pa)

My Cocker Spaniel puppy is 5 months old and has been doing really well, but my question is if your pup doesn't urinate half of the day could this be a problem with him? He also didn't have a bowel movement most of today. Is this something to be concerned about?

He's eating and drinking but not going to the bathroom. What could this be?



Hi JoAnn
I'm afraid I'm not a veterinarian, so I can't give you a professional opinion, or diagnose the problem (if there is one), but I can give a personal opinion....

If your puppy seems happy and healthy other than his reduced elimination, if he's eating and drinking normally, and doesn't seem to be in pain or distressed then I wouldn't worry too much right now.

However, if this continues for more than 24 hours, or your pup seems to be feeling unwell in any way before that, please check with your own veterinarian. There could possibly be an underlying health issue, but I think it's more likely that this will resolve itself pretty quickly.

Whenever you're in doubt, it's always better to be safe than sorry though. So, talk to your vet if you're still concerned. Best of luck.

at 6 months my chihuahua began having seizures

by elaine
(abington, ma U.S.)

for the past 6 months my pup has been having seizures every couple of months. i took him to the vet and they wanted to do thousands of dollars worth of tests on him. as it was the 1 visit cost me over 1000.00.

he has been on potassium bromide. he seems happy, healthy and playful between seizures. a few hours before the seizure he acts strange and looks confused. He usually comes out of them within a few minutes and is groggy and confused for a few hours then fine. his last one was a little worse than usual it took a whole day for him to feel better.

I'm scared they may be getting worse.the quantity of them has not increased but the duration of recovery has. are these tests worth having done?





Hi Elaine
I'm afraid I'm not a veterinarian and in these sorts of cases it's always best to rely on the advice of a qualified professional. I can give you a personal opinion, and hope that it helps you though.

Seizures can occur for different reasons, and I'm assuming your vet checked for hypoglycemia at the original visit. Other possible causes (such as a viral illness etc.)would also result in other signs of illness, so I doubt at this point that would be the issue.

Dogs who have repeated seizures are usually considered to be epileptic, just the way humans are. These seizures are caused by misfirings in the brain.

Potassium Bromide is the recognized treatment for seizures, and one a month is about the most 'control' you can hope for I believe.

I'm not certain what your vet wants to test for, or what changes he would make in treatment depending upon the results, and if I were you I would want to know that before I spent such a large amount of money.

If your pup is stable on the current treatment, my personal opinion would be to continue with that for now. However, if you think he may be getting worse, then you may need to consider further testing.

All in all, I would recommend talking this through thoroughly with your vet, so that you know all the pros and cons etc. before making a decision.

I wish you the best of luck and hope your pup is doing better soon.

Separation crate peeing

by Andrea Wheat
(Hamilton Ontario Canada)

hello! I have a 10 week old wirehaired pointing griffon pup. He is a great puppy and rarely has accidents in the house anymore. He doesn't yet let us know when he needs to go out, but we take him out fairly routinely every 1-2.5 hours depending on his napping schedule.

I am lucky that I am able to be home most of the time, however do need to leave several times a week for approximately 3-4 hours at a time. At the present time, even if he is alone in is crate for 2 hours and wakes to find no one at home, he pees in his crate. It is the only time he does this. Normally he lasts 5-6 hours per night so we know he can hold it.

Is this likely a result of anxiety because he is alone? Could it be a behavioural response to be left alone? The crate is just small enough that he can lie down, sit up and turn around. Should be just continue to leave when we need to and assume that he will outgrow the accidents in his crate since he doesn't pee in it any other time?

Thanks so much for you advise - we look forward to hearing from you,

Andrea & Brian




Hi Andrea and Brian
There are a couple of possibilities here. One is that yes, he gets scared or anxious when he finds himself alone, and he pees as a result. There would generally be other signs of anxiety though, as separation anxiety usually includes barking, whining, scratching, panting and so on.

If this is the problem, leaving the radio or TV on low for him, and using one of the natural products that calm anxious dogs may help. He may also outgrow this as he gets used to your comings and goings.

The other possibility is that he really needs to go. At night I would expect that you withold water from him for a few hours before bedtime and he probably has plenty of time to empty his bladder pretty well before going to sleep.

If he's left alone during the daytime, and has maybe had breakfast and drank a bowl of water, when he wakes up he may have a strong urge to pee, and so he does!

This is a tricky one because it's just a bladder control issue, which will improve as he matures, but obviously that doesn't help right now. He's only 10 weeks old, and is a small breed puppy (so has a tiny bladder), so this is likely to improve naturally as he grows.

For now though, I would make sure that if you're going to need to leave him for a few hours, that you make sure he's had plenty of time between his last drink of water and you leaving. Give him the opportunity to pee outside several times before you leave, and also make sure he's had some vigorous exercise. That way he will be more inclined just to sleep while you're gone.

I hope this helps somewhat, best of luck with your little guy.

Puppy barks at husband

Hi have a 5 month old chihuahua that I rescued that lived 24/7 in a crate in his own mess. I took him out of the crate immediately and he sleeps in his own bed.

Problem is he attached to me(female)and barks constantly at my husband no matter what he does to make friends. When I leave for hours he's fine with my husband. The minute I come back he starts in again with barking and running from husband?

Any ideas?




Hi
If your pup is a fairly recent addition to your home, I would say that you need to give him time to settle in and adjust. He's been through some difficult times and it could take weeks, or months, for him to learn to trust people and become comfortable in your home.

Love, patience and consistent training and routine will help him adjust well.

If you've had him for some time and this behavior has still not improved, it may be difficult to resolve. Depending on what happened to him in the past, he may have a deep distrust of men. However, with patience this can generally be reduced, even if not totally eliminated.

In that situation I'd recommend that your husband be heavily involved in your pups' caretaking. Have him feed the pup to begin with. He should be the source of food and treats. Dogs respect, and learn to trust, those who provide the basic necessities of care - and food is a biggie.

Once your pup is starting to feel more comfortable around your husband, then he could begin to groom him, or walk him, or play a game in the yard. Anything to build the relationship.

Bear in mind though, all of this could take quite a bit of time. Stay consistently loving and patient, and eventually your pup will become more confident and trusting.

If you continue to have problems that are causing issues or difficulties, talk to your veterinarian, a qualified dog trainer, or a dog behavioral specialist. They should be able to help.

I wish you the best of luck with this pup, he's very lucky to have found his loving, forever home.

Unneutered male dog with a 9 week old female puppy .

They're both unneutered and I'm not sure if I can leave them alone. I do not want them to have off-spring, but if neutering my male dog is the only solution, I'm willing to do so because I want them to socialize without having off-spring. I am just looking for another solution. :\

They don't seem to like each other, but that's not the problem. If this helps, the male dog is a pure-bred Chihuahua ( 3 years old ) and the female puppy ( 9 weeks old ) is a malti-poo ( maltese/toy poodle ).

my Chihuahua eats her puppies feces

my Chihuahua had puppies 3 weeks ago and is eating the puppies feces. Is she supposed to do that and if not how do I stop her?



Hi
Yes, this is totally normal, it's her way of keeping her 'nest' clean. Once the puppies begin to be weaned she will stop doing this.

Don't worry about it :o)

How far can my big breed puppy walk

by Joy Weber
(Harrington, DE)

My husband and I recently adopting a mix breed puppy. He is Lab, Shepherd, Rottweiler & a little Chow( his tongue is 1/2 black). They say he will be 80-100lbs. He is 14wks old (25lbs) and he has a high amount of energy.

I would love to walk him but how far can he walk. Everyone says not too far, but how far is too far.? 2 blocks, 6 blocks, a 1/2 mile, a mile.

I want him to get his exercise but I do not want to hurt his joints being that he is so young.

Thanks
Joy




Hi Joy
You're right to be careful about this. Large breed puppies shouldn't put extra stresses or strains on their rapidly growing joints.

At 12 weeks a puppy can usually manage two 10 minute walks - distance depends on the pace really, and you need to let the puppy set this. Don't rush or drag him along. He's still a baby. If a walk around the block is about 1/2 mile, and takes around 10 minutes that would be fine.

By 6 months, two 20 minute walks is good. Once he's mature (around 18 months of age) and his joints are fully developed, you can increase this. I'd recommend asking your veterinarian or a qualified dog trainer for advice at that point. A lot depends on the individual dog.

Hope this helps some. Best of luck with your puppy.

PUPPY WON'T EAT

by MARIE
(HAWTHORNE CA)

I RESCUED A 8 WK OLD PUP. SHE HAD JUST BEEN SPAYED THE DAY BEFORE I GOT HER SO SHE WAS SLEEPY, A LITTLE DIARRHEA AND A LITTLE VOMITING THE 1ST NITE.

I TOOK HER TO THE VET THE 1ST DAY I GOT HER EVERYTHING WAS GOOD. GOT ON SAT BY TUESDAY SHE HAS BARELY EATEN WE HAVE TRIED BABYFOOD, HOME COOKED DOG FOOD, PUPPY KIBBLE, NUTRIGEL, SHE JUST LICKS A LITTLE OR MAYBE EATS 4 OR FIVE PIECES OF KIBBLE, I TOOK TO THE VET THEY WANTED $800 TO KEEP HER WITH IVS, I COULDN'T AFFORD THAT SO FOR 200 THEY GAVE HER A PCN SHOT, HYDRATED HER, WORM'D HER AND DID A BLOOD TEST. THIS OF COURSE MADE HER SLEEPY THIS MORNING SHE WAS A LITTLE MORE ACTIVE BUT STILL WILL NOT EAT MUCH OF ANYTHING. SHE DRINKS WATER.

WHAT CAN I DO TO GET HER TO EAT? SHE LOOKS LIKE SHE'S LOSING WEIGHT MOSTLY SHE'S NOT VERY ACTIVE NOT LIKE MOST PUPPIES I'VE HAD BUT WHEN SHE SAW ANOTHER DOG AT THE VET SHE REALLY PERK'D UP. COULD SHE BE MISSING HER SIBLINGS, THE VET SAID I CAN'T SOCIALIZE HER FOR ANOTHER TEN DAYS SHE APPEARS TO BE A VERY SERIOUS PUP





Hi Marie
This little puppy has been through a lot in her short life, and she is most likely stressed, scared and home sick. This is very common and many puppies take several days, or a week or more, to settle into their new homes.

During that period they may lose their appetite, seem very sleepy etc. Of course, your pup has had a recent surgery to cope with (and the anesthetic effects can last several days) too.

You did the right thing to take her to the veterinarian and at least you know she's basically healthy. The fact that she did perk up on seeing another dog is a good sign too.

I think if you read my Bringing Home A New Puppy page, you'll understand what to expect during this period of adjustment.

If she's drinking, you shouldn't have to worry about dehydration too much, but adding some Gatorade or Pedialyte to her water is a good idea.

I would expect that within a few days she will start to feel more secure, the after effects of her surgery will have diminished and she will begin to show her true personality.

However, if she seems to get worse, has any vomiting or diarrhea or you are worried about her, don't be afraid to call your veterinarian and talk it over with them. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

Best of luck with her!

my puppy was born oct 21 2008

he is usually really good with my 3year old daughter and other children that come around but here in the past few days if hes chewing a bone or something and my daughter gets next to him he will growl and snap at her...

today a lilttle boy was playing in the yard with my daughter and they were fine for the longest and all of a sudden my puppy started growling and barking at the little boy.....

what do i do?? my puppy is a husky lab mix.

Thanks bunches, Tina





Hi Tina
Your puppy is showing signs of possessive/guarding behavior, and with kids around this has to be stopped very quickly.

Until this is under control, never allow your children (or anyone elses') to approach your pup when he is playing with a toy, or eating.

To start correcting this behavior, begin by offering him a really tasty treat in exchange for his toy/bone etc. Take the item, give him a treat, then return the item to him right away. Do this over and over, every day, until he's quite happy to see you approaching because he knows he will get a treat!

You can also do something similar with his food to prevent 'food guarding' behavior. When he's eating, slowly drop some tasty treats into his food bowl, again do this repeatedly until he's comfortable with it. Then advance to picking up his bowl, dropping the treats in it, and giving it back to him. The aim is to get him to understand that you touching his food/possessions is a GOOD thing, and he'll be rewarded when you do it.

Don't allow your children to do this until he's totally comfortable with you doing it, and then only allow them to do is with you right by them.

Taking your pup to obedience classes and working on basic training at home will help him to learn to respect you and that will improve his behavior.

If you find that these measures aren't working, I would advise talking to your veterinarian, an obedience trainer or a dog behaviorist for help.

Best of luck.

Puppy food

Hello,

We have a 13 week old poodle puppy and we have had him for 2 weeks. He was eating Royal Canin Indoor Adult 21 and the breeder told me that this was very good food, so good that he didn't need a puppy food. The protein ratio is 21% and the fat is 14%. This is not exactly what this site has advised.

Do you think this is okay? Does he need to be on a puppy food?

We tried to slowly change him over to a different brand puppy food, but he did not do well at all. So, we went ahead and bought the Royal Canin.

What do you think?

Thanks!



Hi
Generally I wouldn't recommend an adult food for a puppy, the nutritional balance is quite different.

However, the % of protein and fat in the food you are using, is closer to the recommended values for a puppy food than an adult dog food. If your puppy is doing well on this food, I don't see any urgent need to change it.

I would recommend checking with your vet to make sure that your pup is healthy and his weight is correct, if all is well, I would continue as you are doing.

It's always difficult to be precise when it comes to rating dog foods because there are a wide variety of ways in which the true value of a foods ingredients can be disguised, or you can be misled. I am not personally familiar with the food you mention, but in my opinion Royal Canin is a good brand.

I'm sorry I can't be more specific, but I hope this helps somewhat. Best of luck with your puppy.

Digging puppy

by Vincent
(columbus, oh. U.S.)

Our Goldendoodle is digging up the back yard. What can I do to stop him?

Other than that he is very good!




Hi Vincent
I'm afraid digging is one of those annoying puppy behaviors that is perfectly normal!

However, I know how annoying it is to have your yard full of holes and piles of dirt.

Sometimes it helps if you designate one area where digging is allowed. Try burying a couple of his toys there and keep the dirt loosely packed. If you catch your pup digging up a flower bed or in a forbidden area, correct him with a firm "NO" and redirect his attention to 'his digging patch'.

Sadly, this isn't always successful. In that case, there's really not a lot you can do except supervise him when he's outdoors and correct him EVERY time he starts to dig.

You could perhaps fence off a part of the yard to contain him, that way you won't have holes everywhere. But you may need to 'sink' the fence into the ground, or lay some wire or concrete around the edges to prevent him from digging to freedom.

Goldendoodles can be very excitable and energetic, making sure he has plenty of exercise and training sessions every day, may help to reduce his digging a little as he will be tired out.

Sorry I can't help more, but I wish you th e best of luck with this.

nipping

by joan
(massachussetts)

my puppy constantly nips what do i do??



Hi Joan
This is a very common problem, and all puppies nip or bite to some degree.

I would recommend that you read my Puppy Biting page for lots of tips and advice on dealing with annoying behavior.

Best of luck.

walking

by stephanie
(bakersfield,ca)

hello,i have a 3 month old black lab puppy that i want to take on a walk everyday, but i'm not sure how long i should take him out.

at first i heard an hour,then 45 minutes,so i'm not sure what is right. any help would be very appreciated,

thankyou-stephanie




Hi Stephanie
It's difficult to give any sort of 'set in stone' rule about this, it's more like a general guideline and a lot depends on the individual puppy too.

Labradors are a large, fast-growing breed, and as such they are at risk (along with most other large/giant breeds) of developing bone/joint problems as they go through adolescence.

In order to protect them from this as much as possible, it's important to only feed a premium puppy food specifically formulated for large breed pups.

Also, don't allow them to jump up to, or down from, high places such as the back of pick-up trucks, patios/decks and so on - especially if the landing surface is hard, such as concrete.

No jogging or hard running on a surface such as a concrete path or sidewalk, and also try to avoid slick or slippery surfaces.

At 3 months old your pup is still very much a baby, personally I would think around 1/2 mile or a 15 minute walk twice a day would be fine. It can vary a bit either side of that, depending on the energy level of your pup, but I wouldn't walk too much further for now.

As he matures, he will be able to walk further/longer, at 6 months maybe a mile or so. You could also ask your veterinarian for advice about this.

Best of luck with your pup.

My Puppy lost his first Tooth! What now!?!??

by Rylee
(Orange COunty)

My 5 month old Quino lost two of his puppy teeth. At least that's what i think he lost because i'm not really sure if its his adult teeth or not. He does chew a lot of things such as wood boards and various other things. My yard is huge and filled with things he can chew on.

My question-
1. Is this normal? at this age?
2. How do you know if the tooth didn't just break off?
3. What should I do to help soothe his gums and prevent infection?
4. Should I give him chew toys? Should I soften his dry foods by adding some warm liquids such as milk?

I'm really worried. Thanks!



Hi Rylee
Puppies usually do most of their teething between about 4 and 6 months of age, so it could well be his baby teeth he is losing.

However, if he's chewing on a lot of odd things, such as wooden boards, rocks and so on, he could also possibly have broken or lost an adult tooth.

Your vet is the best person to be able to confirm one way or the other, and I'd recommend that you have him take a look at your pups teeth to be on the safe side.

Puppies shouldn't be allowed to chew on all sorts of stuff, and you would be better to puppy-proof your yard to protect your pup. Also, do give him lots of safe, sturdy chew toys. As he seems to be a 'power chewer', check out my Indestructable Dog Toys page for a good selection of these.

A Kong toy, filled with peanut butter or Kong paste and frozen for a few hours or overnight, makes a great treat for teething puppies - and it keeps them busy for quite a while.

Hope this helps, best of luck with your puppy.

Schnoodle climate temperature

by James Frasier
(Myrtle Beach, SC, USA)

What is the climate temperature for Schnoodles?



Hi James
Schnoodles should do fine in pretty much any climate, although you want to avoid extremes as much as possible.

They may have long/thick/curly coats and keeping this trimmed will help in the summertime. No dog should be left outside or exercised too much during very hot weather, and the cold/snow/ice can hurt their paws and make them uncomfortable too.

Hope this helps. Best of luck with your pup.

New puppy worries

by Marsha
(York)

I just brought home a 6 month old Yorkie. We have had her for 2 days now and I am having a hard time understanding why she is not eating and only drank a few sips of water.

She seems to be happy and healthy. Is it that she is missing her previous home? And we were told she was paper trained but have only seen her urinate twice since we brought her home.

Do you think I should contact a professional?




Hi Marsha
Puppies definitely go through a transition period when they first leave their canine families and go to their new homes.

It's not unusual for them to lose their appetite, seem 'sad', or to sleep a lot. This is often their way of coping with the stress and anxiety they are feeling.

If your puppy is happy and healthy otherwise, isn't experiencing diarrhea or vomiting, and has periods of happy activity (even if they are short) during the day, chances are she is fine.

I would recommend that you check out my Bringing Home A New Puppy page for more information on this stage.

However, if you are worried at all about your puppys' health, or if she seems sick in any way, it's always best to check with your veterinarian. It's much better to be safe than sorry.

Best of luck with her.

SICK PUPPY

by Jana Robinson
(Dallas, tx, U.S.)

I recently bought a german shepherd puppy about 3 wks ago and she has been acting sick ever since.

I have a vet in the family and he has vaccinated her once and dewormed her twice. She has had very bad diarrhea, sleeps all the time and is not gaining weight. She will not eat dog food so I have been feeding her boiled chicken. The vet doesn't think it's parvo because she still has an appetite and hasn't had any blood in her stool. I'm at a loss!!

I've had many puppies before and have never ran into this problem. If you have any information or advice please HELP!!

Thank you,
Jana Robinson






Hi Jana
I'm sorry to hear that your puppy seems unwell. Some of what you describe could be due to the stress of coming into a new home etc., but I think there may be more to it.

If it was Parvo or another contagious dog illness, I would have expected your pup to get progressively more sick, which doesn't seem to be happening.

I'm not a veterinarian, neither do I have any vet experience (only personal experience of raising and caring for dogs over the years), but the diarrhea, finicky eating, failure to gain weight etc., makes me think there may some underlying digestive issues. Maybe she's unable to absorb the nutrients from her food properly, or has dog food allergies, or some other condition.

I can only really recommend that you have her fully examined by your veterinarian, possibly running blood work, fecal tests etc., to try to determine the cause of her 'malaise'. This isn't normal behavior for a puppy and I think once you address the root of the problem you will see a big difference in her.

I wish you the best of luck and hope you get this figured out soon.

4 wk old Pekingese puppy breathing through mouth

by Margie
(KY)

My puppy seemed to be doing great until a few days ago.

Now she is crying, restless, and seems to be opening her mouth every time she tries to breath in. It's like her nose is plugged when she breathes in she opens her mouth also. There is nothing in her nose, and no drainage.

Her nose is cold and wet. HELP please




Hi Margie
At only 4 weeks old this puppy should still be being fed by her momma, although she should also be starting the weaning process.

The symptoms you mention could indicate more than one condition. If she's been bottle fed, or started to eat puppy-gruel, she could have inhaled some of the fluid into her lungs. Opening her mouth the way you describe, could mean that her lungs are struggling. Inhaling fluids can lead to pneumonia and this sort of behavior.

Or it could be that she has an infection of some sort, upper-respiratory or lung. She could be having difficulty breathing because of that.

Whether it's one of the above, or something entirely different, only your veterinarian can tell. She needs to be seen by a vet immediately, so that a diagnosis can be made and she can get any treatment that she needs right away.

Little puppies can get very sick, very fast, so it's always better to be safe than sorry and get help quickly.

Best of luck with her, I hope she's doing better soon.

puppy having trouble walking

My almost 4 week old border collie is having trouble walking back legs seem weak... litter mates are fine.

How concerned should I be? He is walking just not as well as litter mates.



Hi
There are some conditions (some congenital), that can cause weakness or lameness in a puppy. Border Collies can suffer from a cartilage problem in their joints, but this often appears gradually.

There can also be neurological or spinal issues. M

I would mention this to your veterinarian and have him/her examine the pup. Many of the problems are very treatable, and the earlier they are diagnosed the better.

If this is the smallest/weakest puppy in the litter, it could just be that he's a little slower in his development, but only your veterinarian can tell for sure.

Best of luck with your pups, hope this little guy catches up soon.

Puppy doesn't want to pee.

I adopted a 3 month old shih tzu 3 days ago and am in the process of crate training. I take him outside first thing in the morning and then every 45 min there after if he doesn't go. He went twice today...both in the house after I brought him in.

He doesn't seem to want to go. Shouldn't he be going 6 - 8 times a day? I think i'm keeping him in his crate too long because i take him out and then put him back in cause he doesn't go, which is what i've read to do.


Please help! Am I doing something wrong?





Hi
You're still in the very early days with your new puppy, and there's always an adjustment period for both the pup, and the new owner! Check out my Bringing Home A New Puppy page for more info on this)

Your puppy is anxious and confused, and is probably 'holding it' for as long as possible. Normally I would recommend taking him outside, and then if he doesn't eliminate, putting him back in his crate, but due to the fact that he's still trying to get used to all the changes, this may not always be the best approach.

I would make sure that you keep him outside for a fair length of time, puppies tend to want to sniff around and investigate everything before they decide to 'go'. I've sometimes found that putting a small exercise pen, or fencing off an area of the yard, helps with this. You can then put the puppy in the fenced-off area and he has a lot less things to distract him in a small spot. Plus if you always take him to that same area he will be attracted back to it by his own scent, and that will trigger his elimination response.

If he has gone outside and refused to eliminate, you can let him play around the house, but you have to supervise him VERY closely. At the first sign that he needs to 'go' (intense sniffing, circling etc.) scoop him up and take him outside to 'his spot'.

Puppies learn through repetition and association, and it takes time for them to understand what you want from them. If you follow the guidelines above I think you'll find that it gets easier. Plus, once your puppy is feeling more at home, and you are more familiar with him, it won't seem so confusing, or such a challenge.

Best of luck with your little guy.

7 month old rottie mix puppy

by Laura
(Arkansas)

I have a seven month old rottie mix puppy named Eddie. He is fully house broke and very obedient. My concern is that when I take him out to urinate he urinates for what seems an excessive amount of time and urinates very large quantities.

I also have his sister and she urinates in about a fourth of the time it takes him. Is this normal or should I be concerned. I take them out every four hours and its always the same. He drinks just as much as his sister does but his nose is usually dry and his sisters is always wet.

Just wondering how normal all of this is. Thanks.




Hi Laura
Just like people, dogs are all individuals, and even siblings can be quite different.

Unless his 'above average' urination is accompanied by excessive thirst, incontinence or other signs of illness, I doubt it's anything to worry about.

If he seems perfectly happy and healthy, and is eating and drinking normally, he is probably fine.

However, if his urine is very dark, he drinks excessively or seems stressed or unwell in any way, take him to your veterinarian for a check up. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

Best of luck with your pups.

peeing blood out

by Erin
(Northern Ireland)

My 7 month old cairn terrier puppy peed out blood this morning. I she in heat? what's wrong with her?




Hi Erin
AT 7 months old, your pup could be in season. Most pups come into their first heat somewhere between 6 and 8 months.

It's also possible that the blood is a sign of irritation/inflammation, such as from a urinary tract infection.

If your puppy is peeing more than usual, seems to need to 'go' very urgently and sometimes only pees a few drops, then she could have a UTI.

If her vulva appears swollen, then she could be in season. The only way to know for sure would be to have your vet take a look at her.

Good luck.

puppy

by Wade
(Worcester,ma.)

My lab. pup was bathed yesterday and today he won't eat, drink or move..




Hi Wade
There are several things that could be happening here. Firstly, if you've only just got this puppy, he could be just reacting to the stress of the changes he's experienced. You can check out my Bringing Home A New Puppy page for more information on recognizing symptoms of this adjustment period.

Secondly, he could be sick. Depending on how old he is, he may not be fully vaccinated, and any pup in that situation is at risk of serious illness or disease.

Thirdly, if he's young and you bathed him with a flea or medicated shampoo it may have made him ill. These products should never be used on very young puppies.

I would strongly recommend that you take your puppy to the veterinarian for a check up, just to be sure that everything is okay and that there's no underlying health issues.

Best of luck, hope the little guy is feeling better soon.

How to designate a place is not okay to go potty on.

by Sandy Wheeler
(West Point, UT)

We have six puppies. They are all Pomeranians. We have a small enclosure for them to use for going potty.

The problem is they are going potty on the deck and the patio. We would like to limit them to the grass area. Can you give us any ideas.

Thank you.



Hi Sandy
Unfortunately the only way to teach a puppy what is okay (and not okay) to eliminate on, is by controlling their movements to begin with, and then correcting if they make a mistake.

If you don't want your puppies to eliminate on the deck/porch/patio etc., you will need to prevent them from accessing it, until they become conditioned to doing their business on grass only.

Puppies are creatures of habit, and once they build up an association with a particular behavior it becomes a habit. If you can make sure your puppies only have the opportunity to use their fenced in area (of grass) for their potty habits, over time they will become accustomed to this. To the point that their paws touching grass will 'trigger' their desire to pee/poop providing they actually need to go!

I'd recommend that you check out my Potty Training page and my Crate Training page for more tips and advice.

Best of luck with your pups.

mother dog diagooised with milk fever

my 5 yr old chihuahua had a litter of 4 puppies two weeks ago. one died.

four days later she was diagnosed with eclampsia and is on calcium supplement pills. now i'm not sure if she is producing milk?

she did fine feeding for several days after her sickness. can you help?




Hi
You can tell if the puppies are getting enough milk if they seem to be happy and content between feeds (ie they're not crying or wriggling around all the time), and if they feel warm and look plump.

Puppies that are hungry cry a lot, and they get chilled and start to look thin quite quickly. This is a real problem.

You can supplement feed the puppies with special puppy milk formula if necessary. If you're concerned about the pups health (or the moms') I would check with your vet first.

You may find my New Born Puppies puppies page helpful, it has tips and advice on raising orphan, rejected or sickly pups.

Best of luck.

what dog food???

by daija
(Houston tx. u.s.a.)

Me and my husband have puppy chihuahuas here at home and they're about 4 to 5 weeks old..and we wanted to know what's the best puppy food that will make them grow healthy strong and with good skin and hair care that we can stick to for a long time with out changing thier dog food..????






Hi Daija
You're right to be doing some research and looking for a premium food for your puppies. Good nutrition is very important for their future health and well being.

I would recommend that you take a look at the Royal Canin Mini Dog Range. It's an excellent line and specifically formulated for tiny breeds.


Another good one is Innova Puppy Food. It's not specifically for small dogs but is a very good food.

Of course there are many premium foods on the market, just be sure to avoid generic or store-brand foods. If you take a look at JB Pet's Dry Dog Food page, you'll find lots of great brands to check out.

You may also want to look at my Dog Food page for some general tips and advice on choosing puppy food. My Dog Food Comparisons page can show you how to 'rate' any dog food according to the quality of it's ingredients. You may find that interesting.

Best of luck with your puppies.

dog with diarrhea

by Jenn
(newfoundland)

My 11 month old Maltese got pregnant by accident by my Maltishi. On the 19th of january, 2009 she has had diarreha every since.

I contacted the vet and her advice was to give her pepto bismal every 6 hours and pedalyte every 2 hours. Also to feed her hamburger meat with rice with a little bit of cheese mixed in it.Her poo is brown with like mucus mixed through it.Could you please give me some advice.And where i live there is no vet. My maltese is eating good. Shes also drinking but not so good.

She has had 5 puppies,all looking healthy. 2 girls and 3 boys. Could you please give me some advice on what may be the cause of the diarrhea.





Hi Jenn
I'm afraid I can't say what's causing the problem with your dog. Diarrhea can happen for many reasons, sometimes stress or a change in diet, or illness/disease and so on.

What you describe indicates colitis (irritation of the colon) and again, there are lots of possible reasons for this.

After a dog gives birth, she eats the sacs/afterbirth etc., and it's not unusual for her to have diarrhea or loose stools for a day or two as a result. It's possible that this has set up some inflammation in your dogs' colon, and if it hasn't responded to PeptoBismol she could need anti-inflammatory medications or other treatment. Only your veterinarian can diagnose and prescribe these, so I would recommend taking your dog to a vet, even if it means traveling.

Personally, I think the hamburger and cheese mix may be too rich for her tummy, especially if that isn't her normal diet. Plain boiled white rice with a little chicken broth is more digestible, or just her regular food. As the hamburger isn't helping it may be making things worse, especially if she's sensitive to dairy products because of the cheese.

There is always a risk of dehydration with repeated diarrhea, and it's important that you encourage your dog to drink as much as possible, especially as she's feeding puppies and needs extra liquids for that. Pedialyte or Gatorade added to her water is helpful for this.

If she's still having diarrhea after several days, she really needs to see a vet.

I wish you the best of luck and hope that she's feeling better soon.

Puppy Diareah

by Jon Nickerson
(Texas)

We had a litter of 11 chocolate lab pups, they turned 8wks old on the 19th of Feb, 6 have gone to new homes now and are doing great, the remaining 5 have been showing signs of diareah, it is all of them.

It seems to be anywhere from soft stool to mucusy stool, no blood has been seen at all, no vomiting, they still play like normal, drink water no problem, but lately they do not eat like the did (like pigs)they will nibble at the food.

We contacted all the new owners and none of the sold puppies stool is like this, we have not changed food at all, (puppy chow), just went from totally soft (soaked with water) to normal out of the bag. we feed them 3 times a day like we always did while growing up.

this seemed to start about 2 days after their fist set of shots but since it did not affect the 6 I do not believe the shot is doing this. We have consulted our vet and got told to watch for blood or dark stool but there is none. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks



Hi Jon
The fact that all the puppies you have are experiencing the same symptoms, but the ones who had left earlier are not, makes me think that it likely something infectious that they picked up after the first pups went to their new homes.

The fact that they are playing and acting normally, aren't vomiting and are drinking okay is good. The loss of appetite is most likely due to whatever is upsetting their systems.

I also think it's unlikely to be a reaction to their vaccinations, as those sorts of reactions are generally short-lived - and yes, would have affected all the pups who were vaccinated.

Could they all have had access to something they shouldn't? Maybe eaten trash, or another dogs' food etc? This sort of upset could result from that.

It's also possible that they've got a bacterial GI infection, or a parasitic one. Giardia and Coccidia are possible.

If this lasts for more than 24 hours I would recommend having your vet test a stool sample to check for bacteria. In most cases simple treatment with the appropriate medication will fix the problem. It's best not to wait though, as these sorts of things can get worse quite quickly in some cases.

Best of luck with your puppies.

Wobbly front legs in a Puppy....

by Danna
(Georgia)

I rescued a puppy two weeks ago that was malnurished and dehydrated. Up until today he seemed to be getting better since he was wormed out and has started to gain weight.

Today when I took him out of his kennel he seemed to have a problem with his front legs/wrists. It seems that he's tripping over his own two feet, resting every few steps and dragging his front legs.

What could be wrong with him?




Hi Danna
I'm afraid it's impossible for me to tell what the problem is, but it could be something very simple or something needing treatment.

If he continues this behavior for more than an hour or so, I would definitely recommend that you take him to your veterinarian for evaluation.

If he's a large breed puppy, it could just be 'growing pains'. Some large/giant breeds experience some pain/stiffness in their joints (often the pasterns or front 'ankle' joints) intermittently. This can show up suddenly if they've been lying in an awkward position or in one place for a long time. Or in the cold/damp. Usually they 'walk it off' fairly quickly. This generally improves as they grow and mature.

However, it's possible your pup hurt himself, or has a health issue affecting his legs. Only a vet can make a correct or accurate diagnosis.

Best of luck with this pup. He's lucky to have found a loving home and I hope you get this sorted out soon.

7 week old puppy with long whiskers!

by Laura
(San Antonio tx)

My brother trimmed his whiskers and i heard that was bad for the puppy? Is this true will it affect my puppy in any way??? I have not noticed any difference in him as far as behavior or activeness....




Hi Laura
Don't worry, although it's not recommended to do this, it won't affect your puppys' health or behavior.

Just make sure to let his whiskers grow naturally from now on :o)

puppy stopped eating

by jim
(texas)

I have a 10 week old female german shepherd we got her from a breeder we have had her 13 days. Today 2 days ago she started throwing up and had diarrhea she has not eaten in two days.

Vet says might be upset stomach does anybody else have any ideas please help?





Hi Jim
If your veterinarian hasn't already examined your puppy, I would strongly suggest that you take her to get that done.

Vomiting and loss of appetite could be due to her eating something she shouldn't have, or it could be a bacterial or viral infection - possibly even Parvo> Puppies aren't fully protected from this disease until after they've received all three sets of vaccinations (or 4 sets of Parvo shots in especially susceptible breeds such as Rottweilers and Pitbulls).

If your pup is also unable/unwilling to drink water, or can't keep it down, she is at serious risk of dehydration. That alone can cause problems.

Even if she's already seen the vet, if this were my pup and after 3 days she was still not eating, I would be taking her back to the vet for another look.

Best of luck, hope she's doing better soon.

Puppy doesnt move with leash on!!!

by Ryles
(OC)

When I put the leash on my puppy he remains still. He doesn't budge. Maybe a little once in a while with treats. I've had him for almost a week. Should I just be patient and wait and see or should I do something about it?

He's around twelve weeks old. Oh and he doesn't sleep in his dog house outside. He sleeps by the door. Should I let him get used to it?





Hi Ryles
It's very common for puppies to resist walking on their leash at first. Many stage a 'sit down strike'.

As you've found out, using treats to encourage him to move is a good idea. Hold a really special tasty treat at knee level, and move forward slowly, his nose will want to chase the treat and the rest of him will follow!

Use special treats for this, and keep a pocketful, so that you can give him one after every few feet. Keep the walks short at first, then gradually make them longer and increase the distance he has to walk to earn a treat.

You can also use a long training leash or retractable leash to help if he sits down.
Extend the leash, walk back several paces behind him, and then jog past him, calling out to him in a happy voice and maybe holding a treat for good measure.

Most puppies can't resist this and will run after you.

Some pups are just scared of the leash or dislike the weight of it on their collar. You can try letting him walk you around your home and yard while he's wearing his leash. He will feel more comfortable there and so be less inclined to fight it. You may also want to try a harness instead of a collar, some pups walk better that way.

Best of luck!

PLEASE HELP...Puppy acting really weird

by Nicholas Faleschini
(San Jose. Ca, US)

Hi we have a fairly new puppy, she's a mixed breed, we think a little pit and mostly lab.

She's around 4 months of age and starting last night she has been acting really skittsh, almost like she is afraid all the time. She is also very restless. She'll nap for about 15 minutes at a time and get up and move around and this went on all night. She's still eating but definitely not as much as usual, no vomiting or diarrhea. She's also whining a lot. She's not spayed yet if that helps.

Hopefully you can give some insight to this because we are starting to get worried. Thanks



Hi Nicholas
Any behavior that is out of the ordinary can be cause for concern.

The sort of behavior you're describing indicates that she isn't feeling well. She could be in pain, or running a fever, it's impossible to tell without a veterinary examination.

Panting, whining and restlessness are signs of stress, which could be caused by pain or illness.

I'd definitely recommend that you take her to your veterinarian so that he can figure out what is going on. This may be the very early signs of illness, and the sooner she's diagnosed and treated the better. It's never a good idea to 'wait and see' with puppies, they can get very sick, very fast.

I wish you the best of luck and hope that she's feeling much better soon.

I think my Puppy is Scared of me...

by Chase
(Springfield OH)

This is Cereal

When we first got her she was fine. She's potty trained, well of course with little accidents here and there. I do get a temper sometimes with her when she does something she knows is wrong but I've never beat her. Well potty training I did punish her sometimes by a spanking or slapping her on the nose.

I believe she really started becoming scared of me after she met my GF's sister's Dog. She brought him over they played and such had a good time... but then when we wanted them to calm down I would hold her back and she hated that she wanted to play. She would potty because of excitement and would be taken outside. But when he left we would have to almost potty train her all over again. After that one day she started getting distant. She would still let me take her out but would not play with me as much and now it's to the point that she won't come to me or let me pet her. She pees if I pet her or put her leash on. She pees if I feed her.

My GF can put the leash on feed and pet her and she's fine. She loves my GF she always follows her and wants to be around her. She used to be like that with me and my GF. Do you have any ideas... or do you need more information?





Hi Chase
It definitely sounds as though your puppy is extremely anxious around you, and is afraid.

Physical punishment, shouting, or 'losing your temper' around a puppy/dog is NEVER okay. Pups simply don't understand that behavior and you will usually get one of two reactions. More dominant confident pups often react aggressively or in a combative way, puppies with a gentle, non-dominant nature react by becoming fearful and anxious, in extreme cases this anxiety can become a fear-based aggression.

Fortunately your puppy is young, and if you treat this problem correctly you should be able to help her to 'forget' your harsh treatment of her (dogs are amazingly forgiving) and feel less anxious around you.

NO MORE shouting or physical punishment at all. Always use a low, calm voice when talking to her, and crouch down beside her whenever possible, you will seem less threatening that way. The peeing when you interact with her is called submissive urination, and it's a reflexive reaction that she has no control over. Don't scold or correct her for that behavior, it will only make it worse. As her anxiety levels decrease, so will the submissive urination.

I would recommend that you slowly start to spend 'fun time' with her, you will probably need to have your girlfriend there too to begin with, but once Cereal is feeling more comfortable around you again, you should become the 'fun guy' for a while.

It took time for your puppy to learn to be scared of you, and it will take time for her to learn to trust you again. You need to be patient, and loving, and give her a chance to learn about you all over again.

Cereal looks like an absolute sweetheart, if you are loving and gentle with her, you should be able to rebuild your relationship. I wish you the best of luck.