I am a travel RN, Will a mini aussie be the right puppy choice?

Hi! I am a travel RN (I spend 13-26 weeks in a hospital as a staff RN, then pack up and move).

I live in good sized apartments and can request communities with dog parks. I do work 12 hour shifts, typically overnight. This also means I am off four days a week, giving me ample time for outside time! I am also not against having a dog walker or using puppy day care if needed.

I have always wanted an australian shepherd, but realize apartment living would be stressful for the dog. Would the Mini Aussie fare better? I have NO interest in the Toy version. Some of my travels are a up to two very full days of driving.

Thanks!
Becky





Hi Becky
A mini Aussie is obviously smaller physically than a standard but the breed characteristics and temperament are pretty much the same.

These are working dogs who need a lot of exercise and stimulation both mentally and physically and need a 'job' of some sort. If they're not on a farm or working, then dog agility, flyball or competitive obedience make good alternatives.

Your daily life is full of change so you need a dog who will be even tempered, confident and adaptable. Whatever breed you choose I think you may find doggie-daycare or a petsitter/walker will be necessary to keep your pup happy and healthy.

Personally I wouldn't say an Aussie of any size would be the best choice, but it's impossible to be definitive about this because all individual pups and dogs are different and it's perfectly possible that you could find a pup that has the personality that will be a good fit. It's very important to choose a puppy who is confident and outgoing as change is going to be a constant part of his/her life.

You've obviously thought this through very carefully and I'm usually inclined to say 'go for it' if there's a particular breed that you have your heart set on. As long as you're fully aware of the dog's needs and can figure out how to fulfill them, then most breeds can work in most situations given time, patience and consistency.

As I have never owned an Aussie, I'm going to suggest that you visit this website because I think you'll be able to get more help there.... australian-shepherd-lovers.com

I wish you lots of luck with whichever breed you choose.

Puppy Fights over a female puppy

by Bianca Cutrona
(Melbourne, Australia)

I'm not quite sure what too do because my male dog (Moo Moo) has just had a fight with another male dog (I'm not sure of the name) and he has both ears bitten and one of his legs scratched..... please help me..... :)

From Bianca






Hi Bianca
It's not unusual for male dogs to fight over a female, especially if she's in season and they're not neutered.

I'd strongly suggest that you get Moo Moo to your veterinarian for an exam to make sure that he's okay and doesn't need any treatment.

You can learn more about how to handle injuries like this on my Dog Wounds On Dogs page, but a vet visit would be my best advice.

If Moo Moo hasn't been neutered then I'd also recommend having that done as soon as you can.

Hope this helps, best of luck.

puggle puppy with watery eyes

why do puggle puppies eyes run all the time?


Hi
Puggle puppies are just one of the breeds whose eye shape is a bit distorted due to the breed characteristics that they have inherited.

Any breed whose eyes are bulging or protruding or drooping is more likely to suffer from eye problems such as excessive tearing, infection, dryness and so on.

There are also two eye conditions related to an abnormality of the eyelid/eyelashes called entropion and ectropion - these can affect any breed even one with very 'normal' eye shape.

I would recommend that you have your pup checked by your veterinarian to make sure that there isn't any infection, damage or abnormality first of all. Your vet can give you any advice on eye care that he feels necessary.

Also, keeping the hair around the eye clean is important and there are several products on my Bathing A Puppy page that you can check out for this.

Hope it helps, best of luck with your pup.

lumps, bumpy skin all red raw no fur & pussy black lumps

by chantelle flachs
(SA, Andrews far, adelaide)

My puppy has lumps filled with puss & black stuff in them all over her neck & chest and stomach, she had them on her head firstly then they went away & there's now just a hardish greyish skin there & her furs losing.

she's itching them making them bleed, our vet has swabbed with stickytape and said no mites were seen? :(

she's such a happy puppy still, a bullterrier!





Hi Chantelle
I can really only recommend (strongly!) that you take your puppy back to the veterinarian, or take her to another vet for a second opinion.

What you describe isn't normal and your pup is probably in a lot of discomfort even though she's still acting as though she feels fine.

My first guess would be Mange - Bull Terriers, Staffy's and other Bull and Terrier breeds seem to be especially susceptible to this problem.

The only way to make a proper diagnosis of this is to take a skin scraping (with a very sharp blade) then look at it under a microscope. Using sticky tape won't do it as far as I'm concerned!

Sometimes it needs to be done twice to find the mites as the scraping takes only a tiny bit of skin and can miss them first time around.

This type of problem won't get better without treatment and as well as Mange there are other possibilities that your veterinarian needs to consider and rule out.

Please get your pup to a vet asap and get some more tests done. I wish you lots of luck and hope she's doing much better soon.

bump on puppy

my puppy has a hard lump along the inside upper tooth line...




Hi
If your puppy still has his baby teeth, then it's possible that this is a permanent tooth trying to break through the gum.

Or, it could be an abscess or infection of some sort. If it is red or painful, or you're fairly certain it's not a tooth coming through and are still concerned, please have your pup examined by your veterinarian.

A vet can make an accurate diagnosis and if any treatment is needed he/she can take care of it.

Best of luck.

puppy cleaning - when can I bathe them?

when can i clean my puppies in water? they are yellow labs.



Hi
Usually the momma dog will keep her puppies clean until they are ready to leave her and go onto their new homes and unless it's absolutely necessary it's best not to bathe a puppy under 7 weeks old.

Very young puppies get chilled easily and can't regulate their own body temperatures properly, so if you do HAVE to bathe a puppy while he/she is very tiny, make sure it's a quick bath and that they are kept nice and warm until thoroughly dry.

A puppy of over 7 or 8 weeks old can normally be bathed without any trouble. Use a very mild puppy shampoo (not a flea shampoo) and again, keep him nice and warm until he's completely dry.

Unless there's a reason why they're getting very dirty, most puppies or dogs don't need a bath more often than once every couple of months at most. Too much bathing can cause skin problems such as dryness, itching and so on and strips the oils from their coats.

Hope this helps. Best of luck with your puppies.

blue pitbull puppies - momma is wrapping them tightly!

by vanessa
(williamston nc, usa)

Our blue pit bull just had puppies yesterday they were under a counter which was fine, we took other dogs to relatives house including daddy dog.... tonite she has them wrapped really tight in a blanket, we made a hole for them but she has them really tight...why is that?

Is there something wrong with her.. she does have one suckling and one behind her neck covered.. we have them a plastic pool now.. with lots of blankets its about 60 degrees out tonight.

..Advise please?!!







Hi Vanessa
Your dog is just trying to protect her puppies and keep them safe which is natural, but it can be dangerous to the pups if she doesn't give them room to breathe or accidentally lies on them and crushes them (which isn't terribly unusual in large, heavy breeds).

She needs a quiet place to raise her puppies, out of the way of household 'traffic' but close enough for you to check on her and hear the pups if they should get distressed. A puppy who is being crushed or squashed will often squeal VERY loudly and you'll know something is wrong even if the momma dog seems totally oblivious to the commotion!

Put her paddling pool in a laundry room, or spare bedroom or somewhere convenient but quiet and calm and allow her time to adjust to her new 'mommy' role. Many dogs, particularly first-time mommies, are a bit confused and worried when they realize they have puppies to take care of. But with your calm support and supervision she should adjust within a few days.

For general tips and advice on taking care of a litter, check out my New Born Puppies page.

Best of luck :)

vaginal pus discharge

by shahira
(alexandria , egypt)

5 months rottweiler vaginal pus discharge what should i give her antibiotics or vaginal douch?

Her temperature is natural, she eats normally dry food mainly the propack, always in a clean area, healthy, taken her shots, taken anti worms.







Hi Shahira
You need to find out what's causing the problem, it could be a urinary tract infection or something entirely different.

I would advise strongly against giving her any medications or treatment without having her fully evaluated by your own veterinarian first. There's no point in treating her until you know what's causing the symptoms!

Get her a vet appointment right away and take it from there. Best of luck with it all.

My 5 week old puppy. - can he pee and poop on his own?

by Brandie
(Pollok tx)

I was wondering if a 5 week old puppy could use the bathroom on it's own now, without a mom helping it?





Hi Brandie
Yes, by this age the puppy should be able to pee/poop unaided, but he/she won't have much in the way of bladder/bowel control. If he needs to go, he needs to go NOW!

Sometimes if a puppy is very recently weaned, he may get a bit constipated and you can help to relieve that by giving him extra water. You can find out how to help a puppy who is having difficulty passing his bowel movements here... How To Help A Constipated Puppy.

During the first day or so in a new home, a young puppy may refuse to poop and sort of 'hold it' involuntarily. This is due to the anxiety and stress of the big changes going on in his life and generally as soon as he settles in the normal potty habits return. You can also read about what to expect during those early days here.. Bringing Home A New Puppy.

Hope this helps, best of luck with your puppy.

Mucous in puppy stool

by Syncere
(Allentown, PA.)

I have a two month old puppy (mixed breed rescued) she went to the bathroom and her stool looked like mucous.

That's was all that was there, should I be concerned?

Help first time owner here I don't know what to do...





Hi Syncere
I wouldn't panic too much right away due to this.

Mucus in the stool is a sign of inflammation or irritation in the colon - and this can be caused by something serious such as one of the common, contagious dog illnesses unvaccinated puppies are vulnerable to, or by a minor problem such as a change in diet, dietary 'indiscretion', stress and so on.

If your puppy seems fit and healthy apart from the mucus in the stool, then I think it will probably settle down given a little time. As you've only just got her, chances are her tummy is upset due to a combination of stress and a change of diet. You can read my Bringing Home A New Puppy page to learn more about what to expect during the first week or so with her.

I'd recommend getting her evaluated by your own vet right away and making sure she's up to date on all her puppy shots and de-worming too. That way you will be able to keep her safe from illness or disease.

Hope this helps and puts your mind at rest somewhat. Best of luck with you new pup.

Border collie obsession with ball

by Kate
(London)

I have a 4 month old border collie pup, he already learned to sit, lay, stay, bring and other tricks, the problem is he is not so obedient when we go outside. Also if we play ball in the park he doesn't wanna bring it to me but at home he does it straight away i don't even have to ask him to bring.

He is very obsessed with the ball in the park, how could i make him interested in something else? He will play with anything at home but out it's just ball ball ball. If i don't throw it all the time he then starts to bark, high pitched barking. I know collies need lots of work and attention, and he gets it, but i'd like him to stop for a while and relax.

Any advice would be very appreciated! Another thing, if we are passing the same way park is, he pulls a leash like a maniac! Otherwise he walks quite nicely.






Hi Kate
As you already know, Collies and other herding breeds are very intelligent but also very high energy and demanding. They need a 'job' to do, lots of exercise and lots of mental stimulation.

It sounds as though overall you're doing very well with your pup and he's coming along nicely for only being 4 months old. His herding nature is probably behind his ball obsession and this is what is called a high 'ball drive'. You could probably use his ball as a reward during training sessions instead of treats as it's his favorite thing!

I know it's difficult to deal with the obsessive behavior and barking when you're in a public place but you'll need to find a way to correct him that he will pay attention to. I'd really recommend getting him enrolled in a basic obedience class where you can learn how to handle this sort of problem. It will also help increase the bond between you (you've obviously made a good start on this already) and give him extra socialization. A bit of 'hands-on' help is always better in this type of situation.

It sounds as though he's getting a fair amount of physical exercise which is good, but he also needs a LOT of mental stimulation and challenges to keep his active and agile brain busy. Formal obedience classes will help with this and you may also want to look into agility, flyball or other competitive sports for you both to participate in. This type of dog usually excels in these and thoroughly enjoy them. You can find out more about agility on my Dog Agility Enthusiast?.

Some interactive dog toys such as the popular puzzle toys and tricky treat dispensers would probably be a good idea. Sturdy long-lasting chew toys and treats such as bully sticks are also great for these dogs. You can see some of the best of these on my Indestructable Dog Toys page.

Relaxing is probably not in his nature, especially as a puppy, so the best you can do is keep him active and busy so that he uses up his excess energy. These breeds can become destructive, obsessive-compulsive or over anxious if they don't have enough to do. He should calm down a bit as he gets older, but once a collie always a collie!

Best of luck, hope this helps.

what changes do 4 month old pomeranian puppies go through.

Are they losing hair at this time?

what i kind of changes do they physically go through?





Hi
Puppies shouldn't especially be losing their hair at a particular age, it's more of a seasonal thing, or caused by allergies, parasites, skin infection etc.

If your pup is losing hair, I'd recommend that you check out my Puppy Hair Loss page for more info.

As for development, and what to expect in a puppy at different ages... this is all explained on my Puppy Development page. I think you'll find it useful and interesting.

Hope this answers your questions, best of luck with your puppy.

Retraining a female Shih-Tzu which has always done her pipi and stools in the house and should now do it outside.

by Gerard Mainville
(Laval Quebec Canada)

I have a Shih-Tzu female which is probably about 5 or 6 years old. I got her because her previous owner no longer wanted her for some reason.

I am led to believe that she has always done her pipi and stools inside a house. I am now trying to train her to do it outside now, but I am having little success. Is there any method to get her to understand that she should from now on do it outside ?

Other than that she is a wonderful little dog which gets along really well with my other dogs (a golden retriever and a kooikerhondje) and my two cats.






Hi Gerard
Re-training a dog to do her business outdoors when she's only ever done it inside is a challenge! It can be done, but it will take a lot of time, patience and repetition.

I'd also recommend that you get a dog crate and begin crate training (see my Crate Training A Puppy page for help with this) as she should have good bladder/bowel control and you don't want her to get into the habit of peeing/pooping indoors in her new home.

If she does make a mistake, you need to correct her firmly (but kindly) and take her outside to her new 'potty spot' right away. If she's pooped inside by mistake, take the stool to her new spot outdoors and leave it there to help her recognize her own scent and associate that area with elimination.

Crate training combined with a lot of supervision, plenty of potty breaks, patience, consistency and rewards when she does it right are needed here :)

Best of luck with it all.

9 month old puppy symptoms, is this Vaginitis?

My 9 month old pup has been showing a white discharge for the last 2/3 days.

She had her first season a couple of weeks ago. Is this Vaginitis?




Hi
It's possible that there is a problem, or infection of some sort, but it's also possible that this is just a normal part of her cycle.

There's no way I can say what is going on and you can't determine that yourself either. If the discharge continues for more than a few days, gets worse or smells bad, or if she has a change in urinary habits or licks herself excessively then I'd recommend having your veterinarian take a look at her to make sure all is well.

Good luck.

red nosed pitbull's breathing rates - seems fast, should I be worried?

by Court
(Tulsa,Ok)

my 7wk old red nosed pitbull looks like he is breathing kinda quick, is that ok?





Hi Court
Puppies do breathe faster than adult dogs, it can also seem a bit erratic especially when they're sleeping. This is perfectly normal.

When a puppy is stressed or anxious, this becomes even more obvious and often worries new owners. Generally as long as your puppy seems happy and healthy otherwise there's nothing to be concerned about.

But if he seems to have difficulty breathing while awake, seems overly lethargic or weak, or if you are still worried then I'd recommend having your vet check him out to make sure all is well.

You may find this page helpful as it explains what to expect during the first week or so with a new puppy ...Bringing Home A New Puppy.

Best of luck!

whimpering

by grace
(malta)

My 3 weeks old puppies have opened their eyes and are whimpering a lot..




Hi Grace
New born puppies generally open their eyes at around 10 days to 2 weeks of age, and their ears at around 3 weeks.

However, they shouldn't be crying or whimpering a lot. Puppies who are healthy and well fed will 'play' for short periods, but most of their time is spent eating or sleeping.

At this age they are slowly moving towards being weaned and between 3 and 4 (or occasionally 5) weeks old, their momma will begin to refuse to nurse them for long periods.

Once that happens you will need to start giving them solid food. If their momma has already begun to reduce their nursing time but you aren't feeding them then it could be that they're hungry.

If this isn't the problem, or they seem unwell or very unsettled then have your veterinarian take a look at them to make sure all is well.

Check out my New Born Puppies page for more help. Good luck.

No movement

by Hailey
(Channelview tx)

My 2 yr old australian Shepard is about 60 days along and I have tried to feel for movement twice now and have felt nothing. I'm worried I'm trying at bad times or the puppies are dead. She is very tense when I go to feel which may also be the reason. I am extremely concerned.

This is her very first litter. Please help me determine what this could possibly mean. The vet said she was along fines. A concerned pet owner

Hailey.




Hi Hailey
I wouldn't panic about this, it's not always possible to feel puppies moving, even right before they're ready to be born.

If your vet says everything is okay, then chances are it is. It's very unlikely that a healthy dog will give birth to stillborn puppies. In a big litter there may be one that is dead at birth though.

Average gestation is about 63 days, so your dog is almost ready to go into labor. I'm sure you will find that she'll have healthy, live puppies and wish you both the best of luck.

pup unable to hold urine

by Vicky Mezera
(Wauzeka Wis )

We have a 4 month old male chocolate lab who was basically house trained.

The last week or so he will head to the door to go out then will pee on the floor as I am leashing him to go out. He acts like he absolutely can't hold anymore even tho we may have been out for a potty break 30 mins prior.

Once outside he again will pee a strong stream. Any help?






Hi Vicky
Well, it definitely sounds as though he really needs to pee, and it's possible that he simply can't 'hold it' any longer for some reason.

If he's not emptying his bladder fully each time he goes outside then it will build up pretty quickly, especially if he's drinking more than normal - which can happen in hot weather, or due to certain health conditions.

It's also possible that he has a urinary tract infection. That can cause the urgent need to 'go' and frequent urination.

Only your vet can make an accurate diagnosis so I strongly recommend that you have him examined as soon as you can so that you can find out if there's some underlying health condition causing this behavior.

If he gets a 'clean bill of health' then it could be that he simply needs more time outdoors to really finish up each time, and more frequent potty breaks. At 4 months his bladder control should be better than this if all is well, and he was doing better before which is what makes me think that there's a health issue there somewhere. BUT, it could simply be a developmental stage that he's going through.

Only your vet can really help with this so get him seen asap. Best of luck.

Just rescued a 10 mos old female beagle mix puppy; Too skinny; has red mange and fleas

by mary
(ellicott city, md)

Hi, thank you in advance for your help.

This Saturday (2 days ago) we rescued from the local shelter a 10 mos old female beagle and possibly whippet/hound mix, Cindy. She is very skinny, has red mange and as we found out yesterday, fleas.

We took her to the vet immediately after picking her up from the shelter. She is currently on 0.3 cc/day of oral ivermectin to treat the skin mites (we plan to gradually increase the dose to 0.6 cc/day and keep her on it for about 1.5-2 mos), a medicated shampoo and cephalexin for skin infection.

She sweet, very mellow and eager to please and we want to help her so much! The vet is closed today so here are our questions:

1. In addition to the ivermectin, can we get her the emergency pill to get rid of live fleas and then treat her with Aventix or something like that for flea prevention or is that too many drugs for the poor girl? If so, how do we protect her and eliminate fleas ASAP. We have the spray for the condo and have a cat who is on revolution. We cleaned, vacuumed and washed everything last night and plan to do a lot of that in the next few days.

2. Cindy is very skinny. The shelter gave us Max dog food and we plan to slowly transition to Innova dry dog food. should we supplement her diet with rice and cooked turkey to help her gain some weight?

3. We will get her tested for internal parasites as soon as we can collect a stool sample in time to take it to the vet, in the meantime, what parasites does ivermectin treat or does not treat?






Hi Mary
Congratulations on your new puppy, it sounds as though she's found a great new home - and that she really needed it!

As for the fleas, I would use Advantix on her because in my personal experience is it currently more effective than Frontline. For severe infestations you can normally also use a Pyrethrin dip, but I wouldn't recommend doing that here because of the Mange which is already being treated. It will be just too much.

Changing over to a better food is also a good idea, but needs to be done slowly in order to prevent any tummy upset. Once she's adjusted to the new food you could add some turkey or raw meat if you would like to, but don't make too many changes at once. A premium food should provide all the nutrients she needs and you'll soon see an improvement in her condition and weight.

As far as I know, Ivermectin will also treat canine worms such as hookworms and heartworms, I'd recommend checking with your veterinarian to be certain of this though and to see if there are other parasites that it kills.

Your new puppy looks adorable and so sweet, I wish you tons of luck with her and hope this has answered your questions.

HELP! MY PUPPY IS CHEWING ON MY WALLS!

by Heather
(San Jose, CA)

MY PUPPY IS A 4 MONTH OLD MALE CHIHUAHUA, AND I AM HAVING A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH HIS CHEWING. FIRST, I NEED TO POINT OUT THAT HE IS NOT MY FIRST PUPPY, NOR MY ONLY DOG.

I HAVE A 2.5 YEAR OLD FEMALE CHIHUAHUA THAT I HAVE HAD SINCE 8 WEEKS OLD. I ALSO HAVE OWNED A GERMAN SHEPARD MIX FROM 3 MONTHS AND A MALE CHIHUAHUA FROM 7 WEEKS. BOTH I HAD TO SELL WHEN I MOVED. MY PROBLEM IS THAT THIS PUPPY DOESN'T JUST CHEW ON SHOES OR MY KIDS TOYS. HE CHEWS MY DOORS, THE CORNER OF MY WALLS AND MY FENCE!!!

HE ALSO EATS MY MULCH LANDSCAPING IN THE BACKYARD. I PUT HIM IN A DOGGIE HOUSE IN MY YARD AND SOON FOUND HIM CHEWING THE ENTRANCE TO THE DOG HOUSE! HE SHREDDED THE WOOD COMPLETELY! I'M AT MY WITS END! I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH ANY OF MY PREVIOUS DOGS.... EVER!

PLEASE HELP ME. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!








Hi Heather
Chewing is normal for a puppy, but what you describe is definitely excessive and not 'average'! The only good thing here is that he's a tiny dog and so the amount of damage he can do in a short space of time is fairly limited. This doesn't make it okay, just a bit more manageable than if you had a Mastiff pup with the same issue.

It's a difficult situation and apart from the obvious there's really not a lot you can do except to limit his exposure to wood as much as possible and hope that he eventually grows out of this behavior (many puppies do).

First of all though I would definitely recommend that you have him thoroughly checked out by your veterinarian to make sure that he's completely healthy and that there are no underlying issues that could be causing this ocd-type behavior. It's rare than chewing like this is caused by a dietary deficiency but it is possible.

Generally it's caused by a combination of factors including the dogs breed characteristics and individual temperament or personality (more often seen in intelligent, high-energy, anxious pups/dogs with a tendency towards obsessive-compulsive behavior), level of exercise and mental/physical stimulation, diet, environment etc.

Make sure he has plenty of sturdy interesting chew toys and buy enough different toys to allow for rotation - ie giving him a different set every couple of days to keep him interested. Interactive dog toys may help keep him busy and occupied for longer than a more 'static' toy.

Also give him lots of exercise and I'd recommend beginning some formal obedience training as well as short sessions at home and perhaps teaching him some tricks too. This type of mental and physical stimulation should help to deter him from chewing quite so much as he'll be more tired and have less excess energy to expend.

Other than these ideas it's really just a matter of being creative and patient with him and trying to manage the behavior as well as you can. It should 'peak' and then start to diminish as he matures.

If anyone else here has any great ideas that might help Heather to manage this problem, please feel free to jump in and share them by using the 'comments' feature below

red eyes - dog allergies?

by colin
(uk)

my son and i went visiting our new bichon puppys on the first visit his eye went red after about 90 min, and on our second visit it went red again what should we do?

we have not bought the puppy yet.




Hi Colin
I'm assuming it's your son's eye that turned red after spending time with these puppies and that would indicate an allergy problem.

Many people are sensitive or even allergic to pet hair and dander. Depending on the severity of the allergy people with allergies can often still own and be around dogs, but you'll need to take the time to evaluate which breeds cause the problem - hopefully it won't be all of them.

There are certain breeds which are less likely to trigger allergy symptoms than others and these include the hairless dogs and the so-called hypoallergenic dogs.

Bichon Frise are considered to be one of the lower-allergy breeds, but everyone reacts differently and just because your son has a problem with these pups, that doesn't mean that he'll have the same issue with a Chinese Crested, a Poodle or Poodle-mix, a Yorkshire Terrier and so on. But you will need to spend time figuring that out.

I hope this helps and that you manage to find a pup/dog that doesn't cause your son problems. Best of luck.

Parvovirus and Shiba Inu puppies

I just brought home two shiba inu puppies and I have two other dogs (a king charles cavalier-papillion mix and a golden retriever-lab mix), can I bring them around them still even if they haven't had their vaccinations for parvovirus yet?






Hi
If your older dogs are fully vaccinated (and are current on these vaccinations), then your puppies should be fine with them.

But Canine Parvovirus is a very contagious disease and it's important to make sure that your other dogs don't bring any contamination home.

To do that you'll have to keep them away from public areas that could be frequented by unvaccinated dogs. Public parks and busy sidewalks or interstate/highway rest areas are good examples of places to avoid for now.

I'd recommend getting your new babies started on their puppy shots just as soon as you can and be very careful about keeping them on schedule for all subsequent vaccinations. One set is NOT protection, and even two or three are not a guarantee.

Overall, as long as you use common sense and are careful there shouldn't be any problem letting all your dogs get acquainted.

Best of luck with it all.

A sick puppy - vomiting, diarrhea and weakness?

by Jen

We had got a 2 1/2 month old puppy on Saturday. She was very active and playful w/ the kids She drank water and lambs milk and seemed fine. Until all through the night she started vomiting (about 4 times)

She hasn't kept anything down, she hasn't ate nor will she drink anything a friend is putting droppers full of pedialyte because she started having diarrhea. She still hasn't been able 2 keep the pedialye down and still has been having diarrhea.

She has been sleeping a lot, is not playful anymore and looks very weak. We have notice her shivering while she sleeps... What should we try feeding her or what should we do?






Hi Jen
I'm afraid your puppy is very sick, and it sounds to me as though it could well be Canine Parvovirus. From what you describe she is likely dehydrated already and that increases the danger.

This is usually fatal if not treated, and very young, unvaccinated puppies are most at risk. Please get your pup to a veterinarian IMMEDIATELY for a diagnosis. If she does have Parvo, your vet can give her supportive treatment which will give her a chance at survival.

This disease strikes quickly and can kill just as fast, so don't waste time trying to help her yourself, get her to a vet now.

I wish you the very best of luck and hope that your little girl manages to make a full recovery - or even that it's not Parvo (that is of course possible) and she gets the treatment she needs to get better fast.

My boston terrier puppy is acting funny and whining. what could be wrong?

by Lauren
(Charleston, South Carolina)

My female boston terrier is acting very needy and acting very funny. She is not active and playful like she normally would be and is wanting to be right up under-neath me. She was also whining when she was hiccupping a second ago but they went away and her hiccupps were like 3 together instead of one at a time..... Is she okay?

Could she have ate something she shouldn't? Or maybe is she just wanting attention? Normally we play with her more and show her more attention, but today we have been very busy.

Please help me




Hi Lauren
I'm afraid it's impossible for me to say what's going on with your puppy as she doesn't have any of the classic signs of being unwell - you'll fine info on these on my Click here to post comments.

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10 wk old chocolate lab with hair loss in patches and major dandruff

by Lacey
(Jacksonvillle, fl, U.S.)

I have a 10 week old chocolate lab puppy that is full bred with VERY healthy parents. We have had him for two weeks and since then we have given him two bath with a puppy oatmeal/aloe shampoo. He eats blue buffalo puppy food and is crated while we are at work and at night.

There is another 3 year old red lab/golden that also lives with us. As of a week ago he started losing hair in patches ONLY along his back by his neck and back by his tail. the spots are white where the hair is gone and VERY VERY flaky.

Please help he is our first puppy and I am very worried. Pictures attached, thank you.




Hi Lacey
From the photos it looks as though your pup has some Seborrhea, which is basically flaky/scaly skin sort of like dandruff. There are two kinds of seborrhea... 'oily' and 'dry' and Labrador Retrievers as a breed do tend to be prone to the 'oily seborrhea' problem.

This can be a genetic condition, and it wouldn't need to be seen in the parents to be hereditary. Regular bathing with a shampoo containing either coal tar, selenium sulfide or benzoyl peroxide will help soothe his skin, remove the flakes and and make his skin less oily. Lather it up and leave it on for 10 minutes of so before rinsing him thoroughly - I know this will be tricky with an active puppy but it will make him feel better.

Your veterinarian may stock the right kind of shampoos or be able to recommend some, and your little guy may also need antibiotics if there is an underlying or resulting infection, or corticosteroids to reduce itching. I'd recommend taking your pup to your vet for an examination anyway so that he can figure out if it IS seborrhea, or something else....

Itchy, irritated or flaky skin (ie seborrhea) can also be caused by a number of other things including parasites and infection, and is also often seen as a result of dog food allergies or other problems.

Blue Buffalo is a good food and one of the manufacturer's I recommend on my 10 Best Dog Food Choices page. But puppies or dogs can be allergic to even the BEST food if it contains an ingredient (or several ingredients) that they are sensitive to.

I'd recommend switching over to a food specifically designed for dogs with allergies (a hypoallergenic dog food), or one that has entirely different ingredients from the food he's eating now.

Make the change over slowly and then give it a month or so to see if there's any improvement before coming to any conclusions. Your veterinarian may also be able to help you with allergy testing or evaluation if that seems to be the problem.

There are also numerous products you can use to help a puppy or dog with itchy irritated skin, check out my Canine Skin Allergies and Dog Allergy Treatment pages for more on these.

I know how worrying it is when your pup isn't well, but this most likely isn't serious and with the right (and prompt) treatment you'll have him looking and feeling much better soon. Hope this helps, best of luck with your puppy.

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