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Sunday 18 March 2012

Socializing Your Dog.

This is a crucial step into the health of your dog.
Boundaries need to be in place with everyone before the dog comes home.
If you have children, they need to be monitored especially toddlers.
Limit the time the toddlers have and try not to let the kids become over excited with a lot of screeching and running around.
The calmer the environment the calmer the dog will be.  It is a reflection of you as is your children
I said before, our dogs are forever 2 and are dependent forever.
This is not a license to treat the dog like a person.  Treat it like it is...a dog
Bad habits can turn into destructive behavior later in life.
When someone comes to visit.  Control the dog before answering the door.  Have it sit.  If need be, have it on a leash.  Do not pay attention to the dog.  Greet the friend.  Do not have them pay attention or make contact with the dog.  Allow the dog to sniff the friend and ignore the dog still.
What you want is the dog not to get excited every time someone arrives.
Jumping up and down is a sign of mild dominance and a nuisance to visiting friends who might have nice cloths on and do not want paw prints on them.
A larger breed dog can harm a child or senior it it is too excited and throws its 100+ pound weight around.
Nipping this in the bud as a pup makes for a pleasant visit for all concerned.
Introduce the pup to new environments.  Take the pup for a car ride.  When it gets into the car for the first time, reward it with a treat.
Rewards get the dog thinking that this is a good experience and not one of dread.
This also works well with bathing, clipping nails or cleaning out their ears.  If they relate the treatment as positive then you will get a positive response out of the dog.
Take the dog out for walks.  Allow the dog to meet and greet some, not all dogs.  If you know the dog you are about to greet or the other dog owner states that it is O.K. to approach the dog then carefully allow them to greet.  Dog parks are ideal to socialize your pup with all variations of dogs.

Do puppy massages.  We do this for all our pups.  We start by training them to lay on their back.  We then rub their feet and between their pads, we graduate to introducing a brush and give them a treat when they allow us to brush them.  We give them a treat while they are in the bath or when we clip their nails.
 Start young and reap the benefits for many years to come.

Puppy Proof


This is as important as child proofing a home.  Now I say this with some reserve.  I am a believer that the pet or child for that matter needs to be trained and not re-arrange the house to suit the pup or kid.

There are exceptions to all rules and in this case I make one.  Ensure that all poisons that could harm the pet are out of reach.
Remove any poisonous plants from both the house or yard.
Puppies will chomp first and become sick or die after and we do not want either.
Certain household plants can kill a dog.  Check yours out and research them to see if they are toxic to pets.
Outside plants we take for granted can also kill.  Grapevines don't kill but their fruit in theform of grapes and raisins do.  The leaves of rhubarb can also kill a dog.

So that is my exception.  Be prepared to introduce as many things into the dogs life within the first 3 months as you possibly can.  This will stay with the dog forever and better to have a positive response than that of fear.
Fear can stop you and your pet from enjoying the great outdoors.  Fear may cause the dog to bite when faced with something new and unusual.

I mentioned before that your pup will teeth so put those precious shoes away.  Have ample chew toys for him or her to gnaw on. Keep the pup active with plenty of things to do.  Training being the top of the list.  The more interaction, the more you work the dog the more it will become a model citizen of your family.  Of course you will be proud to show it off as well so the rewards come full circle.
You will also tire the dog out and it will be less destructive as a result.
Enjoy your dog.


Thursday 15 March 2012

Almost ready to take the pup home...

You have researched the pup that best suits your environment and lifestyle.  It's not too big or too small, sheds or doesn't is a pure bred or a mixed breed.  You know the relative cost of purchase, the food bill, the vet bills and now there is the first step before you bring the puppy home.
You should ask the breeder, if you could bring a blanket over so that it can be put in the kennel with the mom and pups or at the least you can rub down the mom with the blanket so that her scent transfers to it.
when you get home place the blanket into the kennel or location where the pup is to live.
This will help it during the transition because it will smell familiar and assist it calming down at night when it sleeps alone for the first time.
If at all possible pick up the dog when it is the weekend, preferably along weekend or a time where you have 3 or four days off.
This is like a new baby and both you and the pup are going to adjust to one another.  Expect some long nights where the pup awakes and cries or whimpers.
Do not pick up the pup when it cries.  Simply pet it and keep it in it's enclosure.  If it wants out then simply say firmly, "No"
 Place the pup back into the kennel and walk away.  You may have to repeat this several times.

Never hit the dog for any reason.
Do not rub the dogs nose into its feces or urine.


Understand that this is a pup and it will have accidents.  Use a pee pad.  Place it outside the kennel and when it does it's thing reward it with with compliments and give it a treat.
All dogs have the equivalent behavior of a 2 year old child and a vocabulary of about 200 words.
It will be a child for all its life.  Treat it like it is one when it comes to discipline
When you get up in the morning, don't go for the coffee, go straight to the dog and take it outside and when it completes its task, reward it and then carry on with meeting your needs.
If you go out for an extended time expect accidents and do not reprimand the dog.  It does not know what it is getting in trouble for if it did its thing a couple of hours prior to your arrival.

I have a 4 year old female, Shih-Tzu, who after every bathroom break, wiggles her little tail then runs into the house and goes to where the treats are kept.  She always gets a compliment and a treat.

Puppy proof your house.  Puppies will teethe and they will chew on wooden legs, shoes and anything they can sink their teeth into.  If you catch the pup in the act, simply say "No!" and then give it a chew toy.  
Have several so they don't get bored.
I will go into more details about training but this is a good start.

Enjoy your pup, expect accidents, expect some damage due to chewing,   There is never a good reason for beating your dog.  In fact if you do then truly, you are not ready for such a commitment and should re-evaluate why you need a dog.

Socializing the dog will be my next topic.

Sunday 11 March 2012

The Guarantee

We guarantee our puppies have been raised in our home and have been given the very best care, from the time of birth to present day. We guarantee that the puppy gets a farewell visit to the Veterinarian prior to departure. We guarantee that all our Mastiff puppies have been socialized prior to them leaving.
We guarantee all our puppies have been age appropriately socialized.   They need a great deal of communication with their owners and other pets.  To help a dog make a wonderful canine citizen and human companion, we as responsible breeders socialize our new born puppies.  Socialization is a complex process that involves a few stages.  Puppies should interact with their mother and littermates.  Communication with people should also be included to form stable bonds between the puppy and its owner.  Properly socialized puppies should neither be too timid nor too inquisitive.

Our puppies are registered with the Canadian Kennel Club. We do not sell without registration papers. When the puppies go to their new homes their vaccinations and worming schedules are up to date, they have been micro chipped  for identification and have been thoroughly health checked.

All our  puppies leave here prepared as follows with:

1. A health record, which includes a vaccination certificate
2. Microchipping for identification
3. A Bath and a nail clipping
4. Food and a few toys
5. A Puppy Information Kit/ certified pedigree and registration to follow
For the protection and well being of our lines, the buyer agrees to return the dog if for any reason the buyer is not able to keep the puppy.
As sublaxation, OCD and HOD can be the results of poor nutrition, improper exercise and/or excessive crating no warrantee shall apply for these conditions. It is the Sellers opinion that unilateral dysplasia is non-genetic and of injury or nutritional origin.
As DJD Grade 1 type elbow dysplasia  or unilateral elbow dysplasia can be the results of poor nutrition, improper exercise, injury from jumping or rough playing, no warrantee shall apply for this condition.
As Thyroid disease is often the result of improper nutrition the seller reserves the right to not warrantee this condition.
As heartworm related cardiac disease is brought on by neglect to properly care for the dog no warrantee  shall apply for this condition.
No warrantee is given for Entropian or Extropian.
Since undescended testicles can be caused by injury or other trama no warrantee is given for retained testicles after the puppy is received by the buyer. Male puppies have been examined and verified to have both testicles descended by my veterinarian at the time of health certification.
No warrantee is given for any condition if a male dog is neutered before the age of eighteen months.
Breeding the dog or bitch voids any warrantee.
A final health check has been made by Breeders veterinarian and a health certificate is included in your new puppy packet.

Questions I should Ask the Breeder

If you have done your homework and chosen the breeder, made contact with the breeder, checked their references, there are some questions you should still ask to ensure the fit is right between you and the breeder.
The breeder should be more than proud of their Dogs and that of the breed.  They should be able to give you a lengthy history of that specific breed and be excited in sharing the history of the breed with you.  They should not be more interested in completing the sale with you but rather they should be entering into a long term relationship with you.
My dogs are first and foremost and their health and welfare begins at conception and ends when they pass away.  Each and every pup is family to me and the dog owners are merely an extension of that family.
You should be made to feel part of that family.  If there is a rush to sell, if there is any unease to have you visit the breeder, then choose a different breeder.
Pure Bred dogs will be registered.  This is a process into itself.  To be certified by CKC or the AKC, one must meet certain criteria.  This includes, besides the obvious, having no non-mixed breed dogs that are not neutered or spayed living amongst the pure bred dogs they are planning to breed.  The facility must be clean, the living quarters and the whelping facilities must also be clean and meet certain standards.
You as a buyer can quickly see, by visiting the breeder, if they meet your standards.  Rely on your common sense.
The breeder should have both the male and female (Mom and Dad) of the pup you are interested in.
The breeder should be able to inform you of what congenital defects the breed is prone too and should be able to tell you how they breed to avoid that tendency.  They usually choose a male or female from another breeder who shows little or no health risks associated with that breed.  They should be willing to share that information with you and you should also be able to contact the contributing breeder as well.

Some basic questions to ask are.
How long have you been breeding for?
Is there a health guarantee?
How old does the pup have to be before I get it?
What is the name of your vet? (if you purchase locally, you might benefit by using the same vet as they are most experienced with the history of that breeder's dogs and you might get a discounted rate too!
When should I vaccinate my new dog?
Has it had it's first shot?
Has it been given a de-worming pill?
How often should I treat my dog for worms?
Has it had it's nails trimmed?
How often should I trim the nails?
What food do you recommend?
How should I feed the dog?  On demand or measured portions?
How often should I either brush or have my non-shedding dog groomed?
Do you know a good groomer?
What flea treatment do you recommend and how often?
How often should I bath my dog?
When should I spay or neuter?

Next the guarantee.



Sunday 4 March 2012

Can I Buy A Dog NOW?

YES......NOT! 
So your mind is set of the right dog. You know the size, the hair type and chances are, your mind is set on a specific breed.
This is where the work begins.  Choosing the right breeder is so important.  It is crucial in every aspect of ensuring you pick both a reputable breeder but also one who is willing to mentor you in maintaining the ultimate health of your investment, the dog of your choosing.
We all know that pet shops are the last choice....I mean they should never, ever be considered.  The bulk of the puppy mills produce solely for pet stores.  It is cruel and unusual punishment where the females breed consistently from cradle to grave.  They never see daylight and know only the confines of a cage.
You are not doing the pup any good by supporting the puppy mills simply by purchasing that dog.  If there is no profit in it for the store, they will stop supporting the puppy mills.
Go online and shop for your specific breed.  Contact first by email then follow-up by telephone and if at all possible choose a breeder close to you so that you can physically visit them.
I made the mistake of purchasing a Shih-Tzu from a person, who delivered it to me in a parking lot.  we took the pup home and she was great.  She was great right up to her first heat.  Then all hell broke out.  She became hypersensitive to all foods, lost all her hair, was put on drugs, had her food altered to home made and the day after she turned 2, our Vet recommended we have her euthanized as she was suffering.  We were obviously heart broken. 
Had we visited the site we would have discovered a puppy mill environment and would have turned and run from that site.  So to save the cost of a ferry boat ride we were dealt an inbred dog that as beautiful as she was, suffered because of our poor choice. We reported the breeder to the S.P.C.A.
Now if you cannot go to their facility, ask the breeder for references.  You want to call the buyers as well as any other breeder they may be associated with.  Breeders always breed their dogs with well researched breeders ensuring that they avoid specific ailments that may be found in that specific breed.
By knowing the caliber of the breeder, you will be saving yourself some possible grief later on.
The purebred breeder will have registered dogs.  They will have contracts you must sign.  They will have a guarantee in place.In my next Blog I will cover what questions you should ask the breeder.