Puppy!

[DSTRen13]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

Another point that someone mentioned is to de-flea your home. That means the dog, all carpets and the yard. DO IT!!!!!

I definitely do NOT want any fleas! I've been using spray for my carpets and an occasional treatment for my cat (have to find one for the dog), but how do you treat a yard?

[epchick]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I know -- I've been told that, too, but (1) it didn't really work for us (maybe 'cause I really can't yelp ), and (2) our trainer, who has degrees in animal behavior and approaches everything based on research, told us to do it the way I described. They both get there, I guess, depending on the dog.

You right. That is why I get aggrevated with the vets at the clinic I take my dog too, because they obviously don't understand that what they tell me to do doesn't work with my dog.

Before I had my chihuahua, I had a miniature poodle. The vet used to tell us to give him these breath mints (little balls, kinda like the icebreakers w/ liquid) to clear up his bad breath. They used to tell us to mix it in w/ bread or something so that he would eat them. Well the darn dog would pick the breath mint out of the bread, throw it somewhere else and eat the bread.

Just cause it works for some dogs, doesn't mean it works for all.

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by DSTRen13

I know, I know, there are probably already threads like this ...

THE BACKSTORY: My husband and I are puppy-sitting for the summer. My sister rescued a 6-mo. old lab/hound mix off the kill list at a shelter near her university - right before leaving for her study abroad in New Zealand. Right now, the puppy is at my parents', but starting Monday, he will be living with us until August (assuming that my sister does, in fact, come and get him - we have a fenced-in yard and she doesn't). We have been told that while the puppy is a good puppy, it is large, poops a lot, and is a bit slow-witted (probably from being in the shelter for so long). Neither me nor my husband have done the dog thing before, ever.

THE POINT: For all you GC dog-owners out there, what advice can you give us for how to care for this dog?? We want to be good puppy god-parents! (Also, we have a cat - how do we introduce them and prevent a major battle??)

Awww a puppy!

I don't have a dog but I agree with Lisa.

1. Choose a vet, and schedule a vet visit for the 1st week after you've brought the puppy home, if you haven't already. The vet will discuss health problems, vaccines, and deworming, and advise you on nutrition, house training, and other puppy issues.

2. Make sure he wears a collar and ID tag at all times, even when he's inside just incase he slips outside.

3. Since you got him from a shelter he should be fully vaccinated, so introduce him to a wide variety of people, places and other dogs if possible, that way he'll be comfortable and well behaved in different situations.

4. I know this sounds excessive, but if you can, brush his teeth daily or whenever you have time, because plaque hardens into tartar within about 36 hours, so it's good to get into the habit of doing it. There's also doggie bites that can help in keeping his teeth clean too.

Let me know if you have any questions about anything. I'm sure I can help.

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by DSTRen13

Has anyone ever seen "Summer of Sam?" lol he looks just like the dog that David Berkowitz claimed he was taking orders from.

Btw: great looking dog.

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by DSTRen13

I definitely do NOT want any fleas! I've been using spray for my carpets and an occasional treatment for my cat (have to find one for the dog), but how do you treat a yard?

I don't know how you could treat the yard. I'm sure there are some pesticides for outside. Hopefully you won't get any fleas in your house though. If you do, be on the look out for what looks like flecks of pepper at the base of the dogs hair and also can be found on the back just in front of his tail. Those pepper things are flea excrement. If you're not sure whether what you're seeing is flea feces or dirt from outside, comb some of it out of the fur with a fine tooth flea comb, press the dirt on a wet paper towel, and wait a minute. If the paper towel turns red around the specks, you've got fleas. Flea feces contain blood, so when it gets wet it bleeds red. I know that's gross, but if you don't see the fleas 1st, you'll see the feces.

[AOII4ME]

You may already know about monthly treatment for fleas and ticks, (frontline, plus). And HeartGuard, monthly preventative for heart worms. I would imagine the puppy is already on these products, since he is a rescue. Frontline is great and even works after the dog is wet.

[_Lisa_]

Someone mentioned what you should do about biting pups, and I think its important that you find what really works for this dog by trying a few different things. I wouldn't suggest using the crate unless he loves the crate & seems to understand that its his "quiet, safe place". Otherwise, try the "yelp" when he nips you, or a firm "No"...in any case always replace your body part that he nipped with a chew-safe toy.

Be safe when it comes to treating your yard with pesticides, I think you should definitely consult a vet for product that is recommended, have your parents or your sister taken him to see a vet already? Try to keep him at the same place unless you aren't happy with their services, professionalism, customer support, etc. Keep us updated!

[aggieAXO]

Originally Posted by 33girl

This describes 99% of the men I encounter on the weekends.

Too funny This also describes half my patients.

you can go to this website: veterinarypartner.com and type in crate training -you will get information that should help.

Also avoid anything with Xylitol (sugar free gum and candy)-dogs love to get into gum.
and if you have sago palms in your yard keep him away from these as they can cause liver failure.
avoid aleve/aspirin/ibuprofen (dogs love ibuprofen and they can easily chew up a bottle of this stuff)

get him microchipped. This could save your pets life if he were to get lost.
Good luck, he looks like a cutie

PS-watch your cat carefully, if she/he stops eating and starts hiding due to stress from the dog and doesn't start up again (eating)in a few days then see your veterinarian.

[aggieAXO]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

Awww a puppy!



3. Since you got him from a shelter he should be fully vaccinated, so introduce him to a wide variety of people, places and other dogs if possible, that way he'll be comfortable and well behaved in different situations.

Not necessarily, get his vaccine records. Not all shelters are responsible unfortunately. If he is behind on vaccs then I would avoid parks/petsmart/petco/other places people take their puppies for now until he has his vaccs. It is parvo season and this virus is very contagious and can be $$$ to treat.

[SWTXBelle]

I've had my boxer on Advantage flea/tick medicine, and had no problems - not even when we lived on 16 acres and he would go frolic in the meadows. You will probably not need to treat your yard if the dog is on a good flea/tick program.
I'm also a big fan of crating. Kaiser considers it his safe place, and it has helped a great deal when dealing with situations like travel, storms, etc. - if he is in his crate, he feels secure. It also helped with housebreaking. I'm a total convert!
He is a beautiful dog - hope you enjoy your time with him.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by epchick

Just cause it works for some dogs, doesn't mean it works for all.

Exactly. You have to figure out what works with your dog.

Originally Posted by _Lisa_

Someone mentioned what you should do about biting pups, and I think its important that you find what really works for this dog by trying a few different things. I wouldn't suggest using the crate unless he loves the crate & seems to understand that its his "quiet, safe place".

As the one who suggested it, I agree, and I probably should have made that more clear.

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

4. I know this sounds excessive, but if you can, brush his teeth daily or whenever you have time, because plaque hardens into tartar within about 36 hours, so it's good to get into the habit of doing it.

This raises another good point. It's a really good idea to spend a little bit of time every day letting him get used to you handling his paws, his ears, his mouth/teeth, etc. Some dogs don't mind it at all, but others really have to get used to it, and you'll need for him to let you do it so that you can trim his claws, get ticks off, brush his teeth, etc.

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by aggieAXO

Not necessarily, get his vaccine records. Not all shelters are responsible unfortunately. If he is behind on vaccs then I would avoid parks/petsmart/petco/other places people take their puppies for now until he has his vaccs. It is parvo season and this virus is very contagious and can be $$$ to treat.

I know, but they should.

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by DSTRen13

I definitely do NOT want any fleas! I've been using spray for my carpets and an occasional treatment for my cat (have to find one for the dog), but how do you treat a yard?

The best way to treat the dog is to use a product like Frontline or Advantix. There is another called Sentinel. I know that for Frontline it is a monthly application. It comes in a liquid that you apply to the dog's skin. Just separate the hairs and apply it directly on the skin.

The best product that I've found to treat the carpets is called Flea Stoppers. Basically it is 100% boric acid. You apply it to the carpet as you would a carpet powder, let it sit for about 5 days then vacuum. This will kill any fleas that are already in the carpet and the application should last one year. I did it last June and have not noticed any fleas on the carpet.

To treat your yard, go to any home and garden store like Home Depot or Lowes and they have a variety of pesticides to apply to the yard. The one I use is made by Bayer, but I can't think of the exact name now. There used to be a great product called Diazinon (?sp) but that was taken off the market becuase it contained organo-phosphates, a toxin. Usually these yard treatments are spread like fertilizer and they may also kill other yard pests like ants, grubs and such.

When I treat my home for fleas I try to do it all in the same week for the yard and home.

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

This raises another good point. It's a really good idea to spend a little bit of time every day letting him get used to you handling his paws, his ears, his mouth/teeth, etc.

Yep. I mentioned dental care and daily brushing because dental disease is the most common cause of dog breath. The bits of food the dog eats and bacteria form plaque, which eventually hardens into tartar. The tartar irritates the gums and gives bacteria access to the tooth roots, which leads to infection, pain and tooth loss as well as bad breath. If not treated, in some cases the bacteria can even wind up in the bloodstream and infect a dog's heart valves or kidneys.

FYI to the OP. If you ever see yellowish, brownish, or grayish build up on the teeth, the gums are red rather than pink or you start to see sores or crust on the outside of his mouth, these are all signs of dental disease.

[MysticCat]

Question for the people with more crating experience than I have (the 7 mo old we have now is the first dog we've crated):

Have you ever had a problem moving your dog's crate? Our's has been in our bedroom since the dog came home in December -- as much as any reason because it made it much easier for us to let him out at night when he needed it. But sleeping through the night hasn't been a problem for a while, and my wife and I would kind of like to have our room back. (Since he's a large dog, it's a large crate.)

The logical place to move the crate is into the den, where the most family time happens anyway. Any thoughts or suggestions?