IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR BIJOU POODLE ASK ME, THE BREEDER !!
There is no greater insult than seeing my puppy people asking Health, Colour, Behaviour, Training Questions
On a forum run and or answered by yahoos, that have very little to no experience
but lots of misinformation to share. I am the expert of my Poodles and my Poodle's lines.
If I do not have the answers, I will network with known experts, to find you the answers and or solutions.
* This page is continually being updated, so do check back often especially if you have any concerns *
"When you first get your pup, if you find yourself exhausted, sometimes a bit frazzled,
chances are, you are doing everything right". - Laurie Rollins.
New as of 2019 we have gone paperless !!
YOUR PUPPY COMES WITH :
- Collar
- Leash (3-4 foot)
- Health Record (will be emailed out to you)
- Registration Papers - will be sent when we receive proof of alter before 12 months of age
- Up to date Vaccine Information is on Health Record emailed out to you
- Microchip Permanent ID
- Tails and Dewclaws done
- Life time Breeder Support, just an email away and usually within 24 hours
- Food Sample of RAW, to last a couple days if puppy is picked up
- Link to a web page Containing TONS of information including Obedience to crate training.
- Puppy web page containing photos of mom pregnant and of the pups from birth to go home day (kept live for 1 month after pups go home)
(We take weekly video of the litter to help you start in the bonding process).
- Purchase Agreement and 24/7 LIFETIME breeder support, emails are answered within 24 hours or sooner
BE CAREFUL !!
Pups are like human babies in that we have to be very diligent in caring for them to keep them safe
Guinness (Sophie x Beau) came home today and is recuperating nicely.
I wanted to forward the pictures of exactly what was removed.
Who would think a "Kinder Egg" could cause so much emotional and physical pain.
The vet bills added up to approximately 1,500.00 with the x-rays, surgery and hospital stay.
Hope you can post them on your website so that other puppy owners are aware of just how dangerous one of these can be if your pup gets hold of one.
Thank goodness it turned out alright because if a blockage had occurred (which was inevitable)
or if he had choked on it, then I might not have my little guy resting beside me today.
Thanks for all your help and advice during this ordeal. Your support has been much appreciated. Denise T. - Ontario
This owners poodle ate a screw and they emailed me in a panic.
I gave them a couple options and they choose to
let it pass and by giving their puppy corn, so they would know that
the screw should be passed when they saw the corn and it did.
I have many tips and tricks like this to offer our puppy people
for the entire lifetime of their puppy.
Ashlea with Beau and
Aero asked that I add "Pool Safety" to this web page after their
Beau fell into a friend's Pool that had a normal solar blanket on it that wrapped around him and dragged him down.
There are "Safety Solar Blankets" on the market and anyone with kids or dogs would be wise to investigate these.
VETERINARIANS
NOOOOOOO !!!!!
It is PARAMOUNT that people view Veterinarians not as Doctors, but as Sales people, with a product to sell you.
This means that Pet Owners need to be very educated on what procedures or treatments they want their animals to have.
Pet Owners buying from an educated proactive responsible Breeder are going to be way a head of the game, and well armed.
Vet's unlike human Doctors in Canada, only make a living and pay their bills, by dispensing products and offering services
or by encouraging many unnecessary health investigations on your animal.
I really can't stress enough to forgo the shine expensive Vet clinics that treat you like a VIP and is staffed by
Veterinarians with less than 10 years experience. Your puppy will receive the most appropriate care at a busy clinic
that is experienced in large animals, that has Veterinarians with 20+ years of experience,
(usually large animal or farm vets, Think "The Incredible Dr. Pol)
Even if you have to drive out of the city to find a good vet, it is worth the drive.
Your puppy is more likely to only receive care and or treatment that they will need, from an experienced Vet that has seen it all.
Established Vet's will also probably not be recommending crazy in-depth extra services
just because they won't have a new machine, or a new clinic or school bills to pay off
or worse have no idea what they are looking at so they try a "hit and miss" approach for treatment options.
More informaiton on our Veterinarian Horror Story page
FLEA AND TICK PRODUCTS
Shampoos do not work
Collars do not work
So what choices does a dog owner have ?
Natural products such as cedar oil are becoming very popular.
As are topical and oral drops, but that means subjecting your pet to a toxic soup
that can lead to seizures, skin irritation and hair loss as well as death.
We do not have fleas or ticks so our dogs and pups are not on any products
however we do recognize that others are not so lucky. 2021 Please also know that if you are using flea/tick products
that they also will kill interntal parasites (worms). NEVER EVER GIVE ORAL FLEA/TICK/HEART WORM PRODUCTS DOGS ARE DYING ON THIS Click here to read more
TOILET TRAINING & CRATE TRAINING
If your puppy is being shipped to you, they will arrive in a
Grreat Choice Dog Carrier size: 26" x 18" x 18"
Which should fit your puppy until they are around 12 weeks of age.
We use a 36" long carrier for our adult poodles.
Petsmart carries many choices of 36" cages However a 36D" X24"W X26"H size carrier
or may be listed online as a 36", which should do a lifetime, for short time confinement.
Here are some web pages with sizes you may consider for your purchase: Grreat Choice Dog Carriers Size 36" at Petsmart
or Large (36"L x 25"W x 27"H) or Large (up to 65 lbs.): 34"L x 25.2"W x 17.5"H - this is on the smaller side but may just do
In order to tiolet/Crate train a puppy. Make sure in an over sized cage you make smaller
by blocking the extra space with either cardboard boxes
or toys or wooden wall. This way puppy won't have any room to pee or poo inside.
Any Cage name brand will do. See the many links
for stores below to check prices online. Walmart, TSC Store or Petsmart are reasonably priced.
Do not get the "wire" cages as dogs do NOT feel safe and secure in them.
Many people choose to toilet train their puppy in a cage/crate/kennel and this is the way we raised our pups with success.
In order to get puppy to go in the cage willingly we will toss Chicken weiners inside and give the command "IN"
After a few times of this drill, puppy will be going in fast to get to those treats you toss inside.
You can also feed your puppy in the kennel.
REMEMBER:
I have to remind everyone that new pups are like new babes with the exception that this new baby
had a family that it was ripped away from and all of a sudden is a member of a a new pack.
And to the puppy .. a pack that isolates them, which is the worst thing in the world for a canine to experience.
Even if to you night time is for sleeping, puppy doesn't understand why they are all alone all of a sudden and will complain.
Until puppy learns the routine... and this means every owner has to have a consistent routine...
no matter what ...on holidays, on weekends... you must have a consistent routine...
there is to be no speaking, no noise, no comforting when putting puppy in or out of carrier
and it is always best to let them out of the carrier when they are quiet.
You can keep cage in the bedroom by the bed where puppy can see you and know they are not alone.
OR you can keep puppy in cage out of earshot in the kitchen by the exit door.
Either way it will be a week of hell of puppy barking to complain and no sleep for both you and puppy and this is normal.
Once puppy knows routine, and learns to trust you, that you will return to let them out, then puppy will be quiet longer and longer
because puppy learns that barking and getting stressed results in no attention, but being quiet does gain attention and release
and also their internal clocks will be set to your routine and they will adapt to this new routine and be content.
IF you change routine or change where you keep the puppy or when you let the puppy out, you have to now start all over again
in your training and this will set puppy back in developing routine and being content.
But if you are quiet and consistent and do not coddle or comfort puppy then you may have puppy trained as early as 3 days to sleep the night.
...
Top Paw Pet Yard Containment Pen or Superyard XT* from Sears, Toys R us or North State - Superyard XT Portable Playard from Walmart $44.00 are a good alternative to cages.
This LIGHT WEIGHT, easy to clean with a garden hose, expandable six-panel pet yard
can be set up easily and changed to accommodate a variety of shapes and sizes.
Some of our puppy people can start toilet training them by forming a rectangle shape
and putting sleeping area and toys, food, water at one end and papers at the other end.
This way they don't have to get up in the middle of the night to let puppy outside to toilet
and puppy will eventually learn the new routine and start to "hold it" longer and longer
until they are trained to wait to be let outside. Comes with six 30" by 26" inter-locking panels.
You create a gate or door by using tie wrap and double ended latches.
Never lift puppy over the top as will teach them that they can just jump over and out.
I have had my same Superyard XT for over 10 years. Easy to clean, durable and totally portable.
These also come apart in 2 panel sections which can be used to block doorways and stairs.
Two pannels will block an average porch or deck openning and is cheaper than buying baby gates.
Petco, Petsmart Toys R Us, Sears, Walmart (online) and sometimes you can get these used at used baby shops
FEEDING
We highly recommend all our pups are fed RAW diet to avoid health issues *Click on FOODPLEASE REFER to our FOOD web page
for the most current information
We really recommend that you feed a RAW food recommended on our web page
OR FREE FEED KIBBLE FOOD
Never make meal time a big deal or an excited time as you will create an anxious dog and a sensitive stomach.
In over 24 years we have never owned a Standard Poodle that has had Bloat or Torsion and we know we are one of the few
Breeders that can claim this. We believe the reason is because we keep a routine and our Poodles "free feed".
When you get home puppy "may" be VERY hungry. OR...
When your new Standard Poodle puppy first comes home, s/he may not eat too much for a few days.
This is, in part, due to the change from our home to yours.
It is also, and maybe more so, due to the fact that the puppy now does not have the competition
of it's brothers and sisters beside him/her at the feeding bowl. Do not worry, the puppy will begin eating normally.
So I would advise the first meal to consist of either RAW Freeze Dried or RAW food
or if you are feeding Kibble that you soak with warm water until it is soft Softened kibble.
This softening of the kibble, or RAW food, will help prevent stomach upset and is a nice welcome home.
Please read the Owners Manual that was included in your puppy package when you got your puppy.
We also put together a web page for FOOD ALTERNATIVES.
ALWAYS use stainless steel or ceramic dishes to avoid getting puppy acne.
ALWAYS have water available unless puppy is in their crate. Limiting water intake can lead to Urinary Track Infections.
IF you are feeding kibble, You can NOT overfeed a growing Bijou Poodle puppy
so make sure there is always kibble left over in Puppy's bowl !!
VETS do NOT know about proper nutrition, only what sales people have told them, (along with free golf trips)
or they learned in only a few hours they took in college. It is up to YOU their owner to learn.
If there is no left over kibble then, give more each meal or increase amount of times you are feeding a day.
Please do not starve your Poodle... we have seen this too many times because people ignore the obvious signs of hunger
sticking to feeding what they have READ is the right amount. You should not have a puppy or
adult with hip bones sticking out !!!
THE VERY BEST FOOD YOU COULD FEED YOUR PUPPY IS RAW !!
Soft stools "can be" normal right now for a young puppy with such changes happening
Pups got taken away from their home. They get a new home.
This new pack is full of high energy, very exciting.
They get fed new food, new water, treats no matter that I say not to,
and get a new bed and home and new routine.
I guess another way to look at it would be ... when we travel to Mexico for the first time, that is around the same stress
on our bodies that the puppy is having right now on theirs.
New food, new fluids, new people, not knowing exactly what is what... so how are our stools that week ??
THIS is a normal puppy poop !!!
Some people will be shocked at their puppy poop being bigger
than they expect, or are used to. This is not soft or loose stool
STAIRS
Your puppy should NOT be on slippery surfaces or falling down stairs.
These injuries could cause damage or problems in proper hip development and soft tissue injury
We teach our pups to go up and down stairs by guiding them and using diced hot dogs
If you have hard wood floors or tiles... cut and lay down rubber shelf matting.
I did a crappy job in the above photo... but you can get a roll of any length usually
at Fabric stores or Dollar Store.
the cushier ones I have really stick well.
I am using this now (so had a photo opportunity) because our Ruby is getting older
and was slipping. So this gives her added Traction. Thank you to our puppy people for the photo !
I get asked a lot about treats. I want to be clear and say that puppy does not "need" treats.
Treats to a puppy is like giving candy to children, not a necessity and certainly not a replacment for food.
Often using normal kibble as a treat will work and puppy will get required nutrience without filling up on junk.
But for those that insist on using treats...
We chop up chicken weiners 4x length wise and then chop into tiny bits.
Each tiny bit that you see above is given to entice a puppy to do a desired behavior such as
"Stand", "sit", "down". One tiny tidbit per trick, no more, because is not a meal replacement.
Chicken weiners do not have the dye in them that the beef ones do.
WARNING
Chicken products from China are causing intermittent vomiting and Diarrhea and killing dogs.
Glycerin contained in a lot of dried treats is said to be the cause of many allergic reactions and causing ill health.
Beware and read your labels
Read more on these links: Fighting for Fido CBC Report
and the
FDA's link about chicken jerky treats and Glycerin.
Do Mom's Miss Their Pups ?
We often get asked if our mom's are sad when the pups leave.
When people come to pick up their puppy they may notice mom nosing around
and Showing a great deal of interest in people holding one of her precious puppies.
A lot of times people interpret this to mean mom is grieving. Most often what people are seeing
is a bit of jealousy as to why "they", the mom, is not getting any attention.
Poodles do love being adored and fawned over.
~ Click here to read more and see more photos ~
TRAVEL WITH PUPPY
NEVER EVER get excited or work puppy up or even comfort or talk to puppy before travel.
Humans can create car sickness by altering puppy's normal happy go luck state of mind
YOUR puppy does not need to hear from you in order to feel OK. STOP TALKING to them
as can create confusion and anxiety !
ALWAYS use a crate for safe travel
Puppy can get car sick, same as humans by watching scenery fly by them
so if they do get car sick, you can face them forward or even cover the front of the cage
NEVER feed "before" travelling, what goes down will come up.
I don't travel with water "in" my cage, but I do bring water and a
2Q stainless steel flat sided bucket that has a hook that will attach to a cage
when puppy is older and can be trusted with water in the cage and when we are not moving
For sure have a washable comfortable bedding and bring a spare incase of accident
Always pack a diaper bag with food, water, dishes, change of bedding, toys, flexi lead, poo bags, flashlight
SPAY
Swelling at surgical site.
Internal sutures take up to 6 weeks to dissolve and there may be some swelling from the
heeling process up to the size of a golf ball (worse case scenario).
We have
had a puppy have a hard marble like area that eventually went away with no
treatment.
People worry that this paediatric spay/neuter procedure might stunt growth. In fact, research shows that the
dogs will actually get a little larger.
The reason for this is that the long bones tend to grow for a slightly longer period.
Since this extra growth is not caused by more rapid growth, but instead by prolonged growth,
The implication is that this slower growth might be a good thing in our breed.
It is known that when growth proceeds slowly over a longer period, the bone density (strength) increases.
Check out our updated site: http://www.bijoupoodles.com/Alter.html for more information
VACCINOSIS
Our health guarantee is void, if anyone vaccinates against Leptospirosis and or Coronavirus vaccine
Your puppy will need a series of three vaccines the first year, one vaccine a year later
then no further vaccines for 7 years or you can do titres to check antibody levels if you prefer.
Read our Vaccination page for more information on Vaccines
Yearly vaccination is killing Dogs !!!!
Vaccinosis is a disease syndrome that is triggered by vaccination and or revaccinations.
Vaccinosis is becoming rampant in the dog (mutts and purebred) population.
Examples of vaccinosis include autoimmune diseases, irritable bowel disorders,
lupus and pemphigus; hypothyroidism in dogs; eosinophilic skin disorders, hyperthyroidism
diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, chronic skin disease or allergic dermatitis in dogs.
We humans give our pups a TOXIC SOUP of flea, heart worm, multiple vaccinations from various companies
during the pup's critical growth periods and then wonder why they may have behavioural problems or
develop any of the above illnesses.
Other examples of vaccinosis cases are seen after receiving the Rabies Vaccination.
Symptoms are aggressive or fearful behaviour problems, reverse sneezing and or seizure activity.
Since some communities by law require a Rabies vaccine (make sure your Vet writes that the next shot is in 3 years !!)
It is recommended by some homeopath Vets that by administering a dose of 30C lyssin
(a homeopathic remedy) seems to decrease the long-term side-effects of vaccination,
if given at the time of the Rabies vaccination. DO NOT GIVE RABIES VACCINE with other vaccinations as
could cause a drug reaction.
Our contract stipulates that Rabies not be given along with other vaccines.
We recommend vaccinations (Distemper + Parvovirus, MLV) be given 3-4 weeks apart for a series of 3 vaccines.
AFTER the series of 3 vaccines the first year, repeat in a year and then not again for "7" years.
You are not legally obligated to over vaccinate your Poodle, and you might just improve longevity of life by not yearly vaccinating.
Some people are still very influenced by Vets. So if you are one of these people choose to do a Titre instead for $45.00.
Rabies given at 6 months of age repeated in 1 year and then not again until 3 years.
We do not vaccinate our Poodles for Rabies after their second Rabies Vaccine for the rest of their life, because it is not needed.
In 2015 Some proactive vets are trying to get the law changed to rabies only being given ever 7 years for the health of the dog
Bordetella vaccine or Kennel Cough vaccine is commonly required by boarding kennels and veterinary hospitals.
However like the human flu vaccine, it is pretty much ineffective since the strain constantly changes and vaccines do not.
Puppy will in all likelihood already have been exposed to most pathogens just by going in public and have built up natural immunity.
IF your puppy or dog is healthy and contracts kennel cough (sounds like a cat with a hair ball) don't panic. Like human colds
puppy will get over it in a week or so without any special treatments.
IF you insist on obtaining the Kennel Cough Vaccine have your Vet administer it intranasally.
IF you are vaccinating, make sure to book your appointment first thing in the morning and ALWAYS Monday to Thursday
so that if your pet does have an immediate allergic reaction, your clinic will still be open to handle the emergency. *Click to read more about Vaccines
You can walk and visit stores with your puppy a couple days after they settle in. Just do not let them
go on any strange grassy areas, go near other dogs, or drink or eat out of communal dishes.
They can romp in the yard at your friend's places who you know, their dogs are clear of "coodies".
WALKING PUPPY
You can take your puppy places a couple days after puppy settles in
Just avoid any strange grassy areas with other critters could have poo'd or pee'd
Fun with family and friends, are OK after puppy settles in.
Avoid contact with any strange dogs or pups, NO DOG PARKS or puppy Lessons
at least until puppy is 16 weeks of age and try to avoid bad experirneces with strange dogs.
Puppy should be on a flat collar
You should ensure puppy can not slip the collar, that it is the right fit. NO HARNESSES EVER as they impede proper growth and movement
and also don't accomplish any training :(
DO NOT BE A LAZY PUPPY PARENT !!!
Puppy will come with a properly fitting collar
ALWAYS have a pocket of high value reward, can be diced chicken Weiner
When you give a command "PUPPY COME" you better have that in their mouth the minute
they arrive, or you have taught them not to respond.
Them listening to you, has to be rewarded.
Microchip ID
Bijou Standard Poodle’s use FDX B ISO chips which are approved by The National Companion Animal Coalition and meet the new World Standard.
Your puppy's microchip ID number will appear on their registration papers and you will receive microchip bar code stickers in your puppy package.
Your puppy's microchip number is not registered with a Recovery Data base. That is up to the new Owner's to do if they wish.
For more information about Microchip ID and Recovery Registration please refer to our web page:
http://www.bijoupoodles.com/MicrochipID.html
EYES
................................. "Sophie" Puppy Eye Color is green .... "Sophie's" Adult Eye Color ~ Correctly ~ Dark Brown
All puppies have blue or greenish colour eyes when they are young, just like human babies.
Eye colour upon maturity will be any shade of brown, with the preferred being darkest of brown.
Poodles will not have blue or green eyes upon maturity.
Poodles like humans will have eye gunk every morning that will need to be removed.
You can use your finger nail, or you can use a warm moist face cloth. It is important to make sure
to remove that eye gunk so the tear duct does not get blocked and cause infection or blocked tear duct
Your Poodle puppy may also get discharge from their eyes that is clear or thick and gunky even greenish
this is "usually" an allergic reaction to rag weed pollen and grass pollen.
You can clean daily with warm damp face cloth making sure to gently get all that discharge out of their eye before it dries.
You can avoid this reaction by NOT going in long grassy areas or bushes where pollen is more active.
If your puppy does end up with a blocked tear duct your Vet should easily be able to flush for around $75.00
Colour of the Puppy's eyes may be blue, green, yellow when young (just like human baby's change)
They will change to Amber, light brown or dark brown colour and could even be a pumpkin colour. AKC Poodle Breed standard states: Brown and cafe-au-lait Poodles have liver-colored noses, eye-rims and lips, dark toenails and dark amber eyes.
In the apricots while the foregoing coloring is preferred, liver-colored noses, eye-rims and lips, and amber eyes are permitted but are not desirable.
Darker brown eye colour is the preferred colour for the Poodle breed standard.
You can read more about Colour breeding here: Colour
Pups/Dogs can also suffer from Entropion (eye lids roll inward), Ectropian (eye lids roll outward),
Distichiasis (Extra Eyelash(s) And Trichiasis (ingrown eyelashes). A vet should be consulted in all cases
where a dog's eyes are irritated to find out if the cause is physical or environmental and to provide relief
to the dog and prevent permanent injury.
(Poodle with seasonal allergy)
Some Poodles will suffer from seasonal allergies which can even last all summer
just like some humans suffer from allergies.
To reduce reaction owners can keep their poodle's muzzle shaved short with a #10
to allow eyes to drain properly, wipe eyes with warm moist facecloth 2x a day, usually just morning
prevent their poodle from running through long grasses and pollen filled brush during allergy season.
In general, though, the earliest spring pollens are the tree pollens, followed by grass pollen (which lasts into the summer).
!!! I DO NOT ADVOCATE GIVING DOGS PILLS !!!! for a natural body reaction and they can get "rebound" effect after a while.
HOWEVER...
Some dog owners will use an antihistamine for quick relief such as Benadryl
(or a generic equivalent) from the drugstore is inexpensive and effective.
Dosing is usually 1 mg per pound of dog weight, two or three times a day.
Tavist or its equivalent is also safe for use with dogs
(1.34 mg twice a day for dogs under 30 lbs., and 2.68 mg twice a day for dogs over 40 lbs. are the recommended dosages.)
Your vet may prescribe Atarax or another antihistamine. PLEASE DON'T PILL YOUR DOG...
When allergists talk about seasonal allergies, they are usually referring to seasonal pollens. But insects are also a seasonal issue.
Summertime is bug season and when the temperature hits 80 degrees F and the humidity hits 80% mosquitos and fleas start to "pop."
These pests bite and their saliva gets injected under the skin. The body reacts to these alien proteins and the skin becomes inflamed and itchy.
Advantage, Frontline Topspot and the new Revolution, are all very effective and safe for dogs with allergies.
Frontline also works on ticks. Revolution is even better, killing ticks, ear mites and the mites responsible for that
itchy skin problem and even demodectic mange (balding areas). Revolution also replaces heartworm preventive.
We don't advocate the use of toxins, but an owner has to weigh the pro's and con's for themselves.
NOSES
..
....
...
Pink nose........................................... Winter nose.............................................Liver Nose.............................. Correct Black nose
When Poodle pups are born they may have no pigmentation (pink noses).
ALL NOSE COLOURS ABOVE, ARE ACCEPTABLE AND CAN, AND HAVE, BEEN SHOWN TO CHAMPIONSHIP
Black eye rims, lips and noses are just preferred.
Red Poodles are born with pink noses (no color or pigmentation).
Shortly after being born their nose colour can fill in with color.
Sometimes it can take up to 7 days for the color to come in "if" the noses are going to be black or liver colour.
Occasionally Reds may have pink noses or "winter" noses, which are noses not "completely" filled in with color
which you can read more about on this web page we have on Colour Breeding AKC Breed Standard states:
Brown and cafe-au-lait Poodles have liver-colored noses, eye-rims and lips, dark toenails and dark amber eyes.
Black, blue, grey, silver, cream and white Poodles have black noses, eye-rims and lips, black or self colored toenails and very dark eyes.
In the apricots/red while the black coloring is preferred, liver-colored noses, eye-rims and lips, and amber eyes are permitted
but are not desirable. Major fault: color of nose, lips and eye-rims incomplete, or of wrong color for color of dog.
You may also find that your dog's nose may become dry and cracked. You can apply the liquid from a Vit E capsule to moisten the nose leather.
Also giving orally a salmon, fish oil, or cod liver oil capsule will help with dry cracked nose leather.
I have often used Blistex "DCT" that i use on myself for dry lips on their noses with overnight results.
Best option to prevent skin issues is to feed a properly formulated RAW food.
FEET
.....
.....
Ivy with no winter boots and after playing outside .......Rollin's Poodles............... Chico with coat and boots outside
.........
We often get asked about "puppies feet" and if they need to wear boots.
In the summer, NO because that is how dogs sweat. HOWEVER always test the surface of
of the road or sidewalk before taking your dog for a walk as some days you can fry an egg on it.
So in winter with the salt people apply to sidewalks
it might not be a bad idea. Just try touching the salt used on sidewalks with your bare hands to see.
My preference after doing a lot of research, is the Outdoor Neoprene Orthopedic High Performance Shoes / Dog Boots.
These shoes are the ideal rain and snow shoe, as well as being perfect for water sports and protection from wounds caused by dragging paws.
They are orthopaedic and recommended daily by veterinarians worldwide for paw injuries and to comfort hip dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy and arthritis .
This is the shoe of choice for walks, sporting activities in water and in the winter season.
Of course if you don't wish to don booties on your dog you may wish to consider some protective "balms"
such as Musher's Secret, Udder Balm (make sure all natural), or Paw Balm.
This will provide a temporary "barrier" for your pet's feet from the burning salt.
Make sure you keep hair under the paws trimmed short so they do not collect snow balls which will irritate the skin.
You may also notice your poodle gets dry itchy skin in the winter. It is important that you make sure the poodle is dry after being outside
and you can also use a specially formulated shampoo to help dry skin, such as "vet solutions aloe & oatmeal shampoo"
Of course adding coconut oil or similar product into an adult poodle's diet will also help with coat and skin condition.
You may also wish to consider a safe salt-free Ice Melter such as Safe Paw or "Qik Joe Safe Pet ice melt.
There is this newer product I have not tried but I do like the concept
as seems more effective for coated breeds to stay clean and dry
And it is Canadian Company: Muddy Mutts Coats
https://muddymutts.ca
Flat Feet
Flat feet is NOT common and I have only previously seen this in
my friend's English Bulldog puppies that also had rickets.
However one of my Puppy people emailed me this photo. UPDATE Turns out the photo was with their puppy sitting and sliding on the floor, not flat feet.
However I thought I would still leave this information here for those that have winter climates.
Keep the nails SHORT... we trim our Dog's nails every Sunday. Sunday is "nail day". Doing this will help.
However "flat feet" is caused from Vitamin D Deficiency. Most often pups raised
in the winter months are at risk of this, because couples that both work day shifts, let their puppy outside
first thing in the morning and then when they get home from work. Puppy never seeing sunshine,
to absorb needed Vitamin D naturally through sunlight. A solution for this is get the puppy out in the sunshine
at least 3x a week and you can do this by hiring a Dog Walker
or asking a family member to let them out at lunch.
Treatment for this, is administering Cod Liver Oil 2x (to possibly 3x a week) for 3 weeks duration.
0 - 20 lbs - 1/4 teaspoon, 20 - 45 lbs - 1/2 teaspoon, over 45 lbs - 1 teaspoon
WHEN IN DOUBT CONSULT A VET…a FARM VET THAT HAS PRACTICED FOR OVER 20 YEARS
EARS
Ear illustration
Ear infections in one of our pups, newly arrived in their hew home.
This will NEVER I repeat NEVER happen.
If your vet says "puppy has an ear infection" ask him to prove it.
What gives him the impression that puppy has an ear infection ?
Please remember these are people that you are employing
to work for you, towards the betterment of your pup's health
they better know the difference and sadly many do not.
What specific signs did they see and have them write this down tell them that
you wish to send this letter to the breeder so for them to be specific
Chances are they will switch their story …
Just a story to prove my point…
I had one of the vets in the office tell me that one of my poodle adult
had an ear infection and he would give me antibiotics… I challenged him
knowing that they do not… I said for him to tell me why he thought infection…
He looked shocked I would ask and hummed and hawed and then said "oh I meant dirty ears"
Well yeah HUGE difference. My dog did not need medication. this scared me to think that one
of my puppy people could have had this vet and heard this misinformation.
My pups receive an International Health Certificate which means the ears
were perfect when seen by the vet and of course myself when we are grooming them the night before.
Please do not fall prey to a Vet scam of getting money from you on the sale of antibiotics
one less thing for poor puppy's body to fight with after the stress of leaving home.
Signs of a puppy ear infection would be:
a horrible make you gag, stink you can smell from 2 feet away
green or yellow milky discharge
ear canal would be sore to the touch and swollen.
Ears will make squishy noise when you massage
They will shake their heads as if to get the gunk out
Puppy will cry out when you touch the ear
On the left is a very dirty ear (NOT INFECTION) ……… On the right is an ear after being cleaned
Dirty ears are a different story… that can happen with wax build up..
and you will see black/brown or reddish dirt on a cloth slightly dampened (not dripping)
with witch hazel, or mineral oil, when you clean them out.
that is wax, not infection.
Signs of dirty ears are:
Black or dark brown dirt like matter on the flap of the ear
dark brown waxy substance that will come out with ear cleaner ( of witch hazel, or mineral oil, or even cleaner you can purchase, on a cloth)
this is a mild example of the dark brown black wax that will come out when cleaned
Dirty Poodle ears is VERY VERY common because it is difficult with the shape of Poodle's ears
for wax to drain out. Hairy ears is another barrier to wax draining.
Do not pluck ALL the hair out. Only enough to make the ear a bit cleaner
You will often find black waxy substance and may even find a plug formed by wax build up on hairy ears.
Waxy or dirty ears is very different from an ear infection or yeast infection in ears.
Dirty ears just need to be maintained by cleaning when ever you notice build up, with a mild product such as witch hazel or mineral oil
ear on the left is basically impacted with wax and hair (again NOT an infection) …. Same ear on the right after hair is removed and cleaned
RED POODLES WILL NOT HAVE EAR INFECTIONS !!!!
Have I stressed this enough ? Reds can get dirty ears.
So clean the dirty ears moistening a soft cloth or cotton ball with mineral oil or witch hazel
or ear cleaning solution and only cleaning where you see. Do not put anything down the ear canal on a red.
I was once told "do not pluck hair" as it creates a mode for infection.
On reds do not pluck hair. Browns will usually need their ears plucked.
Today I pluck hair as some of my brown poodles have REALLY hairy ears and it can create a wax built up hair plug.
When grooming I reach in with my fingers and feel for any major clumps of hair and use a
Hemostat to grab only where my fingers can go an where I can see and I pull out those clumps of hair.
I remove excess hair and take special ear cleaner bought from the Vet clinic…
or mineral oil or witch hazel and apply inside the ear canal.
massage well starting at the VERY base and massage upward with the goal to massage gunk and liquids up and out
for at least 30-60 seconds and wipe away any liquid that comes up with a cotton swab or with a soft facecloth.
if you don't feel you are doing this correctly they have your Vet do this for you.
Groomers that have been trained properly sadly this too is a lost art, will be very skilled at removing excess ear hair
as well as excreting anal glands (YES this needs to be done) at every groom routinely.
So ask your prospective groomer about this and you may just end up going to the Vet for cleaning.
NEW as of 2021
Zymox® 0.5% Hydrocortisone Pet Ear Solution
If your puppy has an ear infection as diagnosed by a Veterinarian
you would always be wise to get a "culture" of that ear to see what
product will resolve the infection, instead of trying many and getting frustrated.
In 2021 one of our puppy people did this and they discovered that Zymox over the counter
ear ointment would work ! So I bought it and tried it on one of my brown girls that
has been treated several times and IT WORKED !!!
This product is unique in that you apply to DIRTY EARS !!!
NO CLEANING BEFORE APPLYING, and use for 7 days each morning.
To make sure to get the full dose fully in the ear I did use a syringe (without needle)
to draw the solution up and get deep into the ear. You can order this on amazon or petsmart.
$$ Dogs that are groomed properly and fed RAW will USUALLY never have ear infections $$
Yeast infections are probably the most common type of ear infections in Poodle's.
Because Poodle's have long ear canals that can hold water after a bath, swim, or run through tall, wet grass.
Add to this a floppy ear that prevents good ventilation of the ear canal and you have a warm, moist, dark environment in which yeast thrive.
The more moisture yeast get, the worse the infection will be.
An excess of wax build up may plug the ear and cause infection,
foreign objects caught inside of the dog's ear,
untreated ear mites or cleaning too deeply can all be causes.
Air needs to get in those ears and moisture needs to stay out.
It is also believed that feeding a Poultry diet can make yeast issues worse.
The most common food solution we hear over and over is RAW Diet no feathered proteins
or, for those wishing to feed kibbles (despite this slowly hurting their dogs)
Find switching to a Fish or Venison diet such as
Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance® Venison and sweet potato
which has a graphic on their bags to signify that it is for allergies
and now Costco carries a diet called Natures Domain Salmon and sweet potato
or Kirkland Signature Lamb, Rice & Vegetables Adult Dog Food (note: Lamb blocks digestion of Turine)
We have had a brown poodle that could not tolerate any poultry.
Make sure if you switch diets and stay on the new diet for 2-3 months to ensure a good evaluation
to see if a food allergy is the cause.
2015 we had one of our puppy people contact us about their 2 year old Poodle having
what they believed were seizures, around the same time as they were doing yearly vaccines, heart worm, flea/tick medication.
We of course immediately assumed vaccinosis and sent them off to speak to Dr. Jean Dodds an expert in the field.
Assuring them that we do not have seizures in our lines and we do only breed parents DNA tested clear of Neonatal Encephalopathy with Seizures
the owner agreed to speak with a professional about what else could be the cause of this sudden onset of loss of balance, disorientation
head tilt and irregular jerking eye movements. The specialists seemed to agree that the Poodle had an inner ear infection, called
"vestibular". Causes of vestibular disease include middle or inner ear infections, drugs that are toxic to the ear, trauma or injury,
tumors and hypothyroidism. Their Poodle will be treated with appropriate measures for his ear infection and should recover fine.
I'm adding this information here for future reference, as it is something I had not heard of before.
Tail and Dewclaw
Our pup's tails are docked and our dewclaws removed 1-3 days of age.
On occasion a dewclaw may regrow or be missed or a nub may be in it's place.
This is OK and will not cause any issues.
On ocassion when we dock our tails a bit of a boney nub may remain
which is not an issue and will not cause any problems and should NOT be
touched by a Vet for any sort of "correction" .
you can read more about tails on this link. http://www.bijoupoodles.com/tails.html
TEETH
(Puppy getting into trouble)
Pups teeth a TON and that is why
you will need to provide toys and substitute slippers and hands for appropriate
toys.
....
Baby teeth fall out at 3-4 months of age............ Adult teeth that have come in perfectly
Adult teeth will come in all on their own, you don't need to help the puppy with this
unless you notice an baby tooth staying in place with the adult coming in beside it (rare but may happen).
You may not even notice the baby teeth starting to fall out as pups generally swallow them, or you may notice some bleeding which is ok.
Occasionally pups might have missing teeth, again no big deal.
Young pups pay also have a slight overbite (overshot) that should correct itself by 1-1.5 years of age
...
(Neelix baby tooth going into gums)..............(Neelix adult tooth which came in perfectly)
Occasionally baby teeth may be misaligned, narrow base jaw and even seen cutting into the gums
as in photos above. But adult teeth will usually come in perfectly
at around 4 months of age, and may take up to 12 months to properly align, so DON'T PANIC.
AND do NOT have a Vet pull baby teeth out, do surgery or worse... recommend braces on puppy teeth !
I personally would find a different Vet if my Vet suggested surgery or braces on puppy teeth. RED FLAG.
You have to think that that baby tooth grew in gradually and the gums shaped around that tooth gradually to
accomadate that tooth. Puppy is not in pain from that tooth going into the gums and when the tooth falls out the gum
will simply fill in again with no issues.
As the adult teeth come in, the puppy might experience redness, swelling and irritation of gums THIS IS A NORMAL PROCESS !!!
Just like human babies experience when teething.
You can help puppy by providing delectable chew toys, Elk Antlers (split), nylabone keys
as well as rope toys or such that have been soaked in water and then frozen and given to puppy.
Owner of the puppy you see in the puppy teeth photo: "Here are some pictures of the tooth. The teeth sure grow fast.. the top canine is now completely out
and the baby top canine is gone already.. bottom one should be going soon.
Thank you so much for your help. I was starting to worry about him
thinking I should take him to the vet because it looked so weird.
Neelix is a very happy boy. Oh buy the way thank you for suggesting the key chew toy
he loves them and is always chewing on them"
Kathleen and Neelix
...
"Beau" getting his teeth brushed
Some people will brush their Poodle's teeth and tongue daily
Supplies available at Petsmart or your Vet
Myself I have just started scaling my own dog's teeth when I noticed tartar build up in 2014
Hopefully I will add a video to the web page on how I am doing this but for now this below video is good:
This poor girl "Pyro" was foaming at the mouth and both cheeks were inflamed and bleeding
and had white ulcers lining her mouth and throat. She was having difficulty swallowing
and was in great pain. This happened over a 24 -36 hour period
It was a contact reaction, to either eating a toad or chewing on a cow hoof (from pet store)
that had some toxin on it.
$150.00 bill later the vet said he had never seen this before and hoped that
Antibiotic, Prednisone and Pain medication would see some relief in 24 hours
and thankfully it worked like a charm, or time just healed the exposure.
The vet was concerned it was an viral
disease if it did not resolve quickly or a poison she had gotten into.
We declined blood work at this stage, which was a wise choice as it did clear up.
Submissive Urination
When you get your new puppy, they may have submissive Urination.
I talk a lot about being the Boss and being a good Pack Leader and physical Correction.
However this is one case when THERE IS NO PUNISHMENT OR CORRECTION.
Instead you need to learn to not be excited and have low energy around puppy and be LESS dominate
this means if puppy pee's you say nothing and do nothing but leave the area and clean up
when puppy is not looking or around. Puppy will outgrow this as they gain confidence
of what behaviour is desirable and pleases you.
So it is imperative that as soon as you get puppy you show them how to fetch or sit
because they will learn that this makes you happy and they will offer this, instead of peeing.
Submissive urination is a dog's uncontrollable, instinctive reaction to the presence of
another dog or human that they feel is superior or is intimidating to them.
It is a subconscious response that cannot be controlled. It is not a housebreaking issue,
although it is more likely to happen when the bladder is full. It can often be a reaction to
a specific action such as putting a leash on the dog or simply leaning down to
stroke him. Cesar Millan's Tips
Excited Urination
Excited Urination is different to submissive peeing, in that a puppy will usually grow out of this reaction.
Submissive urination, however, often has to be overcome though training.
The good news for you is this Excited Urination usually happens to puppies under one year of age,
and they will usually grow out of it. The bad news is it’s not going to happen overnight. These are the dogs that pee while playing, when you come home, or when people visit.
To help your puppy with this issue try keeping all playtime outside, or on a specially prepared area
of newspaper and puppy pads. This way, if there is a little accident
due to over-excitement, it doesn't have to be a big deal.
When there is an accident, just as with submissive peeing, do not reprimand or punish your pup.
NEVER coddle or baby talk or say “it is OK” to your puppy as to do so will reinforce this behavior.
Simply clean it up quietly and leave the puppy (or dog, if this is happening with an older dog) alone.
Give your puppy treats or praise when it pees in the correct place, and keep all greetings to a minimum.
You may even want to ignore the dog when you arrive home. Does this seem cruel ?
It's not really, as it gives your pooch a chance to calm down on its own. Ask guests to do the same.
When the dog pees while out on walks, give it praise and treats. The same goes for when the dog pees in designated areas
(which is not the rug or the designer bedspread). All these things
should not only help your pooch break its habit of peeing when excited,
but will also help you to cultivate a calmer, more confident dog.
A urinary tract infection (UTI)
2013 Because I'm known at work as the "dog lady" I get co-workers approaching me
with all their doggy problems. One thing I hear on the increase with all breeds/mix breed puppies
is they are all having bladder infections or leakage.
At first I thought it was poor training and we would go over the need for water and constant potty opportunities
not to let the puppy "hold it" too long and to ensure the puppy always had water available.
However I was recently sent an article about the new additive being put into dog food called acid whey.
acid whey is the bi-product of the production of greek yogurt and companies need to dispose of it and dog food is the answer
which has me suspicious that something bigger as afoot… like all the food now containing this
high acid greek yogurt bi-product now being dumped into dog food for protein filler.
A urinary tract infection (UTI) or Bladder infections, can cause a dog to void small amounts of urine frequently.
In addition, a dog who has a UTI might engage in excessive licking of his genitalia.
Causes can be that the owner is not letting puppy out enough to pee and the puppy is holding it too long
Pups need to pee every 2 hours at least when initially coming home, as much as possible.
Another cause might be overuse or misuse of antibiotics (see under ear infections).
Regardless once puppy has it, we need a treatment.
First thing would be to not use antibiotics, but instead try using cranidine cranberry extract
You can find most supplements on www.amazon.com
Antibiotics can cause Diarrhea and or GI Upset and Bladder Infections
Also make sure puppy has plenty of exercise and play time to strengthen muscle development.
Most bladder issues that are physical in nature will resolve themselves with puppy growth 6-7 months of age
A puppy kept caged or in the house will also not grow and develop properly.
Always have water available except at night time when sleeping if puppy is not provided with a toilet area
Diet… switch to RAW. I can't say enough good about RAW diet it really resolves ALL issues, usually
caused by the feeding of kibble. Kibble causes so many problems in our Poodles.
However if you insist on feeding kibble then Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Limited Ingredient
might be an option.
IF you insist on using an antibiotic, you may then engage in a no problem-problem game
In which you resolve one issue and cause another, so to avoid this combine antibiotic with a probiotic
such as Fortiflora which can also be found on amazon web page.
Hopefully the provided information assists you. Make sure you also do not scold puppy if they piddle as they have no control
Toilet training will have to be delayed until the issue is resolved. This does not mean you can't potty puppy often enough
to have successes and opportunity for positive reinforcement by way of verbal praise and or treats.
Pelvic Bladder
Posterior displacement is observed in intact and neutered dogs
though it is seen with greater frequency in intact female dogs less than a year in age.
Often referred to as pelvic bladder, this condition is characterized by the movement of the bladder
from its usual position, which can then lead to urinary problems. Posterior displacement of the bladder
in dogs is a condition wherein the bladder is displaced from its usual location due to
genetic abnormalities, lifestyle factors or masses in the abdomen.
Symptoms of Pelvic Bladder in Dogs Some dogs are asymptomatic (have no symptoms at all)
and others may suffer from any or all of the following:
Urinary incontinence (dribbling urine)
Straining to urinate Inability to pass urine
or only passing small amounts Urinary urgency Red
irritated skin near the tail or underside of belly (urine scalding)
Skin inflammation around the genital area
Fever, if infection is also present
Types There are three basic types of posterior bladder displacement:
Congenital disorders of the bladder and/or urethra Lifestyle factors Masses in the abdominal cavity
CLEAN your dishes and do not use plastic dishes as they harbor bacteria.
Water should be changed out daily and available when puppy is not in cage at night time.
The Critical Fear Periods in Puppies:
• Seven to Nine Weeks
• Four to Six Months
• Approximately Eight to Nine Months
• Approximately Twelve Months
• Approximately Fourteen to Eighteen Months
During these periods, puppies may show fear of items, situations or people
with whom they
formerly felt safe.
They may start barking at people entering a house or become fearful and
startle at benign items like trash cans, firehydrants, drainpipes or even yard gnomes.
They may crouch,shake and try to run away, submissively urinate or, tell the scary
thing/person to go away by showing an aggressive display, which may include snarling, lunging
or other unruly behavior. You must be patient during these periods and keep to a familiar routine.
These are not good times to introduce your puppy to new situations or people.
NEVER give punishment or reprimands and especially never coddle or baby talk to a scared or aggressive puppy.
It is vitally important that you understand that your dog is afraid and
that you add to the problem when you reprimand or punish or comfort a scared puppy.
This compounded fear, in turn,
can set the dog up for future aggression problems.
If you must introduce your puppy to new situations during these periods, do so slowly,
with good-tasting treats, so that he or she does not experience fear.
Control situations so that you can prevent a fearful response and show your puppy that you enjoy the situation.
Make sure you keep your leash slack with a “U” in it so that puppy will know you are
Confident. Tight leashes or the action of pulling puppy into you, teaches puppy that
you are scared and they should be too, or that they should protect you.
We will bring small tidbits of dried liver to give strangers to feed any scared puppy we have.
During this time we never speak to the puppy, matter of fact we ignore the puppy
completely and let them get a reward from these scary strangers.
When people visit your home during these periods, put your puppy in another room until
visitors are settled in, then bring your puppy out and tell everyone to ignore the puppy.
Following are some tips to help your puppy or dog get through these frightening fear periods:
Remain as Calm as Possible
If you are overly concerned or just a bit tense about your dog acting fearfully or defensively, rest assure your
dog will perceive it. Don't put tension on the leash, get tense or talk to your puppy. Stay relaxed and loose.
Pretend it's No Big Deal
Your dog feeds on your emotions. Relax, make sure your leash is slack and walk around the scary
Object, kick it make a confident statement such as “oh this is just a fire hydrant, silly dog”.
Puppy will pick up on your confidence. Never ever ever ever ever baby talk or console
a scared puppy or tighten up on your leash.
Socialize, socialize, socialize
Fear periods are part of a dog's developmental stages. The more your dog is exposed to stimuli and learns
there is nothing to be scared about, the more confident he will be in the future when he will encounter
anything intimidating. While the window of opportunity for the puppy socialization phase closes at
around 14 to 16 weeks, socialization opportunities should virtually never end.
Don't Punish or Comfort the Fearful Puppy or Dog
Last but not least never punish or coddle the fear. It is appears that the majority of dog aggressive displays
are due to fear; therefore, by punishing the behavior you will be only exacerbating the fear.
Ignore the fear and let your dog build confidence by letting him investigate things on his own with NO TALKING,
when he is ready. The reason I say no talking is that Human timing is so very off and we end up praising for fearful behaviour.
While behaviorists have studied fear periods for some time, it is important to keep in mind that they may not
occur within that exact time frame for each puppy. If your dog is going through a fear period,
keep in mind that it is not the end of the world. With guidance, desensitization, socialising,
being a good Pack Leader your puppy or dog should recover nicely with time.
VULVA DISCHARGE
Vaginitis (catch all phrase for any vaginal discharge) is normally found in female puppies from 4 - 10+ months of age (until they are mature)
and although it is often treated as an infection which it is not,
it is simply a condition caused by the normal sloughing off of cells and part of hormonal and developmental changes.
I will not use any antibiotics internally for this problem. This symptom alone, is only a temporary condition and will pass as she matures.
For sure trim the hair around the area, so that it is easier to keep clean.
Dr. Hutchinson, one of the top reproduction specialist in this country says "Puppy vaginitis is a NORMAL mucous production in young bitches
before they are physically mature. The total treatment is warm water on a cotton ball and wipe the vulva to clean.
These females DO NOT need to be on antibiotics it is not an infection at all, usually it is worse when the humidity is high.
PENIS DISCHARGE
...
(this is one of our males as a puppy. This was not treated and resolved all on it's own)
Male pups will often have this yellowish/greenish discharge coming off the tip of their penis. This is commonly called smegma.
Smegma is a normal preputial dischage of mucoid glycoproteins and dead epithelial cells that collect under the prepuce and can look like pus.
This is normal …NORMAL.....and should be LEFT ALONE…or just be cleaned during a bath by rinsing out with water (douching the prepuce area).
If gets worse, starts to smell, or puppy is VERY bothered by it, then consult with a FARM VET with over 20 years in practice and no school bills to pay off
LUMPS AND BUMPS
Lipomas
The Poodle breed is very prone to having fatty lumps called Lipomas, just fat deposits under the skin
This can happen at any age and they do not need to be removed.
They usually bother the owners, and what I suggest is that if you have the teeth cleaned
while your dog is already anaesthetic to get it or any lumps that bother you, removed at that time.
On occasion Poodles may get ingrown hairs, or even sebaceous gland cyst's which are like human pimples
and can be excreted by you and area cleaned. Ingrown hairs can happen when being clipped or if shampoo is
not getting all the grease cleaned.
(1 year old with wart on her lip, One week later, the wart fell off on it's own)
NEW 2016
Canine Papillomas (WARTS)
After 30 years I thought I had heard of it all, NOT !
We took back a 1 year old, poodle who had been very abused and came with a ton of emotional baggage.
After 2 weeks we could finally groom her and discovered this wart, so adding this to our web page.
Papillomas are benign clusters of abnormal cells caused by the papilloma viruses
cauliflower-like skin and mouth lesions in dogs. These viruses tend to affect three groups of dogs:
young dogs who get outbreaks of oral papillomatosis, immunosuppressed dogs and older dogs who grow warts as they age.
Oral contact is the most common means of transmission among dogs.
Canine oral papillomatosis typically occurs in dogs under two years of age
because they are immunologically naïve as compared to adult dogs.
A young dog’s immune system is immature and inexperienced, so he's more likely to develop papilloma lesions
because his body isn't yet capable of mounting an effective immune response to eliminate the virus.
Canine oral papillomatosis in young dogs often spontaneously regresses after a few months
when the immune system eventually kicks in, recognizes the problem, and RESOLVES all the oral warts on it's own.
Unfortunately, many veterinarians play on the fear pet owners have of cancer with remarks like
"Ooh, it could be something spooky. We’re not quite sure what it is."
And many veterinarians recommend that all skin lesions, even benign skin tags and certainly benign papillomas
be surgically removed. After all, the veterinarian makes good money removing these benign skin tags and warts.
Sebaceous Cysts
If you discover a sebaceous cyst on your dog, there's no reason to make an emergency visit to your veterinarian.
Sebaceous cysts can occur in any breed of dog. They also occur in cats, but much less commonly.
Like the other lumps and bumps, sebaceous cysts are benign and nothing to worry about in terms of cancer.
They occur under the skin and they generally behave in one of three ways:
They erupt
They get walled off
They resolve on their own
If a sebaceous cyst erupts, it means it came to a head, opened up and the contents oozed out.
Sometimes these eruptions can lead to infection. The ooze is usually a fairly gross material resembling cottage cheese
or sometimes a thick, black, waxy looking substance.
In the above photo the owner had squeezed the cyst several times over weeks, causing it to implode (rare to happen)
While not infected the open area didn't dry up and heal for 4 weeks and surrounding tissue had hardened.
This owner opted to have the cyst removed under "LOCAL" anaesthetic, resulting in a 5" incision and a $90.00 Vet bill.
If you find an erupted sebaceous cyst clean. Disinfect several times a day and prevent your pet from licking the area.
Most of these types of cysts will heal on their own if they are regularly disinfected and not fussed with by your dog.
If sebaceous cysts under the skin become walled off, which means they feel like little peas just leave them be.
They will not go away because they are walled, but your dog's body will just ignore them.
Dogs prone to developing sebaceous cysts can acquire them at any age and they can reoccur throughout your pet's life.
Photo of one of our Red male puppies "Fritz" who had these odd lumps on his groin area
Owner wrote to me to ask if it was a result of neuter (which it was not)
Vet thought some form of cancer and had scheduled a Biopsy and further surgery to remove $$$$
Knowing this was not the case, I thought might be sebaceous glands aka pimples out of control
However, one of my breeder friends I showed the photo to (I will network with knowledgable poeple for you)
knew immediately it was BOTFLIES !!!! Botflies proliferate by laying eggs on blades of grass, or in nests
where they hatch releasing maggots that crawl onto the skin of the passing host. YIKES RIGHT ???
Maggots were removed and Fritz, is on his way to good health and no costly biopsys or Chemo !
FLESH EATING DISEASE IN DOGS
Flesh Eating Disease mimic Kidney Failure
The disease, also known as CRGV, causes skin sores and then sudden kidney failure.
If the infection is spotted early it can be easily treated and the dog will make a full recovery.
Huw Stacey, head of clinical services at Vets4Pets, said:
"Most commonly these sores are found below the elbow or knee and appear as a distinct swelling, a patch of red skin or are open and ulcer-like." Read more
Hematoma
Lump the size of half a tangerine on a Poodle puppies bum
This mass was sent to a pathologist as owner was worried it would be cancer.
The result came back that this was a Hematoma from impact injury
that would absorb on it's own but owner chose to remove.
This was a result of an unwitnessed injury, possibly from falling off of a grooming table
(always groom with a grooming loop/noose on your puppy)
or running with other dogs and ramming into a tree.
Another cause, is if a dog is sitting on a hard surface, so the body creates it's own cushion.
Many dogs do love to sit or lay on a cool cement patio.
GROOMING
Your puppy will have had 2-3 baths
and been blown dried during their stay with us.
Your puppy has had their paws under pads and anus area clipped and are used to the clipper.
You may clip them any time you feel it is needed after you receive them.
Your puppy is VERY used to being groomed.
Your Puppy's nails have been clipped weekly.
To learn how to clip nails or dremmel nails please view our instructional videos on our Grooming Page
When grooming be very "matter of fact" do not baby talk to them or comfort them as this will
create behaviour problems for you and your groomer down the road.
Your puppy will have had their anal gland excreted (yes this should be done and no it will not create problems later in life)
and toe nails dremmeled
short weekly and on the day you got your puppy. I know that your puppy will probably have peed in their cage and of course will have that newspaper
smell, if puppy was shipped to you.
We use newspapers in their carrier during shipping, as it is very
absorbent and will wick away moister better than material or blankets would.
You can bath your puppy when you get home although the following day would be
better for the puppy.
You can use Pantene Shampoo or other human shampoo
but make sure 100%
you rinse it all out or will cause skin problems and make sure 100% you do not get water in the ears
and after you take cloth and dry the ears out well. Refer to our Grooming web
page for more details: http://www.bijoupoodles.com/Grooming.html
If you wish for your red and brown pups to keep their vibrant red coats then use a colour enhancing
Shampoo or conditioner such as specially formulated Canine ones or Pantene for Brown or Red Hair.
In the summer you can also apply sun screen (spray) to prevent your brown coats from getting red highlights
and your reds from fading.
Interesting to note that diet has an effect on coat colour and pigmentation (nose colour).
Diets containing Iodine (found in kelp or other sea vegetation sources) is said to darken coats as well.
Your puppy should not go to the Professional Groomers until they have had their 3rd set of vaccinations UNLESS you are going to stand there and make sure puppy doesn't come in contact with other
dog's feces or use a communal water dish.
HOT SPOTS
Hot Spots or "Acute Moist Dermatitis" Can be caused by many things.
In long coated breeds such as the poodle, hot spots can start from moisture
being trapped under a matted coat. DO NOT allow your puppy's coat to be matted.
Hot spots can also be caused by irritation from razor burn, improper drying of a heavy coat,
or a dog that is wearing a wet collar which will irritate an area.
The typical hot spot in poodles may start as a scab and can be mistaken for a bite
or a small injury that has scabbed over. This quickly gets bigger within the day, or even the following day.
The pet eventually removes all the hair from the affected area, irritating the skin, and causing a secondary bacterial infection.
The lesion can be very painful and typically gives off a foul, necrotic odour.
This is usually when the owner will notice a red, moist, area that may be secreting fluid.
Treatment for the hot spot should begin as soon as possible with the area being clipped free of hair
and cleaned with hydrogen peroxide (3%) or another antiseptic.
Fucidin Ointment (fusidic acid or sodium fusidate topical) prescribed by a Vet also works very well.
Oral antibiotics are often necessary to control any secondary skin infections.
WE USE good old fashioned Listerine (original) poured over the area 2x a day
This will usually clear the area up if applied, as soon as you notice it.
When I travel I always bring a bottle with me just in case.
The best way to avoid hot spots with poodles is to make sure and dry the coat thoroughly
especially on those hot humid days, brush regularly to avoid any matts
and if you notice any scabs treat immediately with an antiseptic such as Hydrogen Peroxide.
Some puppies may experience allergies. I have found that anxious, higher strung owners are the usual cause
for pups stressing and causing puppy's stress to show by skin problems.
That being said, some pups may exhibit skin allergies because of environment (chemicals on bedding or carpet, pesticides)
If environmental issues are not the cause then food needs to be considered.
Many people find Dick van Patten's Natural Balance wheat free will resolve food allergies.
Some breeders recommend Nu Vet Supplements to resolve coat and skin issues
and almost everyone including myself agree BARF or RAW diets are the best for dogs. UPDATE: in 2013 our Poodles had very bad dermatitis after being bathed. We found out that Griminator shampoo that we had been using
along with another high end show shampoo was causing allergic reactions in dogs. We stopped using these high end shampoos
and our dogs have been fine since. In conclusion I believe that if your poodle is having allergic reaction that all sources of contact
and ingestion must be ruled out as a possible source, when such an issue arises.
BROKEN BONES
This Poodle has a broken toe that was cast.
Bijou Poodles does not recommend any of their pups have a cast for broken digits.
We have even had our show pups with fractured femur from jumping off of a deck not be cast
and heel all on it's own, maturing to be a Grand Champion. With a broken digit there is no need for an Xray for a
knowledgeable Vet to diagnose and certainly no need for a cast and for certain NO PAIN MEDS.
We recommend if a vet tells you anything different that you RUN to find a Vet that has a better knowledge base
and or less of a desire to pray upon your emotions, milking you for money.
Your puppy/dog will have to be kept from running by being leash walked to potty for 6-9 weeks
No playing or rough housing of any sort for those weeks, until the injury heels.
We say no pain medication, because by experiencing discomfort the puppy will limit themselves from further injury
If there is any signs of infection of course you might need some antibiotics or raw honey application.
We say no wrapping or Casts because they can cause more damage and grief, with possible dermatitis under the bandage/cast
as well as causing puppy to have unwanted weight on knee and hip joints as well as injury from improper body mechanics
Just have to think of how many humans you have seen with "toe casts" ?
Refer to the page Vet Rip Offs for more information
ACL INJURY
Just like human athletes, our Poodle companions can tare an ACL from doing sharp
cutting corners usually playing with their canine friends in a dog park
or being hit from the side like a "football" injury.
We have only experienced this in the 1990's with one of our American Bulldogs
that was playing hard with one of his sons and got sideswiped. We called around for the cheapest
but also experienced surgeon and discussed options on the procedure. This cost me $600.00 back then.
My Bulldog had a fantastic quality of life after, even being #1 in Canada 4 months later.
I kept my boy either beside me or in a cage and I walked him down a ramp to the grass to potty.
That was his life for maybe 3 weeks after surgery.
The above photo was of "Winnie", who lives in New Brunswick and this is what the owners
had to say about doing the surgery
"Yes I would do the surgery again if I had to.
Winnie does quit well she is still the fastest dog on the block and she has no lack of confidence.
She is just limited on change of direction. We have a great life together. I think she was a good weight and size for the surgery.
I believe the surgery cost $1500.00 dollars. Still waiting for the Vet to email me the exact details.
If your friends do go through with it, plan for 2 weeks very limited activity, which can be challenging when the dog was so active before.
I had closed off area close to a door outside with carpet to the door way, so no slipping and a ramp for her to get down to the grass.
They should plan for someone to take time off it is quit an adjustment, they lie down most of time.
Winnie did not have a collar or bandage, all stitches were inside and were dissolvable.
So you need lots of bones, chew toys, etc. I followed the Vets instruction sheet.
Winnie and Walter are great dogs, they are such special dogs, you should be very proud of your breeding programs at Bijou Standard Poodles.
If there is ever anything you need please let me know.
All the best Ryan Side Note Today there are a lot of after surgery aids to help anyone with their dog's recovery
I have used Canine Massage, Canine Chiropractor, and Canine Acupuncture for "maintenance" on my Racing Poodles
If any older kid gets spayed, I use a Stiff collar instead of the big cumbersome Elizabethan Collars if they lick too much
so they can still eat and chew toys without being unable to fit through doorways.
Poop Eating
Poop eating. If a dog is eating its own feces, is called coprophagia.
Poop eating is both a normal and common canine behaviour and a harmless one.
There is no “cure” to correct this gross activity.
A couple of our adults do this only in winter time when poop is frozen.
The worst thing you can do with a young puppy that eats it’s poop is to make this
into a reinforced behaviour, by making it a game of keep away, or "eat before mom gets it".
If you engage in scolding or chasing you have just taught your puppy to eat poop routinely.
The best and surest way to prevent Poop eating is avoidance.
Pick up any feces in your yard. Clean up the yard daily, but do not allow your dog to watch you doing so!
Your pick-up efforts may be reinforcing to your dog.
This is simple to understand: Your dog is "picking up poop," and now it sees you doing the same!
What is it likely to conclude? Probably that you approve of, enjoy, and recommend this behaviour!
If the dog has an instinct telling it to "keep the yard clean," you are reinforcing it! Generally, the less you are associated with the feces,
the less likely the dog's original urge will be complicated by owner attachment, reinforcement, or attention-getting.
Re-evaluate your dog's environment: Make sure she is getting enough mental stimulation, exercise, training, play, etc.
Boredom and stress are definitely contributing factors in many cases of coprophagia.
Keep your dog on a leash and walk away from the poo along the walks.
We’re (mostly) in control of this issue. Clean the litter box and yard; stay on leash
as much as possible.
There are food additives and diet changes that may help in certain cases but not usually so don’t waste your money.
Medical conditions can also be a factor so check with your veterinarian if it becomes a hard-core habit and or continues over into the summer season.
Don’t scold your dog when it does this. Remember, to them, you’re the one with the problem.
IF you have a dog that is persistant in eating feces then you may also wish to consult with your vet
about treating for whipworm. Some topical treatments may kill whipworms, regular monthly doses of Interceptor or Sentinel
are GUARANTEED to wipe out the new adults at the time of each dosing but they can live up to 5 years in soil or grassy areas.
Walking
Puppys
have what I call a poopy diaper walk just like human
babies until the mature and their legs come more underneath of them. Puppies
may also lay like frogs with their legs out underneath of them and this is
natural. Puppies have never worn a collar before the day you get them because
we do not wish for them to get injured by their siblings pulling on the collar.
You may notice them scratching at their necks because of this. It is not from
fleas because our dogs and pups do not have parasites. If you wish to test
this, just remove the collar and you will see the scratching stop. Pups have
also not been leash broke and will buck like a bronco should you try to walk
them for the first time. Collar and leash have been provided just to assist you
in safely controlling your puppy when you toilet them,
as they will run like a bolt of lightening when you least expect it.
NEVER EVER use a harness to walk your Poodle on. Harnesses are made for pulling.
We have great videos for training located on our obedience web page: OBEDIENCE
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE go to our OBEDIENCEPage and view the provided videos and tips that will help you.
However until puppy as had at least 3 vaccinations you should not take puppy to dog parks or areas of grass
where there could be stool holding Parvo virus to name one disease.
So make sure you take puppy to your coffee shop, pet stores, Home Depot.
You can also walk puppy on leash on any sidewalks where there is no feces for them to get into.
If you have friends that have dogs and they are up to date in their vaccinations, you can also go visit there.
You can also attend a Puppy Kindergarten class ~IF~ the trainer allows it. Again though keep away from grassy areas
and feces (poop) and do not let them drink out of Communal Water or stranger's treats (bring your own for people to hand puppy).
We use no-name chicken weiners cut length wise and then diced kept in a baggy.
Small enough to not be a meal and tasty enough to hold and get the attention of puppy.
OF COURSE... once PUPPY knows the commands the treats MUST GO... Training with treats causes HUGE problems
such as jumping, nipping and puppy walking in front of you. Puppy's mom and also Leaders of a Pack do not bribe their pack
to respect them or listen to them, they enforce behaviour physically by pinning or pushing
same as you are able to accomplish with a collar and a leash.
I often get asked about jogging with your puppy. As with humans you have to build up to distance.
Young pups should not be pushed or expected to run until they are fully developed.
The rule of thumb is five minutes per month of life, so if your puppy is 5 months old then 25 mins per day.
Walking is good exercise but you can do damage and cause problems to their joints which in later life
can mean arthritis if you over do it, and that's the same with any breed.
As with humans ligament and bone injuries can occur if you over do it.
NEVER EVER walk your dog when it is hot and humid outside. If the radio and TV stations are talking
about keeping animals and elderly inside that means "DO NOT WALK YOUR DOG OUTSIDE".
We have had people send us photos of dogs that have had burnt paws from walking on hot cement or pavement.
We have also had video sent to us of one of our pups walked in humid hot weather when there were warnings on TV
of the excessive heat, and they almost lost their dog to heat exhaustion. Dogs can only vent heat through their mouth
by panting for the most part, so they can't really cool down the same way humans do by sweating.
IF your dog is overheating put them in the bathtub or pool and cool their groin area and ears and hose them down if possible.
More information on Walking and Jogging with your puppy here
https://www.bijoupoodles.com/Jogging.html
SOCIALIZING
Socializing puppy is paramount. However until puppy as had at least 3 vaccinations you should not
take puppy to dog parks or areas of grass where there could be stool holding Parvo virus to name one disease.
You can ALWAYS invite people over to meet your new puppy and socialise your puppy from home.
Our mail carrier is often one of our best puppy Socializers, as is all delivery people, meter readers and friends I invite over.
We have a dog walker for when we are working our long shifts and I invite her over with her kids to also socialise the pups.
Well worth the small fee ($) to safely introduce strangers that I know are dog friendly.
If you wish to go out in public you can safely take puppy to your coffee shop, pet stores, Home Depot where there is no grass.
You can also walk puppy on leash on any sidewalks where there is no feces for them to get into.
If you have friends that have dogs and they are up to date in their vaccinations, you can also go visit them, or have them over.
Many of our "dog friends" have puppy parties or play dates that rotate homes and is fun for humans and puppies.
You can also attend a Puppy Kindergarden class ~IF~ the trainer allows it. Again though keep away from grassy
areas and feces (poop) and do not let them drink out of Communal Water or stranger's treats (bring your own for people to hand puppy).
We use no-name chicken weiners cut length wise and then diced kept in a baggy. Small enough to not be a meal
and tasty enough to hold and get the attention of puppy.
OF COURSE... once PUPPY knows the commands or goes eagerly to meet people
the treats MUST GO... Training with treats or using treats for reward causes HUGE problems
such as jumping, nipping and puppy walking in front of you.
Puppy's mom and also Leaders of a Pack do not bribe their pack
to respect them or listen to them, they enforce behaviour physically by pinning or pushing
same as you are able to accomplish with a collar and a leash.
Training New Puppy
I get emails all the time with questions of "how do I stop puppy from biting, jumping, barking"
While these are normal puppy behaviours that you will have to experience there are
techniques for dealing with unwanted behaviour. You will have to invest some time
into training the puppy what is desired behaviour through verbal praise "good puppy" or physical praise - a pat
and what is undesired through a growl like "NO", a scream, or physically through a firm restrain.
A person only has to see how mom disciplines her puppies, to get a good idea of the extreme force and firmness you need to apply.
All our training methods we impliment are listed on our web page so PLEASE PLEASE view all the videos
and read what I have taken hours to write, based on my years of learning and lessons which are outlined here:
Soft stools when puppy first comes home can be normal right now for a young puppy with so many changes happening ALLOW 2 weeks for puppy's GI system to adjust to your home !!
STOP ALL TREATS... ALL...
We may have administered a Vaccine the week they leave.
When they receive a vaccine gotta think that we are "infecting" them
it is as if they are now fighting the flu on top of everything else.
They also get taken away from their home, their siblings, the breeder. They get a new home.
This new pack is full of high energy, very exciting. They may get fed new food,
treats for the first time, new water and get a new bed and home.
I guess another way to look at it would be ... when we travel to Mexico for the first time how do we feel ??
What are our stools like ? Well a new puppy is under the same type of stress.
Do not be suprised if your puppy has loose stools for 2 weeks until they get settled.
ADULT DOGS:
One of the most common causes of diarrhea is intestinal upset.
A sudden change in the type of food, giving an unfamiliar treat, or feeding table scraps, stress of flying, can cause a bout of diarrhea.
Diarrhea caused by food changes or water changes (ie to well) can often be resolved at home,
so long as the diarrhea is not severe, and the dog continues to act and feel normally.
Withholding food for 24 hours will allow the dogs digestive system to settle down (while continuing to encourage water consumption).
After 24 hours, small amounts of a bland diet, such as white rice and chicken, can be offered.
If the diarrhea subsides, you can gradually place the dog back on their original diet,
and transition slowly to the new diet. If the diarrhea does not improve, or gets worse,
veterinary treatment may be required. Please go to this page to read more:
Information on Diarrhea
BLOODY Diarrhea
This is what my Poodles did on my patio. As you can see bright red blood
and bloody diarrhea. Now I don't usually freak out about things and I will NEVER
EVER rush a dog to emergency unless their "behaviour" is different.
My kids were the same, no changes so I waited this out until the following day
The next morning there was more loose stool and some blood but not a lot
As I was watching them play in the yard I could see Dare chewing on an old bone.
LIGHT BULB MOMENT... dogs eating cooked bones, are like dogs eating glass.
So I took the bone away and no more bloody diarrhea.
DON"T GIVE PUPPY COOKED BONES or they could splinter
Poodles and Water
: ...
Did you know Standard Poodles have webbed feet ?
Standard Poodles were originally water retrievers and enjoy the water
It is important to know the water that your puppy is playing/training in. Many parasites will cause diarrhea and worse. Blue-Green Algae which kills dogs that drink or contact the algae (Cyanobacteria). It is found in stagnant water and there is no cure.
Symptoms of Blue Green Algae Toxicity include: nausea, bloody diarrhea, pale gums, skin or eye irritations,
convulsions and, in severe cases, even death within minutes. When the nervous system is involved, dogs will develop muscle tremors,
labored breathing and difficulty moving. Blue Green Algae toxicity is often misdiagnosed as heart problems or heat stroke.
There are lots of photos and videos online so make sure to learn about this deadly toxin.
If your dog is experiencing Itchy skin after swimming this can be caused by Swimmer's Itch. If you are allowing your dog to swim in lakes or ponds it is paramount that you hose the dog off as soon as you can to prevent ingestion of parasites.
...........How to clean up Dog Poop
Products for cleaning Feces and Urine:
~ Complete Stain and Odor Remover from Home Depot
~ OUT! Oxy Stain & Odor Remover Spray
~ Odoban Pet from Walmart
Health Care
Your puppy will not have any vaccination prior to leaving our home.
They will have maternal antibodies to protect them until 16 weeks of age or until the first vaccination
This vaccination would be Vanguard® DA2MP containing:
Canine Distemper, Adenovirus Type 2, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus Vaccine
Ask your vet about the hazards of vaccinating against Lepto and Corona DO NOT DO IT
*Make sure to vaccinate on Monday - Thursday morning incase your puppy has an allergic reaction and you need a vet.
Vaccinations are spaced 3 weeks apart and never give rabies during the same time as a vaccination.
Click here to read more about Vaccinating and Flea, Tick and Heart Worm Products
Rabies is now a 3 year protection. This means after a rabies and then a booster the following year (2 shots) your puppy/dog
will not need another booster for 3 years, so make sure your vet marks that on your Rabies Certificate.
If you are unsure about this just ask to read the manufacturers literature that accompanies the Rabies Vaccine.
My Puppy is Anemic !
An anemic puppy is normal and called "physiologic iron anemia" in puppies 8-16 weeks old.
Physiologic means normal, expected to happen at this age. Seems it has a protective role against bacterial infections.
Since bacteria needs ferrum for growth. Technical web page reference. Techical Reference see page 55, down (right column)
There is a health risk when supplementing ferrum, as may be toxic and also increase the risk for bacterial infection. Technical reference
Thank you Dr. Hermann for this information
For more information on Vaccinations Heart Worm and Flea medication
For more information on Emergency Medical Care Click here: Poodle Health
BLOAT
We have never had any of our Poodles that live with us, have Bloat and or Torsion.
That means in over 25 years (since 1989) of owning a high risk breed that this fact is pretty impressive.
Some reasons may be that we "free feed" so our dogs never gorge when eating, we have water available 24/7
and we keep a routine of same time let outside to play and to retire.
Narrow Deep chested dogs are more physically prone to incidence of bloat and perhaps because
our poodles are wider more shallow wide chested might be part of the reason we have not experienced it.
Please refer to our BLOAT page to read more about
the risks and signs and symptoms of bloat and how to prepare should such an event happen.
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