Bijou Poodles Helpful Hints
This is the feeding program I provide for my puppy buyers. Things may change as time progresses and we learn more, but for now this is a program that I have used for some time with success. I am not recommending this is the only way to feed/raise your dogs. It is simply my way and therefore what I recommend to my puppy buyers. 1. Do not let your puppy get
fat during the growth stages. They should be well covered
but lean until their bones set. Do not "limit" their food during feeding times. 2. No forced exercise, jumping, jogging, field training or road-work, until the dogs are 2 year old and the bones are set. Puppies are just that until at least 18 months of age, when dealing with the large breeds. They are fragile and need supervised exercise in a fenced in area or daily walks with you. The key is moderation and common sense in raising your puppy. For strong bones they need normal moderate exercise in order to develop the proper muscle to support the bone. A good rule of thumb on exercise is: 5 minutes of walking per month of life. If for instance your puppy is 3 months old, it could go for a 15 minute walk. 3. Your puppy should not be crated more than 4-6 hours at time during the course of a daytime, and less is better. This is their den, and never punish and then put them in a crate; it should be their safe place. Their crate should be in a place where there is family activity so they don't feel they are being punished. If your puppy is crated during bedtime, and in the day time, 12 hours of his day is spent in a crate. If you are working and out of the house more than the desired time please try enclosing an open crate in an exercise pen. This will give your pup a safe place to sleep, plus a place to use as a potty area. 4. NO FREE CHOICE FEEDING. (leaving food down all the time) This will create a toilet training nightmare. Remember what goes in needs to come back out 20-30 minutes later. AFTER your puppy is toilet trained "then" you can leave kibble down 24/7. 5. NO CALCIUM (MINERALS) OR VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS If you are feeding a "name brand/premium" dog food which is labeled AAFCO tested for all life-stages of the dog, you do not need to add supplements. In fact, to do so might throw off the balance of the food and you can do more harm than good. 6. Watch the amount of "treats" you give your puppy, the calories add up. Break the Milkbone into several pieces. Use carrots, a slice of apple as treats. This will not disrupt the balance of the diet nor add too many calories to the diet. If you need treats for puppy training,
use Cheerios. They're cheap and they don't add a lot of calories
when given. 7. Feeding Time: Allow your puppy a safe, non stressful environment to eat in. Try feeding in a crate. Allow 10 minutes, if they do not eat in that time remove the food, until next time. They will not starve, do not try to beg them to eat. You are developing a bad habit if you entice them into eating. Do not let them linger or be distracted. My dogs eat in less than 5 minutes. If they don't I know something is wrong. Monitoring their food this way is an excellent way of telling when they are not feeling well. 8. Always keep lots of fresh water available so the animal knows there is water around, and is less apt to over-consume. Some breeders withhold water to house break a dog. This is cruel and totally ignorant. It sets up bad drinking habits (gorging) and bladder infections, potential dehydration which can cause muscle cramping and potential bloating. 9. Amount to feed: This was discussed in your "Owners Manual". We want to use a moderate protein/fat/calorie food. A high protein/fat/calorie food does not mean a bigger animal. It may mean your puppy will develop nutritionally caused bone diseases (CHD, OCD or Pano). It is important these dogs grow slow and even, so the bone develops at the same rate as the muscle. If not they may have growth deformities and early arthritis. This is why we sent your puppy home on Kirkland Chicken and Rice and recommend its use. By the same token NO LOW PROTEIN/FAT FOODS, they are not high enough in calories.
10. Toys/Bedding: You have to think like a dog, which things are you more apt to get into trouble with here! I use fleece beds or towels for my crates. Never use carpet, as the pups are attracted to the glue and a continuous loop carpet can cause their bowels to strangle if they eat it. No cedar, pine bedding it causes allergies. No detergent, Carpet Fresh, Lysol, Murphy's oil soap, fabric softener or anything that is a pine derivative. You are asking for allergies. Wash bedding in a mild solution of bleach, it will dissipate when dry, leaving no residue. Same with cleaning crates, make sure you are well vented!! For Puppies No pig ears, rawhide, string toys, booda bones, booda velvet bones or cooked bones. Keep safe toys around so they are not eating furniture and your best shoes. My reasons for no rawhide chewies for pups are many. First, the majority are processed with lye, something your dog does not need in his/her stomach. Also, they are not digestible and can lay in the stomach or intestines and not pass through, causing an obstruction or causing pathogenic bacteria to grow. Something we do not need with animals that are prone to bloat and gastric torsion is encouraging pathogenic (bad) bacteria to develop in the gut. They are also a very serious choking hazard. So to be on the safe side, for nutritional and safety reasons, I suggest something other than rawhide chewies. As for pig ears/snouts/cow snouts and cow hooves. There are two reasons for not using these, Salmonella (bad bacteria) and the fact that the ears/snouts will splinter and can puncture an intestine and the same is for the cow hooves. Frequently, vets are removing them because they cause an obstruction. What is safe? Nylabone brand KEYS! Do not
use imitations or cheaper brands! You do not need your animals
gut cut up from pieces of plastic which is not safe to eat, Or Kong toys. 15. A word about Vaccines: We're hearing of more and more young animals suffering from a Vaccine reaction, also known as Vaccinosis or Vaccine Mediated Response. We follow the Jean Dodd Vaccination Protocol. We recommend our puppy buyers follow this protocol as well. Please make sure your rabies
shot is NOT given at the same time as the other shots and NEVER
before 4 months of age. This may be in direct conflict with
some state laws, but you and your vet must weigh the potential
risks on the delicate immune system of your pet. Many vets are
administering rabies at 10-12 weeks causing serious health problems;
convulsions, swollen joints, high fever, and loss appetite and
sometimes loss of life. Its not worth monkeying around with your
puppy's immune system. You have to make the decision but it is my suggestion, if purchasing a puppy from me, that you do not give Rabies along with the other shots and not before 4 months of age. The ultimate decision is yours.
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