It’s chowtime! - Puppy Feeding

Getting a puppy is not unlike having a baby. That cuddly little fur ball will be dependent on you for many years to come.

By the time you bring home your new four-legged friend, it would have been six to eight weeks old and weaned off its mother’s milk. Puppies should not be separated from their mothers until they are ready for solids. Like children, puppies need mother’s milk for the necessary antibodies.

Puppies are frisky little creatures who grow quickly, thus require more daily feedings, calories and nutrients than full-grown dogs.

You should seek advice from your veterinarian on the amount of food your puppy needs. Small breed puppies reach about 40% to 50% of their adult bodyweight within three months while a large breed puppy achieves that in five.

Feeding your dog table scraps teaches it bad habits, and could make it a finicky eater. You should provide it nutritional food, at the same time and place every day.

Generally, a pup under six months will require three to four feedings a day. At about six months, feeding frequency can be reduced to twice a day. Do ensure an adequate amount of fresh water is available at all times.

It is also a good time to cultivate good eating habits in your dog at this stage. You should feed your puppy at the same time and place each day. It helps its digestive system and makes for good housetraining. Your puppy’s diet should be consistent too, with the same brand fed every day.

If you wish to change the brand of dog food, do it gradually over a period of about a week by overlapping the new and old brands until the old one is phased out completely.


Allan

Getting your dog

There are several means of acquiring a dog. You can buy the puppy from breeders or pet shops. Alternatively, you may want to adopt, and local pet shelters will be very grateful to you for that.

Where your dog comes from can determine its habits. For example, dogs acquired from pet shops may be cooped up in a cage or showcase the same place where they eat, defecate and urinate. It will certainly take some effort to break that habit. Also, as the parents are not present, you won't have an idea how your puppy will look like when it grows up.

When buying from a breeder, don't hesitate to ask questions and check if the environment they have been living in is well kept. Having registered Malaysian Kennel Association papers helps ascertain the puppies lineage, and reduces the chances of inbreeding.

Overall, when choosing from a litter, keep an eye out for the puppy's responsiveness. Check its paws, snout and overall build, and look carefully at its mother. Your puppy will inherit many of her features.

When you bring your puppy home for the first time, let him sniff the surroundings and familiarize himself with the place. It can be disorientating to be taken away from mommy, brother and sister for the first time.

Do expect some whining and wailing because of loneliness for the first few nights. Be patient and be there for your puppy; he will appreciate it and soon get accustomed to his new home.  


Allan

Breed poser

If after running through the basic questions, you figure you can afford a four-legged (I mean your dog) addition to your house, then the next thing is to determine what breed suits your needs best.

For the past 500 years, humans have purposefully set out to create breeds that could aid them in specific tasks. Hence, each breed has its distinctive character.

Do you want a dog for companionship purposes or for specific reasons, like a working dog? Since most of us aren't likely to be shepherds or go on foxhunts, you're most probably want a dog you can play and bond with. Some may decide to keep dogs for a sense of security from intruders. These dogs can develop an aggressive nature, if trained. You must understand the breed's temperament well and how it should interact with family members and strangers.

Some breeds, usually the larger ones, require a lot of exercise; so be prepared to take them for regular walks and runs.

You may also want to ascertain if the breed does well with children. Some are better than others but the dog's interaction with children also depends on the child. Rough treatment could provoke fear and result in a growl or bite. It's important not to leave a small child alone with a dog.

There are also differences between males and females. Males are generally more dominant and self-confident, while bitches tend to be more affectionate and home-loving.


Allan
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Know what you're getting into

But before you acquire a puppy dog, know that this is a big step that will change the way you live for at least the next 10 years.

Sure, it's inspiring to see your friend's dog do the sit-stay-roll-over-and-play-dead routine, but don't think you can achieve that overnight. Like bringing up a child, keeping a dog is a huge responsibility. The difference here, of course, is you can choose the kind of dog you want to have.

There are several pertinent questions you must ask yourself. For instance, where is your life headed at the moment? It's certainly going to be hard to find your dog a new home, if there's a high chance of you being posted abroad.

Similarly, it is not going to be good for your dog if you are away from home half the time because of career obligations.

Do you have others in the family to share the responsibility of caring for your puppy? The early stages of a dog抯 life requires attention if you want to have a healthy and well-behaved adult dog. Being very social animals, dogs even adult ones that are left alone for long periods can become lonely and destructive. So don't blame your little pooch if he reduced that wonderful new suede couch of yours to shreds while you were away for two weeks.

What about your financial standing? Remember that having a dog means feeding it right (bigger dogs require more food), regular visits to the vet, surgical fees for neutering or spaying, etc.


Allan
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Finding a best friend - Your Dog

Chewed up slippers, nauseating poop, hair in your coffee, unearthed lawns, sleepless nights, mounting vet bills . . . why would anyone want to have a dog?

There are many reasons why we humans willingly put up with the hassles that come with dog-owning. Perhaps, it is Man's long history with dogs. The Canis lupus familaris (domesticated dog) that we know today owes much of its characteristics to a 14,000-year Endeavour on our part to tame the wolves of the wild to guard, herd and hunt.

The result is a species with social cognition far superior even to the chimpanzees, our closest relative. With their heightened ability to take cues from humans, dogs have the capacity to develop a special bond with their owners in a way that can only be surpassed by humans. This trait lends depth to the term man's best friend?

For many urban dwellers, having a dog as a pet can be hugely rewarding. In return for the care and shelter they get, dogs provide fun, loyalty and companionship. What could be more gratifying than coming home from a stressful day at work to a friend who just can't hide his delight at seeing you at the door?

Allan
PetCare Rx - Save up to 50% of your dog medicine here

Dog Training -- Never Hit Your Dog

Dear Adam:

I will try and make this short and include only the details I think will help. I HAVE read the entire book on line. I will pick up all of the tapes along with the book when I come to USA in May.

I live in a third world country. Most of the dogs here are wild, mixed breed or mistreated.
We went to another part of the country to obtain a pure bred dog. He is bred to guard sheep... an older breed and very large. Our dog is 9 weeks old and most of the time is good... just regular puppy stuff.

My problem is that I cannot obtain a pinch collar or anything else for giving corrections until I come to USA in May. Sometimes our dog is very aggressive if wanting to do opposite of what we want. Seems he is challenging more often and with greater aggressiveness...snapping and biting. These dogs here are very UN-domesticated! Any suggestions on how to give a correction with hitting? I growl, spit in food. Don't have kennel or crate yet. Need to find materials and build one...difficult here. Help.

He is smart and I don't want to give up yet, but I feel like I am doing everything wrong without proper correction tools. Thanks in advance.
- Paula

Dear Paula:

Never hit your dog.

I have no idea why you cannot order dog training supplies from somewhere in Europe or have them shipped from America?

But regardless, hitting your dog is never appropriate.

In the meantime, you could go to a hardware store and make yourself a make-shift slip collar from either chain or rope. And improvise either a cord or rope as a leash. However, I’d probably be remiss in stating that this should have been something you thought about BEFORE buying a dog.

Regardless, it is possible to train a dog without the proper tools. But it’s a lot harder… especially for a beginner.

In the meantime, if he nips at you, you should say, “No!” and then grab the scruff of his neck and give a firm, quick pull and release. You may also try grabbing his ear and giving it a quick tug/pull.

Neither of these techniques are optimal. But given the circumstance, it’s the best I can recommend.
Also, please be aware that you should only be correcting biting and for housebreaking. Don't start formal obedience until the dog is 4 to 4 1/2 months old.

Good luck,
- Adam G. Katz
Author of Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer
All of the tips, techniques and secrets are revealed in a step-by-step, easy to understand format. This info-product is one-of-a-kind and not found in bookstores. Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer is one of the most popular dog training downloads on the internet with thousands of copies sold.

Hello Dog Lovers!

More tips on raising dog will be posted soon.
Watch out!

Allan
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