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DPCA BREEDERS EDUCATION Q & A ARCHIVES |
If the ears are standing, leave them alone. Re-taping on ears that are standing does no good. If they drop, then you re-tape.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
Many young dogs toe out at around her age. If not too severe it will probably
correct itself when her ribs spring and her chest drops. It would be helpful to
know if her posternum was pronounced at around 8 weeks, and/or how her elbows
fit into her ribs at that age. It would be wise to just let her grow up for a
bit and see what happens - a rash judgement now could cause you to be sorry
later. On the other hand, look to her siblings and her mother and father and ask
her
breeder what he/she thinks and if they have had this in the lines....that will
give you a better idea of what to expect. Puppies can, and do, go through many
stages getting to maturity.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
NO! It is not alright to use any male with a missing testicle. The dog needs to
be neutered to remove the retained testicle so as not to cause health problems
later in life. The testicle exists, just not descended. This is a
disqualification for any show dog and the animal must never be bred.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
No you should never use this dog for breeding. It is a Disqualification in every
breed standard and by the AKC. Also, this would produce Cryptorchids. (two
missing testicles) and no dog could reproduce being a CryptoRCHID.
Make sure you have your dog neutered quickly as a testicle that is retained in
the abdomen causes cancer and the longer it's allowed to remain, the greater the
chance for cancer to occur.
No reputable breeder would ever try and breed a Monorchid (which is what you
call a dog with one missing testicle).
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
Insurance regulations vary from state to state, depending on the carrier. I can
tell you that my husband and I have had Allstate Insurance for over 25 years and
have never had an issue with the Dobermans. We live in Nevada. California and
the Carolina's seem to have the most restrictions. Just call the companies and
ask if they have "breed restrictive clauses" in their policies. There are also
some policies that allow for "riders" to insure breeds not otherwise covered.
Good luck.
Q: from Bridget Gallegos
Date: 28-Marcch-2008
Comments: Ear cropping
Just wanted to know what you suggest to help our fawn Dobie's ears stand up.
He's only 11 weeks and had the cropping done when he was 8 weeks and have taped
them twice. They just won't stay. Should we tape them again or give it some time
or maybe have them re-cropped? Any advice would be so helpful. Thank you.
A: from Marj brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Bridget,
Oh please be patient and plan on taping the ears until they stand straight up at
12 o'clock. It could take a few months of taping to have them trained to stand.
You will find that in the end you will enjoy your fawn puppy's ears standing
alert and tall for years to come.
For some taping ideas and help we have ear taping articles on our website here:
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/ears1.htm
I like article 11
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/ears11.htm
Eve Auch's ear taping method is good too.
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/PDF/Auch_Ear_Taping.pdf
Plan on changing the wraps weekly, clean the ears and if they are not standing
at all, tape them right back up. Don't allow the ears be out of the tapes if
they are not standing. you will have to tape a week for every day that the ears
are left down and not standing.
You may also be able to find a breeder near you that could help you or give you
lessons on taping methods.
Good luck and please be patient and plan on this taking longer.
Thank you.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
Your puppy is teething right now and it is almost impossible to get ears to stay
up at this age. Most pups have to be wrapped until at least 16 to 18 weeks -
some much more. Depending on the weight of the pup's ear leather, the length of
the ears, heredity from the parents, etc, etc, you just have to wrap until they
stand. You will probably see a big difference in a few weeks.
Q: from Denise Perkins
Date: 23-March-08
Comments: Color
If a Doberman puppy is born with a small white patch on the chest, regardless of
what the Standard says, (meaning this is allowable with the right measurement)
is there albinism somewhere in past generations?? This is a black & rust puppy.
Any help or reading info I would appreciate. I have been trying to read names in
the Z list. Thanks again for your help.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Absolutely not. Many Dobes have a small amount of white on chests. It usually
disappears with age. It has nothing to do with albinism.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Denise,
Judy Doniere will probably be the best person to answer this question with a
better explanation. This is how that I understand the albino and the "Z"
tracking. If you Doberman is registered with the AKC and there is a Z in her
registration number, it will mean that she has a albino dog somewhere in her
pedigree. The DPCA was fortunate enough to be able to have the American Kennel
do this "Z" tracking to identify the albino factored bloodlines.
I hope that this helps some and the Judy will correct any errors.
Q: from Bonnie
Date: 20-March-2008
Comments: Blown coat
Hi.
Two weeks ago, the last pups of my second litter with my bitch left for their
new homes at 10 weeks old. My bitch blew out her coat when the pups were around
5 weeks old (pups were completely weaned off her milk by 6 weeks). It has now
been 7 weeks since she started blowing her coat and I have not seen much
improvement. I feed her quality kibble, she also eats Nupro dog supplement and
salmon oil in her food. I gave her an oatmeal bath about 3 weeks ago. I also
took her to my vet 2 weeks ago and he confirmed it is a blown coat and I am
doing all I can. Any suggestions? Thank you!
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Bonnie,
It is very normal for a female to shed her coat after nursing a litter of
puppies for several weeks. It take at least 8 weeks for the coat to start coming
through the follicles and after that it goes quite quickly. Soon she should have
a beautiful coat. The suggestion would be to give it a little more time.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
I wouldn't worry. Many bitches blow coat and now is the time that many would
anyway but not as much. You sound like you're feeding good food and vitamins and
the Vet thinks she's in good health so you'll just have to waituntil the coat
comes back in. You might use a curry brush to take all that dead hair out
quickly and the new coat should come in quicker or at least look like it's
coming in faster.
Q: from Pallab Paul
Date: 12-Mar-2008
Comments: health
500 grams =00 ml. Thanks a lot for your advice. I have already started following
your recommended feeding instructions. But the only problem I am facing that my
dog just won't finish her meal totally. This may be due to the warm weather in
this part of the world. Is there any solution to this?
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
If she is eating but not finishing her food, try adding a little more to her
bowl and then she may eat the amount you wanted her to eat in the first place,
OR try the reverse and don't give her as much and make sure she cleans up her
food. Then try adding just a spoonful more at each meal. See if she will then
eat it all.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Paul,
Yes there is a solution to her not eating all of her food at once. She is eating
what she is used to eating so we need to trick her sort of speak to eat more.
You see, she is comfortable at the weight that she is carrying now so we need to
slowly get her to the weight that we desire and have her feeling good with this
weight.
What I do in this sort of a situation is to feed her what I know she will eat
for several meals. When she is routinely cleaning up her dish I start adding
just a little more, say 1/8 cup or a fist full to her meals. If she
eats all of it, then continue this for a bit and go up just a little more in a
few days until you notice that she is putting on weight, then stay at that
amount until she is at the weight that you desire. When she is there then drop
back to a maintenance level.
If she doesn't finish a given meal, then drop it back to the previous amount and
build it up again slowly.
I have a dog here right now that I am doing this with and he is gaining his
weight. He is a dog that eats less in the morning and eats more in the evening
so I feed him less food for that meal, but more food than normal in the morning
and more food than normal in the evening and he is cleaning up his dish each
time and he is at the desired weight now. The other day, he didn't eat breakfast
and I pulled it back to the original amount for a couple of days and this
morning he ate a bigger breakfast.
Also hand her food to her and go away and let her eat it alone. Give her a few
minutes to eat it and take it away.
Try this and let us know if this is working for you.
Again, I remind you that this take time and patience.
Continued good luck.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
We have extreme heat in Las Vegas during our summers and I change my dogs'
feeding schedule during the hot months. I feed them later in the morning so they
can have outside time first - that is their smaller meal during the summer.
I then feed about 8 or 9 pm when the sun is down and the heat has dropped. Also
add a little meat or fish to the food to entice her to eat.
Q: from Chris
Date: 10-Mar-2008
Comments: My puppy won't eat as much and lost a lot of weight. She is only 7 lbs
at 8 weeks old. She has solid stools with no worms and is still very playful.
What is the normal weight for a female at 8 weeks?
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Chris,
Yes your puppy is underweight or small for a 8 week old female puppy at 7 lbs.
Maybe you should feed 4 small meals a day for a while longer. Try to guesstimate
the size of her stomach and feed her that amount increasing the amount as she
grows. Her stomach should not be extended when she is finished eating. I assume
that you are feeding a kibble. Try adding a different suppliant such as
hamburger (the fatty kind is best if fed raw) or, yogurt/kefir milk or, a canned
food, or a whole egg or what have you in each meal each meal. Feed a good
quality kibble too. There are products that you can buy that will enhance her
appetite. You can ask at your local feed store/pet shop. Are you in contact with
your breeder? Your breeder should be able to guide you. It could be though that
your puppy is just a smaller refined Doberman too. If your breeder is not close
to you, take a look at our DPCA breeders directory and see if you can find a
Doberman person near you that can maybe take a look at your girl. To do this go
to
www.DPCA.org and scroll to breeder referral and
click and pick your state and take a look.
If there is nobody at home during the day you may be able to only feed her 3
times a day which is normal for an 8 week old puppy. Work you schedule to fit in
3 meals a day.
You may, if you haven't done so yet, take her to your veterinarian for a
physical too, just to be sure everything is okay.
I hope that she picks up soon and good luck with your new buddy.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
I would guess that a puppy bitch of 8 wks. would weigh approx. 12-15 lbs.
depending on the bone/substance of the pup. It's like a child. Some weigh much
more or less than others at the same age but still look in good weight. If her
ribs and hip bones are covered, she's in good weight. Try feeding her a diet
that has meat and try adding some evaporated milk and egg yoke and honey mixture
to her food and see if she eats it. If the Vet says nothing is wrong, she may
just be a picky eater.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
An eight week old puppy should weigh around 11 - 14 pounds and be well covered
all over the body. First of all I would go to whomever you bought the puppy from
and see how the other littermates are doing. Otherwise you need to get the baby
to eat well. I add meat to all of my baby foods by cooking hamburger and chicken
and mixing it in with the kibble. Perhaps the puppy does not like the kibble you
are feeding. I have found most pups like Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and
Stomach formula but any good quality kibble will do. Add the hamburger and/or
chicken ( I rotate protein sources and even add salmon). Give the pup yogurt or
cottage cheese in the food for weight gain. Go back to four small meals and work
down to three. I stop the third at about 5 months. Eating is a habit and the
more one eats the more one wants to eat - the less eaten then less one wants to
eat.
COMMENT: from Lisa Mallory
Date: 9-Mar-2008
Comments: health
Dear Marj,
Thanks for your informative answer about cardiomyopathy. I guess just facing the
fact that if I want a Doberman in my life (and yes, yes, yes, I do) that this is
something I must face makes me feel a little better. If I continue to study and
become informed I'll be able to make the correct decision. I am going to
subscribe to new Doberman Magazine and attempt to get the article you mentioned.
Thanks again.
Q: Pallab Paul
Date: 7-Mar-2008
Comments: Health
Hello Ma'am,
I am from India. And the major problem over here is that the beef that we find
over here are not properly examined before selling. I have tried feeding beef to
my Doberman. But twice I have found her getting infected by hook worms. So now I
give her a daily feed of 500gms of dog food mixed with fresh chicken (around
400gms). I also add some fresh vegetables and rice to it. This food is divided
in two parts. Is this quantity enough for an adult Doberman. She is a little
hyperactive and I give her moderate exercise. Should I add anything else which
will help in gaining her weight? Please suggest.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Paul,
Are you sure that the beef is how your girl is getting infected with hookworm?
I need to look up your grams to our cups. One cup is 250 mls. How much is 500
grams? Here I would try feeding her 11/2 to 2 cups of a high quality kibble per
meal soaked and mixed with the chicken (which is okay) and finely
chopped vegetables or cooked vegetables and brown rice well cooked. I would try
a cup of that so that you are feeding 21/2 to 3 cups of the mixed up well food
all together for one meal. I already suggested that you feed 2
times a day about 12 hours apart.
You can feed digestive enzymes like I suggested before to help with the
assimilating the food into her system.
I also suggest giving it time, say at least a month to see slight weight gain.
This does take time.
Hopefully we can get on the same page as to the amounts with you and your grams
and me with my cups. To help you further I need to get a hold of some conversion
tables.
Hopefully this will help for now.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
The diet you are feeding should deliver adequate nutrients for your dog. I am
not sure of the conversion in amounts, however feeding twice a day is the usual
accepted schedule for most American dogs. You can know if you are feeding the
correct amount and a balanced diet by looking at your dog - she should have a
cover over her ribs
and hip bones so that you do not see them, but should not have "rolls" over her
hips when standing or rolls behind her ribs when sitting. Her coat should be
shiny, slightly coarse and not thin, without an over amount of shedding. I can
and do vary the amount I feed each of my dogs daily depending on how they look.
I also run a complete blood panel on my dogs once a year to check that all
systems are normal.
Hope this information helps.
Q: from Lynn Morgan
Date: 7-Mar-2008
I am preparing to purchase a new Doberman puppy and am researching showing for
conformation (I currently know very little). I live in Southern Indiana, and
don't see extensive travel in my future. MY QUESTION: I am wondering if I can
expect to have a Dobe with natural ears do well in the conformation ring. I am
willing to crop, but I like the natural look, too. If it's going to be the
difference in finishing the dog or not, I'll opt for cropping. Thank you.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Lynn,
So far and to date there have only been two Doberman Pinschers in the USA that
have completed their championship with uncropped ears.
Our standard clearly states about the ears: Ears normally cropped and carried
erect. The upper attachment of the ear, when held erect, is on a level with the
top of the skull.
With uncropped ears, the judge could consider this a deviation to be judged to
the extent of the deviation in the ears are not cropped and they probably will
not be carried erect. If you are okay with having a cropped Doberman, I
would recommend this procedure for showing.
This my opinion and the choice is yours to make.
Thank you.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
The Doberman Pinscher breed ring is thought of as the hardest ring in which to
"finish" a dog. True or not, it is difficult and also expensive to achieve a
Championship today. One should have the best dog possible and It is hard for a
seasoned professional handler or top owner/handler to finish a natural eared
Doberman. Our standard clearly states that the ears shall be cropped and held
erect and that is what the judges look at. There are some judges who will put up
a dog with natural ears, and a few have finished in the States, but only a few.
You are much better starting with a cropped animal - just my opinion.
Good luck - it is a wonderful and fun sport.
Q: from Shane
Date 6-Mar-2008
My 11 week old Doberman has a cowlick on the back her neck. Is this normal for
Dobermans? Thanks for your time.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
Yes, it is common in Dobermans and readily accepted in the United States. There
are countries outside the US that disqualify a dog with a cowlick.
Personally, I love them and think they are "good luck".
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Shane,
A cowlick down the neck of a Doberman is fairly common. Cowlicks are acceptable
in the Americas.
Q: from Pallab Paul
Date 6-Mar-2008
Comments: Health
One of my Doberman females, aged 26 months, is having a weight around 30kg.
Though her height and weight seems to be alright she always looks very skinny. I
tried everything but failed to regain volume in her body. I am a bit puzzled by
the variation of suggestions from different people. As a novice I don't want to
do too much experiment with my dog. Is there anything to do with the bloodline
in this case. Is there any specific exercise or feeding guide which can help her
gain some volume. She is a local champion but with little volume in her can take
her a long way. Please help.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello,
You an try feeding her three times a day with less food per meal that I
suggested for the two meals. The satin balls are very good for what you are
trying to do. I don't see why that you can't make them with the ground chicken
or ground turkey rather than the beef. I forgot about India and the beef.
Just be patient and don't expect to see results really fast.
A: from Holly Schorr, Pennylane Dobermans, USA
Some dogs, like some humans, are prone to being thinner. However, I have found
that rotating one's protein source can largely affect the weight and overall
condition of an animal. Some dogs stay in better condition and weight with an
all or mostly protein diet while others thrive on large amounts of carbohydrates
- this is true of humans also. If you can rotate protein with chicken, lamb ,
beef and mix with vegetables and perhaps rice or pasta this should put weight on
your dog. I have also had success with feeding oatmeal to dogs who are
recuperating from surgery or need to add weight. They love it with a bit of
butter and sugar and it is good for their digestion. Yogurt is also very good.
Feeding four smaller meals will increase the appetite as the more one eats the
more one wants to eat and the less eaten the less one wants to eat.
You might also want to check they dog's thyroid as overactive thyroid can cause
the animal to be thin. I am sure you have checked for parasites but most vets do
not check for tapeworm - you might run that test.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Paul,
Can you tell us what you are feeding her now? I am afraid that if you ask 10
people what to feed your girl to have her gain weight, you will probably get 10
different answers. Have you tried feeding a digestive enzyme to help her
assimilate her food. Are you feeding her fresh beef? Have you had her checked
for parasites?
Are you feeding her enough and are you feeding her twice a day at least 12 hours
apart? Maybe controlling her exercise will help. Is she hyperactive?
You can experiment with the amounts of food that you feed and you can also
safely add ingredients to her food to help her gain weight. You just need to be
sure that you are feeding her a balanced diet. There is a recipe in our articles
section for satin balls that should help with weight gain. How about giving this
a try.
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/satin_balls.html
Please look for more articles about feeding on our website.
You will have to do whatever you do for a few weeks most likely before you
notice a difference. It takes a while for the diet to "catch" and once it does
you will notice weight gain quite rapidly.
You may want to cut back off some, not all, of the exercise until you notice a
weight gain. Take it slow and easy. You want to keep her fit.
If you want to share with us what exactly you are feeding her, maybe we can help
further.
Thank you and good luck.
Q: from Lisa Mallory
Date: 5-Mar-2008
Comments: Health
First of all, let me thank you for all the wealth of information on the DPCA
website. My husband and I have owned 5 rescue Dobermans over the past 20 years.
All but our current male, who is now 11 ½ yrs. old, have died from
cardiomyopathy. We chose those dogs because they needed a good loving home,
without regard for their health. In the near future we will be looking for a new
puppy. We've decided that we want to buy a pup that we can show in the breed
ring, as well as do some competitive obedience/rally/agility with. I've begun
researching any information I can get my hands on about dilated cardiomyopathy
in the Doberman Pinscher, and am now very concerned about finding a pup who will
grow into a healthy long-lived dog. I want to make an informed and educated
decision when purchasing a pup from a breeder (we will definitely buy from a
DPCA member on your breeder referral list), because a new puppy is a significant
investment in time, money and love.
What specific questions would you recommend asking a breeder about their health
testing protocols for cardiomyopathy? I have seen some dogs advertised in the
Doberman Digest and breeder websites as having health testing related to
cardiomyopathy (i.e. cardiac ultrasound and ECG). But what if I purchase a pup
by, or out of, a young/middle aged dog or bitch and that animal develops cardio
later in life? From what I've read a Doberman should have heart testing yearly
to detect problems that typically develop as the dog hits middle age or older.
I'm really concerned about how to make the correct choice in a breeder who
values correct structure and soundness, along with health. I realize the
Doberman has other health issues beside cardiomyopathy, however I feel much more
confident about dealing with issues related to hips, elbows, eyes, thyroid, etc.
Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated. As well as any guidance
as to where I might find more info on cardio (I've read everything I can find on
the DPCA website). Thank you so much.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Lisa,
I will try to answer your concerns in the way that I do as the puppy referral
person for my area.
Cardiomyopathy is a problem with our breed. We all share your concerns. First of
all you should interview the breeder as the breeder should interview you. In the
interview you need to ask if the parents are tested for all of the inherent
diseases that plague the Doberman which include at recent 24 Holter monitor test
and a echocardiogram by a certified cardiologist veterinarian. The other tests
that must be done is a DNA test for vWD (von Willebrands disease) and full
thyroid panel, the hips and the elbows x-rayed and a C.E.R.F. eye test. In doing
these test we can make informed breeding decisions about health and not breed 2
effected dogs together.
Just come right out and ask these questions about all of the testing. All of us
who do this testing are as concerned as you are about breeding a healthy
Doberman. We have documentation. I just got the results back on my 4+ year old
female from her 24 hour holter test. I will be doing her echocardiogram next.
I see that you have been reading and learning all that you can about the disease
and you have noticed the protocol of testing (holter and echo) each year. By now
too, many of us have at least 3 generations and some of us even more that have
been tested. I am guessing too that you have learned the mode of inheritance
with cardiomyopathy that is believed to be for Dobermans and that is it is
autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. Even with that we know that our chances
of finding a cardio free 3 generation pedigree where the individuals or their
siblings are free of the disease would be not possible. There is no bloodline in
the Doberman Pinscher that is free of cardiomyopathy that I know of. I don't
mean this to be the voice of doom. As you there are many studies being done to
gain more and more information about the disease. We have learned so much more
about cardiomyopathy in the last few years. We have learned of symptoms and with
the testing we can pick up warning signs and hopefully when we do, we choose not
to breed that dog.
You have probably read these two articles but if you haven't they can help you
with the history of our heart problems in the breed.
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/illena7sires.htm
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/bottles_neck.htm
We have a new Doberman Pinscher magazine that in the last issue has great and
in-depth articles about cardiomyopathy by Rod Humphries. Mr. Humphries shares
his experiences in his breeding program. He has done a lot of
research himself and has studied the history and he shares all of this with us.
You can get this magazine by writing The Doberman Pinscher Magazine (formally
The Doberman Ring) 4143 Milton Shopiere Road, Milton WI. 53563 or email Mike at
mike@dobermanpinschermagazine.com or call him at 608-868-1130
to get this issue (Vol. 1 issue 5, Feb. 2008).
I myself have decided that I always want a Doberman in my life.
I hope that this has helped you and if not please ask more questions.
Q: from Angela
Date: 4-Mar-2008
Comments: Feeding
I wanted to get your opinion on using elevated dog bowls. I have heard mixed
opinions.
Thanks!
A: from Holly Schorr
This is a subject that has long been debated. I have talked to many
professionals, both veterinary and canine, and some feel strongly one way and
others stand strong on their position. Personally, I have fed my dogs both ways
and cannot honestly say I see a difference. I have had dogs that "preferred" one
way or the other, but could not see any benefit or lack of either way.
Originally I believe this was started as a way to get less air into the belly to
prevent bloat. My dogs inhale their food no matter where it is located so up or
down never really affected them.
I believe one can manage bloat by simple feeding the dog in a confined area and
not allowing them to move, AT ALL, for at least an hour and a half. I have done
this for over 25 years and am happy to say I have not dealt with bloat.
Wish I could give you more definitive information but, as I said, there are two
trains of thought on the matter.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Angela,
I personally do not feed my dogs from elevated bowls to eat. I have always fed
them on the floor/ground. Like you say there are people that highly believe in
doing this. I have never had any of the problems that people can say happens
when you feed your dog in a bowl on the floor or ground. Dogs and cats too are
naturally built to be able to lower their heads to eat off of the ground. The
shoulder blades are spaced so that the dog can lower his/her head down to eat.
I hope that this helps you.
Q: from Pallab Paul
Date: 3-Mar-2008
Comments: Rearing Doberman pups
Please explain in details the rearing of the pups from day one till two months.
A: from Marj Brooks, Manorie Dobermans, USA
Hello Paul,
I would love it if you would please refer to our articles pages
for this information. There are whole books written on the subject.
I highly recommend doing what I call the Early Neurological Stimulation
exercises starting at day 3 through day 16. Here is an article about these
important exercises.
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/battneurostimulation.htm
Then click here for an article about the history and why these exercises are so
valuable.
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/battagliahiachievers.htm
We have another article, The Rules of Sevens that also is something that I can
recommend. Click here for this article.
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/ruleof7.htm
This article too is an excellent guideline.
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/superpuppy.htm
Now you probably want to know about weaning, feeding and all of the other
rearing that is done and we have articles about that too.
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/puppyadvice.htm
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/educate_pups.htm
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/happy_healthy_confident_puppy.htm
http://www.dpca.org/BreedEd/raising_a_puppy.htm
These are a are a few that I can locate quickly. Please scan our pages for other
articles that may help you. You can print these articles to have handy for
references as you go. Like I said, there are many books written on the subject
of raising puppies from day one to 2 months.
I am raising a litter right now and I just finished setting up a play yard for
them with tunnels and ramps and things for them to learn to climb and walk on
such as the A-frame and the objects that are on the agility course.
The dam and I teach the puppies to navigate these things. I also have several different types of toys for them. You will be amazed at how natural that they are to learn to do these things and how much they like it too. They were walking through the tunnel within a few minutes. Mom walked through and I said "tunnel" and they walked right through after mom as if they had been doing from day one. These sorts of exercise are called neuro linguistics and when they are doing these things they are exercising the left and the right sides of their brains sort of speak.
You didn't ask about the whelping and information about dealing
with the dam (mother) of the puppies during her pregnancy but we have several
articles with that information as well.
Rearing the puppies from day 1 to 2 months is easily an 18 hour a day job! If
you have specific questions after reading all of these articles please don't
hastate to ask. There is a lot to this commitment.
I hope that this is a good start in helping you.
When are the puppies due?
Thank you and good luck.
A: from Judy Doniere, Toledobes, USA
Please go to the
Article Menu to check out the many subjects we
have there. It would take me too long to go into detail. That is something your
Breeder should have done the day you picked up your puppy. If they didn't do
that, shame on them. You should have gone to the DPCA site earlier to find a
reputable breeder who would have done that for you and all the new owners of
their puppies.
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09/12/2008.