Turtleheadfred
03-29-2005, 01:12 AM
1. Do not let your puppy get too heavy during the growth stages. They should be well covered but lean until their bones set.
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, especially 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) Some dogs over consume, some pick all day long and don't ever get hungry enough to consume the proper amount of nutrition necessary.
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, and refrigerate 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. Most dogs eat in less than 5 minutes. If they don't you 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 people 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: Better to see a thin puppy during growth than a roly-poly one. 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).
NO FEEDING A FOOD WITH A FAT CONTENT ABOVE 15% as they promote accelerated growth. 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 many puppies are started on Eukanuba puppy food 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! Use fleece beds or towels for 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!! Use only dog shampoo, nothing else for a bath. 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.
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, especially 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) Some dogs over consume, some pick all day long and don't ever get hungry enough to consume the proper amount of nutrition necessary.
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, and refrigerate 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. Most dogs eat in less than 5 minutes. If they don't you 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 people 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: Better to see a thin puppy during growth than a roly-poly one. 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).
NO FEEDING A FOOD WITH A FAT CONTENT ABOVE 15% as they promote accelerated growth. 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 many puppies are started on Eukanuba puppy food 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! Use fleece beds or towels for 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!! Use only dog shampoo, nothing else for a bath. 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.