Sick Dog (what to do)

No energy OR slow reactions OR shaking/stiff? (THIS IS VERY SERIOUS) Lethargic episodes can be caused by many factors.

1.  Squish a tsp of Raw Honey or Karo Syrup on your finger and apply to the roof of your puppies mouth.

Give your puppy some Braunschweiger, it is found in the sandwich meat aisle. I have never seen a puppy refuse Braunshweiger….so if he still refuses, try to warm it up a little bit. Another option is to syringe feed your puppy some yogurt. Anything to get sugar and calories in his body is the goal.

2.  Immediately get your puppy warm with a heating pad or heat lamp, 80 degrees is perfect.

3.  Feed him the Braunschweiger every 4 hours until you can convince him to eat mushy canned dog food.

Replace his water with Pedialyte during this time, you can syringe it into his mouth if he is still refusing to drink on his own. I personally do not dilute Pedialyte with water during this recovery phase, in 24 hrs I would dilute 50/50 for a few days.

4.  See your Vet for further instruction/exam to figure out the cause of the Lethargic Episode.

Won’t Eat? (are they drinking water?)

1.  Squish a tsp of Raw Honey on your finger and apply to the roof of your puppies mouth. Do this every 24hrs as Raw Honey is filled with antioxidants and provides several vitamins and minerals.

2.  Give your puppy some Braunschweiger, it is found in the sandwich meat aisle. I have never seen a puppy refuse Braunshweiger….so if he still refuses, try to warm it up a little bit. Another option is to syringe feed your puppy some yogurt. Anything to get sugar and calories in his body is the goal.

3.  Once your dog will lap food/water on their own. Feed him the Braunschweiger every 4 hours until you can convince him to eat mushy canned dog food.

4.  Add a couple pours of Pedialyte to their clean water.

5.  Now evaluate what was working best and keep doing it until you can sneak enough dog food back into their food. See vet for further instruction/diagnostics of why he refused food.

Constipated?

1.  Check to make sure no poo dried on their butt and plugged them up.

2.  Give your puppy a 1 tbsp of canned pumpkin once a day for 3 days.

3.  Grind up ½ cup of their puppy food in a coffee grinder, add 1 cup of warm water and mix. It should be very watery and resemble tomato soup. It will thicken on its own.

4.  Add Pedialyte to their water. See vet for further instruction/exam.

Diarrhea? (CAUTION-ENSURE THEY ARE HYDRATED AS DIARRHEA WILL DEHYDRATE THE DOG FAST!)

1.  Give your puppy a 1 tbsp of canned pumpkin once a day for 3 days.

2.  If he is also dehydrated, which is COMMON with diarrhea, pinch his skin above shoulder blades. If it is stiff and doesn’t spring back down then he is dehydrated and must have water. Slowly syringe (without needle) 3cc of Pedialyte/Water mix every ½ hr, careful not to cause them to inhale it.

3  Many factors can cause Diarrhea, common factors are….New Home, missing mom, stress, car rides, change of diet, change of factory formula in their food itself, ingesting dirty water, ingesting poo, dog treats, different water formula (we only feed bottle water to our puppies), canned dog food, mushy food. Not common factors would obviously be disease, parvo, and such…if it is something like that you would have blood in their poo and really serious conditions going on. I have never seen such a disease myself so if you receive our puppy he hasn't been in the vicinity or around other dogs then this wouldn’t be the culprit.

Vomiting? (CAUTION-ENSURE THEY ARE HYDRATED AS VOMITING WILL DEHYDRATE THE DOG FAST!)

1.  Add a couple pours of Pedialyte to their clean water bowl OR Syringe (without needle) 3cc of Pedialyte mixture every 1/2 hr.

2.  Every 4 hours feed him Braunschweiger and a couple tablespoons of Yogurt. Give him a tsp of Raw Honey to add more nutrition to his diet. See vet for further instruction.

 NOT do the following:

NO treats

NO collars - only harness

NO table food

DON’T introduce your new puppy to people….let him settle in their new home.

DON’T let others pet your puppy, you don’t know what germs they have…or even if their pets have issues….

DON'T let your puppy pee or smell grass other dogs have been in, he could pick up diseases.

DON’T take him to stores, pet stores, groomers, until he is fully vaccinated. Refrain at ALL costs.

DON’T let him walk where other dogs have been like a park, he can pick up diseases.

Refrain from playing to much with your new puppy as they really don’t have very much room in their body to store the calories needed, this is why they sleep so much. If your puppy plays too much and then starts acting “zombie” like it is possible they are falling into a hyperglycemic situation which could lead to death within hours. If you feel this is happening, call a vet immediately and then call us. Administer a tsp of Raw Honey and follow the steps listed under WHAT TO DO, at the top of this page. 

Always make sure your puppy has fresh water and a clean water bowl. Sometimes the food they spit out in their water can dissolve and cause a situation. If their water bowl is mounted to low and they accidently poop in it, and if they drink it they will get Giardia which you would have to treat with Safe Guard 10% at a dose of 0.2 per lb of puppy for 3 days or other recommendations from your vet.

Always keep poop and dirty puppy pads cleaned up as if they eat it, they will get sick with Giardia or other illnesses.

Never hit or scold your puppy, a dog doesn’t understand what you are saying, but they do understand your emotions of happy, sad, or disappointed. If your puppy makes a mess and you want them to know it is not okay, then show them with your emotions. Never abuse your puppy. Rewards with treats go a looooooong ways when teaching your dog.

If something in your life changes and you need to rehome your dog, at whatever age. Please call us as we know of great homes that would gladly take any age of dog.

Ensure that your yard or area your puppy will play in is secure, not only from escape, but also from allowing a bigger passing dog to enter and attack.

If you have other pets in the home, make sure your puppy has it’s only little safe space that it can escape to.

Feel free to call The Puppy Ark at ANY time for anything! Illness or just recommendations we are here to help!

Nebraska Department of Agriculture Recommends to Spay and Neuter your puppy!

To spay or neuter your dog or cat is good for your pet’s health, for you as a caring pet owner, and for your community. Health Benefits Spaying/neutering offers a variety of medical benefits that helps your dog or cat live longer and remain healthy. • Spaying reduces the chances of females developing mammary tumors and eliminates future uterine infections and uterine and ovarian cancers. • Neutering of males reduces the likelihood of prostate disease and eliminates the risk of testicular cancer. “Early-age” spaying/neutering is medically sound and can be achieved as young as eight weeks of age. This assures your pet will not accidentally mate and can also prevent some undesirable habits from forming. Consult with a veterinarian about all of the benefits of having your pet spayed/neutered and the appropriate age for surgery. Learn how easy it is for you and your pet. These surgeries require minimal hospitalization. Behavioral Benefits In general, spaying or neutering means you should enjoy a calmer and more even-tempered, people-oriented pet. • Spaying females eliminates the nervous whining, yowling, pacing behavior normally associated with a heat cycle. • Neutering male cats reduces or eliminates territorial marking (spraying of urine on surfaces). • Neutering also reduces excessive aggression in dogs and cats towards other animals. • Spaying/neutering of males and females reduces the desire to roam in search of mates. There is less risk of injury from traffic accidents or from fights with other animals. • Spayed and neutered pets are more likely to adapt well to human households and turn their attention and affection towards their owners. Community Benefits Spaying/neutering prevents unexpected or unwanted reproduction, often the cause of homeless animals and the reason for higher costs of animal control and the need for animal sheltering programs. Spaying/neutering reduces a dog’s or cat’s desire to roam, resulting in fewer traffic accidents and neighborhood complaints of nuisance animals. Being a responsible pet owner includes: • Establishing an ongoing relationship with a veterinarian; • Understanding the benefits of spaying and neutering; • Complying with local laws covering: o Licensing; o Vaccinations; and o Leash laws. • Taking precautions to prevent your pets from roaming free in the community; • Assuring that your pet is not responsible for unplanned or unwanted offspring; and • Learning about and providing overall good pet care and training for dogs. Your veterinarian plays a key role in your pet’s continued good health. Regular check-ups, vaccinations, and spaying/neutering are all part of responsible pet ownership. If cost of spaying/neutering is an issue, many communities have established low-cost spay/neuter programs that make the surgery affordable. To locate a low-cost provider, check with your local animal control agency or humane society. Dog licensing involves more than simply paying a fee, it ensures that you are complying with rabies vaccination requirements. Many communities offer lower license fees for spayed or neutered dogs, so check with your local animal control agency to find out how easy it is for you to comply with the law. A license, identification tag, or microchip may provide a way to recover your dog or cat in the event he or she accidentally gets out of your control. Be a responsible pet owner. It benefits your pet, and it benefits your community. You may make copies of this information for distribution, which is also available at: http://www.nda.nebraska.gov/animal/dog_cat/index.html Developed by the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council in cooperation with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Animal Industry. CDC29.doc (03/09)

House Training

It typically takes 4-6 months for a puppy to be fully house trained, smaller breeds have smaller bladders and higher metabolisms and require more frequent trips outside. While you're training, don’t worry if there are setbacks. As long as you continue a management program that includes taking your puppy out at the first sign they need to go and offering them rewards, they’ll learn.

When to Begin House Training Puppy

Experts recommend that you begin house training your puppy when they are between 12 weeks and 16 weeks old. At that point, they have enough control of their bladder and bowel movements to learn to hold it.

Steps for Housetraining Your Puppy

Experts recommend confining the puppy to a defined space such as a crate that has enough room for bedding, food, water, and area to eliminate.

When you start to house train, follow these steps:

● Keep the puppy on a regular feeding schedule 4 meals a day and take away their food/water between meals. And no more after 6pm.

● Take the puppy out to eliminate first thing in the morning and then once every 30 minutes to an hour. Also, always take them outside after meals or when they wake from a nap. Make sure they go out last thing at night and before they are left alone.

● Take the puppy to the same spot each time to do their business. Their scent will prompt them to go.

● Stay with them outside, at least until they are house trained.

● When your puppy eliminates outside, praise them or give a treat.