Hip Dysplasia, elbow dysplasia  and Cataracts:

There is no hip dysplasia or eye (cataract) problems in my puppies (both parents have had their hips x-rayed and their eyes tested). I guarantee these puppies are free of these problems.

Ear Infections:

Labs are prone to ear infections. You can get a solution called Epiotic from the vet and you use this about 3 or 4 times a month, or right after they have been in the water, if you dog gets alot of infections. Just pour the solution into both ear canals, rub aroung for a couple of seconds and then stand back. Do both ears at the same time and hold them still for a minute. Do this outside or in the garage because you will be covered in the liquid when they shake their heads.

You will know when they have an ear infection, the ear will get very red and dirty looking, it will smell very bad and they will be sensitive around it. If your dog gets alot of infections, most vet will just sell you the medication if you dog has been diagnosed with this problem. Because this is a chronic, well known problem you shouldn't have to go into the office and pay for a visit every time they develop an ear infection. However, if it does not clear up within a few days, please take them to the vet.

Upset Stomach (vomiting or diarrhea):

While all my puppies have been very healthy, they do sometimes get sick, usually from eating strange things. If they start vomiting or develop diarrhea, take them off all food and water for 24 hours, and then start them again on small portions of the food for a day or two before going back on regular portion diet. If you use another food that is similar to Nature's Harvest you can use the strategy. If you are using a food that is not similar, then use a bland food such as rice or lamb before going back to a regular food. If vomiting or diarrhea persists for longer than 24 - 48 hours, call the vet. Unfortunately labs eat many weird things if you aren't watching them and sometimes this upsets their stomachs. If you see them eating grass, watch them, this is a sign that their stomachs are upset. It doesn't necessarily mean they will vomit, but just that their tummy is bothering them. I had a dog that had a cast iron stomach and he could eat anything, but not all of them are like this.

Sometimes puppies will have diarrhea for the first couple of days after they go to their new homes. This is caused by the stress of being in a different environment and with people they don't know. If they have diarrhea when you first take them home, give them some plain yogurt and Pepto-Bismol (about ½ cup of yogurt and two tablespoons of Pepto-Bismol). This should settle their stomachs, but it could take several days. If it keeps up for more than one week. Take them to the vet. But it should clear up within a couple of days.

Miscellaneous:

Another thing to watch out for is if the dog is usually full of energy and suddenly for no apparent reason, becomes depressed and very fatigued (this usually only happens to females under two years of age) it could be a sign of Addison's disease. Some vets believe it is caused by a virus or bacteria, but they are really not sure. It is always a good idea to watch a dog that suddenly changes its behaviour for no apparent reason. If you are worried, call the vet.

Pet Plan Insurance:

Pet plan puppy insurance is being offered free to all puppies registered with the CKC for 6 weeks. You can continue with it if you like the numbers are on the back of the voucher. I am not sure what it covers, but I believe there is a $50.00 deductible per claim. I am really not sure one-way or the other whether you should continue with the pet insurance. I do know people who have it, but I don't. I am just really taking the chance that I won't need it.

Heart Worm:

There have been some vets known to tell dog owners that they don't need to give heart worm medication because they live in the city. Heart worm is transmitted through mosquitoes and all dogs are at risk. I have known people whose dogs have died because of this problem. It is not that expensive to prevent the disease. I believe it is around $42.00 for the year and you give it once a month during the warm season. This has an added benefit because the medication works for lots of different worms, not just heart worms.

Allergies:

Labs, like any other breed, have been known to have allergies. Sometimes the reaction can be to certain foods, substances like plastic in their food dishes, shampoos and flea sprays or collars, and even bug bites. The kind of reaction to the substance can be different from dog to dog. It can be a rash, watery eyes, ear infection that won't go away or "hot spots". Labs are also known to have "hot spots". These are spots that for some reason react by being itchy (could be from a bug bite or a scratch) and the dog will scratch and lick this spot until it becomes a larger open sore that is very red and painful for the dog. The treatment for this is shampooing with mild shampoo and some kind of ointment, I use cortisone cream that you can buy from the drug store, or polysporin or some ointment like that. It usually clears up within a few days of being treated.

Another common problem is lickomas. They are usually on the legs and what happens is the dog is usually bored and begins licking to have something to do and then they just continue because its fun. Then it becomes irritated and swells up and can be bleeding. If this happens, use some ointment and wrap it up for a few days until they forget about licking it.

Nails:

All of the puppies have been getting their nails trimmed about once a week. If you continue this right from the beginning you shouldn't have a problem, however, if you leave it for a long time you may have some problems trimming their nails yourself. As puppies they need it more often than they will when they are full grown. This is because older dogs are usually outside more and wear their nails away just by walking around. Make sure you don't cut into the quick, this hurts them and it will bleed and it takes forever to stop. On the yellow pups with the white nails this will be easier than on the black ones, where you have to guess where the quick is. Make sure you use a sharp pair of dog nail cutters. I have always found the best ones to get are at the vets. Don't get cheap ones, they don't last and sometimes they are not very sharp.

Coats:

The food I use is an excellent food to help keep their coats nice and smooth and shinny. Labs have easier coats to keep because they are short haired. Long hair dogs take more work. You will not have to brush these dogs very often, once or twice a month at the very least unless they are shedding. Labs have 3 coats, summer, winter, and one they always have which is shorter, more water proof and helps insulate them in the water (they do shed this coat and it re-grows at the same time). They shed in the spring (they lose their winter coat) and in the fall (they lose their summer coat). While they do most of their shedding at these times, they do shed somewhat all year long. But when you have a dog you just vacuum more often.

Teeth:

The puppies have very sharp needle-like little teeth (puppy teeth). They usually start losing these around 4 months of age. You may find these small teeth, but you may not. You could find them on the carpet or floor, but a lot of times they lose them when their eating and just swallow them. Once they have their adult teeth, playing with them is a lot less painful. When they have their adult teeth you will have to brush them (I am not kidding) but only about once a month or so. You can buy dog tooth brushes at any pet store and believe it or not they sell beef flavored tooth paste. If you start this right away they will get use to it and not give you any problems. We brush all of our dogs teeth and while they don't like it - they do love the tooth paste.

FEEDING SCHEDULE

The dog food I use if called Harvest Blend.  This is a top of the line holistic dog food that has no fillers or by products, all ingredients are naturally preserved and the food itself is naturally preserved.  Harvest Blend has been tested against several top holistics food from the US and has proven to be equal in content and  scored hight in palletability tests.  The puppies have all been weaned onto this food and eat it readily. I give a health guarantee for 2 years with my puppies as long as they remain on this food.  This food is used for both puppies and adult dogs. There is a version of this food for older less active dogs that is available as well. This food is only sold through breeders, vets and some selected stores. I sell it along with a few other people in this area. It is $49.99 + tax, a bag (15 kg or 33 pounds).   The directions on the package are for full grown dogs and are just guidelines.  Each dog is different and some need more than others.   If your dog is more active he may need more than the amount listed on the package.   Puppies need approximately three times what is listed on the package. Your vet will be able tell you if you need to feed the puppy more or less. Puppies need to be fed three or four  times a day.  They can adapt to whatever schedule works for you.  They need access to fresh water at all times. Some puppies appetites change from day to day, some eat more than others. Be aware that labs love to eat and some will eat as much as you put out so be careful the puppy doesn't become sick from over eating. With very large dogs if they grow too fast this can put too much stress on their bones and cause problems later in life. Harvest Blend is a completely balance formula and  when using this superior food you should not encounter this problem.

Puppies can't keep enough in their tummies at one time the way older dogs can.  That is why they need to be fed at least three times a day. They will need this for several months (approximately 6 or 7). When they are a little older and ready to be switched to once a day (some people feed their dogs twice a day and this is okay too). Do this slowly over a couple of days, take away one feeding at a time and increase the amount of the others.

Labs are slaves to their stomachs and will eat almost anything. One of the reasons they are so easy to train is that they will do anything for a treat. We feed them a bit of table scraps, vegetables or meat, but not too much sometimes it can make them sick. They usually love all of the commercially available treats.

Page 2 of Raising a Puppy