Lovely Dog Supply

Posts Tagged ‘puppies’

There are many choices when it comes to rewarding your dog with a treat for obeying your commands, and these treats make a big difference in your dog’s attitude towards you in learning new tricks, and why wouldn’t they? To get anything in life you have to give something back and dogs are no different, you help them and they’ll help you. Simple.

But what are the best rewards and treats to give your dog in times of good behav Read the rest of this entry »

We all love our dogs, and this alone is a good enough reason to care for our dog, but there are many other reasons that we should all offer dog care to our pets, for example the health and happiness of our dog is the first thing to be noticed, and secondly learning how to provide this dog care yourself will increase your relationship and bond no end.

There are many online resources for dog care available, but I would like to show you a few Read the rest of this entry »

A dog’s coat is easily damaged by rough handling and improper grooming techniques. Each strand of hair has tiny scales that lie flat against the hair shaft. As the hair is pulled and stretched (which is not desirable), the scales project out like barbs. Adjacent hairs become snarled and eventually break during the unsnarling process.
Dry hair attracts static electricity, which causes individual hairs to stick together. It is a good practice to use an antistatic coat conditioner before brushing. A number of popular products are available as pumps, aerosols, and rub-on creams. You can also simply spray the coat lightly with water.
The coat should be brushed with tools that pass smoothly through the hair. In general, a pin brush can be used safely without stretching the hair. To avoid stretching, do not pull forcefully on a rake, slicker brush, or comb—except when removing dead hair during the shedding stage. If you find that you are pulling hard, you are either trying to groom too deep into the coat with each stroke or you are using a grooming tool with teeth or bristles that are too stiff or too close together.
With longhaired dogs, insert the bristle or pin brush all the way into the coat and twist it slightly. Using short strokes, brush against the lay of the hair. Avoid using long strokes, as this can break the hair. You can also line brush— working up the side of your dog, brushing short sections at a time. You push the hair up, then brush small sections down at a time. This way, the hair underneath is brushed out as well as the top coat. It always makes sense to talk to your dog’s breeder about the best grooming techniques for the breed.
For shorthaired breeds, brush with the lay of the hair, starting at the head and working back toward the tail. In all breeds, pay particular attention to the hindquarters and backs of the thighs, where dead hair is likely to mat. Carefully check behind the ears, as the soft hair there may also mat.
If the dog is blowing her undercoat, remove loose hair with a rake. Start on the underside of the dog and work layer by layer up to the topside.
Hairless dogs can be wiped with a damp towel, then carefully dried. They may need a bath to remove excess skin oils and to prevent the buildup of sunscreen (necessary to prevent sunburn).

An animal who is immune to a specific pathogen has natural substances in his system called antibodies that attack and destroy that pathogen before it can cause disease. When a dog becomes ill with an infectious disease, his immune system makes antibodies against that particular pathogen. These antibodies protect the dog against reinfection. The dog has now acquired active immunity.
Active immunity is self-perpetuating; the dog continues to make antibodies long after the disease has gone away. Any time the dog is exposed to that particular pathogen, his immune system will produce more antibodies. The duration of active immunity varies, depending on the pathogen and the dog.
Following natural exposure, active immunity often persists for life. In general, immunity to viruses lasts longer than immunity to bacteria. Active immunity also can be induced by vaccination. The dog is exposed to heat-killed pathogens, live or attenuated (antigens that have been treatedto make them less infectious) pathogens rendered incapable of causing disease, or toxins and pathogen products that will also stimulate a response by the dog’s immune system. As with natural exposure, vaccination stimulates the production of antibodies that are specific for the particular pathogen in the vaccine. However, unlike natural exposure, the duration of protection may be limited. Accordingly, to maintain high levels of protection, booster vaccines are recommended. How frequently a dog will need boosters depends on the antigen used, number of exposures to the pathogens, the dog’s own immune response, and the type of vaccination used. Vaccination schedules need to be customized for each individual dog.
Vaccinations may not be successful in all dogs. Rundown, malnourished, debilitated dogs may not be capable of responding to a disease challenge by developing antibodies or building immunity. Such dogs should not be vaccinated at that time, but should be vaccinated when they’re in better health. Immunosuppressive drugs, such as cortisone and chemotherapy agents, depress the immune system and also prevent the body from making antibodies.
Another type of immunity is called passive. Passive immunity is passed from one animal to another. The classic example is the antibodies newborn pups absorb from the colostrum of their mother. Puppies are best able to absorb antibodies from their mother’s milk during the first 24 hours of life. The immunity persists only as long as the antibodies remain in the puppies’ circulation.
The duration of immunity depends on the concentration of antibodies in maternal milk when the pups were born. Dams vaccinated just before they were bred have the highest antibody levels and are capable of protecting puppies for up to 16 weeks. However, some veterinarians believe this additional booster is unnecessary.
Puppies younger than 3 weeks old may be incapable of developing antibodies in response to vaccination because of physical immaturity or interference by passive maternally acquired antibodies. Maternal antibodies can bind the antigen in the vaccine and keep it from stimulating the immune system. These passive antibodies disappear at between 6 and 16 weeks of age. Therefore, when vaccinating very young puppies, the vaccine must be given more frequently to ensure that the vaccine will stimulate immunity as soon as maternal antibody levels decline and can no longer interfere with the vaccine.
Another source of passive immunity can occur with a transfusion of blood products with antibodies into a dog with a serious infection or immune problem. This is not done frequently, but can be a life-saver for some dogs.