My number one goal with my
dogs is to have the healthiest, happiest dogs I can have. As you have
possibly seen pictures of my kennel,
one of the ways I strive to do this is to give them a large area to play in and
a playmate to play with. I also clean each run daily, giving each animal
some individual time after cleaning their run. Each dog has something
he/she is learning at that time: to sit, to stay, not to jump, to fetch a ball,
etc. This is a time the dogs enjoy, and my way of relaxing. Even though I
do hope to grow my Kennel, I will keep it small enough to continue to give my
dogs this same individual time and care.
Besides the work I do in the
kennel, and the provisions I make for my dogs, I am in constant touch with my
vet to make sure I do all I can to insure their physical well being. This
is what my veterinarian suggest and what I do in the way of "vet
care" for my dogs from birth:
At 3 - 5 days old the dewclaws are removed and
the tails docked (if needed)
At 3
weeks old, they receive their first
worming (Nemex) and start being handled daily.
At
4 weeks old they get their Kennel cough inoculation and their Parvo shot.
At 5
1/2 weeks old, they get their first Combination
Puppy shots. This is when they start to get really fluffy and cute and start
really showing their personalities.
At 6 weeks old, they receive their 2nd worming,
Panacure (a once a day worming for 3 days). At this time I will start taking them away from
the mother during the day starting a few hours at a time and working up to the
whole day, keeping the puppies with her all night.
At 7 weeks old, they receive their 2nd
Combination Puppy shots. By this time the puppies are completely weaned
from their mother. At this time they are taken outside to play in the yard for a
period of time and inside the house for short playtimes. Here they come
into contact with other animals and lots of curious things for them to check
out.
At
8 weeks old they receive their 3rd worming, Nemex, and they are put on Flagyl, and
Albon for any parasites and stomach upsets as they will start preparing for
their new homes. (The Flagyl and Albon treatment are 5 day treatment
programs)
At 7 1/2 - 8 weeks old they receive their
first baths, are trimmed up around the face and the bottom, and have their 2nd
nail trimming, and ear cleaning. At
this time they will also have a puppies health check by my veterinarian where they receive a State Health certificate that goes with
them to their new home.
This schedule of shots, worming, and weaning seems to work well for the puppies. I have very sweet, playful, and healthy little guys and gals ready to start looking for just the right family to love them.
The adult dogs
have a continuous
prevention plan as well.
They are given a basic grooming once each 6
weeks. This grooming includes: a bath, nails trimmed, hair trimmed away from
feet and in the face area where it might cause eye infections, and the inside of
the ears cleaned. During the summer months the grooming includes a short
summer hair cut.
Next I want to keep them free of fleas, ticks,
and worms. So they receive Frontline Plus monthly for the fleas and ticks,
and Nemex once monthly for 2 months, then Panacure for the 3rd month to make sure we
take care of all worming problems.
Daily, they
have a "house cleaning" and are provided fresh water and food,
and have some time spent with them one on one.
If you have any questions concerning the care of my dogs, please feel free to e-mail me for added information or for suggestions. Thank you.
updated: 11/28/2002