Teaching your Chihuahua puppy to take food gently!

Teaching your puppy to take food gently

Many pups don't know the strength of their own jaws. They enthusiastically grab anything offered without concerning themselves if a person's hand is in the way. This shouldn't be considered "aggressive behavior", but rather a "sin of enthusiasm".

There are many ways to teach your pup to be gentler, here are a few:

Hide food

Pups can be unintentionally rewarded for grabbing if they get a treat when they grab. So, to control this bad habit, you need to make sure your puppy does not earn a treat for grabbing.

Hold the treat in your fist and hold your hand out to your puppy. If he tries to grab it, wait. When he starts to lick or nuzzle you, then he can have his reward. Even a bold puppy can learn quickly that being gentle gets him what he wants.

Ouch!

If your pup is sensitive to your voice, a sudden yelping "Ouch!" along with withdrawing the treat can do the trick. Praise calmly and warmly when he is gentle, yelp and calmly take the treat away when he is not.

Some less sensitive pups are excited by this method, leaping up with tails wagging. If your pup responds this way, try another method. Puppy training is not "one size fits all." Always use the method that gets you the results you want without creating other problems.

"Easy"

One reason your puppy may grab at the food in your hand is that you may tend to suddenly pull your hand away when he moves toward the treat. This sudden move, often upward, may cause him to want to chase your hand as it moves away. While that reaction is understandable, it does not bring out the best in him.

Next time your pup moves to grab, move the food toward him. This should be a steady, smooth movement, not fast or harsh. If done properly, your pup will retreat as he follows the food. Since this is not what your puppy expects you to do, it can cause him to slow down and think. Done calmly, this is not an unpleasant process. It simply sets up a situation where your pup needs to move his head backward to get the food. That conditions him to think, "pull back" instead of "lunge toward".

Regardless of what method works best for you, work hard to praise your pup warmly and give him the treat when he is gentle. Puppies do what works and if being gentle earns him your affection and a bit of food, he'll be gentler in the future.

'Tis the season for sweets, but avoid giving these treats to your dog -- especially chocolate, which can be deadly. Chocolate smells tasty and edible to most dogs, but poses a major poisoning risk because it contains theobromine, a substance that is toxic to dogs. It can cause hyperactivity, increased heart rate, vomiting, diarrhea, and even death. If you think your dog has eaten chocolate, call your vet or an animal poison control center immediately.

Tags: Chihuahua, AKC Chihuahua, Teacup Chihuahua, Tiny Chihuahua, Tri Color Chihuahua, Long Coat Chihuahua, Smooth Coat Chihuahua, Champion Chihuahua

A pen for potty training your chihuahua

Tired of scooping up dog piles all over your yard? A pen for potty training may be the right solution for your Chihuahua.
Build a basic pen in your backyard and set up a schedule of mealtimes, playtimes, and naps for your pet. Allow time for potty breaks after each activity. Escort her out to the pen and give her a potty command, such as "Go now." Pick a short phrase, and use it every time you want her to go. Nothing happening within a few minutes? Walk away with her and try again 10 or 15 minutes later, or earlier if she starts sniffing around for a place to go. Be patient, and if she does have an accident, quickly take her out to the pen and praise her so she links going potty with that location.

Tags: Tags: Chihuahua, AKC Chihuahua, Teacup Chihuahua, Tiny Chihuahua, Tri Color Chihuahua, Long Coat Chihuahua, Smooth Coat Chihuahua, Champion Chihuahua

The Chihuahua "off" command!

The "off" command

Jumping behavior may have been cute when your puppy was younger but
it may not be as appealing in your 11 month old pup. Luckily, it's an
easy problem to control. Use the command word "off" as in "get off of
me, please." Don't use "down" as in "lie down". Using the same
command word for two different behaviors is confusing to your puppy.
The "off" command means your puppy should put his four feet on the
floor. If your puppy jumps up on you every time you enter the house
try to develop the desired behavior rather than eliminating the
unwanted behavior. For example: If you can train your pup to sit when
you come home, then the jumping problem is solved. Keep a favorite
treat outside your door. When you enter and your pup jumps tell
him "off" and then "sit". Guide your puppy into the sit position by
slowly raising the treat back and just above his head. When he sits,
give him a treat or toss a toy a short distance. Read More...

Grown up or not?

Your puppy is almost a year old. Does this mean he is all grown up?
Not necessarily. Puppies mature at different times depending on their
breed. For example, toy breeds are often physically mature at one
year of age, whereas a large breed, like a Great Dane or a Saint
Bernard, may still be very much "in process". Puppies are said to
grow from the outside in. This means that the body parts on the
outside - paws, tail and ears — grow to their adult size first, and
then, eventually, the rest of your puppy catches up. To get a rough
estimate of what your puppy will weigh as an adult take his weight at
four and a half months of age and double it. This will give you a
general idea of your puppy's potential size as an adult. However,
breeds that are the extremes in size, either giant or toy, may be
exceptions to this general rule. Read More...

Bursts of energy

Once or twice a day, most puppies kick up their heels and go a little
gleefully wild. This is especially true of older puppies who will
soon be leaving puppyhood behind. One label for this extra energy
burst is a FRAP, Frenetic Random Activity Period. FRAPs most often
happen in the early morning and early evening. Racing around the
house, rolling on the rugs and careening off of furniture are all
normal parts of the canine FRAP. Sometimes you may need to tone your
puppy's behavior down a bit for the sake of your house or puppy's
safety. A simple solution is letting your puppy run around inside a
fenced yard. If you don't have a fenced yard, close off the rooms
inside your home you want your puppy to stay out of and let him rip.
It's a good idea to keep large breed pups off of slippery surfaces as
sliding around can hurt your puppy. Avoid encouraging your puppy's
behavior by laughing at his antics.

Severe Arthritis In Chihuahuas

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Tags: Chihuahua, AKC Chihuahua, Teacup Chihuahua, Tiny Chihuahua, Tri Color Chihuahua, Long Coat Chihuahua, Smooth Coat Chihuahua, Champion Chihuahua

Treating and preventing ear infections in your Chihuahua

Treating and preventing ear infections Symptoms

You may notice your puppy scratching his ears a lot or shaking his head like he's in pain. Or you may find, when you're playing with your puppy or grooming him, that he has debris or unpleasant-smelling discharge in his ear canal or on his ear flaps, or that his ears are red and hot. All of these are signs that your puppy likely has an ear infection.

Ear infections are just as painful for puppies as they are for us. Usually, puppies get ear infections in the external ear, and these need to be treated right away so they don't go deeper into the ear and cause serious damage.

Treatment

You'll need to take your puppy to the vet if you suspect he has an ear infection. Depending on how serious the infection is and what part of the ear it's in, the vet will either prescribe antibiotics or simply clean the ear out with solutions.

The sooner your puppy's ear infection is treated, the less chance there is that it will spread from the outer or middle ear into the inner ear. Inner ear infections are more serious and harder to get rid of.

Pay attention to whether your puppy's symptoms go away or persist. One course of antibiotics may not be enough to eliminate the problem. If your puppy still seems sick, take him back to the vet. He may need a longer course of antibiotics or a change to a different drug to completely get rid of the infection.

Causes

Most ear infections are caused by an excess of moisture in the ear, which creates a breeding ground for yeast and bacteria.

High humidity, and getting wet ears from swimming, can create moisture. Depending on your puppy's breed and ear shape, he may also be more susceptible to getting ear infections. Floppy-eared breeds such as Labrador Retrievers, Bloodhounds, and Cocker Spaniels are more prone to getting ear infections. This is because if the ears hang down, they block air from easily getting in to dry any moisture.

Other triggers of ear infections in puppies include:

• Use of ear drops or cleansers that irritate the ears
• Health problems such as hormonal imbalance, allergies, or food intolerance

Prevention

So what can you do to help your puppy avoid getting an ear infection? First, if he has floppy ears or likes to swim, pay particular attention to his ears. After your puppy goes for a swim, dry his ears with a cotton ball.

In all cases, get your puppy used to having his ears checked and cleaned at least once a week. Carefully wipe his external ears with a cotton ball moistened with mineral oil or water. Make sure the ear canal is clean, with no inflammation, no unpleasant odors, and no redness. Don't probe too deeply – just check the outside part of the ear, and lift up the flaps to check for redness and odors.

Your vet can be a good source of advice on how to prevent ear infections in your puppy. He or she will show you how to clean the ear canal of hair, debris, and ear wax.

How to “Pill” Your Dog

How to “Pill” Your Dog

Your dog had a minor surgery and needs some antibiotics to ward off infection. Maybe you’ve never had to “pill” your dog before, so the vet takes care of the first dose before you leave the clinic. But soon enough, your turn comes.

A bitter pill to swallow!

You wrap the pill in something your dog loves and he gobbles it right up. How easy is that? Simple! What's the problem? Well, a few hours later you find the melted pill on the kitchen floor. He ate the treat, but spit out the bitter pill, oblivious to its medicinal purpose…for some dogs (and for some owners), it's not as easy as it looks!

If possible, start early

"Pilling" your dog always works out best if you learn how to do it while he's a puppy. Because, healthy as he may be, over a dog's lifetime, there will undoubtedly be many occasions when administering pills will be necessary. However, whether you have a puppy or an adult or mature dog, everyone can learn to pill any dog with a few simple tips and techniques, even if your nature tends to be on the squeamish side.

Tips & techniques

Here are a few guidelines, ranging from easiest to hardest, to help you get those pills down:

• Play "Hide the Pill"

  Dogs love a treat. And even if the instructions say to give the medication on an empty stomach, the little bit of food it takes to pill him is usually fine. But be sure to check with your veterinarian first. Whether it's peanut butter, some soft cheese, or a bite of hotdog, you'll need something bite-sized and "moldable." There are companies that make edible "pockets" in various sizes, in which to place your dog's pill. The "pocket" is then squished closed around the pill. Essentially, it's a safe and simple way to medicate your pet. Some dogs, like the one in the example above, choose to eat the yummy bit and spit out the pill. Some dogs are extremely adept at this, so you should always open your dog's mouth and see if the pill is hiding in there somewhere and check the floor around him. One helpful tip is to occasionally offer just the pocket as a treat when a pet is healthy. This will increase the likelihood of him taking the treat and swallowing it with a pill inside when pilling is necessary.

• Try the Vet's Method

  This method is sometimes harder for squeamish owners and/or fearful dogs. But with practice, it's extremely effective. When you've mastered it, it's over in a matter of seconds; your dog won't realize what's happening.

  1. Face the same direction as your dog.
  2. Straddle your dog and open the top of his mouth around the muzzle with one hand.
  3. Tip his head back very slightly.
  4. With your free hand, place the pill as far back in the throat as possible, on the back of the tongue, toward the center.
  5. Hold your dog's mouth closed with one hand while using the other to rub his throat to promote swallowing.
  6. Praise your dog, and then open his mouth to make sure the pill has actually gone down.
• Use a "Pill Pen"

  There are a variety of devices that resemble a pen, which you can buy in most pet stores, or in online catalogs. You load it up with a pill and administer. These work best for small dogs and cats.

• Go to Your Vet

  Of course, your veterinarian can offer hands-on tips to help you pill your dog. But if you try everything and it fails, you can book regular times with your vet, and they'll pill your dog for you during the course of the medication. It may be a bit of an inconvenience, but it'll get the job done!

Health topics that begin with “D”

Health topics that begin with “D” Dental formula, Diarrhea, Dietary fiber, Diets – Veterinary, Dog sport, Dressing Dental formula

The dental formula describes the number and range of teeth for a puppy or an adult dog. And here is where it gets a bit scientific: Teeth can be divided into 4 groups: canines, incisors, premolars and molars. A puppy's temporary teeth consist of: Upper jaw - 6 incisors, 2 canines, 3 premolars. Lower jaw - 6 incisors, 2 canines, 3 premolars.

An adult dog, after he’s lost his puppy teeth, has: 3 incisors per quadrant, 1 canine per quadrant, 4 premolars per quadrant and additionally 2 molars (cheek teeth) per quadrant in the maxilla and 3 molars per quadrant in the mandibula.

Loss of teeth (often due to genetic causes) can lead to exceptions from the above dental formula.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea is an increase in frequency, fluidity or volume of feces.

In dogs, diarrhea has various possible causes: infectious diseases, allergies, intolerance, intestinal activity disorders, and many others.

In puppies, the condition is particularly serious, because the puppy can quickly become dehydrated – which can in turn lead to organ damage, even death.

In puppies, the causes of diarrhea are primarily infectious diseases, worms, incorrect feeding, or stress due to a change in environment. If your puppy is suffering from diarrhea consult your veterinarian sooner rather than later.

Dietary fiber

Raw fiber is contained in vegetables and grain. Fiber is necessary in food products in order to stimulate bowel movements (peristalsis) and thereby ensure good digestion.

Diets-Veterinary

A special diet can be used as a sole therapy for a health problem or it can support another form of therapy, such as chemotherapy. Use of a diet will be recommended by a vet after diagnosis of an illness, and can be used to support the affected organ. Diets are used, solely or in combination with other therapies, to treat the following conditions, among others:

• Kidney diseases
• Liver disorders
• Obesity
• Cardiac disorders
• Diabetes melletius
• Diarrhea

If your puppy has a health problem your vet may prescribe a diet. If this happens the diet should be followed exactly.

Dog sport

This is beneficial for dogs and their owners, as sport is a way of spending your leisure time naturally with “man’s best friend”. Sports such as agility, sheepdog trials, fly-ball, and many others enable dog owner and dog to work and play together. But care must be taken with the amount of exercise puppies and young dogs get, as they shouldn't be over-exercised, especially large breeds. Their bodies are growing, so the dog sport chosen should be appropriate to the dog’s developmental stage. Contact with other dogs is of particular benefit to a dog’s development, particularly his social development.

Dressing

A dressing serves to protect a wound, to cover an area of the body or to fix a part of the body in position. Materials for dressings include: bandages, cellulose, gauze, cotton batting or similar things. For fixing a limb in position, materials such as splints or cuffs are used.