Mystique Furbabies
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Due to a recent crisis, with a client's two dogs, I feel it necessary to remind you that mouse & rat bait is POISONOUS TO ALL ANIMALS!!!! IF CONSUMED YOUR DOG WILL SLOWLY BLEED TO DEATH INTERNALLY!! If you even suspect your pet may have consumed anything poisonous...Immediately take your pet to the closest veterinarian for treatment.
Both dogs consumed mouse bait that had been placed behind an entertainment center before they came to live there. Luckily, they received treatment within 2 hours and are both back to normal. Their owner has learned a very valuable lesson!!!!
Friday evening, I arrived home from
work, fed Chloe, our dachshund, just as I
normally do. Ten minutes later I walked into
the den just in time to see her head inside the
pocket of a friend's purse. I looked closer and
saw a small package of sugar-free gum. It
contained xylitol. I remembered that I had
recently read that sugar-free gum can be deadly
for dogs so I jumped on line and looked to see
if xylitol was the ingredient. (It was) Next, I
called our vet. She said to bring her in
immediately. Unfortunately, it was still rush hour
and it took me almost 1/2 hour to get there.
Meanwhile, since this was her first case, our
vet found a website to figure out the treatment.
She took Chloe and said they would induce
her to vomit, give her a charcoal drink to
absorb the toxin (even though they don't think
it works) then they would start an IV with
dextrose. The xylitol causes dogs to secrete
insulin so their blood sugar drops very quickly.
The second thing that happens is liver failure.
If that happens, even with aggressive
treatment, it can be difficult to save them. Almost two hours
later, the vet called and said that contents of her
stomach contained 2-3 gum wrappers and that
her blood sugar had dropped from 90 to 59 in
30 minutes. She wanted us to take Chloe to
another hospital that has a critical care unit
operating around the clock. We picked her up
and took her there. They had us call the
ASPCA poison control for a case number and
for a donation, their doctors would direct
Chloe's doctor on treatment. They would
continue the IV, monitor her blood every other
hour and then in 2 days test her liver function.
She ended up with a central line in her jugular
vein since the one in her leg collapsed, just as
our regular vet had feared. Chloe spent almost
the entire weekend in the critical care
hospital. After her blood sugar was stabilized,
she came home yesterday. They ran all the
tests again before they released her and so far,
no sign of liver damage. Had I not seen her
head in the purse, she probably would have
died and we wouldn't even had known why.
Three vets told me this weekend, that
they were amazed that I even Knew about it
since they are first learning about it too. Please
tell everyone you know about xylitol and dogs.
It may save another life.
Tips For New Owners
Myth: A dog instinctually knows not to eat harmful things.
Untrue! A dog will eat anything!
It's important that the hand that feeds the dog knows what can harm the dog.
Coffee, tea, and chocolate are not the only tasty human things that can cause dogs serious harm.
Poisonous plants:
Amaryllis, Azalea, Caladium, Calla or arum lily, Daffodil, Delphinium, Elephant's ear, English holly, Foxglove, Ivy, Jade plant, Jerusalem cherry, Morning glory, Mums, Privet, Wisteria
Poisonous Food Items:
· Turkey skin can cause acute pancreatis in dogs.
· Macadamias
· Grapes & Raisins
· Onions and Garlic These two food items contain thiosulphate, which could cause a form of anaemia where the dog's red blood cells burst. Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea, breathlessness and traces of blood in the urine, and the condition may not appear for several days after ingestion. Onions are far more toxic to dogs than garlic, but the results would be similar.
· Chocolate
· Rhubarb leaves
· Pesticides (responsible for the no. 1 calls to the Animal Control Center)
· Fertilizers (also a skin irritant)
· Insecticides (also a skin irritant)
· Rodent & snail baits
· Chlorine (also a skin irritant)
· Antifreeze (tastes sweet, but less than 1 tablespoon can kill a twenty pound dog)
· Rotting Walnuts can get a fungus that is toxic to dogs
· Zinc (sunscreen, lozenges, Coins contain copper and zinc. The Vegas' slot machine method of pulling down his tail and waiting for it to come out can be deadly. Take him to the your veterinarian as so as possible. He has a non-surgical method to remove the coin.
!!! WARNING !!!
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol used in sugar-free candy, chewing gum, cough drops and other food products. It is also found in some pharmaceuticals and oral health products such as chewable vitamins. It can also be used in baking. While Xylitol is safe for humans, it is harmful to dogs. The compound doesn't affect glucose levels in people, but when ingested by dogs it can cause a surge of insulin. In as little as 15 minutes, the blood sugar of a dog that has eaten Xylitol may show a marked drop in blood sugar. At higher doses, Xylitol is believed to be toxic to the canine liver. If your small dog ingests even a partial stick of chewing gum, cough drop, etc he could die!! Just 3 grams can kill a 65 lb dog. Because of the amount used in chewing gum several sticks can be fatal. A dog that has eaten an item containing Xylitol will be lethargic, have a loss of coordination, collapse
and go into seizures. These symptoms can develop within 30 minutes and the dog will need immediate veterinarian treatment to survive. Without treatment the dog will develop terrible brain trauma and die. It will also cause severe liver damage resulting in liver failure. If your pet has ingested Xylitol immediately induce vomiting. In ALL poisoning cases, please seek veterinary care immediately! Vomiting is only a temporary fix, to allow you enough time to get your pet to a vet! To induce vomiting, give orally, one teaspoon of Syrup of Ipecac, or two teaspoons of Hydrogen Peroxide. In a desperate pinch, a teaspoon of table salt will also have the correct effect. Do not ever induce vomiting if your animal has swallowed a caustic substance.
BRINGING YOUR PUPPY HOME
When parents find out they are going to have a child, they make all sorts of preparations. A special area, food, toys, bottles, etc. You need to make the same preparations for a new puppy & think about the equipment you will need to care for him. Your puppy is going to need a place he can call his own and a crate/cage will fill this bill. Get one that will be large enough for him as an adult. The pup will need food, water bowls, toys, collar, leash, dog brush or comb, puppy shampoo, doggie toothbrush & toothpaste, a good quality dog food & plenty of papers or training pads. Be sure to keep your puppy warm, his body temperature is normally around 101.5, so he will chill easily. If he sleeps in a cool area of the home, he might need a heating pad at night or when left alone. Be sure it is well covered & the cord hidden or taped outside his crate so he can't chew on the cord.
THE CAR TRIP HOME
Many dogs are not prepared for a car ride, nausea & car sickness is common. Bring baby wipes & paper towels in case needed. Be sure to potty him before getting in car. On your first trip, it's better to hold him as he will be insecure about new people & smells, talk to him so he will be more comfortable. I recommend bottled water until you get him home. Do not stop & potty him in public dog areas as there are countless contagious diseases & shots are never 100% effective. Do not take a puppy under 4 months (age of completion of shots) in public dog areas.
FIRST FEW DAYS HOME
Leaving mom & littermates will probably bring some kind of separation anxiety. This can be greatly diminished if you plan your schedules so someone is with the puppy constantly for the first 3-4 days. I suggest you plan for this introductory period by keeping the puppy involved with plenty of attention from family & children through every one of her waking moments. Allowing him to sleep when tired, eat & drink when hungry & working on the housetraining from the first moment he arrives in his new home.
SETTING THE RULES
This is the time when young children should be instructed as to proper handling of the puppy & teaching them common sense rules you have set down from the beginning, will eliminate problems or accidents later on.
FEEDING THE PUPPY
What, when & how to feed a puppy is very basic with a new puppy. It is best to feed a quality dry dog food from the beginning unless you have a very small toy breed puppy under 2-3 lbs. Then some canned puppy food might be needed to stimulate or increase the intake of food.
DANGER SIGNALS
An overtired puppy will not eat enough food & the blood sugar might drop causing hypoglycemia which can be dangerous. The signs are muscular weakness, tremors, listlessness, if he shows signs of being too tired or weak to walk, give him a little Karo syrup by mouth & call your veterinarian immediately. Therefore make sure the puppy eats, drinks & rests well from the beginning. DO NOT GIVE A PUPPY MILK.....this is not good for their digestion. DO NOT GIVE A PUPPY PEOPLE FOOD.....this is not nutritionally balanced for a puppy. DISCOURAGE....any type of jumping from furniture or down stairs until he is old enough to catch his balance if falling. DO NOT USE.... a choke collar on a puppy it can cause collapse of the trachea, use a harness for the first few months. TAKE HIM TO THE VET.....For a check-up immediately & to set up the rest of his shot schedule. Worm him at each vet visit. REMEMBER.... a puppy needs to potty immediately upon waking, again in 5 -10 minutes, after eating/ drinking then again in 5-10 minutes & every 30 minutes after that. Pick him up to go outside, saying " outside, potty" then use elaborate praise when he does his "thing". I clap & use a high pitch voice that is exciting to him for praise, saying "good, potty, good potty!!!!"
YOUR NEW PUPPY IS A LIFELONG RESPONSIBILITY, NOT A TOY, BUT A FRIEND & COMPANION FOR LIFE. TREAT HIM AS SUCH & THE REWARDS WILL BE ENDLESS. REMEMBER, HE WANTS TO PLEASE YOU BUT YOU MUST TEACH HIM HOW TO PLEASE YOU FIRST!!!! A PUPPIES' ATTENTION SPAN IS ABOUT 2-4 MINUTES AT 3 MONTHS OF AGE, SO CONSISTENCY & REPETITION IS THE KEY TO TRAINING YOUR PUPPY TO BE THE IDEAL COMPANION.
"A DOG IS LIKE A CHILD, HE IS A PRODUCT OF HIS ENVIRONMENT & HE IS WHAT HE HAS BEEN TAUGHT TO BE!!!!"
Ten Tips For Preventing Behavior Problems
1. Set rules immediately and stick to them.
2. Avoid situations that promote inappropriate behavior.
3. Observe the pet and provide for his/her needs.
4. Supervise the new pet diligently through undivided individual attention and
training, and restrict pet's access to limited area of house until training is complete.
5. Encourage good behavior with praise and attention and treats.
6. Correct bad behaviors by providing positive alternatives (toy for sock, bone for
shoe, etc.)
7. Never physically punish or force compliance to commands. This may lead to
fear biting or aggression.
8. Don't play rough or encourage aggressive behavior or play biting.
9. Expose pets to people, animals, and environments where you want them to live.
10. See your veterinarian or contact breeder/seller about serious or unresolved
behavior problems.
Shipping Information:
I have shipped quite a few puppies over the years with only a few minor problems.
A recurring problem is mechanical problems or a delayed takeoff, which can result in missing a connecting flight. To avoid this potential problem I choose to ship in the early morning. This way there is always another flight available in case one is missed. Since most people are off work on the weekend, I chose friday as the best day for your puppy to arrive. When making the reservation I select the shortest, most direct flight for your puppies wellbeing. After I receive booking confirmation from the airline I then email the flight information to you. The charge for shipping is $300.00, which includes: airline approved crate, 2 bowls, food, vet exam, health certificate, rabies shot if required, transportation to the airport, flight, insurance, and taxes.
Caring For Your New Puppy
A new puppy needs special care, much as a new baby would.
Treat the puppy as you would your own infant: with patience,
constant supervision and a gentle touch. Moving to a new home is
a big change for a puppy. Expect the puppy to take a few days to
acclimate to its new surroundings.
The way you interact with your puppy is crucial to his socialization.
Be alert for signs (sniffing and circling) that he has to go to the
bathroom, then take him outside immediately. If he goes, praise
him. Never punish an accident. We recommend housebreaking
your new puppy by using a crate. Dogs avoid going to the
bathroom near their eating and sleeping areas, so their instinct will be
to try and keep their crate clean. Keep your puppy in the
crate whenever you are not directly supervising him and at night.
Take him outside frequently to the same spot and out the same
door every time. Be consistent and patient.
A new puppy needs to have regular nap times throughout the
day. It is also important that he has a warm dry place to sleep
(crate). Keep playtimes short with people and other pets so the
puppy can rest.
All contact between a new puppy and resident pet should be
supervised for at least two weeks. Be especially careful if your
pets are much larger than the new puppy.
A new puppy should be kept away from areas where non-resident
pets are, until the puppy has finished all of his puppy
immunization shots. A puppy is not fully immune to these
devastating and deadly viruses until all booster shots have been given.
A new puppy should be fed at least four times a day, but it is preferable
to keep food and fresh water in front of him 24/7. We
feed our puppies Eukanuba small breed puppy food a Premium
Quality food that is excellent for small breed puppies. Do not put
the food in a bowl and assume your puppy is eating. Pay careful
attention to how much he is actually eating each day because this
is critical to their health.
Hypoglycemia
The small breed puppies do not have a large fat reserve, so it is
essential that they eat small meals frequently. Missing a single
meal or too much stimulation or stress can cause your puppy to
have dangerously low glucose levels.
Hypoglycemia, low blood sugar, is a disorder that occurs mainly
in small breed puppies. It is often precipitated by stress and can occur
without warning. It might appear after the puppy misses a meal, chills,
becomes exhausted from playing, or has a digestive
upset. These upsets place an added strain on it's energy reserves
and bring on the symptoms.
Once a puppy's glucose levels are low, he might become too
confused to eat and could refuse food even though it is the only
thing that will help him. Symptoms of Hypoglycemia are weakness,
confusion, excessive drinking with vomiting, listless or wobbly gait.
If the puppy doesn't immediately receive some form of sugar,
(Nutri Cal, Karo Syrup, or honey will all work quickly) and then
solid food, the puppy will progress to having seizures
and will eventually become comatose.
Although Hypoglycemia does not occur frequently, it could
happen and early detection is the key to preventing any serious problems.
If the puppy is not interested in eating dry food, then he must be coaxed to eat.
If he is not interested in eating, you can stimulate his appetite with chicken or beef
baby food, cottage cheese, or boiled chicken breast if the puppy is not
interested in eating this from the bowl, put food
on your finger, and let him lick it off.
How To Sleep With A New Puppy In The House
The puppy is used to sleeping with several brothers and sisters, so for him to feel lonely and cry the first couple of nights is normal. When you are ready for bed, place newspaper to the back of your crate and a small blanket to the front and set the crate on a sturdy chair or stool that is level with your bed. When the puppy cries out, simply rollover and place your finger through the wire door, touching his nose. Don't sweet talk him, tell him 'no' in a soft voice and leave your finger there until he stops crying. The only thing you tell him when he cries out is softly but firmly 'no', you already have your finger there for reassurance. Whatever you do....do not take him out of the crate unless you need to change his newspaper or wee-wee pad. If you need to change it, do it quickly and without any talking to or playing with the puppy. By the 3rd night, you should be able to take the crate off of the stool and place it inside of the wire playpen which should already be set up on a linoleum/hard floor surface. Leave the crate door open. Now you can take the newspaper out of the crate and line the playpen with it. The puppy will be very happy that he is able to come in and out of the crate at night as well as during the day.
Potty Training Your Puppy
Housetraining the Very Young Puppy
(Under 16 weeks of age) by Lesley Morrow
It takes a human to make a puppy soil it's bed.
Successful housetraining depends mostly on the humans involved in the process. By using prevention instead of punishment, with vigilance, reasonable expectations, and by using a puppy's natural instincts, housetraining can be accomplished painlessly and in a reasonably short time. Breed and/or sex have no impact on the ease or difficulty of teaching your puppy to eliminate in a specific area (be it outdoors, on newspapers, or in a kitty litter box.) Puppies are instinctively clean. From birth, they leave the pile of sleeping littermates and go as far away as possible to eliminate. Unless forced to do so, puppies will not soil their bed and this instinct is your greatest training aid.
Scolding or Punishing A Very Young Puppy Is Ineffective & Counterproductive. The younger the pup, the less time there is between impulse and action. He needs to eliminate, so he does. Punishing or even scolding a very young puppy has no more effect than it would have on an infant in diapers. Fortunately, a puppy will train a whole lot faster than a baby! Confinement: the Basic Rule of Housetraining Before we go any further let me assure you that confining your dog is not cruel! In the wild, canines instinctively seek out small-enclosed spaces in which to make their dens. If you have obtained your puppy from a reliable and knowledgeable breeder, your puppy will be accustomed to being confined and will accept this in your home, provided you do not allow him the run of the house. It is far more cruel to give a dog that is untrained too much freedom, too fast, which guarantees puddles and messes all over your house. The puppy becomes subject to constant reprimands, which will probably be after the fact, so he has no idea why you are upset; you are frustrated by the unpleasant task of cleaning up after him, and having your good carpet soiled; and things might get so bad that you either put the dog in exile in an outdoor kennel, or you recycle him.... or even have him destroyed. Which is worse, being euthanized, spending your life alone in a backyard, or spending part of every day in a comfortable and safe area? Before you bring your puppy home, decide where and in what, he is going to sleep. Strongly recommended is the crate, a wire or fiberglass and wire enclosure, big enough for the puppy to stretch out in comfortably, but not big enough for him to have a sleeping and "bathroom" areas. If you have a puppy of the large or giant breeds, and expense is a consideration, you may want to purchase the size crate your dog will need as an adult and partition it off, giving him more room as he grows. Another option is a discarded wooden baby playpen, with fencing fastened around the outside of the slats to insure that the pup can't get caught between them or wriggle out. Collapsible fencing or commercial exercise pens, attached to a wall or walls can be used to enclose an area. Baby gates or commercial dog gates can be used to enclose a small area. The crate has a decided advantage over these other options in that it is portable. Puppies and dogs need companionship, and the crate can be moved from room to room (although you may find yourself, like many doggie folk, with crates in many rooms. They make handy end and coffee tables!). It is also a benefit if your dog is crate trained, should he have to stay confined because of illness or surgery. In case of automobile accident, it is safer for your dog if he is traveling in a crate, rather than loose in the car. There may be times when you want to protect your dog from untrained children, or you may have company who is afraid of dogs. Many hotels and motels will only accept dogs if they are crated. The crate is the dog's bed, his haven, and as he earns his freedom in the house, you will find that you can leave your crate open, and he will go in and out at will. It is his place, his den, and he feels safe and comfortable there. What Should I Put In The Crate For My Puppy To Sleep On? Nothing. Did you ever wonder why, if there was one tiny throw rug in the midst of a sea of linoleum, your dog or puppy always messed on the rug? It's because of Rule Number 2: dogs always seek the most absorbent place to do their business. Since we don't want the puppy to get the idea that we want him to soil his crate, don't put a blanket or towel, or even a canvas covered crate pillow inside, yet. Later, after the puppy has demonstrated cleanliness in the crate, you may do so. Introducing Your Puppy To His Place of Confinement Ideally, your puppy will come to you already crate-trained. However, not all puppies have ideal beginnings, so you may have to introduce your puppy to the crate. One way to introduce the crate is by removing the door and surrounding it with an exercise pen, where the exercise pen area can be covered with newspapers if the puppy must be unsupervised, or if you must leave the puppy alone for more hours a day than he is capable of regulating his eliminations. This arrangement allows the puppy to keep his bed (the crate) clean. Feed the puppy in his crate, and if he is reluctant to go in to eat, put the bowls just in the doorway, so he can stand outside and eat with only his head inside. At each meal, put the bowls an inch or two further back, until he willingly goes in to eat. Also keep a few toys in the crate. When he is comfortable eating in the crate it is time to teach him to stay quietly inside while confined. Put the door back on the crate. This time, when you feed him, close the door. As soon as he is done eating, let him out and take him to his potty area. How Often Should I Take My Puppy Outside? Generally, a puppy should only be confined as many daytime hours as he is months old before being taken out to relieve himself. That is, an 8-week-old puppy will need to go out every two hours during the day. Doubling that for the night would mean that an 8-week-old puppy should be taken out every four hours during the night. A 12-week-old pup would go 3 hours during the day and 6 at night; a 16 week old would go 4 hours and give you an 8-hour night. These are guidelines, of course, and every puppy is a little different. You may get lucky, and have one that will sleep the night from day one, or yours may take a little longer to get there. Very young puppies need to go out first thing in the morning, immediately after eating and/or drinking, after playtimes, immediately upon waking, and immediately before you retire for the night. Then, if there is any time left, take him out according to the schedule outlined in the previous paragraph. Your personal schedule may not allow you to follow the schedule rigidly. If there is any way for you to adjust your schedule for a few weeks to allow you to accommodate the puppy's needs, you will be repaid in a short time with a dog that is reliably housebroken. If you cannot adjust your schedule, then please adjust your mindset to accepting the fact that it will take a little longer for your puppy to get the message. If you know you are going to be gone for more hours than your puppy can reasonably be expected to control himself, then make it easy on both of you. Suspend your attempts to housetrain during that time, put him in an area where he can leave his bed (crate) to eliminate. The crate surrounded by an exercise pen described previously works fine. Just put down plenty of newspaper for the pup to use while you're gone, clean it up when you get home, and go on with your training. Quite often, once the pup develops the muscular control, he will try and wait for your return, in spite of having those papers available. If you are using newspapers, take note of where your pup makes his deposits. Gradually start removing the papers around this area, until you only have to leave a small section covered for him. It is generally best to carry the puppy outside because walking stimulates the pup's bowel and sphincter. Set him down where you want him to go and then you just stand in one place until he goes. Always go with your puppy, even if you have a fenced yard. Your being there t is the only way to know if he has relieved himself and you cannot give timely praise if you can't see what he is doing. You can teach you pup to relieve herself on command by telling her to "Go potty" or "get busy" (or whatever words you want to use) just as she starts to relieve himself. Praise quietly while she is going (don't distract her!) and then give enthusiastic praise and a treat (if you use them) when she is done. If the Very Young Puppy Has An Accident In The House It is your fault for failing to prevent it. Do not punish the puppy. If you catch him in the act, don't let him finish. Pick him up (you can give one low, growling "anghhh!" of disapproval) and take him outside. Wait with him until he finishes, then praise. When you bring him back in, put him in his crate while you clean up. Make sure you use one of those scent-removing solutions, such as Simple Solution, to remove all traces of odor. If the odor is not completely neutralized the dog will be attracted back to the same place. In a pinch, seltzer works pretty well. Asking to Go Out Once the pup has the idea of housetraining, you can teach him to signal you when he needs to go. If your dog hasn't already developed a signal by himself, decide what you want him to do. Some options are barking, going to the door and scratching, or even ringing a bell. Teach him the signal as a separate exercise. I strongly recommend using clicker training to teach the new behavior. When you recognize his need to eliminate, ask him, with some enthusiasm, "Do you want to go out?" Put on his lead, and take him to the door. At the door, have him perform his signal behavior. Click/treat and take him out. (Or if he really needs to go, click and treat after he potties.) If you opt not to clicker train, use praise and/or treats instead, but otherwise, follow the same procedure. Before long, your pup will automatically give you the signal in response to your "Do you want to go out" question, and shortly thereafter, he will initiate the signaling behavior when he needs to eliminate. In all fairness, though, do not tease him with the "out" question by not following through. If you do, the question will lose it's meaning and confuse the dog.
We always enjoy receiving photographs of the
puppy in his new home with his family,
We would appreciate hearing from you.
Thank you!