There is so much to say about this topic, but I’m going to give you a condensed version of what to expect with the birth of your dog’s puppies.

* Tip: It is of utmost importance to know how many puppies your dog has determined by an ultrasound or x-ray, so that you know if she is in trouble when in labor!!! Have this done around 4 weeks after mating.

1. She will have a discharge (sort of like water breaking).

* Tip: Either prior to this or after, she will be frantically trying to nest. You will notice her very diligently arranging blankets, trying to get under a bed or tearing up paper. So, it is essential that you show her to the whelping box you have already prepared for your dog specifically for this purpose. Otherwise, you’ll have a REAL mess on your hands, and likely some ruined furniture, blankets, carpet or clothing.

2. Within about 2 hrs, she should have delivered her 1st puppy.

* Tip: If no puppy appears within 3 hrs, contact a vet immediately!

3. The period of time between puppies could be up to 2 hrs.

* Tip: Be sure to write down how long she labored with each puppy, and if it is a front birth or breach, and the weight of each dog using a kitchen scale (for smaller measurements). If you know your dog has more puppies to come out, but it has been more than 2 hrs, contact your vet immediately!!!

* Tip: If your dogs are purebred and you have papers documenting that fact from the World Wide Kennel Club or similar entity, they will provide you with forms that you will NEED to fill out in their entirety to be sure the puppies can be registered purebreds too. It could take a few weeks for them to mail them to you, so prepare for this in advance!

4. The mother dog needs to eat Read the rest of this entry »

Some dogs can be tricky customers when it comes to feeding them their pills…

Unlike my pooches and Precious, who are the easiest dogs to get cooperation from with a little peanut butter, my mother’s dog, Sugar is impossible.

She knows you are going to try to give her something bad as soon as you get the jar of peanut butter out…LOL…She goes and hides!

We have tried many things with her, and I’ll let you in on a couple of good secrets…LOL…They don’t always work, and she often eats around the pill and spits it back out, but something is bound to have success if you have a finicky terrier!

* Tip: Before you start thinking to yourself that you could just crush up a pill and put it into some cottage cheese or their wet food, beware! Many medications are not meant to be cut or crushed, as they are either time released or have a special coating to protect your pet’s stomach from irritation! Check with your vet first before you proceed with this tactic!

1. Hard Cheese
If the pills are small enough, cut out a piece of cheese in the center of a chunk, and put the pill in there…Hopefully, they won’t detect the trickery.

2. Pieces of Hard Meat
Meats such as kielbassa, sausage, salami, or a chunk of chicken breast work well. Cut a slit into the meat and insert the pill…

3. Read the rest of this entry »

Terrier Newsflash:

“I don’t know how it happened”…LOL…

Well, Knosey, who usually goes into heat before Kurious, has not…In fact, she is very late, so to speak.

In the past week, she has gained 1.6 lbs and has not been fed anything extra or special from the other dogs…She is visibly more “fluffy”…

Extremely “nesty” and uncomfortable while sleeping, we believe she may be pregnant. One more week of weighing, and if she gains close to 1 lb this week, we will be doing an ultrasound.

It is common for the vets to want to just do an x-ray, but in my mind, that just does not make sense. You would NEVER get Read the rest of this entry »

When your female is in heat, is it a constant struggle?

Do you feel like your life revolves around watching your dogs to make sure nothing happens?

For those of us, who own a female and a male dog, when both of them are not fixed, it can be a very difficult time for the entire family. When your female comes into heat, as both of our little girls do at the same time, life is excruciating for the males if you don’t desire them to mate, for whatever reason.

In our case, our girls are only 1 yr old, and we are waiting until they are 2 1/2 yrs old. Our poor, little Kaptain doesn’t know what has hit him now. He just cannot understand why all of a sudden he is in absolute love with our little girls, when they were just playmates thus far.

Now, Kaptain is the most obedient dog we have ever seen or known. However, when our girls are in heat, it is like he tunes everyone else out, but them. He is difficult to deal with, to say it nicely. He won’t listen, and will not leave them alone for one minute. Our girls get very frustrated with him as well, as he just won’t leave their side for any amount of time. Every time we look up, he is right there on their tail.

If we want Kappy to go outside, without the girls of course, and it means being separated from them, he just won’t come to you. It’s like you just don’t exist. Foremost, however, is the fact that he wants to mate with them, and whether your females are not old enough yet, as is our case, or if you just don’t want puppies again yet, the males don’t understand that and want to go through with the act…Often…As often as they can. Very annoying, and messy (let’s be honest).

WE HAVE A SOLUTION:

If your dog is small, up to maybe 20 lbs, there is a viable and inexpensive option. We have found that we can Read the rest of this entry »