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Fortunately, if you're looking for black Labrador images, you've come to the right place. Our collection includes a wide range of high-quality stock photos that are perfect for any type of project, from websites and social media posts to print materials and more. What Type of Images Are Available? Our collection of black Labrador images includes a variety of different types of photos, including: Close-up shots of black Labradors Group photos of black Labradors Black Labradors in different positions and activities e. Black Labradors in different settings e. Black Labradors with people e. Regardless of the size or type of project you're working on, we're confident that we have the right image for your needs. Our black Labrador images are incredibly versatile and can be used for a wide range of projects. Some examples of places where you might use these images include: Websites and blogs Print materials e. Presentations and slideshows Product packaging and labels Regardless of your project or the context in which you're using the images, our black Labrador photos are sure to make an impact and help you achieve your desired results. How to Use Black Labrador Images Effectively When using black Labrador images in your project, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure that you're using them effectively: Choose images that are high-quality, clear, and well-lit. Poor quality images can negatively impact the overall quality of your project. Select images that are relevant to your project and your audience. If your project is geared towards children, for example, consider using images of black Labradors with kids. Beware of overusing images throughout your project. Including too many images can make your project look cluttered and overwhelming. Consider using images in different sizes and formats to mix things up and keep your project visually interesting. Experiment with different arrangements and layouts to see what works best for your project. By following these tips and best practices, you can make the most of our collection of high-quality black Labrador images and take your project to the next level. Browse our collection today and find the perfect image to enhance your project's impact and appeal. Reviewed by Monica Tarantino Dr. Monica Tarantino, DVM, is a small animal veterinarian and writer with five years of general practice, emergency medicine, and geriatric pet health experience. She is certified as a Fear Free doctor. Emily has been a proofreader and editor at a variety of online media outlets over the past decade and has reviewed more than articles for The Spruce Pets for factual accuracy. These pups make a great addition to every home, as they are excellent with kids, love to cuddle, and will do anything to make their owners happy. They are medium-to-large sturdy dogs with excellent balance, obedience through the roof , and an adorable face. Keep scrolling to see the cutest photos yet and discover mind-boggling Labrador retriever trivia. Despite their name, Labrador retrievers originally came from Newfoundland, not Labrador. Continue to 2 of 16 below. Continue to 3 of 16 below. Continue to 4 of 16 below. Continue to 5 of 16 below. Continue to 6 of 16 below. A little training will go a long way. Continue to 7 of 16 below. It may require some training, but their instincts will know how to handle soft items. Labrador retrievers go crazy for plush toys and are often found napping with their favorite ones. Continue to 8 of 16 below.
You've reached an American Bulldog website. John D. Johnson American Bulldogs, Summerville, GA The Johnson American Bulldog is a breed of dog unlike any other; their sheer strength and courage coupled with their undying loyalty and devotion make them the ultimate breed of dog for the general public and serious canine enthusiast alike. The modern American Bulldog is believed to have descended from the colossus breeds of ancient history similar to other mastiff breeds. The American Bulldogs earliest history is virtually unknown and little if any recorded records exist. The first documented history relating to the American Bulldog was during the late 19th century. These dogs were by no means pets, but rather utility dogs bred and raised for specific duties. These duties included baiting unruly cattle and swine along with guarding property against thievery. These tasks required a dog that feared no man or beast alive, but was still loyal and obedient to their master and keeper. These traits still exist with the Johnson American Bulldog. Since the early "butcher dogs" the American Bulldog had nearly gone extinct and until recently experienced an evolutionary rebirth. This rebirth is due in large part to two dedicated individuals; John D. Johnson and Mildred L. These bulldogs had grown scare in the Northwest region of Georgia, and John desired a dog with the same stamina and grit to protect his farm and livestock. Initially it was a small operation, but through the hard work of John and Mildred it grew into a life long commitment. He was also the first breeder to have his dogs officially registered. John and Mildred have literally supplied the world with their Georgia bred bulldogs. It was their female lines of Collettes, Sugar Dolls and Sugar Tuffies that when bred produced the big boned pups that mature into the lbs. The kennel has recently been trademarked and is now known as Johnson Kennels llc. A new partnership has also been established. This new partnership between two established dog breeders, Mr. John Johnson and Mr. Scott Weaver. All traditional bloodlines exist and new lines are being established. It contains heating and air conditioning for the dogs comfort. There is a separate whelping and nursery room for new litters and weaned pups. And a licensed vet makes regular on site visits. .We at Johnson Kennels llc. We continue to strive for only the best. Our focus is to produce a powerful, yet balanced American Bulldog with a very muscular body representing the standards created by John D. The Real American Bulldog is very stocky, athletic and imposing. For those interested in acquiring a truly magnificent animal for either companionship or protection. Visit our contact information page. What Is a Johnson American Bulldog? The American Bulldog breed branches out into two main subcategories or bloodlines, which are the Johnson American Bulldogs and the Scott American Bulldogs. Typically, Johnsons are called classics, while Scotts are known as performance types. Many Bulldogs around the country originate from these breeds and are either pure or mixed with the two. Johnson American Bulldogs are known as the classic or original American Bulldogs. They are also called the bully type due to their very bulky appearance filled with muscle and lean meat. They can weigh up to 90 to pounds and stand about 23 to 27 inches at the shoulder. The fur of a Johnson American Bulldog is commonly white with brown or black splotches around their body. They have large heads which makes them look menacing. The coat is smooth to the touch, and they do not shed heavily compared to other breeds. Originally, patches in the coats were red, brown, and black. However, crossbreeding and evolutionary traits helped them to develop different shades of fawn and mixed brown. Johnson American Bulldogs usually have black or brown colored eyes, but there is a rare case in which two colors manifest. This breed is also very loyal to owners and compassionate even to kids. They are confident and lively, but some Bulldogs show laziness when they are very comfortable. There are even reports of leaving kids with Johnson American Bulldogs because of their ability to protect young humans. They first appeared in history books in the 17th century as farm or ranch dogs. They served many purposes such as guarding against farm predators, catching hunts, as well as protecting the family property. In the 18th century, the Old English Bulldog became famous in bullbaiting, a blood sport in which two dogs fought with each other. While this trend quickly passed due to bans, the Bulldog continued its job as a utility dog for farms and herds. Over the years, the breed became popular due to their ability to fend off and predate migrated feral pigs. When war broke out in the country during World War II, the breed almost became extinct. However, a noble breeder named John D. Johnson took effort in revitalizing their population by finding the finest Bulldogs that he could scour for. Later, he was joined by another man named Alan Scott. Both began their journey of reviving an almost dead breed into a healthy society. Alan Scott leaned more towards the Southern Farm breeds which were used to fend off feral pigs. This gave rise to an athletic and long-legged Bulldog breed also known as the Scott Type or the Standard American Bulldog. On the other hand, the Johnson series featured multiple sketches and patches of red, black, or brown on the skin. Over the years, many variations stemmed from these two main types. However, such types can still be attributed as a mix or blend of the original Johnson and Scott types. They are very compassionate, loving, and loyal dogs to their owners, even towards kids and younger ages. This makes them very good watchdogs and protectors of the house. However, this can be a problem since they tend to be overly wary of strangers as their fight instincts kick in. While they may be very close to their owners, they are very suspicious of people that they do not know. It is common to see a Johnson American Bulldog commits an act of bravery by protecting its owner from imminent harm. When it comes to exercise, a Johnson American Bulldog needs lots of it. They become very restless and aggressive when they have nothing to do to the point where they bite and tear off furniture or everything that their teeth sink to. To avoid this, you must be ready to engage in some serious exercises with your Johnson American Bulldog to tire them. This makes them unsuitable for apartment living, as they prefer to run in wide lawns or backyards. Like any guard dog or fighting dog breed, a Johnson American Bulldog needs to have proper socialization and training, especially when it comes to strangers. This will help avoid unnecessary aggression that can result in injury. Also, you must learn to bond with them in their baby days. It is crucial to imprint them with a human touch at an early age so that their relationships with you get stronger. A daily walk or run is also highly suggested so that their exercise needs can be fulfilled. These dogs have a life span of about 10 to 16 years, but some might have rare conditions that can affect their health. This can cause several bone tumors which can lead to fractures and worse, limb amputation. The exact cause of the condition is unknown, and it could happen to any Johnson American Bulldog. Cherry Eye: Cherry eye refers to the eyelid protrusion of an American Bulldog. In a literal sense, this means that a flesh mass radiates to the outside of the eye due to the abnormality of a gland. It is a birth defect that will be diagnosed by a veterinary. Usually, a surgical process to remove the mass is executed if it is severe. If not, medications can be an alternative. Dysplasia: Dysplasia is a condition common in large dogs and stems from abnormal joint development. Usually, such disease happens during the development period in the early months of the Bulldog. This can cause osteoporosis, uneven bone growth, and even the inability to walk properly. If dysplasia is discovered soon, surgery can be executed. This can greatly help in removing pain in your pets. To make sure that your pet is in its best shape, you must never neglect vet visits. It is also recommended to do all the required vaccines so that they are immune to the most preventable disease. Always check the overall health of your Bulldog as this will impact their time spent with you. Food Intake As a very large watchdog, the Johnson American Bulldog should always have meals fit for its size. Thus, they require huge amounts of protein and hydration to keep them pumping throughout the day. This will also help them develop leaner muscles which they can use for their daily activity. A great suggestion is the Wild High Grain-free dog food which combines both bull meat and vegetables in one tasty meal. Together with the food, treats are also highly appreciated. These can be used for training as well as familiarity purposes. As always, positive reinforcement should be imposed to avoid aggression. Physical Exercise As early as their third week after birth, a puppy can show signs of stubbornness and aggression. Because of this, it is very crucial to train them in various aspects to help them be better geared for life. The usual Johnson American Bulldog training include potty training, leash training, socialization, and biting control. Since Bulldogs are smart dogs, they learn this quickly. A great method to do this is to follow a routine or schedule so that your dog gets used to it. Do not worry if it fails on the first attempts, since no dog is perfect. Never punish your Bulldog as it will only cause them to be more reserved. In general, this training can be finished in a week or less. Socializing: Johnson American Bulldogs are very loyal towards their owners but can be reserved for strangers. This can be traced back to their days as farm guards in which they protect livestock with their abilities. Because of this, Bulldogs can be suspicious of people who they do not know. To combat such occurrence, you must socialize your dog with other people as well as pets so that they will be more used to dealing with relationships. As always, building bonds with your Bulldog will result in a better connection in the future. Bite Control: Bulldogs are biting enthusiasts especially in their early months. To control this, you must be ready to produce methods and techniques. A recommended way to lessen biting is by using toys such as teethers. With the help of these tools, they will not be bored; thus, decreasing the chances of destruction. Another great way to address the issue is through positive reinforcement. Grooming Due to their short coats and thin fur, the Johnson American Bulldog is not hard to groom. Keep in mind that they shed minimally regardless of this season, but they do not need baths unless they go to a nasty place. Slight brushes of their fur are needed here and there to foster proper hair growth. However, going to a coat trimmer depends on your preference as they do not really need it. A Bulldog should be brushed once every two weeks. In doing this, you must prepare a place in the yard or the lawn so that no hair will riddle the insides of your house. Grooming hand gloves are preferred due to the control and ease of access that they can give you. Work your way from the top of your head to your body for a finer finish. When it comes to baths, you can do it once every two months. Johnson American Bulldogs are very clean animals, so frequent baths are unnecessary unless they become dirty. To thoroughly clean them, you need to use a dog shampoo as human shampoos can be bad for their skin. Other parts of the body that you need to clean are ears, mouth, and nails. Be careful in dealing with these parts as they can be very sensitive. Also, check their ears and mouth for any defects as it could mean diseases. Flatulence and Drooling It is known that the Johnson American Bulldog is notorious for salivating especially for those dogs which have loose skin in their cheeks and mouth. This might require additional clean-ups before and after meals. However, do not worry, as this can always be addressed by proper training. Bulldogs are also known to fart excessively, especially when fed non-natural food. To counter this, always purchase all-natural ingredients such as fresh meat and good dog food to lessen the smell of the flatulence. Where to Get a Johnson American Bulldog? Your Johnson American Bulldog source will determine its temperament, health, and well-being. Sources take care of the pup from birth to maturity, so you should get one who knows everything about Bulldogs. In this industry, there are three main Bulldog sources: puppy mills, backyard breeders, and reputable breeders. Puppy mills mass-produce dog breeds only for the sake of money. They will always generate pups that are neglected and untrained. This can cause problems for you and your family. On the other hand, backyard breeders have no adequate knowledge of proper puppy raising. They only sell puppies due to the purpose of extra litter which they cannot take care of. Always seek help from reputable breeders as they are masters of Bulldog breeding. Another puppy source that you can consider is through adoption. Many puppy homes around the country have rescued Johnson American Bulldogs from their care, and you can always opt for them. Yes, this might be a very challenging task, but it is a very fulfilling one. Also, adoption centers charge less, as you only need to cover maintenance fees and the adoption process. If you want a very loyal dog with an active lifestyle, you should get a Johnson American Bulldog. They are ideal for homes that have backyard spaces since they tend to run around a lot. On the other hand, if you live in an apartment, you are better off with a smaller dog breed. If you decide to commit to a Johnson American Bulldog, you will have an unforgettable experience since the breed is protective of its family. Furthermore, you should consider increasing your monthly expenses for this breed. They require a lot of food and nutrition, so their stocks can quickly deplete. When it comes to grooming, it is not really a hassle. They do not shed that much so occasional baths are sufficient. You should always get the breed from a respected breeder as they will provide you with the necessary head start for the journey. Love your future Johnson American Bulldog as much as possible and they will surely return the favor. These dogs are among the best breeds loved by many around the world, and they will never let you down. My passion for animals started at a very young age as I grow up on a farm with several horses, cows, cats, chickens, and dogs on our property. These canines are generally white with patches of another color; however, Johnsons have also started appearing in other solid colors and brindle. Here are some shades these majestic pooches come in: Blue Johnson American Bulldog Blue is a faded variation of black occurring due to the presence of a rare mutation. Blue is actually an uncommon coat color for the Johnson Bulldog. Solid blacks are rare, and the black color usually appears on a white coat. In fact, white Johnson American Bulldogs are considered the breed standard. White Johnson American Bulldogs may be pure white or carry patches of another color. This color usually occurs due to crossbreeding the Johnson American Bulldog with another pooch with the brindle gene. Although crossbred canines cost less, they still make lovely pets. Johnson American Bulldog temperament The American Johnson Bulldog temperament can be described as patient, courageous, and protective, making them excellent watchdogs and family pets. They are quick to protect their family and home from any perceived threats. Due to the checkered history of certain bully-type breeds and their association with sports, many people are quick to label the Johnson American Bulldog aggressive. However, these canines are gentle, patient, and caring family pets that would never attack a person or another animal unprovoked. Do American Bulldog Johnson type make great family pets? The Johnson American Bulldogs are loyal, protective, and loving towards their family. Their high pain tolerance makes them excellent companions for children. However, be sure to supervise young children around this breed, as this giant pooch may accidentally hurt them. He can still get along well with other pets if they are properly socialized from an early age. American Johnson Bulldog training The Johnson American Bulldog is an intelligent breed that is easy to train for an experienced owner. They respond well to firm, consistent training, and positive reinforcement. If the training process is not started early, the Johnson standard American Bulldog may become stubborn and uncooperative. Here are some types of training that are essential for Johnson American Bulldogs: Socializing: Socializing your Johnson American Bulldog is one of the most important things you can do for him. Without socialization, he may become aggressive towards other animals and people. Start socializing your pup as early as possible by taking him to puppy classes, dog parks, and playdates with other pups. Obedience training: All pups should know basic obedience commands such as sit, stay, come, and down. Obedience training will not only make your puppy more well-behaved but also strengthen the bond between you and your furry friend. Leash training: All pups should be leash trained so that they can go on walks and hikes with their humans. Start leash training your Johnson American Bulldog as early as possible with a rope dog leash that is heavy-duty and durable. The best way to leash train your pup is to start with short walks around the house or backyard. Gradually increase the length of the walks as your pup gets more comfortable with being on a leash. Johnson American Bulldog living conditions A young Johnson line American Bulldog is a large high-energy pup who needs a spacious backyard with plenty of room to run and play. If you live in an apartment, this might not be the breed for you. Many Johnson American Bulldog owners allow their canine companions to roam freely in their backyard. However, we are aware that some towns or counties have zoning laws that prohibit physical fences. If this is the case with you, you can alternatively use a wireless dog fence to keep your pups safe. This way, they can still roam freely in your backyard and enjoy some sun and fresh air while staying safe and sound. But before you install a wireless dog fence, you may find it helpful to put in place an electronic dog door , especially if you let your K9 friends leave or come back into the house on their own. Many doggy owners love the automatic doggy door because it saves them so much time and headache from opening or closing the door every time their pooch needs to head outside or come back in. So if you work from home or at the office, you may find the electronic dog door to be a lifesaver, both for you and your furry friends. When it comes to bathing your Johnson American Bulldog, once every four weeks should do the trick. It is a good idea to bathe your Johnson American Bulldog after he or she played in mud, or puddle, or had a long hike. When you do bathe your pooch, make sure to use a dog shampoo that not only cleanses but also moisturizes the skin and coat. We specialize in Bully-type, also sometimes referred to as Johnson American Bulldogs. However on occasion we do produce fantastic standard- and hybrid-type American Bulldogs. We breed for functional and balanced temperament allowing for the American Bulldog to be a family member and a companion while having the drive and intelligence to perform desired functions. At Grand Future, we typically produce large American Bulldogs. Males range in lbs and females range in lbs. We have always bred to a significantly stricter breed standard than the current American Bulldog breed standards under U. Dogs with the following characteristics are not shown at conformation shows nor bred in our kennel: 1. Full black mask — this genetic trait is usually a result of another breed having been infused into the gene pool. Usually a dog with a kinked tail itself is not at risk of health complications as a result of the kinked tail. Teeth — dogs missing more than 3 teeth. Dogs lacking full pigmentation are more susceptible to various health problems. Lack of pigment is also responsible for deafness in dogs. We have never produced a deaf dog. Interested in a puppy? We have many repeat buyers — over 30 families have purchased 2,3,4, and even 5 dogs. Our dogs generally love children and have balanced temperament. Having produced over dogs in 7 generations, we have history and data that allows us to make some conclusions that we believe are significant. The very common problem of hip dysplasia that afflicts this breed is nearly non-existent in our kennel. Our dogs tend to have normal locomotion — good movement due to anatomically sound physical structure. Our dogs have never torn ligaments such as the Canine Cruciate Ligament CCL , which leads us to conclude that such problems are likely hereditary in nature. Our dogs have never prematurely died from heart problems, which leads us to conclude that such problems are likely hereditary in nature. Our dogs have never been diagnosed with tracheal hypoplasia — a hereditary genetic defect common in bulldog breeds that leads to potential deadly obstruction of the airway. Our dogs tend to live long. Our foundation dog lived to the age of 15 years and 10 months old. Our dogs have never been afflicted with cancer at a young age. The earliest instance of cancer has been encountered at 8 years of age by one dog. The remainder of cases have been documented at over 10 years of age. The biggest tragedy for an owner is in having to care for a sick dog as a result of poor breeding, and be absolutely helpless as that dog passes in their arms. Exorbitant medical bills end up being paid to prolong the time together even by just a little with the beloved family member. As with any animal breeding program, our kennel is not immune from problems. This drives us to continually improve. We maintain contact and help our owners in any way we can; even at 4AM or during a vacation since we have owners all over the world in various timezones. Our breeding expertise enables us to deliver healthy, beautiful, strong, and intelligent American Bulldog puppies. We provide a contractual health guarantee against the following genetic health problems — hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, Canine Cruciate Ligament CCL ruptures, cataracts, entropion, ectropion, heart, kidneys, thyroid, ichthyosis, cryptorchidism, epilepsy, and any neurological disorders including NCL. Our conversation with a prospective owner always involves questions to understand the kind of dog the person would like — the more details the better. If so inclined, the prospective owner can request guidance in picking the puppy based on personality and activity level, temperament, phenotype, and more. We evaluate our puppies at 6 weeks of age on a variety of parameters. We provide lifetime unlimited advice and guidance by phone to owners concerning all subjects relating to dog ownership. You can be sure you will have the information you need to succeed even if this is going to be your first American Bulldog puppy. Because we stand by the quality of our work, we want our owners to participate in our breeding program and we are happy to provide the necessary guidance. Our dogs are also ideal candidates for service animal work. Training a service dog requires a significant investment of time and money, making the genetic health and temperament of the dog even more critical. A service dog needs to be healthy, hassle-free, intelligent and receptive to training, have stable temperament to handle any type of environment, and of course lead a long life disease-free. All of these selective requirements for service dog candidates make Grand Future American Bulldogs an ideal fit. Join us in our mission of producing the best American Bulldogs possible! Professional worry-free shipping worldwide Of course our preference is for you to come visit our home, get acquainted with us, and pick up your new American Bulldog puppy in person. However, we understand that it is not feasible for everyone. Even if you do not live anywhere near Nevada, do not be concerned — we are highly experienced at shipping our American Bulldog puppies worldwide, as even just the list of our Grand Champions and Champions spanning 9 nations attests. We can prepare all necessary export documentation. Search this website. We invite you to take a peek at our handsome, friendly, large breed American Bulldogs. We are a a team of private American Bulldog Breeders and our dogs and pups are never kenneled or crated. They are our family pets and roam our house and land. We breed loving American Bulldog Puppies for you and your family to cheerish. Learn More After breeding these amazing creatures for 22 years. We have perfected the best breeding standards that have award us the 1 American Bulldog breeder in America. At We Love American Bulldogs we take a lot of care and pride in helping educate families about the breed that are interested in bringing one of these beautiful creatures into their homes. As any breed the most important thing you can do, is educate yourself about the breed that you are about to bring into to your life. We hope by offering these documents and our YouTube videos, about the breed and about the puppy you are about to consider to be a part of your family, that you will do it with complete awareness of your responsibility to the breed and your puppy. Get a Puppy Our team at "We Love American Bulldogs" feel blessed to care for these wonderful creatures we brought into the world. We worked very hard to make sure the foundation of your puppy is stable, loving and strong. Now we hope with all the information my over 22 years experience with this breed bring me, that we will share with you, that you will stay the course and make sure these pups are the best and true American Bulldog they can be. A Day In The Life
Our website is dedicated to connecting you with reputable English Bulldog breeders across the USA, ensuring that you bring home a healthy and happy furry companion without breaking the bank. Finding the perfect English Bulldog puppy at an affordable price can be a challenging task. However, our platform simplifies the process by curating a list of trusted English Bulldog breeders who offer these delightful companions at budget-friendly rates. We understand that everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the joy and companionship that a lovable English Bulldog can bring to their lives. History of English bulldog puppies Cheap near you! The national dog of England, their strong heads, loose skin and short legs give them a very distinctive, amusing appearance. Bulldogs are generally gentle, affectionate dogs that love to be around their families. They are excellent with children and have a medium-low activity level that makes them great for apartment or city living. These loveable dogs are loyal to a fault and are sure to make you smile. English Bulldogs are calm, non-sporting dogs with a sourmug face that love to chew and play tug-of-war. British Bulldogs rarely bark but snore, snort, wheeze, grunt, and snuffle instead. Bulldogs are a people-oriented, loyal and devoted watchdogs that love to nap by your side. Temperament of english bulldogs Temperament is a crucial factor to consider when bringing a new furry friend into your life. English Bulldogs are known for their gentle, friendly, and affectionate nature. They make excellent companions and are particularly good with children, making them a fantastic choice for families. Despite their somewhat serious expression, they have a fun-loving and playful side that will bring joy to your everyday life. This Bulldog puppy is a very social and sweet baby girl who loves everyone she meets! She is raised with children that play with her daily. This gal will steal your heart the second you look into those puppy eyes and when she gives you one of her famous puppy kisses. She will make a fantastic addition to any family. This puppy is AKC registered, vet checked, vaccinated, wormed and comes with a 1 year genetic health guarantee. Her momma is Kayla. This puppy is anxious to meet her new family and begin her life of adventure with you! Call now! We are here to help! How much do Bulldog puppies cost? The beauty of looking for a Florida Bulldog on our network is having a lot of options! Not only will you have a better chance of finding the exact puppy you want but also at the price is within your budget. What if there are no Bulldog breeders near me? Our network of English Bulldog breeders in Florida is growing by the day so we are confident that you will meet someone with your dream puppy. We can help you search across the Lower 48 states then your chosen breeder can arrange to have you pick up your new puppy at a major airport in Florida. What is the vetting process for Bulldog breeders? All the breeders and businesses on our network went through a strict screening process where we took a close look at their experiences, knowledge in breeding, practices, and facilities. Why is Florida Puppies different from other networks with Bulldog puppies? Many websites are not careful about who they work with making it easy for puppy mills to take advantage of people who are looking for an English Bulldog puppy Florida. Florida Puppies was designed to prevent this from happening. All the Bulldog breeders Florida that you meet here are ethical businesses who take good care of their puppies until the day you take them home. What is a puppy mill like? In puppy mills, dogs are forced to breed their entire lives. Puppies from these places often run a higher risk of developing genetic health issues because their parents are poorly matched. When looking for an English Bulldog puppy for sale Florida, avoid puppy mills with cheap offers at all costs! Are there any Bulldog puppies for sale in Florida right now? What kind of dog is a Bulldog? English Bulldogs were first bred in the s to fight in a horrendous sport called bull-baiting. When the violent sport was banned, these fearless dogs switched careers to driving cattle and their aggressive tendencies were eventually bred out. Today, Bulldogs are pampered pooches who love to lounge all day. There are two knowns lines of this breed -- English and American -- and there is some difference between the two in terms of build. Our network can help you find English or American bulldog puppies Florida. How big does a Bulldog get? What is Bulldog temperament like? Bulldogs are classified as medium-sized and can reach a weight of pounds. They have a stocky build, low bodies, heavy chests, and hefty limbs. Bulldogs are typically low energy but they need daily exercise to stay healthy. They are sweet in nature and are quite friendly. And though these dogs are very brave, they no longer carry the aggression that their ancestors used to possess. Are Bulldogs good for apartments? How does Florida Puppies work? When you search our network for a Bulldog for sale in Florida, we will introduce you to a list of breeders in your city or state who are likely to have puppies ready for rehoming. When you find the Bulldog puppy that you like, contact the breeder, work out the details or pay them a visit! Bulldog's Available! Why adopt WB English Bulldogs? Travel Nanny Services Optional As experienced and reputable breeders; at WB English Bulldogs, we understand that the transportation of your English Bulldog puppy is one of the most important things. British Bulldogs Breeder in Dallas since We at WB English bulldogs take into consideration that all puppies we place in new homes must have excellent conformation, good health and amazing temperament. Microchip ID Optional We offer a more secure form of identification for your pet that is safer and extremely more effective than common pet tags. Our happy customers who chose our in cabin nanny services! English Bulldogs stand out for their unique appearance combined with a heart of gold. Their wrinkled face, stout stature, and gentle eyes are not just adorable but also exude their loving nature. How big do English Bulldogs get when they grow up? English Bulldogs, though compact, have a sturdy and muscular build. Males typically weigh between lbs, while females usually range from lbs when fully mature. Their size makes them suitable for both apartment living and homes with yards. Are English Bulldogs good with children and other pets? English Bulldogs are renowned for their gentle, patient nature, especially with children. They often become protective of younger family members and coexist harmoniously with other pets. How often do English Bulldogs need exercise? A daily walk of about minutes helps maintain their health, manage their weight, and keeps them mentally stimulated. Play sessions in a fenced yard or indoors are also appreciated! Are English Bulldogs easy to train? English Bulldogs have an inherent eagerness to please their owners, making training a rewarding experience for both parties. With consistency, patience, and positive reinforcement techniques, they can learn commands, tricks, and good behaviors, enhancing your bond with them. English Bulldogs and British Bulldogs are the same? The breed is commonly known as the Bulldog. How to buy an English Bulldog puppie? Browse Our Selection: Explore our website to view available puppies. Need More Information? Our team is here to provide all the information you need to make an informed decision. Prepare for Your Puppy: Once your purchase is complete, ensure you have all the essentials ready at home for your new furry friend, from food to a cozy sleeping area. Feel free to reach out if you have questions about care, feeding, or health concerns. Thank you for choosing WB English Bulldogs. Do you ship to other cities in the USA or to other parts of the world? Yes, WB English bulldogs offers shipping services for their English bulldog puppies to any major city within the United States. They ensure that transportation considerations, including breed conformation and temperatures, are taken into account before arranging the transportation of the puppy. So, distance is not a barrier for those looking to get their dream puppy from WB English bulldogs. If there are any further questions or concerns about shipping methods or in-person pickups, the breeder encourages prospective customers to reach out to them directly via their provided phone number. English Bulldogs are medium-sized, robust, and muscular dogs. Adult male English Bulldogs typically weigh between pounds kg , while adult females usually weigh around pounds kg. In terms of height, English Bulldogs generally stand about inches cm tall at the shoulder. Regular check-ups and a balanced diet can help ensure that an English Bulldog grows to its optimal size and maintains a healthy weight. English Bulldogs are sturdy and muscular canines. Typically, adult male English Bulldogs weigh between pounds kg , while adult females tend to weigh around pounds kg. However, individual weights can vary based on factors like genetics, diet, and health. Our Blog.
What is the White color? There are a total of 6 color variations with white that are recognized by the AKC. Frenchies with pure-white coats will cost more than those with spots of other colors such as black throughout their coat. What White Frenchies look like While you may think that all White Frenchies look the same— this is not the case. As mentioned earlier, there are a few different variations of White French Bulldogs, with some having colors such as Fawn or Black throughout their coat. The Role of Color in Hearing You may be wondering how the color of the coat could affect hearing. A lack of pigment cells The reason for this is that these genes are associated with a lack of pigment cells which give the appearance of their coats. This affects the small hairs in the ear There are small hairs in the inner ear that are called cilia, and when there is an extreme lack of pigment cells, the cilia may not develop properly, resulting in deafness. Hearing tests can rule out deafness If you are interested in a predominantly white French Bulldog or are just concerned about the possibility of your new puppy being deaf, be sure to ask your breeder about performing a BAER test. Test for Health Issues. White merle Not all white Frenchies are albino, though this can be the case. White French Bulldogs should be bought from an experienced breeder who understands exactly how to breed healthy white French Bulldogs. White French Bulldog health problems White dogs are often thought to have inherent problems but, contrary to popular belief, not all white French Bulldogs are plagued with health issues. All Frenchies are susceptible to brachycephalic syndrome because of their short nasal passages and there are a number of other known health conditions that can afflict any purebred French Bulldog of any color. If a French Bulldog is white because of albinism — a genetic disorder characterized by a complete or partial lack of the pigment melanin in the eyes, skin, and hair — it will have a pinkish tinge to its skin and eyes. Deafness in White French Bulldogs It is often thought that albino white French Bulldogs are deaf, but there is no evidence specifically linking albinism and deafness. Hearing problems can occur in the trademark bat ears any color of French Bulldog and have various causes. A study of congenital deafness deafness at birth concluded that deafness at birth can occur in French Bulldogs but the presence of white fur seems to increase the likelihood of it occurring. There are high chances of health implications for such a Frenchie including deafness, blindness, or both. This is the main reason why two Merle Frenchies should not be bred and a responsible breeder will avoid this. White French Bulldogs Skin problems Just as fair skin people can burn more easily in the sun, so can white French Bulldogs. This means it is imperative to limit the amount of time they spend in direct sunlight to prevent sunburn and the possibility of skin cancer developing. Eye conditions in White French Bulldogs French Bulldogs, those with white coats included, can develop a number of eye conditions. These include cataracts, cherry eye, dry eye, and corneal ulcers. It is thought that white French Bulldogs are more prone to this condition. The range of white French Bulldog coat patterns and markings French Bulldogs can have white fur in their coats for three reasons: When only their skin cells do not produce any pigment. When they have albinism which causes a lack of pigmentation in all cells including fur and eyes. When they have a genetic disorder known as Leucism which causes a lack of pigmentation everywhere except the eyes. Some Frenchies are totally white and some have patterns that include white. There are also several Frenchie colors that have a white chest blaze. If a Frenchie is white because it has Leucism, it will look like an albino but will have colored eyes. A non-albino white French Bulldog usually has brown eyes. If it has no other colors, patterns, or markings, it is classed as solid white. It is very rare to see such a white Frenchie without a black mask but occasionally this may be a lot paler. White Pied French Bulldog Pied, also known as piebald is a term that simply means having two or more colors. With a Frenchie, Brindle typically appears as black stripes on a fawn background. A White Brindle French Bulldog is predominantly white with patches of brindled fur across its face, neck, and body. It effectively dilutes the intended color. Occasionally white Merle French bulldogs develop this color because they have inherited two dominant Merle genes, one from each parent. White French Bulldogs with the double merle genes are often deaf, blind, or both. There is also a chance of them having far worse physical conditions at birth. How much is a white French Bulldog? It is always difficult to state an exact price for a French Bulldog because they fluctuate all the time and depend upon many variables including fashion, availability, color, bloodlines, and demand. The French Bulldog is a popular dog and demand keeps rising. White French Bulldogs are expensive compared to other purebred dogs because they are not easy to breed. Also if someone specifically wants a white Frenchie, and a breeder notices a rise in demand for this color, this will lead to an artificially high price. If you spot a white French Bulldog for sale, ensure you are given proof of its health before you buy in light of the inherent health problems that can occur with certain types of white coats. Occasionally their eyes are light brown and sometimes they almost look black. Non-standard eye colors are blue or green. As white French Bulldog blue eyes are often linked to albinism or double merle, it is wise to have a sight test carried out on such a dog to ensure it has good vision. Are White French Bulldogs rare? White is one of the most common French Bulldog Colors. A French Bulldog often has white in its coat with other patterns and markings but it is quite rare to see a solid white Frenchie. Some breeders might attempt to breed a white litter but should never do this by mating two Merle dogs because of the health implications. Reputable breeders concentrate on producing healthy Frenchies as opposed to specific colors, so healthy white Frenchies should occur by chance only. Other useful White French Bulldog facts Lifespan The life expectancy of a healthy white French bulldog is 10 to 12 years, the same as any other color. However, Frenchie owners need to keep a close watch for problems, especially with hearing and sight. Annual vaccinations and health checks are essential as are a healthy diet and the right level of exercise. Air travel is not recommended for dogs with short nasal passages because of associated breathing difficulties. Also, white Frenchies and any other color cannot swim for very long because of their weight distribution, large head, and short muzzles so should be kept away from water or always wear a doggie life jacket. Size Like other colors, white French Bulldogs can weigh up to 28 lbs and reach a height of 11 to 13 inches. Frenchies are prone to excessive weight gain so ensure you feed yours the right amount to prevent it from developing weight-related illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease. Characteristics A white French Bulldog has a square head, a short muzzle, a wrinkly face, and bat ears. Its body is compact and muscular. In general, Frenchies have smooth, short coats that are easy to care for and require minimum grooming. Because of its short nasal passages, this breed tends to be a mouth breather and consequently drools more than the average dog! Frenchies can also be a bit smelly but there are ways to manage this. Temperament A white French bulldog has the same gentle, friendly temperament as those with other coat colors. They are great dogs to have around children because of their playful , outgoing natures. Being a sociable breed, the Frenchie prefers someone to be around most of the time and does not like to be left alone. Ideal for A white Frenchie can fit into many lifestyles. White French Bulldog names When you own a white French Bulldog, it just has to have a befitting name. Here are a few perfect names: Pure White. This is because White Frenchies have become increasingly popular, raising the number of breeders involved in their creation. It is important to note that white French Bulldogs can sometimes have health issues, such as deafness or skin problems, due to their coat color. As such, it is essential to research breeders carefully and ensure that any white French Bulldog you adopt comes from a responsible breeder who has taken steps to minimize the risk of health issues. However, they may not fare well in show competitions and conformation rings due to their association with deafness. Check out this unbelievably cute and happy White Frenchie: White Frenchie vs. Cream Frenchie White Frenchies have a pure white coat, while cream Frenchies have a slightly yellowish or beige tint to their coat. This color difference is due to a pigment called pheomelanin, which is responsible for the red or brown coloration in dogs. Cream Frenchies have a low concentration of pheomelanin, which gives them their cream or beige color. Regarding health, there is no significant difference between white and cream Frenchies. Both colors are prone to the same health issues that affect the breed, such as respiratory problems and skin allergies. However, it is essential to note that white Frenchies may be more susceptible to sunburn and skin cancer due to their lower pigment levels. As you can see, while these two colors seem strikingly similar, some key differences distinguish them. White Frenchie vs. However, White Frenchies have black noses, dark eyes, and black paw pads. On the other hand, an albino French Bulldog has a white coat with pink or blue eyes, a pink nose, and pale paw pads. Albinism is a genetic condition that affects melanin production, affecting everything, from color to skin, hair, and eyes. Albino Frenchies lack melanin, which causes their pink or blue eyes and pink nose and paw pads. This condition can also cause sensitivity to sunlight and other health issues. Help Dogs In Need Our blog posts aim to provide comprehensive, accurate, and objective information on all types of dogs, helping our readers make informed choices that fit their lifestyle. We don't endorse any specific breeding practices, but advocate for ethical breeding and dog welfare. We encourage exploring adoption first. Countless wonderful dogs, from all breeds, await their forever homes in shelters. Remember, with AdoptDontShop, you can give a deserving rescue a second chance at happiness. Platinum Frenchie White Frenchies have a pure white coat with no other colors or markings. Platinum Frenchies, on the other hand, have a light, off-white coat with a cream look and a slight bluish-gray tinge silverish. Platinums also have light eyes and paws, while whites have dark eyes and paws. In the s, the breed became popular in France, where they were further developed and refined. The breed was then brought back to England and America, where it gained popularity as a companion dog. The French Bulldog comes in various colors, including fawn, brindle, and black. However, the white French Bulldog is a more recent breed variation. This is because White Frenchies were initially considered a fault in the breed standard due to their association with deafness. Today, white French Bulldogs are a popular variation of the breed and can be found in many countries around the world. They are known for their affectionate and playful nature, making them a great choice for families and individuals. Even molecular and gene testing centers identify the e allele in white dogs. However, experts have identified other genes for the white color in dogs. For example, Dr. Little allocated white spotting and extreme white spotting almost all white to the S locus. He also theorized that a Cch allele faded phaeomelanin to cream, Ce faded phaeomelanin to white, and Ca caused albinism. Some link whiteness in dogs to the Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor MITF , which has been linked to deafness too. They have a short, smooth, and fine coat that is predominantly white. Their coat is soft to the touch and requires minimal grooming. The head of the White French Bulldog is large and square-shaped, with a very short muzzle and a black nose. Their eyes are round and dark in color, and their ears are erect and bat-like. The White French Bulldog has a short, sturdy neck, broad shoulders, and a deep chest. Their legs are short, muscular, and paws compact and round. They have a short and smooth tail that is either straight or slightly curved. The average height of a White French Bulldog is between 11 and 12 inches cm , and they weigh between 16 and 28 pounds kg. They are friendly and sociable with their family and love to be around people. They make great companions for families with children, as they are patient and gentle with kids. These dogs are also very loyal and protective of their family. They have a strong instinct to protect their loved ones and will bark at any perceived threat. These are sassy dogs with big personalities, so plenty of socialization is vital. White French Bulldogs are moderately intelligent and easy to train. They respond well to positive reinforcement techniques and are eager to please their owners. They can be stubborn sometimes, but with patience and consistency, you can train them to obey commands. One thing to remember is that White French Bulldogs can be prone to separation anxiety. They do not like to be left alone for long periods and may become destructive if bored or anxious. Providing plenty of exercise and mental stimulation is essential to keep them happy and healthy. Here are some of the most common health issues: Deafness White or partially white dogs are more likely to be deaf. Other white dogs like Norwegian Dunkerhounds and Cocker Spaniels also reported high deafness levels. Sunburn and Skin Problems White French Bulldogs have a higher risk of sunburn and skin problems due to their light skin color. It is best to keep them indoors during peak sun hours and to apply pet-safe sunscreen to their skin when they go outside. Skin problems like allergies, hot spots, and skin fold dermatitis are also common among Frenchies, and it is vital to keep their skin clean and dry to prevent these issues. Breathing Difficulties These dogs are susceptible to Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome due to their short muzzles. This causes wheezing and sometimes dry heaving. Eye Problems White French Bulldogs are also prone to several eye problems. Brachycephalic ocular syndrome, glaucoma, corneal ulcers, dry eye, cherry eye, and entropion are some of the eye problems that can affect Frenchies. Regular eye checkups with a veterinarian catch any eye problems early on. Musculoskeletal Issues Musculoskeletal issues like hip dysplasia, patellar luxation, and intervertebral disc disease are common among Frenchies. These issues can cause pain and discomfort for the dog and may require surgery or other treatments. Neurological Issues Neurological issues like hydrocephalus, an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain, can be seen in some Frenchies. This condition can cause seizures, blindness, and other neurological symptoms. Dental Issues Their crowded teeth and narrow jaw can lead to dental problems such as misalignment, gum disease, and tooth decay. The compact space in their mouths makes it challenging to maintain proper oral hygiene, increasing the risk of plaque and tartar buildup. Mild to Moderate Issues Mild to moderate issues such as allergies, ear infections, obesity, and stomach sensitivities are also common among white Frenchies. However, they still require regular grooming to keep their coat healthy and shiny. Here are some grooming needs for a white French Bulldog: Brushing Regular brushing is essential to keep the coat of a white French Bulldog in good condition. It helps to remove loose hair, dirt, and debris from the coat. Using a pet grooming glove can be a great way to brush a French Bulldog, allowing for a gentle massage while removing loose hair. Bathing White French Bulldogs should bathe every month or as needed. It is essential to use a dog shampoo and conditioner that is gentle on their skin. After bathing, it is crucial to dry them off thoroughly with absorbent towels to prevent any skin infections. Nail Trimming Regular nail trimming is essential to prevent overgrowth and discomfort for your furry friend. It is best to trim their nails once a month. Use dog nail trimmers to avoid cutting the quick of the nail, which can cause bleeding and pain. It is essential to clean their eyes and ears regularly with ear and eye wipes explicitly made for canines. This will help prevent any infections and keep your dog healthy. Sun Protection White French Bulldogs are susceptible to sunburn due to their light-colored coat. It is important to apply sunscreen to their nose, ears, and any other exposed skin when they are outside for extended periods. Use sunscreen made for dogs to avoid any potential harm. Dental Care Brush their teeth at least twice weekly to remove plaque and alternate with a canine mouthwash. Diet and Nutrition White French Bulldogs require a balanced diet to maintain optimal health. A diet that is high in protein and low in carbohydrates is best. Protein is essential for muscle development and maintenance. Some good protein sources for White French Bulldogs include chicken, turkey, lamb, and fish. Exercise Requirements White French Bulldogs require regular exercise to maintain a healthy weight and prevent boredom. The amount of activity they need depends on age, weight, and overall health. Generally, they need at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. White Frenchies can find it difficult for them to breathe, especially in hot weather. Owners should be mindful of the temperature and avoid exercising their White French Bulldog during the hottest parts of the day. These dogs are below average in intelligence but are eager to please, making them relatively easy to train. Crate training, obedience, and socialization are key training aspects. Avoid using punishment or physical force during training, as this can damage the bond between you and your dog. Related Posts: How to Train a Stubborn Dog Finding a White French Bulldog Breeder When looking for a white French Bulldog breeder, it is essential to do your research and find a reputable breeder who prioritizes the health and well-being of their dogs. Look for health testing Reputable breeders will have their dogs health tested for common issues such as hip dysplasia and eye problems. Ask the breeder for proof of health testing before committing to a purchase. Visit the breeder If possible, visit the breeder in person to see their facilities and meet their dogs. This will give you an idea of how the dogs are raised and if they are well-cared for. Ask for references A good breeder will happily provide references from previous puppy buyers. Reach out to these references to hear about their experience with the breeder and their puppies. Avoid puppy mills Puppy mills prioritize profit over the health and well-being of their dogs. Avoid buying from pet stores or online marketplaces, as these are often fronts for puppy mills. Remember, a reputable breeder will prioritize the health and well-being of their dogs over profit. By researching and finding a quality breeder, you can get a healthy and happy white French Bulldog. Adopting a White French Bulldog Adopting a White French Bulldog can be an excellent experience for those looking for a loyal, affectionate, playful companion. However, before deciding to adopt, there are a few essential things to consider. French Bulldogs are known for their affectionate and playful personalities but also require much attention and care. They are prone to specific health issues, such as respiratory problems and skin allergies, so it is crucial to prepare for potential medical expenses. When adopting a White French Bulldog, it is best to check with local animal shelters and rescue organizations. These organizations often have French Bulldogs available for adoption and can provide valuable information about the breed and its needs. Some French Bulldog rescue organizations include:. Are white French Bulldogs all unhealthy? The Genetics The genes that carry color instructions have specific locations loci on the canine chromosomes. Different dog breeds have different color genes. Which is why some colors only happen in some dog breeds. There are just two basic pigments in the canine genome. The first pigment is eumelanin. It is black, but can be diluted or modified when other genes act on it. The second pigment is phaeomelanin. Which expresses in a range of reds from very light cream all the way to deep red. As you might imagine, color genetics can get quite a bit more complicated from here. White vs Albino French Bulldogs There are a number of genetic factors that can contribute to the appearance of a white coat in a French Bulldog. The C series of genes, sometimes called the albino locus, can restrict pigment expression to certain areas. It can also lighten existing pigment. This can result in an all-white French Bulldog with the characteristic pinkish skin, nose and eyes. However, to date, canine researchers have only located the gene responsible for albinism in the Doberman dog breed. No albino gene has yet been found in French Bulldogs A pure true albino French Bulldog would lack pigment in all areas where pigment is normally present. The eyes would look pinkish, blue or amber, depending on how light passes through the iris. The skin would also appear pinkish because the blood vessels show through. A partial albino French Bulldog lacks pigment in only parts of the body. He may display a white single color or other color in the non-affected areas. Leucism looks a lot like albinism. But it is caused by different genes that prevent the pigment cells from doing their job properly. Partial leucism is actually the genetic mechanism behind common canine markings such as the popular piebald color pattern. Or a predominantly white coat with a small percentage of markings of other colors. If those markings are sufficiently light or dilute, this gives the appearance of an all-white, single color coat. Here are some examples from the official French Bulldog Breed Standard of white-coated Frenchies with coat color patterns present: White and brindle Cream ranges from light ivory-white to a more yellow cream Fawn ranges from a very light yellow to a more reddish gold White and fawn Fawn, brindle and white Double Merle Genes There is one more way that a white French Bulldog has a predominantly white coat. One way is for a French Bulldog to inherit the merle color pattern gene from one or both parents. A French Bulldog with one merle gene is called a single merle. This happens when only one parent contributes the merle gene. A double merle occurs when two French Bulldogs carrying the gene for the merle coat color pattern are bred together. This will produce a dog known as a double merle or false white, that can be predominantly white-coated. However, this type of breeding will never be done by reputable breeders. It can create very serious lifelong health issues for the puppies. These include organs and nervous system development, as well as vision and hearing. In fawn or cream coat colors, this can create the appearance of a pure white coat. Piebald Spotting with White Coat A coat that is at least 80 percent white but includes 20 percent other colors on the body is called a piebald spotting. This means each parent dog must contribute these genes in order for them to take effect. The spotting color areas of pigment ranges from breed standard-accepted colors ex. Spotting typically occurs on the face, along the back, rump or around the shoulders. For very light colors like fawn or cream at the light end of each spectrum, the coat may appear to be a single solid or self color. In the extreme white fawn or cream, the visual appearance is often of a single self or solid white coat. These Frenchies may lack pigment in the eyes, nose and mouth. White French Bulldog Health Canine researchers discovered the white coat color is associated with certain health issues. This is typically true across dog breeds because the responsible genes are linked to pigment rather than breed. Deafness Dogs that have all-white or predominantly white coats can inherit hearing loss or deafness in one or both ears. This is called pigment-associated hereditary deafness. It could be cause by a lack of pigment in the inner ear canal. This can occur with the following dogs: White albino dogs White solid self dogs Dogs with the piebald or merle gene that are predominantly white-coated One limited study predicted that white French bulldog puppies have a 25 percent chance of bilateral deafness hearing impaired in both ears. They also have a .Skin Sensitivity Just as light-skinned people tend to be more apt to get sunburned, the same holds true for very light-skinned dogs. With increased incidences of sunburn comes a higher risk for eventual skin cancer. Including skin lesions and tumors. Eye Defects and Blindness Eye defects and disorders can occur with some white French Bulldog coat types. This includes: the possibility for missing eyes smaller-than-normal eyes malformed eyes non-functioning eyes. These defects can occur individually or together in one or both eyes. The merle and double merle gene expressions present the most risk for eye health issues. Developmental Issues The merle and double merle gene expressions can influence the development of major organs and the nervous system. In some cases, French Bulldog puppies are born with severely life-limiting health issues that they do not survive. French Bulldogs shed somewhat all year long but most noticeably during the changing of the seasons. When brushing and grooming your white French Bulldog, know that sometimes white-coated dogs have more sensitive skin. Choose a brush with rounded tips and gentle bristles. They have hardly any markings and if they do they are rarely visible, located around the rump area or on the head. This is an extreme piebald French Bulldog. Notice how there is a small amount of black markings on the head. What Does Piebald Coloring Mean? Are Pied French Bulldogs Rare? Pied French Bulldogs are relatively rare. Pied Frenchies can be AKC registered if the coat is white with brindle, cream, fawn or black patches which suggests that it is an acceptable coat to breed which makes it less rare. No, not all white French Bulldogs are albino. In fact majority of white French Bulldogs are not albino, they just have a white colored coat. In contrast, albino French bulldogs have a complete lack of pigmentation in their skin, hair and eyes making their skin a pinkish shade and their eyes pink or pale blue. Often French Bulldogs with white coats with dark eyes and noses are thought to be albino but they are not. Albino Frenchies need to have pink noses and pink skin around their eyes. An Albino French Bulldog has a fully white coat due to a lack of pigmentation as there is reduced production of melanin in the hair, skin and eyes. It is a result of a genetic mutation called tyrosinase full albino or tyrosinase-positive partial albino. An albino French Bulldog will have eyes that appear pink due to the lack of pigmentation that results in a pink hue around their eyes and noses. A dog that has a pink hue around its nose but not their eyes may not be albino. Albinism is the least common cause of a white coat for French Bulldogs. Leucistic French Bulldogs Leucism is a skin condition in dogs such as Frenchies that causes white or pale skin and hair. There are defects in pigment cell differentiation or migration from the neural crest to skin or hair during development which results in having a lack of cells that can produce pigment. In contrast to albinism, leucism does not affect the eyes. Most French Bulldogs who have leucism will not have pinkish hue eyes like albinos. It can be difficult to tell the difference between a French Bulldog with leucism and one with albinism so genetic testing can be performed to be certain about it. A cream French Bulldog is relatively rare as it is a recessive dilute from the fawn color coat. Generally this type of French Bulldog has an off-white coat. It is hardly ever pure white. Double merle French Bulldogs have created a lot of controversy in the dog world with many official bodies refusing to register dogs that are a product of merle-to-merle breeding. This is because they are a result of bad breeding practices and are affected by ocular defeats and deafness.
Dietary Issues Dietary issues are a common cause of diarrhea in German Shepherds. Some dogs enjoy rummaging through the trash, which increases their risk of consuming contaminated or moldy food. This includes old food they might find on their daily walks. German Shepherds also frequently have a wide range of common food allergies or intolerances to particular ingredients in their diets. Did you know you can get an at-home pet food intolerance test? Runny poop can be a sign of digestive issues, such as eating too much food or treats too quickly. Typically, this could be: the stuffing from a favorite toy pieces of plastic from a rubber chew anything they put in their mouths! German Shepherd puppies, particularly prone to eating inedible objects, are the best example of this. Stress and Anxiety Despite their intimidating exteriors, German Shepherds are susceptible to the effects of stress, which can show up in a number of ways, including diarrhea. You might be surprised to find their bowel patterns react to changes in your lifestyle! Medications A German Shepherd may experience diarrhea and episodes of runny poop from certain medications that irritate their stomach and intestines. Some examples of drugs that may result in diarrhea as a side effect Antibiotics: Antibiotics can disrupt the healthy balance of bacteria in the gut, leading to stomach upset and diarrhea. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs : These drugs are generally given to relieve pain, such as in the case of arthritis, but can cause stomach irritation. Chemotherapy drugs: Chemotherapy drugs that are used to treat cancer are not well-tolerated in some dogs and have side effects, such as diarrhea. Antidepressants: Some dogs on antidepressants to help with anxiety and stress issues may experience bouts of runny poop while on the medication. If your German Shepherd exhibits any unusual symptoms while taking medication, call your veterinarian right away. They may suggest switching to a different drug or adjusting the dosage. Bacterial and Viral Infections German Shepherds can develop diarrhea from two common infections: parvovirus salmonella If your dog consumes contaminated food or drinks dirty water, she could become ill with salmonella. Salmonella levels are higher in stagnant bodies of water, such as ponds and lakes. These are the same places that many German Shepherds enjoy sipping from and swimming in! In addition to being extremely contagious in dogs, another virus called parvovirus can be fatal if not treated quickly. For German Shepherd puppies, it poses a particular risk. These parasites can affect the digestive system and harm the gut lining, resulting in diarrhea, stomach aches, and inflammation. They might also obstruct the intestines, which might result in episodes of runny poop. Giardia, on the other hand, is a protozoan parasite that attaches to the gut lining and causes irritation and inflammation, which can result in diarrhea. As long as your dog is eating and drinking and otherwise seems like their normal self, then treating them at home is generally safe source. Temporarily withhold food. Withholding food for a short period of time is one of the most recommended treatments for German Shepherd diarrhea. This allows the digestive system to rest and lets the stomach recover from irritation. Many dogs will naturally be reluctant to eat when their stomachs are upset, but some will continue to eat almost anything you put in front of them. Your German Shepherd needs access to clean, fresh water to avoid dehydration while experiencing diarrhea. Give them small, bland meals. This allows their stomachs to gradually adjust to processing food once more. Your German Shepherd can be fed a bland diet for up to 3 days. After 3 days, start gradually weaning them back to their regular food. A bland diet is an easy-to-digest homemade food that helps German Shepherds with diarrhea by promoting stomach healing and easing the signs of an upset stomach. There are generally two main ingredients: boiled, skinless, boneless chicken and cooked unseasoned white rice. The main objective of feeding your German Shepherd a bland diet is to give them easily absorbed protein and carbohydrates while keeping them away from any ingredients that will worsen their diarrhea. After your German Shepherd starts passing solid feces, you can gradually reintroduce their regular food over the course of a few days by blending small amounts of their regular food with the bland diet food. Add daily probiotics to their diet. A probiotic supplement may be beneficial for some German Shepherds because it contains healthy bacteria that can balance the gut microbiota and support digestive health. Probiotics for German Shepherds PetHonesty makes this delicious probiotic for German Shepherds available as chewable, simple-to-take tablets that contain various probiotic strains. Giving probiotic supplements to your German shepherd may also have the following benefits: Improved digestion. As your dog produces more solid bowel movements, you can start reintroducing his dog food. What are the best dog foods to prevent diarrhea in German Shepherds? If your dog has diarrhea every once in a while, it is completely normal. Yet, if your German Shepherd has diarrhea several times a month, he may have sensitivities to his current dog food. You can have your dog tested at the vet to see what foods he cannot tolerate. Then, you may need to switch dog foods. There are many different types of dog foods you can try to help prevent your dog from having diarrhea. Limited Ingredient Dog Food Limited ingredient dog foods have a short list of ingredients. You can read the ingredients to find out if there is something your dog may not tolerate well. Limited-ingredient diets are great for avoiding the typical triggers for diarrhea. These dog foods still provide balanced nutrition. Actual food allergies are rare in dogs. Most people confuse sensitivities with allergies. This is usually because of an enzyme deficiency. Allergies are an intense immune response to an ingredient. Allergies cause diarrhea, but they are often coupled with other symptoms. These can include intense itching and respiratory symptoms. Hypoallergenic dog food manufacturers take animal protein and split them at the atomic level. This dog food is best for a dog who has a known allergen causing his diarrhea. These dog foods target the exact cause of stomach irritation. These diets are tested by nutritionists and veterinarians to specifically treat certain conditions. These dog foods are only available through a prescription from your vet. These dog foods are for German Shepherds with known medical conditions causing their diarrhea, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome. GSDs need to re-establish healthy bacteria in their digestive tracts, especially after a bout of loose stools. Purina FortiFlora Probiotics for Dogs is one of the most commonly used products in this category. This should help your dog build up the healthy bacteria he needs to create solid stools. You can also buy dog food with probiotics in the formula. Purina Pro Plan is a good option for promoting digestive health. This brand incorporates probiotics in the formula, helping to balance gut flora on a regular basis. This dog food is good for German Shepherds who have loose stools and occasional diarrhea. Homemade recipes There are several foods you can serve your dog at home when he suffers from diarrhea. Immediately after an episode, you can give him chicken and rice, which is easy to digest. This way, you can control what ingredients your dog ingests. If you choose to feed your dog homemade meals, make sure to research carefully. Your dog needs a complete balance of nutrients to be healthy. Does wet dog food make diarrhea in German Shepherds worse? But, German Shepherds have a difficult time switching dog foods. The change in diet may upset his tummy for a few days. This should clear up once your dog gets used to the new diet. Wet dog foods are high in protein and water, which is good for a German Shepherd. Your dog needs to stay hydrated if he often has diarrhea. However, wet dog foods can also cause tooth decay. So, be sure to read the list of ingredients. How do I choose the best dog food for my German Shepherd? German Shepherds have sensitive stomachs. They are both prone to stomach upsets and picky eating, so finding the right food is essential to making sure your dog is healthy. Puppies need more nutrient-rich foods, more often to aid their quick growth. Very active German Shepherds need more calories because they are constantly burning them. Older dogs need smaller portions, fewer calories, and reduced protein. As your dog changes and grows, it is important to select dog foods that cater to its needs. Take a look at the ingredients The most common ingredients German Shepherds are sensitive to are beef, lamb, dairy, wheat, chicken, and soy. However, dogs can be sensitive to any ingredients in dog food, including preservatives. If your German Shepherd has a sensitivity to a certain ingredient, you should make sure to avoid it. The smaller the ingredient list on a label, the better. Lower-quality dog foods add many fillers and preservatives to their formulas. Determine your price range Dog food is expensive, especially for a large dog like the German Shepherd. You may be looking at the price of these specialty dog foods and wondering how you can afford them. Although many of the higher-quality dog foods are expensive, they are worth it in the long run. Quality dog food prevents stomach and other health issues. You will have fewer diarrhea messes to clean up and fewer vet bills. So, the cost will balance out. This prevents you from contracting bacteria from the feces. If the stool is on a hard surface, you can grab a paper towel and wipe it up before it dries. Then, place the soiled towels into a disposable bag. If you have hardwood or vinyl, grab a disinfectant safe for those surfaces. Then, spray the area and wipe it again with a fresh paper towel or washcloth. Finally, use a pet odor neutralizer such as this one here to remove the scent from the floor. Removing diarrhea stains from carpet If the soft stool is on the carpet, you will want to grab your gloves. Pick up as much of the feces as possible with a paper towel. Then, use a butter knife, dustpan, or scraper to free the particles from the carpet fibers. Use a damp cloth or a water bottle to rinse the carpet area until there is no longer any visible stool. Mix equal parts of the ingredients. Be cautious, they produce a chemical reaction that spews everywhere. Then, apply the paste to the carpet and rinse with water. Dietary issues or consuming rotten or toxic foods are the main causes of diarrhea in German Shepherds. The best way to help your GSD is with a temporary fast if appropriate before following a bland food diet. Bouts of diarrhea will certainly happen to most German Shepherds throughout their life, at least a handful of times. Diarrhea is a standard reaction to sudden changes in their GI health or even reactions to stress in the world around them. Each cause requires a different treatment approach, making it essential to get to the bottom of their troubles! Dietary Issues German Shepherds are extremely curious, meaning they often try to eat anything that may seem edible. Not only do they scarf up any food that crosses their path, but they can get their paws on human food as well. Dietary issues in dogs refer to eating anything outside of their normal diet. This can include getting into the trash, eating a greasy piece of bacon, or even eating something rotten found outside. When a dog eats something outside of their normal kibble, this can cause a sudden shift in the bacteria in their gut and intestines. This is made much worse by any high-fat content that could be in the food, along with any dangerous bacteria that could be present as well. Whether your vet suggests a new food or your pup no longer likes their kibble, an occasional diet is sometimes needed. A sudden change in diet can cause a shift in this balance, leading to GI irritation. A change of diet that is not done over a gradual period will likely lead to diarrhea, and even vomiting in some cases. Stress Just like you and I, our German Shepherds can experience stress and in severe cases, even depression. While they may have different triggers than humans, their struggles are just as real. Dogs can react to this stress in multiple ways, one of which being diarrhea. There are many factors that can cause a GSD to become stressed. They may react to changes in their normal routine, new people in the home, the sudden absence of someone they love, or any other change that impacts their life. This is extremely common in dogs that are boarded while their owners are away, so much so that kennel owners know to be on the lookout for any sign of diarrhea. Bacterial Infections Our German Shepherds are exposed to different types of bacteria all the time. Bacteria live in the soil they touch, the bowls they drink out of, and even some of the toys they play with. Because of this, dogs can fall victim to bacterial infections that cause an upset stomach. Most dogs with a bacterial infection will experience diarrhea, vomiting, change of appetite , abdominal pain, and more. Bacterial infections often require veterinary care, as most pups will need antibiotics to get them back on track. Intestinal Parasites Intestinal parasites are foreign invaders that cause serious GI upset in our German Shepherd friends. Shepherds with intestinal parasites may experience diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, lack of appetite, weight loss , abdominal pain, distended abdomens, and more. The best way to prevent intestinal parasites is to have your pup dewormed from the moment you adopt them, and then offer them monthly heartworm prevention. Most heartworm prevention contains ingredients that stop worms in their tracks. Serious Illness Diarrhea can be a symptom of serious illness in German Shepherds. This combination can cause diarrhea for many dogs, especially if it is a GI illness in particular. Be sure to keep a log of all the symptoms your dog is currently experiencing, so you can help your vet make an accurate diagnosis. While any diarrhea that lasts longer than 24 hours should be seen by a vet, there are a few at-home options to try. Withholding Food Withholding food for hours is an option that can be practiced in certain dogs. If you know that your dog is having diarrhea due to something they ate, this can be a successful way to let their stomach calm down. Fasting should only be practiced in healthy adult dogs, and when approved by your veterinarian. You should never fast a German Shepherd puppy or senior dog, as this can lead to more complications. Switch To a Bland Diet Switching to a bland diet is one of the most successful ways to combat diarrhea in your canine companion. When a dog is experiencing an upset stomach, it can be challenging to properly digest their normal food. The most popular bland diet option is boiled chicken breast and white rice, but you can also purchase a bland diet from your veterinarian. Some vets do approve pro-pectalin for use at home, but this should always be approved before giving it to your furry friend. Your vet can also prescribe antibiotics that help with diarrhea, along with medication to firm their stool. Diarrhea is often a result of some type of irritation in the GI tract, making probiotics useful in many cases. Probiotics are packed with beneficial bacteria that helps to promote digestive health. Adding daily probiotics to a bland diet can help your pup get back on track. This is especially important for German Shepherds with sensitive stomachs, as they may be easily triggered by certain changes. The general rule is to always seek help if their diarrhea does not resolve within 24 hours. However, there are a few special circumstances that require veterinary care much sooner. Final Thoughts As you can see, German Shepherds can experience diarrhea due to multiple causes. Be sure to review the information that we discussed above, and you can help your pup at the next sign of diarrhea. The Puppy Mag makes an active effort to search for plagiarized content using plagiarism detection software. If plagiarized content is found, action will be taken. Signs of worms in poop Your vet will treat diarrhea depending on the cause, and further investigations may be required. Never give your German Shepherd any anti-diarrhea medications e. How to Prevent Diarrhea in German Shepherds It would be impossible for your German Shepherd to never suffer from the odd case of diarrhea. But there are some things you can do. To prevent diarrhea in your German Shepherd, feed a complete and nutritious diet, and avoid table scraps and titbits that your dog is not used to. Avoid anything toxic and ensure your GSD does not get into the garbage. Ensure worming treatment and vaccinations are up to date. Follow these simple guidelines to prevent diarrhea: Make sure you know all the dangerous poisonous foods for your German Shepherd. Ensure your GSD keeps to its usual diet. Prevent guests to your home from feeding titbits, especially toxic foods that they may be unaware of, for example, grapes or chocolate. Be wary of feeding bones , as they must be raw and be of the correct type and size for your dog. Keep all toxic substances out of reach of your dog. The Pet Poison Helpline has a complete list of these. Consider a muzzle when you are out in the woods or park to prevent your dog from scavenging if they are that way inclined. Keep worming treatment up to date. Vets recommend every three months — but check for your breed. Keep vaccinations up to date. Exercise your German Shepherd regularly, especially if they suffer from stress. Refrain from exercising your dog immediately before or after a meal. I like to give my German Shepherd a good hour on either side, which also helps prevent bloat. Acute diarrhea, which is the most common type, usually lasts for one to two days and can sometimes last up to two weeks. Chronic diarrhea, on the other hand, lasts for at least four weeks. The duration of diarrhea in German Shepherds can vary depending on the underlying cause. In some cases, a temporary change in diet may be recommended by a veterinarian to help manage the diarrhea, but this should only be done under the guidance of a professional. Feed your dog plain, easily digestible food such as chicken and rice to get him back on his feet again. I hope you found the above prevention tips helpful, which will minimize the risk of this unpleasant and messy occurrence! Related Posts You May Like:. Your dog seems to be straining to pass feces Mucus or blood in the stool Sometimes additional symptoms may accompany diarrhea, such as vomiting, fever, abdominal bloating or pain, low energy, lack of appetite, and weakness. These are signs there may be a more serious underlying health condition. An Overview Just like their people, German Shepherd dogs can develop diarrhea at any age and stage of life. And just like in people, diarrhea in German Shepherds should never be ignored. Sometimes the reason is very temporary and passing. But for German Shepherds in particular, sometimes the reason can be an underlying digestive disorder. German Shepherds, in particular, are prone to digestive disorders ranging from a sensitive stomach to G. In fact, in research published in the Journal of Canine Genetics and Epidemiology, researchers pointed out that diarrhea was one of the most consistent health issues reported by German Shepherd owners. Clearly, there are a number of reasons why a German Shepherd might develop diarrhea. These reasons can sometimes be related to age or life stage as well as the environment, which is what we will talk about in the next section here. As a large breed dog, a GSD puppy is growing up fast and every day is different. Since German Shepherds are genetically predisposed to have issues with sensitive stomachs, each food change has the potential to cause diarrhea. As well, other major stressors can cause temporary bouts of diarrhea. Change in their environment such as rehoming. Stress crate training, kids, other pets, etc. Worms and parasites, a viral or bacterial infection. Diseases That Can Cause Diarrhea in German Shepherd Adult Dogs There are several potentially heritable genetic health conditions that can cause occasional or chronic diarrhea in adult German Shepherds. As far as canine biologists know, German Shepherds are the only dog breed to have this particular condition. The two main warning signs of pancreatic enzyme insufficiency are ongoing diarrhea and rapid weight loss. The only current treatment is to add digestive enzymes at each meal. Even so, pancreatic enzyme insufficiency is known to be life-limiting. IBD happens when the cells that line the stomach intestine begin to collect substantial amounts of inflammatory cells. These cells disrupt the normal function of both organs by preventing the food from being properly digested and absorbed by the body for use. The symptoms of IBD will depend on where the inflammatory cells congregate. If the cells choose to gather in the colon and lower intestine, chronic diarrhea is common. Often owners will report seeing mucus or blood. Other symptoms include loss of appetite, weight loss , depression, and lack of energy. Blood work, ultrasound, X-rays, and G. There is no cure and IBD can be life-limiting. The only treatment is dietary changes and medications. Unfortunately, ongoing research has yet to figure out exactly what causes IBD to get triggered. Other Causes of Diarrhea in German Shepherds When your German Shepherd is experiencing chronic diarrhea that does not seem to respond to the usual remedies, it is always time to look deeper. But sometimes diarrhea, like life, just happens and then it passes. When the episode is brief, you may not ever know exactly what caused your GSD to have diarrhea. This may range from garbage to garden mulch, lawn mushrooms to cat poop. There are four basic categories of canine diarrhea when it is not related to an underlying disease: 1. Motility issues. With motility issues, the gut pushes the food through too fast. Intestinal exudation. Ulcers in the intestinal tract can cause blood and fluid to seep in or out. Over secretion. When the intestinal tract is exposed to a pathogen parasite, bacteria, et al it will secret too much liquid to try to cleanse itself. Osmotic imbalance. When too many food molecules crowd into the intestines together, this draws in water and causes diarrhea. Parasites, worms, viruses, bacteria, and fungus can cause diarrhea. Liver and kidney disease can also trigger bouts of diarrhea. Ingestion of poisons and toxins may also give rise to diarrhea and other symptoms. Treating Diarrhea in German Shepherd Dogs As with any health issue, your German Shepherd is suffering from, the very first step is always to make sure you know what is causing diarrhea. The best approach is to schedule an appointment with your canine veterinarian to get a correct diagnosis. Then you can match the treatment to the cause. As this YouTube video by a veterinarian explains, antibiotics may be necessary when diarrhea is caused by a parasite or bacteria. Just make sure that the pumpkin product you choose is just plain pumpkin puree with no additives. Check to be sure there is no xylitol, a sugar substitute that can be fatal to dogs. Sometimes diarrhea arises and subsides quite quickly, and when this happens, just make sure your dog takes in plenty of water and gets lots of rest. What Is Diarrhea? Diarrhea refers to a condition where a dog passes soft or watery stool during bowel movement. Doggy diarrhea is not a disease itself. Rather, it is a symptom of an underlying issue. The stool will usually occur in large amounts and in greater frequency than normal. Physiologically speaking, diarrhea occurs due to fecal matter passing too quickly through the intestine while the absorption speed of electrolytes, nutrients, and water is decreased. Symptoms of Diarrhea in a German Shepherd Diarrhea can appear on its own, but it can also have other accompanying symptoms. The most common symptoms are bloody stool red or black , a low-grade fever, lethargy, flatulence, loss of appetite, and vomiting as in gastroenteritis. In cases wherein these symptoms also appear alongside diarrhea, it is best to bring your dog to the vet immediately. What Causes Diarrhea in German Shepherds? Throughout the lifetime of your German Shepherd, she will most probably experience diarrhea at least a few times. The most common causes of diarrhea in GSDs are the following: Viral infections, such as one that is caused by parvovirus or canine distemper virus , especially in young, unvaccinated dogs Stress brought about by a change in environment or traveling Abrupt change in diet or treats Poor diet Food allergies or sensitivities, such as dairy products Intestinal parasites which can come from raw meat Ingesting poisonous substances, spoiled food, garbage, or foreign objects Antibiotic medication In rare cases, tumor s in the digestive tract cancer Types of Diarrhea in German Shepherds Diarrhea is a general term, but there are several different types of it. Acute and Chronic Diarrhea Depending on the underlying cause, diarrhea in your GSD can be acute short-lived or chronic happening intermittently over course of weeks or months. Sudden acute diarrhea can appear if your GSD ingests something that does not get along well with her intestines. GSDs have a higher prey drive than most breeds, making them susceptible to chasing rodents and squirrels when left to their own devices. If your dog ingests the meat of these animals, the bacteria in the meat can upset her stomach. German Shepherds and larger breeds in general are more predisposed to this chronic disease than smaller dogs, especially during middle age. Oftentimes, veterinarians prescribe medication to manage the symptoms, as this is an incurable condition. Small intestinal diarrhea is usually caused by bacterial and viral infections, parasites, food sensitivities, IBD, ingested garbage, poison, or foreign objects. In this type of diarrhea, your GSD may pass large amounts of stool about three to five times per day, without straining. Your dog may also vomit, pass gas frequently, and lose weight. On the other hand, large intestinal diarrhea also known as colitis is often caused by whipworms, colon ulcers, colon cancer, IBD, and stress. Colitis is characterized by more frequent passing of stool more than five times a day in smaller amounts, and your GSD may strain in the process. Blood in the stool may appear bright red, and mucus may also be present. Unlike small intestinal diarrhea, large intestinal diarrhea does not always cause vomiting or weight loss in dogs. In some cases, your dog may exhibit a combination of these two types of diarrhea. For instance, the problem can start in the small intestine and then proceed to the large intestine. However, always provide plenty of fresh water nearby to avoid dehydration. After the hour fast, feed your dog a bland diet. Opt for skinless, boneless boiled chicken and broth. You can mix in a few small spoonfuls of mashed pumpkin, sweet potatoes, or potatoes, but make sure that they are unseasoned and unsalted. Rice can be added, too, as long as your GSD is not sensitive to it. These foods will help to firm up the stool. Start with small meals every two hours, then gradually increase the amount of food and the time in between meals. Be very cautious when transitioning your GSD to her previous diet. The transition should be spaced out and gradually done over a few days. If this successfully resolves the diarrhea, you can get her back to her regular food. You may be tempted to give your dog some medication to help ease her discomfort and cure her diarrhea. It is important, however, to understand the risks and to follow proper instructions before you do so. Imodium Imodium is a common over the counter medication that many people give to their dogs to treat diarrhea. Imodium, known generically as Loperamide, is effective in slowing down the movement of the intestines, allowing nutrients to be absorbed more slowly. As previously mentioned, and this bears repeating, you must be very careful when administering Imodium to your GSD. Always consult with your veterinarian before giving your dog Imodium. Imodium Loperamide is a synthetic opioid, and it is possible to overdose your dog if you are not careful. Never give Imodium to puppies, pregnant and nursing GSDs, senior GSDs, and those with other medical illnesses such as liver disease, kidney disease, and hypothyroidism. Some of the side effects of Imodium may include: Constipation.
Teach them to walk nicely on a leash for exploration and pack walks. Train them to basic and advanced obedience commands for a better relationship. Offer fair and consistent discipline to develop rules. Training your German Shepherd puppy involves teaching them how to be successful in your world and life. This means they need to understand what you expect of them and how you communicate your expectations. Use the Right Tools for the Job Use the right tools for your puppy or adult and follow the training steps below to begin basic training with your German Shepherd. Teaching obedience without these supplies makes the work harder on you. Buy the right tools. Here are some of the best examples of great tools for your training. Having the right tools makes all the difference. You also need some tasty treats. Use pea-sized pieces of cheese, small bits of cooked chicken, or one of these yummy German Shepherd healthy treats of your choosing. Follow this German Shepherd training guide to teach your dog the basics of obedience at home. How to Train a German Shepherd to Sit Teaching your dog sit is one of the easiest German Shepherd training commands for your puppy or dog. Your pup sits hundreds of times in a day. Now all you need to do is connect the motion to the command. Teach Sit Step-by-Step Start with your dog in a standing position. Have your reward treat in your hand. Show your pup the treat is in your hand. Move your hand over their head as you keep the treat near their nose. As their head raises to look at the treat, their bottom begins lowering to the ground. We want your dog to associate the correct motion with the reward first. After a few sessions, say sit when their entire bottom is on the floor. Remember to reward them only when their bottom is on the floor. Once you are sure they know the command, increase your distance from them when you give the sit command. Your goal is to say sit from a long distance and your puppy performs. Practice in different rooms inside your home and use a variety of distances while training indoors. Move to the outdoors with a secure long leash when your pup is ready for more distractions and distance. Start with the last success. Stay keeps your dog in one spot until you release them and is essential training. For advanced training, use stay to transition from one command to the next. Begin indoors in a quiet area free from distractions. Hold the leash in your left hand. Use the right hand to signal to stay while standing directly in front of your dog. Raise your hand and turn your palm toward your dog. When he stays with success, walk toward him and give him the treat. Now add in the word stay when your dog performs the stay behavior correctly. Increase the stay time your dog is in the stay position beginning with 5 seconds and working up to one minute or more. Next, work on extending the distance between you and your dog while in the stay. Take a few steps back each time you train. Your goal is to reach the end of your leash while your pup stays in place. This could take many sessions over weeks or months. Guide to Advanced Stay Techniques Once you are at the full distance of your leash, drop the leash and work on having your dog stay while you move into different rooms. Add in distractions, such as friends walking around while you train your GSD. For the final steps, have your dog on the long leash and train in your backyard. Extend the leash as far as it will reach and have your dog stay in place for 30 seconds or longer. Move to outdoor training at a quiet park and repeat the steps for increasing distractions. You can use this time to plan for the next command or simply to have them wait on you. Teach Down Step-by-Step Start with your dog or puppy in a sitting position. Have a tasty treat in your closed hand. Let them see you put that treat in your hand. Move your hand toward the floor in front of them. Your pup will follow the treat into a down position. Offer them the tasty treat and praise them immediately when they are in the down position. You want to make sure they know the motions first. Continue practicing this technique throughout the day. After a few sessions with your pup performing the correct motion, add in the word down. Give him his tasty reward when he is in the down position. Practice in different rooms to ensure your dog knows the command. Move to areas where there are distractions, such as a busy room in your house, and even outside while on a leash. Use the long leash for outdoor sessions and safety. Increase the time your dog is in the down position by taking a long time to offer the treat. A reliable recall come is part of your basic obedience training. When they come to you, reward them with a happy voice and a good boy. You may want to step a few feet backward while calling him. This lures him to follow you. Once your dog reliably moves toward you when you call them, add in the word come. Reward them and repeat the exercise using different distances and the word come now. Increase the distance you are away when you call him inside the house. If your German Shepherd performs the command reliably, add in farther distances. Reward them when they respond correctly. Practice many times with the word come while you are in the same room. Now, call him from farther and farther away in different rooms. Use distractions in the home while practicing. Call him while other people are in the room. Next, use both different rooms and a variety of distractions together. But only if he ignores multiple distractions. If he responds correctly during multiple training sessions, leash him with the long leash mentioned earlier as an essential tool and train him outside to work on concentrating with outdoor distractions. Repeat the process you used indoors practicing with varying distances and distractions outside. Use this guide for a fast recall and to save yourself some stress on this command. They familiarize your dog with the many ways in which they might get asked to perform their commands. These extra steps are invaluable to the quality of your German Shepherd obedience home training program. See how long you can have your dog stay while you move into different practice areas and work on increasing the time. Try to keep his attention on you during his training despite other distractions in your room, inside your house, or outdoors. If your GSD seems to have forgotten their command, take them back to the last place they were successful and begin training from there. Not all of your days are perfect, right? Adjust your training as needed. Instead, make sure you have a well-rounded training program apart from this German Shepherd training guide : Through exciting mental stimulation and boredom-busting activities. By regularly brushing their coats to give them healthy skin and decrease shedding. Offering them the right chew toys that are safe , non-toxic, and withstand heavy chewing while being fun. Use brief training sessions and practice frequently. End training with a command you know your pup will perform and reward them at the end. Keep up your training daily for quicker learning. And… Always look for ways to bond with your German Shepherd through everyday training opportunities. If you want to achieve the quickest results for training your GSD then use games and have fun with your dog! You can easily learn breakthrough techniques to help you feel confident training your German Shepherd at home by enrolling in this scientifically-based brain training program that guides you through advanced tricks and obedience. Great work! Visit ShepherdSense. Then, share it! Catherine Krasavin, BS Hons. She has a Bachelor of Science degree, with Honors, and has been training dogs for over a decade. Related Posts. Although any German Shepherd dog is trainable, they are very strong and powerful animals. If you start out with a puppy, you have the opportunity to shape and mold its personality and develop your relationship early. German Shepherds can be very protective of their family members, so you want to socialize your puppy early in puppyhood. This will get them used to interacting well with a wide variety of people and animals, which is essential. This will be a big dog, and you want to prepare the dog when they are young and small for future grooming and veterinary visits. They may need nail trimming, ear cleaning, temperature taking and other procedures. These procedures will be difficult to accomplish should your full-sized adult German Shepherd dog object. You will need to train them to sit, stay, and heel, in addition to house training them. Your puppy will not understand your commands immediately. Have patience with your dog when they don't do exactly what you ask right away. German Shepherds love to learn and they are highly motivated to follow your commands if they are rewarded with treats. Pet your puppy while they're eating, as long as they do not stiffen and stop eating when you are petting the puppy. If the puppy stiffens, stops eating or growls, you have to deal with this aggressive response immediately. Do this by removing the food bowl and feeding the dog by hand. There is no bowl to guard. Make the bowl no big deal. If a piece of food is dropped inside, let the puppy take it and praise them. Then feed nearby again. The bowl will not always have food inside. Gradually increase the amount of food you drop in the bowl as you stand or sit there with the puppy. You can also add high value treats like roasted chicken breast into the bowl if your puppy seems to need more reassurance that you bring goodness to the food bowl. Resource guarding can be a very serious symptom of fear aggression and, if you are seeing this in a puppy, it needs to be addressed ASAP so it does not escalate. You can gradually ask the puppy to look at you to get more food, then sit and wait for more food, etc. .The humans controls the resource of food and rewards the puppy for good behavior. You still praise your dog, just not offer a treat each time. If you are working to modify a command to create a faster response, add in treats again to shape the behavior until they have it down. Then start using treats to reward truly outstanding performance. Do not yell at your pet. Learn to recognize when you are losing patience and stop the training session on a happy note. Your dog can sense your frustration in your body language and tone of voice. Try another day when you are both fresh. If you continue to have problems, get a professional trainer involved. Typically, as puppies are first learning commands, one adult family member will be responsible for training. Later, when the puppy is consistent and understands the basics, other members of the family can participate in formal training. It is important for the dog to understand that not only one person in the household is to be obeyed. Your puppy should be weeks old and started on their vaccine series for this first class. There are puppy preschools designed for puppies who have not yet finished receiving all of their vaccines. The school will have certain requirements for enrollment and you will likely have to provide proof of vaccination. Calm older dogs are good for this one. Most importantly for German Shepherd puppies, it will give you a chance to work with them around other people, and different dogs from a young age. Settle on a mat German Shepherds are incredibly curious, which can make it difficult for them to relax while out and about. Leash walking — no one wants a large breed of dog pulling them down the street, so be sure you teach loose lead walking and how about some heelwork too? Recall games — Play a game of tennis with your pooch! Calling them from person to person with treats on either side. Get started with grooming and brushing sensitive areas — In long-haired German Shepherds, this is typically the case with the face, legs, and ears, which become tangled the most and may hurt when brushed. Remember to brush carefully, do a little bit of brushing on a sensitive area while feeding them treats or letting them have a lickimat, and then brush an easier to brush area. For socialization, start working on items that are vital to your lifestyle this week, such as if you have a horse and want your puppy to be comfortable with horses, or if you enjoy sailing, having them near water will be important to you. Getting your puppy exposed to new experiences early on can help them accept them much more easily. Socialization exercises to do this week Training to do this week Husbandry Tasks to do this week — Go to the bar — you deserve it! Remember that settle training you did before, take your mat and get your German Shepherd puppy to settle on it with a nice stuffed kong. Alone training: increasing time alone is important for your puppy. It gives them essential coping skills. Recall — Practise this outside, using a leash, and lots of rewards. Leash walking — Take this outside. Make sure you keep a strong pace going, since German Shepherds enjoy walking quickly, and praise often to keep your puppy interested. Pretend Nail Clips — simply holding a claw, pretending to clip , and rewarding your puppy with a treat is enough. Following on walks — Bring special toys, like the Tug-E-Nuff Pocket tugger, with you on walks to ensure your German Shepherd puppy enjoys hanging out with you. Playing with them will make you irresistible! Week 7 — Training your German Shepherd puppy The 7-week itch! Nah not really. I bet your German Shepherd puppy is doing wonderfully and growing rapidly! Tick 3 things off your personal socialization checklist — How about taking your German Shepherd to a city farm, letting them watch from afar and rewarding them for being such a calm puppy? Teach your German Shepherd puppy to stay — this will be a great one to show off at the park, trust us. So, first, take a walk with a dog that your German Shepherd puppy has already met. At first, it may be difficult for your puppy not to get distracted, so keep the rewards coming and try to keep them interested in you, rather than the other dog! Recall — off the lead Make sure you do this in a secure and confined area and bring plenty of smelly treats, a fun toy to play with, and your silly high-pitched voice so you can call your German Shepherd puppy back regularly. Remember, German Shepherds enjoy learning! Tick 3 things off your personal socialization checklist — maybe take your German Shepherd for a swimming lesson? Practice exercises in different locations — how about a train station, or in a shopping center or mall? Teach a hand target — This is a favorite among pups and their owners. Hand Targeting or touching is the foundation for additional trick behaviors like leg weaving and closing doors. Introducing nose work to your puppy — We mean it when we say your German Shepherd puppy has a better nose than you! Play a game of hide and seek with their favorite toy to bring out those excellent search skills. Looking for more great puppy training tips? Check out our overview of when to start teaching your puppy anything , next. It will be fun they said. We go the extra mile for you. If you want a stress free puppy experience, get this downloaded! Worth every single penny! This app is very helpful. It helps you to understand and gives you a path to follow. The coaching support is excellent and super speedy. Download the app now. These first few weeks are a critical period in which dogs learn how to be dogs, and only mom and siblings can do that best! Actively socialize your GSD at home: the idea is to always make every new interaction positive with treats, play, attention, etc. For best results, throw at least 4 parties at your place and invite everyone from babies to kids to adults to seniors to come. Watch sports, grill, play board games, dance or sing Karaoke. Expose your pooch to as many things as possible: objects, sounds, sights, people and animals he is likely to encounter as an adult. Bite-inhibition is another top priority during a German Shepherd's puppyhood period. When correctly done it can prevent serious bites later on. Are you crazy about your dog? Training German Shepherd dogs: The basics German Shepherd training is easier than training many other breeds because these canines need fewer repetitions to learn something new and can learn to discriminate between a big number of different commands. Many of the tutorials in this website are written for the average dog, if you feel your GSD is learning faster, then keep up with his pace! Just say the word and follow it with a food treat - then repeat…repeat…repeat. After some time, you canine friend will associate the marker word with something good and now you can start using this word as a reward itself. This is called Classical Conditioning and is the most basic form or animal learning. Before you start training your German Shepherd commands, it is good to teach him his own name. This is another easy one, say his name and as soon as he looks at you mark and treat! Repeat a lot and in many different situations. Find out amazing GSD facts that will help you better care for your hound. If you would like to be even more fancy, you can train these commands using the actual German words!
Print Potty train your puppy quickly Housebreaking is one of the least desirable tasks when adding a new puppy to your family. It is never fun but consider it a necessary task. You will never regret having a dog that knows your home is not a bathroom. When to start housebreaking Housebreaking should begin the day you bring your puppy home from the breeder. It is important to establish quickly that there is a right and wrong place for your puppy to go potty. How long does it take to house train a lab puppy? I wish I could give a definitive answer for this, but the truth is that every puppy is different. Most puppies can be completely house broke by the time they are months. But assume there will be a lot of ups and downs through the process. Some puppies learn very quickly and rarely have an accident. Others take more time to make the connection. Here are some things you can do to help the process go smoothly. Have the right attitude! Keep your attitude in check to help this process go quickly and smoothly. Have patience! As already stated, potty training can take some time. It may happen, but it is unlikely. Instead, plan for a long haul and then you will be more patient and understanding when mishaps happen. The products I recommend I believe are a good value or good investment for anyone working to train or maintain training on their retriever. When possible, I include links to the product. Some of these links may be Amazon or other affiliate links in which I am paid a small commission at no cost to you. All opinions and recommendations are my own. Step 1: Establish a place for your puppy to go potty To get started housebreaking your puppy, you must first establish a place where it is okay for your puppy to do his business. Find a place outside that is not too far from your home, but an area where you are not worried about killing the grass or trampling plants that are important to you. Consider this carefully, because once your puppy starts going potty in this area it will be exceedingly difficult to move or change the area. Once the scent is there, it is natural for dogs to continue going potty in the same area over and over. Do I have to potty train outside? In some areas of the country, winters can be very cold. Some new puppy owners wonder if it is too cold for their Labrador puppy to go outside to potty train during these times. The answer is no. Most Labs can easily be outside for a few minutes even during the coldest nights to go potty. A pee pad is a disposable, leak proof pad that is scented to attract your dog and encourage going potty on them. We highly discourage using pee pads because in the long run it is confusing to your dog. If you spend time teaching your puppy to NOT go potty inside your home and then flip-flop and begin letting them go inside your home on a pee pad, your dog will be confused. Besides, eventually you must retrain them to going outside, so the best policy is to never start letting inside be an option. Step 2: Establish a routine and schedule for your puppy Establishing a routine is the single most important step for housebreaking. The more consistent you are, the faster your puppy will learn to go outside for potty. This time will increase rapidly over the next few weeks, but that first week is going to take a lot of time and energy on your part to consistently let your puppy out on a schedule. To make being consistent easier, consider this: Set a timer When housebreaking puppies, we find that setting a timer is helpful. An hour flies by and you hardly realize it. For the first few days at least, set a timer and let your puppy out hourly, especially if your puppy is not in a crate. We will discuss that more in a bit. Timing is everything There are other times when you need to let your puppy outside. Immediately after eating or drinking your puppy should go outside. Eating and drinking will trigger a need to go potty, so to avoid accidents, take your puppy out every time they eat or drink. And if they drink a lot of water, you may have to take them out several times before they are back on schedule. Anything you can do to make going potty a routine will help your dog learn and associate that going outside is where I need to go to go potty. Use a command I know this sounds crazy but using a command can help your dog form an association between the command and going potty. At first this is meaningless to the puppy. And you cannot discipline your puppy for a potty accident in the house that you never saw happen. The solution for this is never let your puppy go unsupervised. This can be exhausting, that is why we suggest using a crate to help. The stern words must be said during the accident or immediately after to have any effect. Using a crate to house train your puppy First, while your puppy may not love his crate right away, if properly introduced and used consistently, Labs usually come to love their crates. As den animals, dogs will view their crate as a den where they can go to sleep or get away from the business of the home. Learn more about crate training your Labrador puppy here. When using a crate to housetrain your puppy, you first want to make sure that you have a very small crate. One that is just a little bigger than your puppy. This is particularly important because you do not want your puppy to be able to move around much in the crate. If they can move around, they can and often will go potty in the crate. So, start with a very small crate and get bigger crates as the puppy grows. Whatever you choose to use to block off the larger area, make sure that it is not something your puppy can chew on or ingest. You will still need to find a way to gradually increase the area that the puppy has access to, so I just find the multiple crate solution easier. You should still set a timer and take your puppy out on a regular basis, and you will want to schedule some time each day for the puppy to run around the house and play while supervised. Step 4: Using praise to speed the house breaking process You can help your puppy more quickly understand that going potty outside is the right thing to do by giving your puppy well-timed praise. But the praise must be well-timed. You should give the praise while your puppy is going potty outside or immediately after. Timing is very important! Lots of people get upset when the dog goes inside but fail to praise when the dog does the right thing. Not all dogs are the same. Some puppies will whine just before they go potty in the house, or whine at the door when they need to go. Some will hide somewhere you cannot see them and do their business there. Still others may scratch at the door. How long can a puppy hold it overnight? With young puppies, weeks old, you will need to get up several times a night to let them out. It can be helpful to limit the amount of water your puppy has access to close to bedtime. We usually aim for every 3 hours and then steadily increase the time as they get older. But each puppy is different. Final thoughts on how to house train your Labrador puppy Remember that housebreaking is a process. It rarely follows a straight line and more often there will periods of success and occasional mishaps. Stick with it and before long your puppy will understand that going potty in the house is not okay. Until next time, happy retrieving. How to housebreak your Labrador puppy. Umbilical cord training Throughout the rest of this guide I will be referring to each of these 4 methods and when you should or could be using them. Once used to using the paper or the pads, you slowly cut the area covered until they reliably use just a couple of sheets and never miss. You then slowly move the paper toward the outside where another set is placed and you begin to encourage your puppy to go outside only, before completely removing the papers inside. At this point they will have made the transition. A top tip when paper training is when you clean away soiled paper, you should hold one piece back and place it as a middle layer of the new papers. Puppy pads have a scent that attracts a puppy, paper does not. Effectiveness: On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 3. This is confusing and will make the learning process take longer. Best suited to: Either people who are going to have an indoor bathroom spot long-term, or people who will not use a crate for training yet cannot commit to constantly supervising their puppy when inside the home. Ease of use: On a scale of 1 to 5, definitely a 5. But it does result in more mistakes from your puppy until later in life. Equipment needed: Nothing but stacks of old newspapers! A very cost-effective method. Description: The method takes advantage of the fact dogs have a natural instinct not to soil the area where they eat and sleep. Key to this is making the crate just large enough to stand in, turn around easily and lay down stretched out but no bigger. The rest of the time you watch them and regularly take them outside to potty to teach them good habits. Best suited to: Everybody! This is because you will have to crate train your puppy before you can use a crate for house training which does take time and effort. Click here for my free and detailed guide to crate training your puppy. Equipment needed: A suitable crate. I have a guide to help you select the right size and type that you can read by clicking here. Effectiveness: On a scale of 1 to 5, I tentatively give it a 3. It could actually score higher or lower depending on how committed you are and how successful at supervising your puppy you are. Best suited to: People who are against any kind of confinement and can stay at home to watch their puppy all day every day. Mostly people who work from home and the retired. But this method also forms a part of every house training plan, whether you use other methods alongside or not. This is because when a puppy is free inside a home, they MUST be closely supervised to prevent any mistakes. Ease of use: On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 2. It scores low as it requires a lot of input from you as the owner. It is quite draining never being able to take your eye of your puppy. Equipment needed: None. Not a crate, newspapers, puppy pads or anything. The cheapest of all the methods…unless you put a price on your time. But it is highly effective. Description: This technique calls for you to tether your puppy to you by leash and have them follow you wherever you go when inside your home. You will notice and be able to intervene and correct every possible mistake, taking them outside every time they need to relieve themselves. Used correctly, the opportunity for your puppy to make mistakes is completely removed so every single time they need to visit their bathroom spot is a training opportunity you will take advantage of and no mistake goes uncorrected. Best suited to: People who spend all their time at home with their puppy and would also enjoy literally being tied to their pup all day. Further Info: for a detailed discussion of this technique, the benefits, downside, and many more tips, please see my article: Umbilical Cord House Training: What is It? How Does It Work? A Mix Of 3 Methods I use and recommend a mixture of crate training, constant supervision and paper training. I use constant supervision extensively because when a puppy is outside of the crate you have to watch them diligently to avoid puppy mistakes. Admittedly this is somewhat going against my advice because I always recommend to avoid paper training if possible. It encourages or allows your puppy to toilet inside the home, before then training them not to do so. This is confusing to your puppy and harmful to our house training efforts. But even though I recommend against it, using paper training ever so occasionally as a fall back plan works well for me. Most dogs love being outside and will use any excuse to get out there and stay there. You do this by using a cue word and walking them on leash to their potty spot, not allowing them to do anything else and if they do not potty, taking them back inside and trying again in a few minutes. Because a full bladder or bowel is uncomfortable, dogs are happy to relieve themselves, but some may try to hold it if they think they can get to stay outside and sniff around a while. If people use different words, your dog will get confused. This will slowly teach them the command. And this is fine for the first couple of weeks while they have no bladder control and will perform their business very quickly. And some dogs even learn to actively hold their bladder just so they can stay outside to explore for longer. Before you can do this you need to first get your puppy used to wearing a collar and leash. Have You Got Everything Prepared? A Check-list Before You Start Like everything in life, house training runs smoother if you have everything ready before you start, hopefully before you even bring your puppy home. Have you: Decided on and marked out a suitable bathroom spot? Chosen and purchased a suitable high-quality nutritious food? Figured out the times of day you will feed your puppy? Got a collar and leash? Put in place a leash training plan? Bought a suitable crate and set it up in a suitable place? Bought bedding for the crate? Bought chew toys to occupy your puppy in the crate? Decided on the commands you will use if any? Purchased either baby gates, a pet barrier or an exercise pen for longer term confinement? Sourced stacks of newspapers or puppy pads to use in the long-term confinement area? Bought some small but highly tasty training treats to use as a reward? Bought specialized pet stain removing and odor neutralizing cleaning products? Bought a UV light to find hidden spots of urine that must be removed to prevent repeat accidents? Sat and discussed with every member of your household your finalized plans so everybody has the same info? Successful House Training Is All About Schedules And Routine Dogs thrive when living to schedules and routine, doing best when they have set times for eating, going to toilet, exercise, training and play. But because the passage of food through their digestive system stays roughly the same, if you feed your puppy at the same times every day they will need to defecate at roughly the same times every day. This results in fewer mistakes, more opportunities to praise your puppy for going in the right place and so speeds up their learning. Depending on their age a puppy will need to poop 3 to 6 times a day, and wee many more times than that. Can these times be predicted? Mostly they can. When a puppy needs to potty depends on when they last ate, drank and their recent activities. Mostly they need to go: First thing in the morning The instant they wake up from a nap at any time of the day Just before going to bed Within a few minutes of eating or drinking Immediately after a play session Immediately after any excitement But a puppy also needs to go many times per day regardless of recent activities, so you should also take your puppy to their bathroom spot on a consistent schedule such as the following: At 8 weeks old — every 30 mins. At 10 weeks old — every 45 mins. At 12 weeks old — every 1 to 1. At 16 weeks old — every 2 hours. At 20 weeks old — every 3 hours. Some will need to wee within 2 minutes of drinking, others after 20 minutes. Some will need a bathroom break within 2 minutes of waking, others 15 minutes later. You have to determine your puppies own natural tendencies and create a schedule to suit. To achieve this, you need to follow this 5 step process: Feed them to a strict schedule. Decide on exercise, play and training times. Develop a schedule including feeding, exercise, play, training and all scheduled potty times. Use the information gathered in your diary to learn from any mistakes and adjust your schedule for the following week. The more you can stick to schedules and routines, the smoother and faster the process will be. But you can stray from the path when necessary and still find success, it will just take a little longer. You should feed your puppy 3 times a day when 12 to 26 weeks old. From 26 weeks old and onwards, feed your puppy just two times a day For 2 meals a day you need to space them out 8 to 12 hours apart. What works for me is shortly after I get up at and when we have our evening meal between PM and PM. Availability Of Water: You should make sure fresh water is always available but because drinking too much or too little can be a sign of health problems, you do need to monitor their water intake. Physical activity often leads to a puppy needing to potty very soon after. So to encourage predictable potty times for your puppy, you want to schedule their exercise and play. Deciding when to exercise, train and play with your puppy is entirely up to you. You should fit it around your lifestyle and commitments, but try to make it the same times each day if you can. Enter all the following details into a single column in an excel spreadsheet, or write them down as a day schedule with a pen and paper: When you wake and add an instant bathroom break before you do ANYTHING for yourself! Enter the times you will play with, train and exercise your puppy. Enter a scheduled visit to the bathroom spot after each of the activities listed in points 1 to 3. Add scheduled bathroom visits after any length of time longer than your puppy should be expected to hold it according to their age. Write in scheduled sleeps for your puppy, place them in the crate or confinement area. After writing down this schedule, tick off each task as you go through the day with your puppy. This way you will always know what needs to be done and when, and there will be no confusion about whether someone else in the house fed, exercised or took the puppy to the loo. I discuss this further in step 5 below. You should be able to pick up on any patterns and adjust your own behavior to avoid mistakes in future. Was puppy left alone and peed in the living room while you made breakfast? Puppy should never be left alone unsupervised, learn from this mistake. Or maybe puppy peed in the crate after an hour? Learn from this mistake. Well done for watching them closely enough. So increase the frequency. Therefore you should stretch out the time between visits by 10 to 15 minutes for the following day. This is how you find out. And Now House Training is So Much Easier By writing out the schedule as in step 3, you should never forget to feed, train or take your puppy to potty. And by using the schedule as a diary as in step 5, you get feedback on how you and your puppy are performing, and are armed with the necessary info to make changes to your schedule over time. You, your puppy and their needs all stay in sync and house training becomes that much easier. Just make a spreadsheet in excel and print it out, or simply buy some lined paper. Keep it somewhere you can always see and know where it is, alongside a pen or pencil and write entries in it as you watch your puppy throughout the day. After this, continuing with a diary every day is the best advice, although keeping one for 3 consecutive days each week will be sufficient for you to pick up on any changes as they mature. Once your puppy is 5 to 6 months old, they will have sufficient bladder control and experience to make a schedule and diary unnecessary. Just make sure they get access to the outside at least once every 3 hours and all will be fine. Extending The Time Between Toilet Breaks I discussed earlier how a puppy will need regular visits to their bathroom spot, something like every 30 minutes at 8 weeks old, every 45 minutes at 10 weeks old and so on. But every puppy is different and their progress in having longer time between needed toilet breaks will vary too. You do this because as a puppy grows, the size of their bowel and bladder increases, so they will be able to hold more for longer and you want to take advantage of this. This is also teaching them necessary bladder and bowel control. Use your cue word before you take them: By using your chosen cue word every time before you take them to potty, your puppy will learn what the trip is about and what they must do. This eventually leads to faster results as they know what is expected of them. Lead your puppy to the bathroom spot on leash: This gives you the ability to keep your puppy at the bathroom spot and prevent them wandering off, getting distracted and forgetting what they are there for. Make sure you stay with them at their bathroom spot: If you have them on leash, then of course you will be. When they start to go, say your chosen cue word in a soft warm voice. Mix up the reward between play, time off leash and a food reward to keep them guessing, but keep the food rewards to a minimum as what goes in must come out and random feeding promotes random elimination times! Many people pop out, stand for 1 minute and then come back in. Some people recommend to stay out there for 10, 15, 20 minutes, whatever it takes until they go, then praise profusely when they do. I recommend you give them 3 to 5 minutes, saying your cue word every 30 seconds or so but otherwise standing silently still just holding their leash so they cannot wander off. Take them back to their bathroom spot in 10 minutes or so. If using a crate for house training: Pop them back in the crate and leave them for 10 minutes. Then take them back to their bathroom spot. Take them to their bathroom spot after 10 minutes. If not, take them away from their bathroom spot and watch them for 10 minutes before returning them to their bathroom spot. And if crate training, do not leave them in the crate too long else they may be forced to soil in there. Prevent this at all costs. Rinse and repeat the visits to and fro like this until they do potty, then follow the next sections advice. What You Should Do Between Scheduled Bathroom Breaks Between scheduled bathroom visits you should do two things: Allow some supervised free time in your home, and use your chosen house training method. By free time I mean time outside of their crate, or off leash, or out of their confinement area. Time free to roam, explore and live life. When 10 weeks old they may need to toilet every 30 minutes, so they only get 5 to 10 minutes free time. When 12 weeks old, they may need to toilet every hour so they can get 35 to 40 minutes free time. You allow this free time because you are of course working toward a time when they will always be free and trusted unsupervised. To get there they need the experience, to get used to being free in your home and begin seeing it as a place they need to keep clean. They also need social interaction and life experiences. But what are the signs a puppy is about to potty? Heading toward, barking at or scratching the door to the outside. The minute you see any of these signs you should take your puppy to their bathroom spot immediately. There may well be some false alarms, but better safe than sorry. Carefully watch them and you should soon notice what body language means a wee or a poop is imminent. There will be recognizable signs. We do this because the time is fast approaching when mistakes are most likely to be made. If using constant supervision: Carry on as you are. Then at their scheduled potty time, attach a leash and lead them to their bathroom spot. If using a crate for house training: Encourage your puppy into their crate and close the door, leaving them there until their scheduled potty time and then release them, instantly attaching a leash and leading them to their bathroom spot. If using umbilical cord training: Attach a leash and tether your puppy to you, ready to react if they make moves to eliminate. Take them to their bathroom spot at the scheduled time. If paper training: Take your puppy to their confinement area where their papered bathroom spot is and supervise them, ready to intervene if they make moves to potty away from the paper. Not good when you need to be there to encourage them for doing it in the right place. If they do, you can pick them up and carry them, or take them by the collar and gently lead them to their bathroom spot, then encourage them to finish where they should. But to me this seems foolish. Instead of a little pile or puddle, you then have a long line of wee or poop from where you caught them all the way to the bathroom spot that you then have to deep clean instead. Then think how they were able to make such a mistake and tweak your plans so it cannot happen again. But any corrections or punishment now will be futile. House Training For Full Time Workers This advice applies not just to full-time workers , but also if you must occasionally leave your puppy home alone for a few hours. Most importantly, follow all the advice in this guide so far for the times that you are home. Supervise them, correct any mistakes, set feeding and elimination schedules and everything else I have advised. First of all, if like me you use a crate, you simply cannot leave your puppy in the crate for many hours. This is very unfair on your puppy and it will destroy the crates power as a house training tool if they lose the instinct to keep it clean. Secondly, please do your best to enlist the help of a family member, friend, neighbor or hire a dog walker to periodically pop in to visit your puppy, take them to their bathroom spot, give them some social interaction and so on. But I also freely admit to using paper training myself occasionally, for the unavoidable times I have to leave my puppy home alone for a few hours. If you have to leave your puppy home alone for any reason, usually because you work, then paper training in your absence is the only thing you can do. You then have two options available to you: Buy and use an exercise pen, or confine your puppy to a single, puppy-proofed room. As they get used to pottying on paper, reduce the area covered one sheet at a time until just a small area remains covered. Once you know your puppy can hold their bladder for longer than they have to be left alone, remove the paper altogether. By 16 to 20 weeks, they should be able to last the 3 or 4 hours max they will be left alone and somebody comes to exercise them and allow a bathroom break. Between 8 and 12 weeks when weeing seems spontaneous , my puppy spends a fair bit of time in there and I paper train them to use puppy pads. Our kitchen and dining room was separated by an arch where a door used to be, with tiled flooring, making it ideal. I used a baby gate across the arch between the kitchen and dining room, and initially covered the dining area with paper, over time reducing it to just two sheets with the puppy pad holder on top. The dining area is completely empty, with no furniture, nothing in there. Skirting boards, the corners of furniture items, anything within reach is a potential target for teeth and claws. My girlfriend works from home, we crate trained and we had no problem finding house sitters in an evening if we needed one, so we all but had things covered. But this is something you need to be mindful of. Whatever the reason, there just WILL be times you cannot supervise your puppy. The essence of house training is to prevent mistakes and praise your puppy heavily when they potty in the right place. If you cannot watch your puppy, the chances of them making a mistake go through the roof. So even if you choose to use a constant supervision method exclusively, you will still need to confine your puppy sometimes to a paper covered area just in case. I mean literally none at all. One minute they are trotting along, the next they are leaking. No warning signs for you, not even any warning signs for them. I recommend setting up an exercise pen with the entire area papered, or do as I do and confine them to a room with the entire area papered. Use this time to paper train them, to get them used to weeing on paper and gradually reduce the area because you will use this method if you ever have to leave them home alone during the next 4 or 5 months. They will sniff, circle and so on as I mentioned before. At this point you can now move on to using your chosen house training method. Start encouraging them to potty in the right place from the minute you get them home. So the good news is, even at 8 weeks they will be able to last 4 or so hours and you will only need to wake once during the night. Also, make sure to take them to their bathroom spot right before you go to bed so they can empty themselves. Then set an alarm for 4 hours after their bed time when you must get up and take them to their bathroom spot. No excuses, you simply must do this. If you find your puppy has soiled in this time, you should set the alarm for half an hour earlier the next night 3. After a few days of not having a night-time accident, set your alarm for 15 minutes later and increase the time by 15 minutes for each successful night they do not have an accident. If you find they make a mistake one night before you wake, set the alarm back half an hour, make sure they stay dry a few days and then increase 15 minutes nightly again. And by using this schedule, you strike a good balance between a couple of inevitable accidents while stretching out the time at a good pace to lasting a full night. If they soil their crate more than once in any given week, you may have to progress slower add 15 minutes every 2 or 3 days , or perhaps sleep them in a papered exercise pen or their confinement room. Maintaining their instinct to keep the crate clean is of utmost importance. What To Do At The Bathroom Spot At Night When you take them out at night, say your chosen cue word, take them straight to their bathroom spot, praise them gently when they finish their business but do not reward them with anything else. The last thing you want is to teach your puppy that during the night is a time for play or food treats! This will come back to haunt you in a big way and result in noisy sleepless nights. You want your puppy to learn that night-time is for sleeping and for nothing else. Do nothing else. Some will be able to last the whole night without a potty break at 10 weeks rarely , and some may not be able to at 15 weeks also rarely. But certainly by 16 weeks old your puppy will be able to last a 7 hour night without needing to potty if you do not feed them for 3 hours or provide water for 2 hours before bed time and allow them to empty themselves right before you lay down for the night. No Progress? If you are feeding, exercising, training and playing with your puppy to a schedule, and when you look at your diary there seems to be no pattern to the times they need to potty, you should seek the advice of your vet. Common ailments such as gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection and health issues affecting internal organs and the genitalia can lead to a dog needing to potty much more frequently, often leading to eliminating in the house. Again, seek the advice of your family vet. You cannot successfully house train a puppy who is ill because their bodily functions will be too unpredictable. But 6 to 7 months is the ball park figure to aim for. A single mistake in the home can cause a major setback. A puppy may not make a mistake for 2 weeks, then you give them too much freedom, they make a mistake and all of a sudden they are regularly trying to potty in the home again. Also, some puppies just seem to forget everything for a few days now and then while growing up, even after being perfect for a couple of weeks. Just stick to your plan and they WILL eventually get it. Conclusion With house training, the fewer mistakes you allow your puppy to make and the more they are rewarded for doing the right thing, the quicker they will learn and the faster you will find success. Because of this, the more effort you put in and the more time you spend with your puppy at the beginning — supervising to correct mistakes and taking them to their bathroom spot many times each day — the better. But there are many other things you can do to help yourself and your puppy to find success. This guide has provided you with all the theory, strategies, tips and tricks you will ever need to successfully house train your puppy as quickly and efficiently as possible, with the fewest mistakes along the way. Please see the entire series linked to below:. Learn to spot the signs Never punish your Lab after an accident Use potty pads as a temporary indoor alternative Recognize excitement urination Be aware of submissive urination Allow more freedom as your puppy improves The ultimate aim of housebreaking your puppy is to prevent accidents. Control His Environment When potty training your puppy, the first thing to do is to control his environment. Use a long leash and attach your pup to your waist, even when inside the house. This allows you to look out for warning signs. Your pup will sleep in the crate, whereas the playpen provides extra space. Make sure to choose a pen with a door so that you can attach it to the crate, such as the Midwest Homes for Pets Folding Exercise Pen from Amazon. I also recommend the Midwest Homes for Pets icrate. Introduce the Crate Slowly introduce the crate when crate training your Lab over the first few days. When you let your pup out of his crate, immediately take him outside. When he is away from his own room, make sure you closely supervise him by keeping him attached to you on a long leash. Allow Frequent Potty Breaks Give your dog lots of opportunities to go outside. Create a Puppy Potty Schedule Dogs thrive off routines, including mealtimes, exercise, and potty training! You can set an alarm on your watch or phone to remind you to take your dog outside to his toilet area. Your pup will need to go first thing in the morning, after a meal or drinking, when he wakes from a nap, after playtimes, and before bedtime. Look for clues such as sniffing the floor or carpet, circling, restlessness, becoming overexcited, whining, or making towards the door. This includes whether you catch him in the act or if it happened a while ago. Moreso, the latter, as your dog will have no idea what he is being punished for! This is because dogs have a terrible short-term memory and will forget an event in two minutes. Instead, take him straight outside and reward him with a treat and lots of praise if he finishes off his business. Use Potty Pads as a Temporary Indoor Alternative Potty pads can be handy in extended periods of bad weather or if you live in a high-rise apartment and it takes longer to get outside. They can also be useful when traveling. This is when your Labrador gets so excited he will pee a small amount. It may happen when a family member or friend visits. To prevent this, allow your dog to eliminate before a visitor arrives and ensure visitors make their entrance low-key with no fuss, even ignoring the pup for a few minutes. Dogs will usually grow out of excitement pee by 18 months of age. Be Aware of Submissive Urination This is also common, but your puppy will outgrow it. It occurs when your Labrador wants to show submissive status to a person or another animal. He may squat and urinate during specific situations. To prevent it, avoid yelling and physical punishment, appear less intimidating when approaching, kneel down, and stroke under his chin instead of the top of his head. At first, keep his sleeping area small and then gradually increase the size slowly and methodically. Remove the divider in the crate or make the playpen area larger if you arent using a crate. You can use a crate to your advantage as it helps your pup develop quicker bowel and bladder control. To potty train a Lab puppy with a crate, use the crate as a tool. When the door is closed, your Lab will let you know he needs to eliminate by whining or scratching. He will learn self-control quicker. Crates are great when you cannot fully supervise your puppy and are an ideal way to control his environment. However, you still need to keep a close eye on him and spot the signs when he needs to go. Make it smaller using a divider. He will be less likely to eliminate in a smaller sleeping area. Check out my recommendations for the Best Dog Crates for Labradors and Playpens , including soft crates, travel crates, and furniture styles. Just be aware that it will probably take a little longer. Use dog gates to section off an area of the house. When away from his confinement, tether your pup to you with a long leash and establish a strict potty break schedule. If you choose dog gates, there are many styles you can choose to match your decor and configure how you like. This area should contain training pads or newspapers. Potty Training Puppies Between Months Old Most puppies are around eight weeks old when they leave their mother and littermates, but occasionally your pup may be a little older when you first bring him home. You may wonder how to potty train an older puppy and whether you should do anything different. Generally speaking, you should follow the same principles as training an 8-week-old Lab. However, a more mature puppy should be able to grasp housebreaking quicker. Labrador house training routines. We want them to learn to wait until they are outdoors before emptying their bladder or bowels. It is about maturity too. We need to understand that tiny puppies have immature bodies and are not physically capable of waiting very long. On your side There are two factors on your side in the potty training process. When it comes to bladder control, fortunately your puppy improves with every day that passes, so this factor does not work against you forever. The same applies to the fact that the puppy has been removed from his nest, he will soon learn to accept his new nest. The principles of puppy potty training The puppy is learning the principle of extending the nest area, which he keeps clean instinctively, to include your entire home. Punishment is counter-productive in this process as it teaches the puppy to avoid emptying himself in your presence. Rewards are helpful, but given the right routine, a puppy will naturally learn to be clean without them. The secret to successful house training lies in selecting targets that the puppy can achieve. If your puppy sometimes needs to wee every 15 minutes whilst he is awake and active, you will have to take him outside every 15 minutes. Restricted access Start small applies here too. Allow your puppy access only to a small part of your home. Increase the area he has access to, only when he is capable of keeping the current area clean. Just because he can. And because the sensation of a filling bladder is a new one. Your job is to teach him to wait a little longer. You do this by confining him for a short time, every time his bladder fills. You can confine him in his nest within a crate , or in your arms. He will be reluctant to wee in either location. If he wets himself, you have waited too long! It takes two You need to go outside with your puppy, and stay out there with him, each time he needs to wee. A tiny puppy is unlikely to empty himself on his own. This especially applies in cold or wet weather. Routines Matter When House Training a Labrador Retriever Based around these practical requirements you can create your own house training routine. For a puppy that needs to wee every half an hour, it will go something like this Take puppy outside to the toilet area and wait with him until he empties himself Bring him indoors and allow him free access to your kitchen for fifteen to twenty minutes Crate or cuddle the puppy until it is thirty minute since his last wee Take the puppy back out to the toilet area If at any time the puppy does not empty himself then confine him for another ten minutes and try again. As soon as he is regularly not needing to wee after thirty minutes you can extend the duration of free access to your kitchen. Provided you stick to these principles and strategies, the house training process, though quite intense for a short while, will pass smoothly. Supervise Your Puppy Your second job is to supervise or contain your puppy when his bladder is filling up. You can do this by crating him for a few minutes, or by cuddling him in your arms. I recommend the cuddle option for the first few days, that way you can introduce the crate gradually once he has settled into his new home. Either spend your first day together in the yard getting a feel for how frequently they pee. As you can see, there is some guesswork involved in house training a puppy, but not too much. The secrets of successful outdoor toilet trips Not wanting to pee outside is a common toilet training puppy problem and one we look at in more detail in this article. Keeping your puppy company is the key. You need to go outside with your puppy and wait there with him until he has done a wee. This may take longer than you would like, and you probably have better things to do than stand in your yard while your puppy chases butterflies or plays with your shoe laces. But stay outside you must, until he has done that wee. Coming Indoors Early If you must come indoors before your puppy has relieved himself, you need to supervise him very closely. Hold him in your arms — or put him in a small crate for a few minutes — before going back out to try again. It is a new puppy problem, and it will pass. And if you teach your puppy to pee on command, it will pass even quicker! Rewarding success If you put plenty of effort in, and take your puppy out a great deal in those first few days, he will quickly learn that the place you have allocated to him for potty purposes is the place to pee. You can praise him and give him a little treat for doing so. Have your treat on hand keep them next to your poop bags so you remember to grab both on the way out , and deliver it right after your puppy has completed their business. Rewarding his successes and ignoring his accidents is the quickest way of successfully communicating what you want, and quickly potty training your puppy. Stage 2 — Learning self control During stage 2 your puppy begins to develop some self control. This means he can wait a few minutes before emptying himself when his bladder starts to feel full. Keep an eye on your puppy for the tell tale signs that he needs to use the toilet: whimpering, whining or barking sniffing about, especially sniffing in circles! Using Your Crate If your puppy is now used to his crate, you can start using it stretch out the gaps between toilet trips. Accidents during stage 2 At some point during stage 2, many puppies will be able to last an hour or so between wees. This is when puppy parents often relax their vigilance, and their puppies start having accidents in the house again. Simply go back to shorter gaps between trips to the yard for a few days. Then start to space out those trips again, but more gradually this time. Stage 3 — Extending the clean zone This is where all your hard work starts to really pay off. Once your puppy is confidently and consistently toileting outdoors, and you can further stretch out the gaps between toilet breaks, and start to introduce your puppy to the rest of your home. Take it slowly, and if accidents occur, to go back to shorter gaps between trips outdoors for a few days. Bear in mind that your puppy may be used to peeing in the yard and not in the kitchen by now, but they might not automatically understand which rule applies to the lounge. Method 2: How to potty train a puppy indoors This section has a lot in common with how to potty train a puppy when you work. So follow method 2 if you need to know how to potty train a puppy in an apartment as well. And that means using pads. How to potty train a puppy on pads The simplest way to do this is to restrict the puppy to a smallish room with washable floors. Cover the floor with puppy pads to begin with, with their bed in one corner. How do you train a puppy to pee on a pad? With this arrangement in place, as long as your puppy leaves his bed to pee which his mom will have encouraged him to do , he will pee onto the pads. So over the next few days, reduce the area of the floor that is covered with puppy pads by half. You should find he begins to make an effort to pee and poop on the part of the floor that is covered — but it needs to be a sizeable part to get this good habit established. How to potty train a puppy fast using pads — reducing the toilet area By the end of the first week, you can begin to reduce the part of the floor that is covered with puppy pads right down to a small area, preferably near the back door. It is usually best to do this when you have some time booked off work — or during a long weekend when the weather is fine. But if you choose to crate train your puppy LINK alongside potty training him, the crate can be a useful aid for potty training too. Once your puppy thinks of the crate as their bed, they will be reluctant to soil in it. You Still Need To Watch Your Puppy Always watch puppies closely in their crate during potty training, and whisk them out to the right spot at the first sign they might need to relieve themselves. You can find out a lot more about crate training and the role it plays in rapid house training on this page. As well opportunities to use the toilet, Labrador puppies need company and socialisation while they are small. So, if you are going to go back to work you need to arrange someone to look after him, or to come in at intervals throughout the day to play with him and take him out. Here are some articles which will be of interest if you are thinking of getting a puppy and work full time:.
Why Is My Dog Shaking? Dogs are known for their loyalty and companionship, but when they start shaking, it can be a cause for concern for pet owners. Shaking in dogs can be a sign of various issues, from dog anxiety and dog fear to dog medical conditions. In this blog post, we will explore the common causes of a dog shaking and what pet owners can do to identify and treat the problem. We will also offer tips for preventing dog shaking and ensuring.By doing regular grooming at home, you can help your dog look its best between visits to the groomer. You also get to bond more closely and build stronger trust with your dog. Routine grooming sessions will keep your dog clean and feeling fresh, but it will also.Their personality is lively, their nature fun-loving, and their disposition affectionate. As even-tempered, sweet, and playful dogs, Pugs make wonderful playmates for kids of all ages and lovely companion pets for couples, singles, and seniors. These little joy bringers love to cuddle and are generous with their Pug love. When it comes to their family, Pugs attach like magnets. They are known to happily shadow their humans in every activity and are just as happy lazing on the couch all day as they are going for a long evening stroll around the neighborhood. I was dumped, along with my friend, in my foster mom's neighborhood, in the dark during a thunderstorm. I was left to wander on my own and fend for myself. It was absolutely terrifying and I didn't trust that people were trying to help me. After about 3 weeks of being homeless and starving on the streets, ACS finally caught up to me and I ended up at the shelter. But thank goodness my foster mom saw that I was at ACS and after getting spayed and current on all my vaccinations, she came and got me! Now that I know I am safe and my belly is full, I know that I can trust the good humans again and I get to show my true, silly, fun-loving personality. There can never be too much snuggling as far as I'm concerned. I love to sniff around in the backyard but I don't love the water. When my foster mom waters the plants, I run back inside, away from that scary hose! I love to play tug of war with my rope toys and am learning to chase and bring back the ball. I am crate trained and sleep like an angel through the night. I mostly go potty outside, but because I was a street dog and used to going wherever I was, I have had the very rare accident inside, but only a handful of times. And my foster family is helping me remember that I'm only supposed to go outside so I should be an ace at that in no time! I love frozen blueberries, broccoli and cucumbers gotta keep my girlish figure! But my foster mom and sister are working hard with me to teach me the difference between "sit" and "stand" and also working on teaching me to stay. I want to make my foster family proud, so I'm trying hard! I have not been around small kiddos, but I think I would like them - I like anyone who wants to snuggle me! The only thing I don't like are kitties so no feline sibling for me. I am a sweet, sweet girl who just wants to be with my human. I will be your best, most loyal friend forever!
Montana Mist Goose "Goose" Goose is our 7 yr old male. He is medium sized at 72 pounds but thinks he is a lap dog. He is the most loyal companion I have ever had. He would be happy sitting next to me on our couch all day. He has also been the most calm dog I have ever owned. Even as a puppy he was extremely calm and never chewed a thing. Goose works as a therapy dog with special needs and elderly patients and has his Canine Good Citizen CGC certification. Click here for pedigree info. We love the English Golden Retriever for its calm personality, beautiful coat, and health standards. We have had American Golden Retrievers before and fell in love with the English Cream because of their calm personality and beautiful build. However, every dog has a unique makeup and I have known several American Golden's living years and English Cream Goldens that get cancer. We choose our Goldens for their health, their calm and friendly personalities and ability to be great family additions. We only breed one or two litters a year so that our pups can be raised indoors and are exposed to lots of kids and noises while they are in their critical development stage. Our pups become confident and well-adjusted dogs and many of our families come back to get pup siblings. Many of our pups have gone on to become therapy dogs like their dad. We have both Dams and Sire on-site and invite you to meet them when deciding on a puppy. She has a beautiful wavy thick coat and a playful personality and weighs around 60 pounds. She is great around kids and is a great family companion. She has excellent hips and elbow r esults here , and clear heart and eye tests r esults here. She lives in the Heights with her host mom, Claire, and gets to visit often. Delta loves to swim and is full of energy when she is not napping on the couch. She also just loves everyone. This beautiful dog comes from champion bloodlines and has all of her health clearances results here. She is clear of all genetic diseases that affect this breed and has produced beautiful pups. Click on the image for more pictures. She lives in the Heights with her host family with 3 active boys, and gets lots of attention and loves to chase balls. Her mom describes Ruby as the best dog she has ever had. She is clear of all genetic diseases that affect this breed and should produce beautiful blocky pups. Available Puppies We are taking deposits for future litters. We typically only have litter a year but we have formed a partnerships with a breeders to provide our Texas families with healthy, well-adjusted puppies that are bred with the same rigorous standards we use here. Our puppies are usually sold before they are born, so please be willing to wait between 3 months and a year. We spend thousands of dollars making sure we give our babies the best chance possible for long healthy lives. The upfront cost of a dog is a drop in the bucket when looking at the lifetime cost of owning a pet. Goose Montana Mist Goose was our first English Cream colored Golden Retriever and he was remarkably calmer and easier to raise and train than our previous American Goldens. Goose became a Therapy Dog at 1 year old and is currently working with hospital patients and special needs adults and kids all over town. On top of his calm and loving demeanor, he has a beautiful blocky head and light white coat reflecting his champion bloodline. Our dogs are chosen for their health and personality. We try to ensure we give our puppies the best chance possible for a long healthy life. We choose to breed these golden after reading the research on the lower cancer incidents in English Cream vs. I always suggest meeting the parents whenever possible in your search for a puppy and we love our puppy families to come visit with us. As parents of young children, having dogs with reliable and calm personalities is of utmost importance to us. The golden retriever is a great family dog and we want to improve the breed by only breeding healthy dogs with great personalities. We are based in the Heights in Houston, Texas and our puppies are raised in our home with our 2 boys and lots of visiting kids. All of our English Cream Golden Retriever puppies receive lots of love, attention, socialization, and are started on basic training. Our goal is to raise and have confident, secure puppies that are able to adjust quickly to new environments, things, people, places, and to choose families that can continue their training and care. Tramin Tenderheart is a great name for Maks - He is the sweetest teddy bear! We sometimes call him Twinkle toes because he loves to do this little twisty jump in the middle of a zoomie. See pic to the left! Rebel Starr of Mandalore - Mando Our dogs are our family members. Goldens Retrievers are very loving, smart, sensitive and loyal animals. They are also extremely active, curious and playful. Our dogs are used to being a part of the family, not shut up outside away from people. Puppies take a lot of patience, love and consistency. Goldens need a lot of affection, attention and daily exercise. They thrive on being with their human family. The love they give back to your family is incredible. Please don't pick a dog because it is cute. Look at the qualities in their personalities and make sure you know what you are committing to. We are a small family breeder for companionship. We use a very reputable Vet that specializes in breeding. We don't sell our dogs after they are finished breeding. We don't have a lot of litters. Our puppies come from a home full of positive encouragement and lots of Love! We have been a dog family for over thirty-five years! We have fostered dogs, cats and rabbits for the SPCA. We started to breed Goldens in and the rest is history! Our family believes in making a difference for families and their puppies! We are always finding new ways to help your puppy learn and adapt fluidly into its new home transition. We use Puppy Culture to build a foundation for each puppy in trust, companionship, love and learning skills. Each dog has its own personality and we want to take the time to introduce you to them! We know you will love them as much as we do! Meet our fur family HERE! Discover our next up and coming litter news and updates! We will post all the latest information HERE! If your just visiting this is the place to find the cutest pictures of our previous litters! We hold onto these pictures so our extended family can keep these precious moments forever! Find our past litter pictures HERE! Are you ready to take the next step? You can contact our family HERE with any questions or to schedule a meet and greet with our family. If you are ready to expand your family with a Farley Golden this is the place to fill out your Puppy Application. Do you love golden retrievers? Azle, Texas Texas Licensed Breeder To keep up with our litters and new puppy information, please follow Bremer Kennels on Facebook using the link below. Or, you can put down a deposit. Russo Are you looking for quality Golden Retriever puppies for sale from a reputable professional breeder? We offer a two-year health guarantee. Our goal is to provide you a healthy, loving companion. We started breeding Golden Retrievers in .It has been an exciting journey to have Goldens in our kennel. Goldens are such loving and sweet dogs. They love the companionship that a person can offer. They are excellent with children, loving and protective as well. If you are interested in holding a puppy, please text Mayra at .For those who want to verify that Bremer Kennels is a legit business, please visit the Bremer Kennels Facebook page to see comments and pictures from our customers! Limited Registration no breeding rights. It was developed as a retrieving dog to use while hunting wild fowl. Today it is one of the most common family dogs as it is easy to handle, very tolerant and does not require very much of the owners, other than regular exercise. It is often affectionately known as Golden, or Goldi. Appearance A Golden Retriever reaches its full height at about one year of age, and its full weight at about two. They are natural clowns. This is a medium-large breed which in appearance is strikingly similar to the yellow Labrador Retriever, especially when young and especially those Goldens with lighter coats. To confuse the two breeds is a serious faux pas to a fancier of either, of course. Temperament Goldies are active and fun-loving but also exceptionally patient, as befits a dog bred to sit quietly for hours in a hunting blind. Other characteristics related to their hunting heritage is a size suited for scrambling in and out of boats and an inordinate love for cool water. Like the Labrador, they are noted for their intelligence, their affection for people, and their tolerance of children. The other side of this is that they require lots of companionship to be happy. They do well in obedience trials and make excellent guide dogs. While they might not do quite as well in field trials as Labrador Retrievers, they are excellent hunters that are famous for their outstanding scenting abilities. They are exceptionally eager to please their owners. The Golden Retriever loves to retrieve. Retrieving a thrown stick, tennis ball, or frisbee can keep a Golden occupied and entertained for hours, particularly if there is also water involved. For many years, there was controversy over which breeds were originally crossed; especially popular was a romantic story concerning the purchase of a whole troupe of Russian sheepdogs from a visiting circus. Color Color ranges from nearly blonde to this dark golden coat. The Tweed Water Spaniel is now extinct but was then common in the border country. Majoribanks had purchased Nous on from an unregistered litter of otherwise black wavy-coated Retriever pups. In , this cross produced a litter that included four bitch pups. These four became the basis of a breeding program which included Red Setter, sandy-coloured Bloodhound, St Johns Water Dog of Newfoundland , Springer Spaniel, and two more wavy-coated black Retrievers. This vision included a more vigorous and powerful dog than previous retrievers but that would still be exceptionally good with people and thus gentle and trainable. Russian sheepdogs are not mentioned in these records, nor are any other working dog breeds. In , the Golden Retriever Club was founded. The breed name was officially changed to Golden Retriever in .The Hon. These are the first records of the breed in these two countries.
french bulldog puppies payment plan - But those first weeks of puppy development are very similar whatever the breed, and these landmarks are good general rules for any dog. Puppy development week by week, changes quickly. Newborn Puppies Newborn puppies are born at the end of nine weeks of pregnancy, with their eyes and ears tightly closed. They already have a fur coat but they cannot yet control their own body temperature. They are dependent on their mother or another heat source to keep them warm. Newborn puppies may cry if cold. But they do not have the strength to cry for long. Newborn Labrador puppies snuggle together to keep warm when their mother is away How Helpless are Newborn Pups? Although they rely on mom for a lot at this stage, newborn puppies are not completely helpless. They can use their front feet to drag themselves towards a heat source or their milk supply. This means their mom, not milk alternatives like cow or goat milk. Newborn pups have no teeth yet. But they can move their heads about to search for a nipple, and they can latch on and suck strongly. Their mother leaves them only to eat, drink and for bathroom purposes. While she is away, the puppies will crawl together to preserve their body heat, as you can see in the photo above. They may also crawl under a heat lamp source to keep warm. In every other respect newborn puppies are completely dependent on the care of their mother. Newborn pups have little control over the rear end of their bodies. The mother dog washes them and licks their bottoms to encourage elimination, licking up and swallowing anything they produce to keep her babies and their nest scrupulously clean. In fact, he may even double his birth weight! One week later and the puppies have doubled their birth weight. Changes are taking place under his eyelids to prepare them for opening. And usually begins during the second week of life. Ears open at this point too, so your puppy will begin to hear. The Labrador puppies in this picture are two weeks olds. Two weeks old and the puppies eyes are now open! You can see that their eyes are now open and the puppies are beginning to look a little more dog-like. The breeder will be handling the puppies more now. And most puppies are wormed for the first time at two weeks old. Most 3 week old puppies can stand and sit, and are beginning to totter about. They are also starting to develop their individuality. No longer are they just a row of identical little fat furry sausages! This little three week old puppy :- Can easily be distinguished from his brother: Teething and Further Development At 3 weeks old, this is also the point at which puppies start teething — cutting their first deciduous baby teeth. Obviously the teeth are appearing for a reason! Some breeders will start to offer the first tastes of solid food at this point. Especially if the litter is a large one and putting a strain on the mother dog. It is lovely to watch a litter of 3 week old puppies beginning to interact with their brothers and sisters. They are running, playing enthusiastically, and have started to wag their little tails. The puppies will start to show bowel control as they move away from the other puppies to defecate. And solid food is becoming a major part of their diet. These little pups are tucking into some puppy food. Four week old puppies having their dinner in the fresh air If the weather is warm enough, puppies will be spending some time outdoors now. Mealtimes are a messy process, so feeding puppies out in the yard can be a good idea. Breeder Involvement Some mother dogs will lose interest in cleaning up after their pups at this point or soon afterwards. And many puppies will be wormed again this week. Vocalizations are becoming stronger at this puppy development stage. The litter will greet their mother noisily when she returns to them, and try hard to follow her out of the whelping box whenever she leaves. The puppies themselves are now eating solid food several times a day and gradually being weaned of their dependency on her milk. Puppies will still suckle ravenously when their mother returns and she will now often feed them standing up and only for a short time. She will also be teaching the puppies not to bite too hard. So, they should be increasingly spending time with humans and learning to be familiar with the sounds and sights of a human family environment. Puppies being raised in kennels must be brought into a home environment regularly from now on to ensure they develop into confident, friendly dogs. Six weeks old and full of mischief Puppies Still Have a Lot to Learn at 6 Weeks In some countries, puppies are taken to their new homes at this age. But this is not a good idea, and can result in a puppy that has poor bite inhibition and is challenging to manage. The puppies are learning not to bite too hard from the reactions of their mother and siblings. Growth is not quite so fast now. But the puppies will still grow strongly for the next few months. Many puppies will be wormed again this week. All that remains is for plenty of great socialization experiences to be packed into this week, with final checks on health. Many breeders will arrange for each seven week old puppy to have a vet check this week. And though some vets advise against it, some puppies are also given their first vaccinations before they leave for their new homes. Some breeders will now have the puppies trained to pee and poop on puppy pads or newspaper. And some will have been whistling to the puppies at meal times to get them used to coming to a human signal. Potty training is now underway and puppy socialization plans are being made. At this point, many of you will be thinking about training your puppy too. The next four weeks are vital in puppy development stages. Your main job is socializing your puppy. This means taking him to lots of new places and exposing him to lots of new experiences. So, life will be starting to get back to normal. Most puppies in the U. In the U. So, not all puppies will get their vaccinations at the exact same age. Socializing your puppy is still the most important job for you at this age. But, you cannot put your puppy on the ground outside until they have received their final vaccination. So, make sure you know exactly when their final jab is. And carry on introducing them to as many new people, things, and experiences as possible throughout this puppy development stage. Some people can suffer from the puppy blues at this stage too, as your life has completely changed! But, that does not mean socialization can stop. Puppies who are isolated at this point will soon lose that friendly fearlessness. You have an important job now, building on what has been achieved so far, and introducing your puppy to the world at ground level. This part of his education can begin once his vaccination cover is complete. He should be fully immunised at around this point. But check with your vet for confirmation of the actual date. Three months also marks the point at which many puppies will drop down from four daily meals, to three. This can cause problems for some puppies because the portions are larger If your puppy gets an upset tummy when you make this change, just go back up to four meals again for a few days, and give smaller portions for a few days when you try again. But, many will need another month before they can cope without frequent bathroom breaks and the occasional accident. Your puppy will begin to lose his baby teeth. This can also be a time at which biting can be most challenging. And try not to worry, this stage will soon be over! A few will need another month or two to complete the process. Remember, no two puppies are the same. That puppy fluffiness will have gone. For many puppies, five months is an awkward, gangly time. A five month old puppy may have shed the last of his soft puppy lines and be looking quite skinny. By the end of this month most puppies will have finished teething but an urge to chew may continue for another few months in some breeds, Labradors included. Some female dogs will have their first season during this month. But, for many, it will be another three or four months before this happens. This is a major milestone for your puppy. He is now looking very much like an adult Labrador. Still a Puppy Because he looks quite grown up, people expect a lot of their 6 month old puppy. But inside, he is still very much a puppy. The beginnings of adolescence and with it an increasing independence of spirit can bring its challenges, but also a whole lot of fun. All dogs are unique and grow at their own rate. Pro Tip: Check out our complete guide to puppy care to ensure your Lab gets off to a great start. As a medium to large breed, Labrador Retrievers need at least one year to reach their full size. A general rule of thumb suggests your Lab should be at or close to its full size by their first birthday. However, bigger-boned Lab puppies can keep growing and filling out their chest up to 18 months old. How big should a 6-month-old Labrador Retriever be? The average Lab weight at six months old is about 40 to 55 pounds for males or 30 to 35 pounds for females. Please keep in mind that these numbers are averages, and every puppy will grow at a slightly different rate. How much bigger will my Labrador Retriever get? There are three ways to predict the size of a Labrador Retriever at maturity: Age. Labrador Retrievers typically reach their full height and weight around their first birthday. Larger Labs may need up to 18 months to fill out their chest, but any weight gain after 12 months should be minimal overall. If your Lab is less than a year old, they are likely still growing and putting on muscle to reach their adult size. Paw Size. If their paws look oversized next to their legs and body, then they are probably still growing, as this is a classic puppy feature. Lastly, if you purchased your Lab through a breeder, you can contact them for a more exact height and weight estimate. What is the size of a full-grown Labrador Retriever? A full-grown Labrador Retriever weighs between 65 and 80 pounds and stands about .The average weight of a full-grown female Labrador Retriever should be about 55 to 70 pounds, standing at .Make sure to consult with your veterinarian to ensure that your Lab is maintaining a healthy weight for its body size. The Labrador Retriever growth rate should be indicative of its athletic body and muscular build. Did you know. ? Their webbed paws made them strong swimmers, along with their otter tail, which acts like a powerful rudder when retrieving ducks. English nobles spotted the dogs and brought them home across the Atlantic, where breeders continued to refine the breed into its own variation. Between their friendly demeanor, adaptability, and outgoing disposition, they make ideal family members. As cherished members of our families, Labs deserve the best care. Unfortunately, like many other purebred dogs, Labrador Retrievers are more susceptible to various health issues. Some of the most common examples include:. When you bring a new puppy home, it's important to keep feeding it the same food that it has been eating at its previous home. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source Talk to the person or organization that you are adopting your puppy from to see what food they are feeding it. They should willingly provide that info and they may even send you home with some if you can't find any to buy. If you can't find the right food in your local pet supply store, consider ordering it online. However, you would need to order it ahead of time so that you have it on hand when the puppy comes home. If you want to feed your puppy a different food from what it has been eating, you will need to switch its food over the course of several days. Feed that mix for several days. Finally, you can give the puppy all new food. If you are content to give your puppy the food it was originally eating, it's fine to do that. Every puppy will have different nutritional needs. Because of this, it's a good idea to discuss proper nutrition with your vet. They can suggest great foods to give your puppy and how much it should be eating. Go to source The right portion size depends on the size of your puppy and its metabolism. Ask your vet to teach you how to body score your puppy. This will allow you to do a quick visual check to see whether your puppy is losing or gaining weight. Tip: If your vet suggests a specific food but doesn't tell you how much to give your puppy, follow the instructions on the packaging. Doing 3 or 4 feedings per day allows your puppy to get enough nutrients without overwhelming its digestive system with a huge amount of food at once. This is especially important when your puppy is under 6 months old, as they have delicate systems. Go to source Don't just leave the food out all day. Take the food away after the puppy eats for about 10 or 15 minutes. Lab puppies should always have access to fresh water so that they can stay adequately hydrated. Put out a dish of water and dump it out, clean the dish, and refill it daily. Some puppies are really messy with their water dishes. To prevent a mess, try putting the water dish on a tray, so that spilled water won't go right onto the floor. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. As we all know too well, what we put in our belly has a huge impact on our health, vitality, length and quality of life. They have to strike a fine balance between getting enough nutrients to grow and avoiding an over-abundance that can lead to abnormal growth and disabling conditions. In this article you will learn precisely how to feed your puppy. What they can eat, what they should not, how many times you should feed them each day, basic information on home-made diets and the pros and cons of various commercial dog foods. The majority of Labrador owners feed their puppy kibble. Kibble is ground meal, shaped into dried biscuit-like pellets that are extremely convenient to buy, store and feed, providing everything a puppy needs in one easy to handle product. All the major brands carry a range of kibble and many are specifically formulated to suit the precise needs of puppies. For our recommendations of the best puppy food for labs, please read our article on: The Best Food for Labrador Puppies. Good breeders will supply you with all the information you need to feed your new puppy and you should follow this advice. Puppies almost always get upset tummies during a change of diet. The stress of moving to a new home is enough to deal with without them potentially having tummy upset on top. So try to avoid this. But expect your puppy to get diarrhea after such a sudden change. What Can Puppies Eat? With a bewildering choice of different puppy foods available, what to feed your puppy may not be the easiest decision to make. You Can Feed Your Puppy Kibble Kibble is ground up food, formed into pellets and dried for easy storage and convenience. It is a specially formulated, complete and balanced diet, containing everything a puppy needs to grow and be healthy. Many people believe kibble is the best way to feed a puppy, with it being so easy to buy, store and feed while containing every nutrient a puppy needs in the right proportions. Wet, Complete Puppy Foods Are An Option As the name suggests, complete wet dog food is complete and balanced, meaning nothing should be fed in combination. Everything needed is included in this one food. Complete wet foods come in individual pouches or tins with one pouch or tin containing one single serving. In the main these foods are low in nutrition, contain a high amount of cheap fillers, by-products and water and need mixing with a biscuit to give them some substance and to make them more complete. Because the food is such low quality, you have to feed a lot of it. And what goes in, must come out. This type of feeding was popular decades ago and I do remember my parents feeding our first dogs this way, but most people have moved on from this and are feeding their dogs in better ways now. Raw Food, BARF And Home-Made Diets Raw feeding is a diet that consists of mostly raw meat, edible bones and animal organs, though most practitioners also mix in small portions of fruit, veg and selected other foodstuffs. There are many people feel strongly that this is the best possible way to feed a dog. But I would caution most people that to feed this diet successfully, you need to do A LOT of research, gain a lot of knowledge and truly understand a dogs nutritional needs to make sure they get exactly what they need in the right amounts. Many people wonder if they can feed their puppy human foods, anything found in the fridge or larder. Furthermore, there are many human foods that are toxic to dogs that you should avoid at all costs. Too much of some nutrients can be bad in itself, but also prevent the absorption and use of other nutrients too. So supplementing a balanced diet is a bad thing to do. Can You Give Puppies Milk? Assuming you get your puppy at the recommended 8 weeks, they will have been fully weaned before you bring them home. Many puppies are intolerant of cows milk and drinking it leads to an upset tummy and diarrhea so you would do best to avoid giving your puppy any milk at all. One exception is for very young puppies under 6 weeks of age. When we have newborn puppies at our house we sometimes need to supplement and use Esbilac Milk Supplemen t. However, if you have a very young puppy that you think may need supplementing please first consult with your veterinarian. Are They Necessary? You will likely be feeding your puppy a commercially available complete and balanced dog food, in which case you certainly should not supplement their food. Supplementing this will mean too much of one or more things, making it unbalanced which can actually lead to harm. But an excess amount of calcium in the diet of a Lab puppy can lead to skeletal development problems. So adding a calcium supplement to an already complete diet can actually do more harm than good. There may also be times your vet advises you to do so. But if feeding raw, you should know more about nutrition than I do. This is a hard question to answer and sadly I cannot give you a definite quantity or weight to feed them each day. Puppies grow at different rates, some are more active than others and there can be large differences between metabolisms too. However… The biggest determining factor is how concentrated the nutrients and calories are in the brand of food you feed them. High quality foods are nutrient rich and give a puppy all they need from quite small amounts of food. But cheaper brands are full of low quality and nutritionally empty fillers that mean a puppy needs considerably more to get what they need. Start by feeding your puppy according to the guidelines on the label of the puppy food you buy for them. Then see how their body develops. Puppies should not be fat! But at the other end of the scale if they start to look and feel a little slim, up their portion sizes a little. The guidelines on the food you buy are just that…guidelines. You might also be interested in:. Fourth meal 5 pm You should follow this type of feeding schedule until your Lab puppy is 14 weeks old, after which you can adopt a two meal per day plan. However, keep in mind that Labs are especially prone to overeating and obesity, so if you use treats, ensure you give them sparingly. In fact, a study in the UK listed Labrador Retrievers among the eight breeds most prone to being overweight. So your food-loving Lab puppy requires a bit of control. One way to keep them from overeating treats is to portion out their food for the day and use that as their reward. In most cases, the puppy will respond just as enthusiastically to kibble. Place a bowl of water in a location accessible to your puppy and supervise him to ensure he drinks enough but not too much. Puppies at this age should drink between half and one ounce of water per pound of body weight daily. So if your eight-week-old Lab is 12 lbs 5. This is an essential part of puppy care. As mentioned, if you get your puppy from a reliable breeder which should always be the case , the pup should have already started with his vaccinations, and the breeder should provide the vaccination records. Then, make an appointment with the vet for any vaccination follow-up. Also, ensure your pup stays on worm preventative medication as puppies are more prone than adult dogs to worm infection. Sometimes puppies are also born with certain types of worms from an infected mother, especially roundworms and hookworms, where mother-to-puppy transmission is a significant mode of spreading. Be especially sure that your Lab puppy gets the heartworm vaccination. Heartworm is a dangerous and potentially fatal disease, and once your dog is infected, the cure is expensive and extremely harsh on your dog. A trained dog will learn how to behave in and outside the home and around other humans and pets. I have a full beginner guide on how to train an 8 week old Labrador puppy , but in a nutshell, there are three training areas you should focus on in terms of pet training: housebreaking, obedience, and socialization. Housebreak Your 8-Week-Old Labrador Puppy Housebreaking means training your puppy to eliminate outdoors or at a designated location inside the home instead of doing it anywhere and at any time. Puppies need frequent bathroom breaks because their system is not yet mature enough to hold it for long. Luckily you can take advantage of that to teach your dog to always use the same spot. Pay attention to the signs your puppy gives when they need to ease themselves, like circling, whining, or sniffing their groin. Puppies naturally need to eliminate at these times: First thing after waking up in the morning. Last thing before retiring at night. After every meal. After drinking plenty of water. Upon waking up from a nap. During or after play or exercise. When they wake up during the night. Their brain, at this point, is like a sponge that will easily absorb new info. Also, teaching these commands early will make living with you easier for your dog as he will know what is expected of him. Teach your Lab puppy to sit, lay down, stay, leave, and other basic commands that are foundational for more advanced training later. Remember to use only positive reinforcement training approaches and reward your puppy with verbal praise, positive gesture cues, and treats. Exposure to these realities will help your Lab puppy adjust fast and nurture proper social behavior. In addition, exposure will preempt signs of poor puppy socialization, like aggression and fear around people and other animals. In general, your eight-week-old Labrador puppy should have two minute sessions of exercise daily. In addition, keep the following in mind: Keep exercise sessions short in the beginning and allow your puppy to adapt gradually. Playtime counts as exercise, so be careful not to over-exercise your Lab puppy. This is the harness I use. Allow your pup spontaneous rest moments between play. When exercising your puppy , avoid taking him for walks during the coldest or hottest times of the day. There are several ways to ensure your eight-week-old Labrador puppy is always safe, including ample supervision and choosing the right kind of toy. They might also try to get away on an exploratory walk if the door is left open. To avoid these dangers, puppy-proofing your home before getting your eight-week-old Lab puppy is vital. Read more here, What Foods are Poisonous to Labradors? Unplug power cords and put them away when not in use, as your puppy could try chewing on them. Remember that your puppy is young and still learning. It is also a legal requirement in some countries, such as the UK, and it may be required when traveling. While name tags are an excellent way to identify a dog, they can be easily removed or get lost, which means you are better off microchipping your Lab puppy, or even better, do both. Choose Safe Play Toys for Your 8-Week-Old Labrador Puppy Like us, eight-week-old puppies still have their baby teeth which they gradually lose to make room for their adult teeth. So, expect a lot of chewing and nipping during this time. Like humans, teething can be uncomfortable, and chewing is their only way to relieve some of that pain. To that end, ensure your Lab puppy has the right chewing toys to avoid damaging teeth or accidentally swallowing toy pieces. This toy is great for teething pups, doubles as a fetch toy, and is also a treat-dispensing toy where you can stuff it with peanut butter or other goodies. If proper toys are not provided, your Lab puppy will chew any available object in the house, such as table legs, shoes, remotes, or your hands. As such, they need proper resources for resting and sleeping. That includes the time to do so and a place where they will feel safe in. This synthetic dog bed has an ultra-soft feel and provides maximum comfort for your Lab. You can use it in the crate or as a stand-alone bed, and it comes in a few different styles and sizes. I like this bed due to its 3. Ensure the bed is in a location with no draft and where your puppy does not get any disturbance when resting. If you put your puppy straight into the crate without helping them adjust, it may react poorly. When buying a kennel, the best approach is to buy one that your pup can use as an adult dog, which for a Lab would be around 42 inches .Just be sure to get a crate with dividers so you can make the space smaller for your puppy. An 8-week-old Lab puppy can only walk for approximately minutes at a time. In most cases, young puppies will not walk but rather jump around and play. Still, keep in mind that they do not need long exercise sessions. Instead, keep playtimes short and allow for lots of rest. Remember that puppies should only walk about five minutes for every month of age, twice a day. At three months, you can stretch it to 15 minutes. Overwalking your Lab puppy can cause joint and bone issues and should be avoided. As such, a dog from a larger breed will need more food as a puppy than a smaller breed. An 8-week-old Lab puppy should be fed three to four meals of no more than cups a day. The amount you feed your puppy will depend on his size and weight. For example, if your puppy is between lbs 4. These measurements can vary with each dog food product, as different manufacturers have varying ingredients, so ensure you check the packaging first. Eight week old Lab puppies sleep for approximately 18 to 20 hours a day. An 8 week old Lab should pee as soon as they wake up, after eating and drinking, after waking up from a nap, during or after a session of play or exercise, just before going to bed at night, and when they awake during the night. The source of protein matters when considering a high-quality diet. FATS The rest of the diet should be made up of fats, carbs, and vitamins. Labs need to have a correct protein -to-fat ratio, where protein takes the lead. Dogs tend to convert fat into glucose, so this is an important source of energy. Dogs rely mostly on protein and fats, but carbs are necessary. That said, a low carb diet is best for puppies. However, you still need the right percentage of carbs, since this gives your dog the sensation of being full. These include starches, fibers, and sugars. Try to opt for more complex carbs like starchy grain and veggies because these are easier to digest. Your Lab puppy will thrive when his or her diet includes: Vitamin B12 especially during puppy development , Vitamins A and E, C, Vitamin D, phosphorus, and calcium, Potassium Each of these required vitamins and minerals contributes to a healthy, happy, and energetic puppy. They also help offset issues like obesity. Vitamins A and E are important because they help your dog burn calories and promote eye and skin health. Vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus, on the other hand, are part of a trifecta that works to strengthen teeth and bones. Potassium is a heart health-preserver. Labs with poor genetics are especially prone to orthopedic issues. Osteoarthritis and hip dysplasia are common health problems for this breed. Glucosamine, an amino-sugar, together with chondroitin sulfate, helps replace and support naturally degrading cartilage during old age. Recently,"grain-free" foods are being championed as a preferred and even high-quality form of dog food. That's, not the whole story. An investigation launched by the FDA revealed that there are potential links between a form of canine heart disease and grain-free foods. So far, researchers have provided an update to this researchers have provided an update to this research staring that the issue may not just be grain-free diets. Grain-free may be part of other trends knows as "BEG"- boutique companies. Puppy diets don't' need to be complicated. They also don't need to include ingredients that humans might enjoy. Enjoyment doesn't necessarily bring any nutritional value to your puppy's development. Keep it simple, using the guidelines for fats, proteins, and carbs above and don't shy away from food with grains in them. It's not their presence that's a problem it's often the ratio. There shouldn't be more carbs or grains than protein. Nor does including only legumes, seeds, lentils, or chickpeas as the primary ingredients make the food more superior. It's perfectly healthy to include complex carb sources like starchy rice and other grains. Grain-free isn't and shouldn't be a qualifying factor for your choice in puppy food. Feeding Your Puppy Kibble Kibble is dried, pelleted food that stores well is easy to eat, and is pre-formulated with everything your puppy needs to thrive and grow in his early developmental months. There are plenty of popular brands that don't measure up to the Snowy Pines standard. That's why it's so vital for you to learn how to read puppy food labels. Puppies should stick with "puppy stage" food, while adults should stick to bags marked "adults. Instead, your dog should have regular bowel movements, allowing them to absorb all the nutrients available. You should also keep in mind that caloric intake is calculated a little differently for puppies. Kibble diets are measured by how many calories the proteins, fats, and carbs represent for each gram. For puppies, this should be 3. Sticking to these ratios will help ensure your kibble choice is a healthy one. It's also important to note that kibble calories are often higher when compared to wet food. If it's high-quality wet food, it won't have as much fat to preserve it, which means fewer calories. You may have to supplement with dry food, especially if you're trying to keep the calories of carbs, proteins, and fats in the right per-gram ratio. Save to Pinterest The Stages of Puppy Growth and Development Month by Month The following are the stages of puppy growth and development, starting at birth and ending when your dog reaches adulthood. The Neonatal Stage 0 to 2 weeks This is the newborn puppy growth stage that lasts until two weeks of age. At this developmental stage, puppies are blind and deaf. Expect puppies at this point to sleep almost constantly and their mother will take care of everything, keeping them warm, feeding them, and keeping them clean. The Transitional Stage 2 to 4 weeks At this puppy growth stage , they will start to open up their eyes and respond to sounds, light, and movement around them. You will also notice a puppy at this point starting to get more mobile, although they will still tend to crawl instead of walking. They do, however, have enough strength to stand up, but will stumble a lot. A puppy in this developmental stage will just be starting to recognize their siblings and mother. Lab puppies open their eyes at about two weeks old. By this time, Labrador puppies will have their eyes fully open and most will be at least partly open. Ears open at this point too and your puppy will begin to hear. Period of Awakening of Senses 3 to 4 weeks At this period , a puppy develops various senses rapidly. They start to get fully alert and aware of their environment and may recognize you and other humans that are frequently around. The Socialization Period 4 to 7 Weeks Once a puppy is around four weeks old, they start to learn the most important things in life-related to social development. They will learn to not bite all the time and how to interact with their siblings. Interactions with humans are especially important between five and seven weeks. This is also the time they will start to understand discipline thanks to their mother. She will start weaning her puppies and teaching them manners, like acknowledging she is in charge. As the owner, you can start introducing food to your puppy when they are around four weeks old. Start small and begin to give them more food as the mother continues to wean them. You should also continue handling the puppy every day. However, be sure not to separate them from their siblings or mother for over ten minutes each day, since this can lead to issues with training and socialization. Dogs who are separated too soon may also be nervous and more likely to bark and bite. During this period, let the mother dog take care of discipline; you should not correct the dog for mouthing or housebreaking mistakes until later in life. To help ease them through this process, avoid traumatic events, loud voices, or harsh discipline. You should also make sure your pooch has plenty of human contact during this stage. If you want, you can start leash training and even teach simple commands such as sit, down, stay and come. In terms of development, you will notice that your puppy can sleep through the whole night and starts to develop better control of its bowels and bladder. Most vets suggest that new outings should wait until they are fully vaccinated. We rub the Calmeroos Puppy Toy on littermates and mom to get their scent. When we get home the Calmeroos Puppy Toy helps our puppy feel comfortable and adjust more quickly to his new environment. Many puppies will go to their new homes at around 8 weeks old. We recently put together a blog post on our sister site detailing what you can expect from an 8-week-old puppy. The Juvenile Stage 3 to 4 Months At this point in development, a puppy can be compared to a juvenile. They will be more independent and may ignore the basic commands that they know very well. If this happens, firmly and gently reinforce the commands and other training. You may also notice your pup starting to test your authority by play biting or similar actions. You can also redirect your dog to a toy that they can bite. Either can end up teaching your pooch that it is okay to fight with you and challenge your authority. The Ranking Period 3 to 6 Months When your puppy is between four and six months old, you should expect them to be somewhat bratty, showing more willfulness and independence. They are more likely to test your limits and may try to show dominance over children or other family members. If they fail to listen to you or come when called, it can be dangerous as it puts them at risk of injury when in public. It can also hurt future responses to you, making them less likely to listen. This is also when your dog will be teething, so give them toys like frozen dog Kong toys to relieve pressure and pain. Chewing behaviors will also start growing at this point so look for some safe chew toys to keep your dog entertained. This is when hormonal changes start to occur and is the ideal time to spay or neuter your pup. UC Davis published a study comparing the long-term health effects of neutering in Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers. Adolescence 6 to 18 Months After six months, your pup is already in the final stage of puppy development but is still young. This is a fun and exciting time for your pooch since they will be learning, full of energy, and exuberant. During this time, it is important to remember that even if your puppy now looks like a grown-up dog, they are still a puppy, at least in its mental capacity and emotional maturity. Work to slowly increase training and other activities. You can even work on advanced training such as agility or herding. Another option is to simply keep training them to ensure they interact in a non-aggressive and non-threatening way with other animals. It is also possible that your dog will go through another fearful period of time at some point after they reach six months. You can speed up the process with counter-conditioning and desensitization. It fits very well and is quite apt! Final Thoughts With the knowledge of how and when your new puppy will develop, you are better able to meet their needs. Provide socialization at the appropriate times and be sure to give your puppy plenty of social interactions with their siblings as well as humans and any other pets in your home. Your dog should reach maturity at some point between one and two years old with plenty of variation based on breed, Labradors are considered mature at between 2 and 2. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. Check out more of our favorites on our New Puppy Checklist. Colby Colby Morita has been raising and training guide and service dog puppies for over 13 years. Colby has been writing to the PuppyInTraining.
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french bulldog puppies payment plan - The socket is where the femoral head fits and also articulates. In unaffected dogs, the femoral head fits tightly into properly formed sockets. In severe cases of hip dysplasia in golden retrievers, there can be partial dislocation and bone spurs present on the rims of the sockets and the femoral heads themselves. So are all golden retrievers likely to get hip dysplasia? This survey has been tracking the prevalence of hip dysplasia since and allows you to examine the severity and frequency of hip abnormalities over time. We do know that golden retrievers are among other large breeds like Great Danes, German Shepherds , and Saint Bernards as being dogs that are primarily affected by hip dysplasia due to their size and breed characteristics. But there are some environmental factors that contribute to the likelihood of a golden retriever with hip dysplasia as well. Excessive, quick growth, too much exercise, the wrong nutrition, and injuries to their joints are all factors that will determine if and how much golden retriever hip dysplasia could affect your pup. Golden Retriever Hip Dysplasia Prevention Tips Your golden retriever is your family, and no one wants to see someone they love in pain. Prevents further breakdown in the joints. Reduce pain and inflammation in their hips. Improve the lubrication of the hip joints. Adding a joint supplement also helps your golden retriever with hip dysplasia to avoid further pain, so even if your golden has already developed this condition, supplements can offer tremendous benefits. But making sure you know how to read a supplement label is important so you can pick the right joint supplement for your beloved pet. Low Strain Exercises via GIPHY That means they love to get outside when possible and are just a little extra prone to excited zoomies around the house. But you have to be careful with your pup — getting the right amount and type of exercise is important if you are looking to prevent golden retriever hip dysplasia. Giving your puppy too much hard exercise like jogging, bike riding, agility, or hiking can further increase their risk of hip dysplasia. Plus, young and clumsy puppies are more prone to injuries, and more injury to the joints may mean an increased likelihood of developing golden retriever hip dysplasia. Instead of sporadic, intense exercise, your pup needs exercise that is: Consistent and low-impact Allows them to stay on a leash Promotes the stretching of hip joints Not sure where to start? Type of Exercise. References 1. Clinical and pathological effects Hip dysplasia HD is a disease of the hip coxofemoral joints. Dysplasia means abnormal development. Both hips are usually affected Brass .It is a complex disease that results from a combination of genes that predispose a dog to developing hip dysplasia interacting with environmental factors that lead to its full development and expression Riser .It is characterized by hip joint instability which, if compounded by environmental factors, then results in secondary osteoarthritis and the clinical signs of hip dysplasia which include pain, lameness and disability Zhang et al .To fully understand hip dysplasia, it is necessary to understand the structure of the hip joint. The hip joint is the joint at the top of the hind leg, where it articulates forms a joint with the pelvis. It is described as a ball and socket joint, as in normal hips the ball-shaped head of the femur the thigh bone fits perfectly into a cup-shaped socket in the pelvis, the acetabulum. The head of the femur femoral head and the acetabulum are normally covered with cartilage which produces a smooth, low friction surface. Within the joint there is also a fine layer of synovial fluid that acts as a lubricant between these cartilaginous surfaces. This thin layer of synovial fluid, along with the round ligament a ligament that runs round the edge of the acetabulum — between the acetabulum and the femur , keeps the two cartilaginous surfaces together by creating a suction-like effect. The ligaments and the joint capsule also help to hold the ball and socket closely together. In newborn puppies, because the bones are soft and not fully ossified turned into bone as they need to grow and develop, they are still deformable if abnormal movements or stresses and strains occur in them. Riser suggests that, in a normal six month old individual, ossification of the bones and soft tissue strength the strength of the surrounding ligaments, joint capsule and muscles have developed enough to prevent hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is described as a biomechanical disease. The hips appear normal at birth. However, in affected individuals, the hips develop abnormally due, at first, to joint instability sometimes called joint laxity Riser .This means that the developing femoral head and acetabulum are not held constantly, closely together, and can move into abnormal positions relative to one another. This puts abnormal stresses and strains on the joint. Riser states this is due to the soft tissues, such as ligaments and muscle, not being strong enough to maintain congruity between the articular surfaces of the femoral head and the acetabulum ie the constant contact between the surfaces of the bones is not maintained. Joint laxity the looseness of the joint, allowing abnormal movements of the parts relative to one another can lead on to joint subluxation partial dislocation of the joint on movement that in turn causes flattening of the acetabular cup and femoral head Shell and Harasen .The pathological changes seen due to the joint instability are progressive inflammation and degeneration of the tissues that together form the joint. Brass details the following changes in the joint: The joint capsule can become thickened and the round ligament can become stretched or ruptured leading to additional, excessive movements. The synovial fluid increases in volume and changes in nature, due to inflammation, this pushes the joint surfaces apart. The cartilage on the bone surfaces gets worn away exposing subchondral bone the layer of bone beneath the surface cartilage. Unlike cartilage, bone contains nerve endings and such exposure will commonly cause pain. The rim of the acetabulum becomes damaged and flattened and later new bone starts to grow here as the body tries to stabilize the joint. The femoral head becomes deformed and flattened and also grows abnormal bone called exotoses or osteophytes. This changing of the shape of the joint with new bone growing in abnormal positions, and being lost in others, is called joint remodelling. The signs that are seen with hip dysplasia can vary hugely in their severity, the age at which they first appear and their progression. In mild cases dogs can be free from clinical signs for years; however, for more severely affected individuals, signs of pain can develop whilst they are still immature less than a year old Signs include acute pain, particularly after strenuous exercise or movement. This may show as lameness or reluctance to jump, to go for walks, climb steps or move at all if really severe. The pain may be worse in cold, wet conditions Brass .These signs may start intermittently, but over time can become constant. Muscle wastage is often seen in the hind legs Brass .There appears to be little correlation between the severity of pain shown by the dog and physical abnormalities felt on examination by a vet or revealed on an x-ray Brass ie some dogs can be in severe pain but have few changes on x-rays and vice versa. This is typical of any joint disease. Controlling food intake during growth has been shown to decrease hip dysplasia in Labradors ie by reducing excessive energy intake and therefore excessive weight gain during growth Kealy et al .High calcium intake during growth has been shown to delay maturation of the skeleton and increase the risk of hip dysplasia in Great Danes Hazewinkel .It is thought that controlling the amount and form of exercise during development may also help Corr .Bennett and May suggest excessive exercise during development can lead to hip dysplasia. Treatment for hip dysplasia is complex; many surgical interventions have been developed to prevent signs appearing in young animals with high joint laxity and to treat dogs with severe osteoarthritis. All need specialist surgeons. Various medications to aid pain relief are also available, along with recommendations to reduce the effect of environmental factors. Return to top 2. Intensity of welfare impact Though some dogs may be mildly affected, for many Golden retrievers with hip dysplasia, the impact of the condition is a major and life changing. These animals suffer pain that is severe and debilitating, leading them to be in pain even with small everyday movements such as standing up. Their quality of life is severely affected so that they are unable to enjoy normal canine behaviours such as walking and running. It is not uncommon for dogs to be euthanased due to the pain and disability of arthritis associated with hip dysplasia. Return to top 3. Duration of welfare impact Hip dysplasia is a progressive disease with signs seen from any age. For some dogs pain starts before a year of age. Signs may be intermittent to start with but often progress to be constant. Medical treatment and advice can help control pain and possibly slow progression, though a cure can only be obtained with major surgical intervention in dogs that are considered suitable candidates for such surgery. Return to top 4. Number of animals affected Hip dysplasia is the most common joint problem of large dogs Smith et al .UK VetCompass data for dogs overall showed that 7. In this sample, diagnosis of conditions affecting pelvis eg hip dysplasia did not significantly differ between purebred and crossbred dogs. Figures vary greatly for how frequently Golden retrievers are affected by hip dysplasia, depending on the method by which they have been screened and the database reviewed. The frequency is likely to vary for different populations of the same breed Brass .Sturaro et al. Previous studies in the USA, using the OFA Orthopedic Foundation for Animals database, have given lower figures, but, Paster et al suggested that the OFA population was biased, as it is not compulsory for radiographed dogs to have their x-rays submitted to the OFA scheme so some vets and owners pre-screened them and only sent apparently non-dysplastic ones for consideration and scoring. Earlier studies in Europe and Canada suggested frequencies of hip dysplasia in Golden Retrievers of between .From data on estimates of total dog population in the UK and on the percentage of all micro-chip registered dogs that are golden retrievers Lucy Asher, , personal communication , we estimate that the UK population size of this breed may be around , Return to top 5. Diagnosis For a young dog suspected of hip dysplasia, a diagnosis can be made on the clinical signs shown at home and on examination of the dog, including assessment of joint laxity and joint pain plus evaluation of radiographs x-ray pictures of the hip joints Corr .Assessment of the joint laxity and radiographs may need to be performed by a specialist vet who is used to checking for this condition. For a formal diagnosis, the radiographs are usually submitted to a panel for evaluation. There are three methods of assessing joint laxity. Radiographs and assessment of joint laxity need to be performed under heavy sedation or anaesthesia Corr .Return to top 6. Genetics Hip dysplasia in dogs is a polygenic disease; many genes are thought to play a role in its development. Most of these genes probably have small additive effects quantitative, polygenes and some probably have larger effects Zhang et al .Currently, none of these genes have been identified. Wilson et al .Genes are not solely responsible for whether a dog with the genetic potential for hip dysplasia develops the condition. Environmental factors play an important part. They are discussed in the clinical and pathogenic effects section above. However, there are significant breed predispositions to this condition and the Golden retriever is one of the breeds affected. Return to top 7. How do you know if an animal is a carrier or likely to become affected? There are a number of breeding schemes around the world developed to decrease the incidence of hip dysplasia in dog breeds. These schemes assess potential breeding animals in somewhat different ways. All aim to give breeders and owners a strong indication of which dogs are likely to produce healthy offspring and which should not be bred. However, this is by no means straightforward for hip dysplasia as it is a polygenic condition in which the genetics are poorly understood and which is also affected by environmental factors in a major way. This lack of clarity has produced much debate over the best way to assess potential breeding dogs. A brief summary of the various schemes follows including some current evidence for their benefits. All dogs must be at least 12 months of age. There are nine radiographic features which are scored, including the Norberg angle NA - a measurement for hip laxity taken from the EHR and each dog is given a score out of 53 for each hip total of up to for both. A low score indicates healthy hip joints e. Greyhounds would score 0, as hip dysplasia is not seen in this breed and a higher score indicates worse hip dysplasia. Breeders are recommended to only breed from animals with a score lower than the breed median score e. It is also based on an extended hip radiograph EHR , which is then graded by three independent experts to give an overall grade. All dogs must be over 2 years of age to be assessed. There are seven possible grades for the radiograph: excellent, good, fair, borderline, mild, moderate or severe hip dysplasia. Dogs must be between 1 and 2 years of age and the radiograph is graded by someone appointed by each breed club — they do not have to be an expert. Grades include: A- no signs of hip dysplasia, B — near normal hip joints, C — mild hip dysplasia, D — moderate hip dysplasia, E- severe hip dysplasia. Older dogs can be assessed but the likelihood of more secondary osteoarthritic changes is taken into account. Dogs from 4 months of age can be assessed. It involves the assessment of three different radiographic views of the hip joints called the distraction view, the compression view and the EHR. The radiograph must be taken by a vet who is registered with the scheme and the radiographs are assessed by vets at the PennHIP Analysis Center. Dogs with a DI lower than 0. Dogs with increasing DI values over 0. Dogs are ranked within their breed. Vets from the PennHIP scheme recommend breeding dogs with overall scores and DIs that are better than the breed average, to continue to try to improve the hips in the breed whilst not excessively narrowing the gene pool. If only dogs with normal DI were used ie those below 0. Advocates of the PennHIP method like it because it accurately identifies individuals who have hip laxity - the primary phenotypical abnormality that predisposes dogs to hip dysplasia. The other schemes only look at the EHR and though the NA can be measured from this, the NA has been shown to be an inaccurate method to assess hip laxity Culp et al .Much of what is assessed on the EHRs are secondary arthritic changes, these are not specific to hip dysplasia and are affected by many environmental factors. Recently, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have confirmed that the Distraction Index DI is a significant risk factor for the development of hip dysplasia. In other words, DI scores give a very good indication of the likelihood of osteoarthritic changes, due to hip dysplasia, developing in the future Smith and others , , , Smith , Runge et al .These and other researchers argue that the other schemes are not as good at detecting animals that have hip dysplasia as the PennHIP method and, despite older schemes existing for over 40 years, little improvement has been seen in hip dysplasia in the general pet population Corley , Kaneene et al , Leppanen et al , Paster et al .In fact, one recent study looking at a database of over 1,, dogs found an increase in the prevalence of hip dysplasia Witsberger et al .However EHR scores were found to have a much higher heritability 0. Heritability studies are difficult to compare between different populations with different environmental influences. To improve the gene pool, phenotypic traits that can be easily detected with strong links to the genotype genetic make-up of animals have to be found. Ideally, any potential pet would have had its hip joints assessed by one of the above schemes prior to purchase, although this is often unhelpful, as most pets are purchased as young puppies. Unfortunately, this does not guarantee all their offspring will be free from hip dysplasia. .Certainly any potential breeding animal should be assessed prior to breeding using an appropriate scheme. Return to top 8. Methods and prospects for elimination of the problem Hip dysplasia is a complex trait which involves multiple unknown genes and environmental factors. Eradication schemes have been running in some countries for decades and still it is commonplace. Thus prospects for its quick elimination are low. In a recent study, Zhang et al suggested that using scores from four hip traits combined to create a breeding value for each animal would help speed up elimination of the condition. They felt that information on the single joint trait EHR eg the OFA scheme gave insufficient information to provide the basis for breeding decisions. The DLS is a measurement made from an x-ray taken in a weight-bearing position to measure the subluxation of the femoral head Farese et al .In this study on two populations of dogs where environmental factors were strictly controlled, heritabilities for all these traits were found to be relatively high eg heritabilities were 0. The researchers suggested these heritabilites were higher than expected due to the controlled environmental conditions. Zhang et al suggested an improved way for selectively breeding out hip dysplasia would be if breeders could be given breeding values derived from the four traits for each potential breeding animal, plus a measurement of the inbreeding of any potential mating e. This way, they suggest, inbreeding can be avoided and only animals with phenotypes strongly indicative of healthy hip joint genes would be bred from. This scheme is a more organised form of others that have suggested using a combination of breeding values determined from pedigree information and phenotype score Ginja et al , Hou et al .As described by Bell , when breeders are prioritising raising dogs that have good hip dysplasia genotypes for future breeding the phenotype has to be used as a marker for the genotype. Although the diagnostic signs can be affected also by environmental factors such as feeding and exercise regimes. It is important that the puppies are raised in a standard and not excessively protective way. Otherwise, dogs that would normally have developed radiographic signs of hip dysplasia will have this masked and their genes will be perpetuated. Future development of genetic tests to help identify some of the hip dysplasia genes, along with more use of pedigree data that includes the health of ancestors and progeny for clinical signs of hip dysplasia and also for other inherited defects of Golden retrievers , may well help to improve methods used to eliminate this condition. Currently we have to continue to rely on choosing phenotypical traits which apparently indicate the presence of healthy genes. Return to top 9. What You Need to Know Know the signs of hip dysplasia and whether or not your dog is prone to the condition so you can treat it early on. By Sarah Mouton Dowdy Sarah Mouton Dowdy writes for both pet parents and veterinary professionals and is passionate about meeting the needs of both to the benefit of all involved—especially the pets. With a master's degree in human health communication, she's particularly interested in the ways in which human and animal health overlap. Sarah's own health has been positively impacted by adopting a dog named Agnes whose tricks include sitting, staying, and stealing pizza from the kitchen counter. Updated on April 15, Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Jenna Stregowski, RVT Jenna is a registered veterinary technician with a range of veterinary experience that includes small animal internal medicine, oncology, neurology, emergency, alternative medicine, and practice management. As the Pet Health and Behavior Editor for Daily Paws, Jenna is living the dream as she combines her veterinary knowledge and passion for animals with her love of writing and education. Learn More Hip dysplasia in dogs is a common developmental condition in large and giant breed dogs. It's caused by a hip deformity that results in joint laxity, or looseness, and can lead to pain, mobility issues, and osteoarthritis. Though the condition is present from a young age, many dogs won't show clinical signs until they're older. However, screening your pet for hip dysplasia early on can give you an opportunity to treat the deformed joint before it causes problems. What is Hip Dysplasia? Canine hip dysplasia occurs when a dog's hip joint doesn't develop as it should. The hip is a ball-and-socket joint, and if the two components don't grow properly and at the same rate, it can result in a very loose, unstable joint. This may not sound like a big deal, but according to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons , hip dysplasia in dogs can cause serious problems. When a dog moves around with a loose hip joint, it can cause permanent damage to the joint's anatomy. If left untreated, dogs may develop osteoarthritis also called degenerative joint disease in the hip because the abnormal movement wears away cartilage and leads to the formation of scar tissue and bone spurs. Dogs can pass the condition to their offspring and large breed dogs are more prone to the disease. Commonly affected breeds include German shepherds , Rottweilers , golden retrievers , Saint Bernards , Labrador retrievers , and Newfoundlands. However, any breed or mixed-breed can develop hip dysplasia, and breed isn't the only risk factor. Puppies with a genetic predisposition for hip dysplasia are more at risk of developing the condition if they're given more food than they need, resulting in faster than normal weight gain and growth. Heavy exercise is another risk factor in puppies. Canine hip dysplasia can affect both young and old dogs, but not always in the same way. The Morris Animal Foundation divides the signs according to age of onset: Juvenile dogs younger than 18 months of age lameness limping in one or both of back legs bunny-like hopping dog holds its back legs together and hops instead of running normally difficulty getting up clicking sound from hips when moving or getting up shifting of weight to front legs unable to exercise for long periods Mature dogs older than 18 months of age history of lameness limping in back legs limping after exercising loss of muscle mass in one or both of back legs difficulty jumping or climbing It's important to note that while dogs can develop clinical signs as puppies, many don't show any outward symptoms until they've lived with the condition for multiple years. How is Hip Dysplasia Diagnosed? Your veterinarian may also use their hands to examine the hip and check for looseness. What is the Treatment for Hip Dysplasia? There are two common surgical options for dogs with hip dysplasia: total hip replacement, which involves implantation of an artificial hip joint, and femoral head ostectomy, in which the head and neck of the femur are removed and scar tissue forms to create a "false joint. Hip dysplasia home treatment is also often recommended for dogs with mild to moderate disease. However, it's important to note that NSAIDs like carprofen can have significant side effects and must be closely monitored. Other potential treatments include cold laser therapy, acupuncture , and physical therapy. Your veterinarian will work with you to determine the best options for you and your pet. Bear in mind that treatments often need to be adjusted over time, so be sure to follow your vet's recommendations for follow-up visits. These radiographs can help you determine how likely it is your dog will have problems in the future and whether you want to consider early surgical intervention. A veterinarian who knows your pet and can examine him in person is in the best position to offer information and advice. Was this page helpful? Hip dysplasia is a degenerative condition, which can affect any dog. Although the causes may vary, the effects are always the same: loss of mobility, increasing pain, impaired gait, and even behavioral and mood changes in your dog including snappishness and depression. Dysplasia is simply the dislocation of a bone from its proper place. Hip dysplasia or displacement is one of the best-known types of dysplasia in dogs. The degenerative process of hip dysplasia is gradual. The onset of symptoms, specifically pain, is also somewhat gradual taking place over the course of years. In simple terms, the two bones of the hip joint shift out of alignment. Perhaps because they are such hand-working structures, the ball and socket joints are prone to disease, and simple mechanical wear and damage over time. The muscles and joints become lax, and the joint capsule, a strong band of connective tissue which circled the bones for added stability, loses its elastic strength. As this happens, the articular working surfaces of the two bones lose contact with each other. The bones slowly separate as the soft tissues around the joint degenerate. The disease may affect one or both right and left hips. With the loss of protective scaffolding between the bone surfaces, the nerves in the bone endings themselves become exposed. When bone touches bone, there is acute pain. In addition, the loss of tensile strength of the supporting tendons, muscle, and cartilage means that other structures in the hip and leg must compensate in terms of weight-bearing and movement. This unnatural compensation may cause fatigue and pain. It may even cause the dog to injure itself—running to catch a Frisbee, or climbing stairs, for instance. What Causes Hip Dysplasia? Experts disagree as to the source of hip dysplasia in dogs. Too much food One theory is that feeding a young, growing dog too many calories early in its development contributes to the disorder. Too much exercise Another theory is that too much exercise, or the wrong kind of exercise, or simply too much high-impact exercise, such as fetching, jumping, and catching a ball or Frisbee on concrete, contributes to hip dysplasia. A factual observation about this condition is that hip dysplasia tends to affect large breeds more so than smaller dogs. This, too, is relative—it is possible for small dogs to become affected by hip dysplasia, too. However, we correctly associate the condition most frequently with big breeds. These breeds do carry a genetic predisposition toward the condition. It is also true that purebreds, especially large dogs, are most likely to become vulnerable to hip dysplasia, therefore calling upon informed and responsible breeding practices. Sometimes our decision-making process is clouded by emotion—guilt, fear, even panic when we see our beloved canine companion suffering. These are also common in dogs, attacking the cartilage, muscles, and membrane linings of cartilage and joints. These may offer your dog safe alternatives: calming inflammation as an immediate solution and helping to rebuild joint integrity as a long-range treatment. These trusted products can slow or even stop the degeneration of the hip joint. In many cases, hip replacement surgery which is the last resort may be prevented altogether. An X-ray examination will be recommended as a first step. If your dog becomes less active, weight gain may become a challenge. Eliminate treats, and if possible, offer your dog low-impact exercises like stretching and swimming. We Can Help. Does your dog have trouble walking, standing, or getting up? There is an excellent chance we can help your dog. This breed of dog is as loyal and as loving as they come. So, in order to ensure that your new, faithful companion lives a long and healthy life, there are some common medical issues Goldens face which you should be aware of. Unfortunately, Goldens, amongst a few other dog breeds, are predisposed towards joint problems a. Should it go untreated, it could severely impact both their overall health and well-being along with the length of their life. That said, if you know the common signs of hip problems and catch it early on, there are steps you can take to manage the issue, mitigate symptoms, or all together treat the problem. Below, we will discuss golden retriever hip problems, the signs, and treatment options at your disposal. The Universities Federation for Animal Welfare had this to say in response: The primary reason for this abnormal development is hip joint laxity if the joint is too loose; leading to the two articulating parts of the joint of the pelvis — the femoral head and the acetabulum which form the ball-and-socket of the joint - moving abnormally relative to one another; the femoral head in subluxation partly dislocating from the acetabulum. This leads to abnormal stresses and strains on the joint and leads to inflammation and degeneration of the joint tissues. According to the American Kennel Club AKC , Golden Retrievers were the third most popular breed in the United States in and have consistently been in the top 10 for the past decade. The total number of Goldens in households is difficult to assess, but approximately 50, are newly registered with the AKC each year. Based on their average lifespan of 10 years, the number of registered Goldens is , This number is estimated to represent less than 10 percent of the total breed population, as many are unregistered. In addition to their friendly, energetic, and likable dispositions, Goldens also are known for something else—hip dysplasia. Less desirable than their personality attributes, hip dysplasia is a complex, multifactorial condition that involves multiple genetic and environmental factors. This includes restricting juvenile animals from repetitive, high-impact activities. Per the statistics collected by the OFA, , radiographs for hip dysplasia have been evaluated since .Of those, the incidence of abnormal hip joints is approximately 20 percent. Again, this estimation is low, as many affected dogs do not have their radiographs submitted through the OFA. It was discovered that she has hip dysplasia through a proactive radiograph taken prior to her first visit to the Rehabilitation Service. Her owners are working closely with Dr. As her primary care veterinarian, Dr. What is hip dysplasia? Per Dr. The first is during skeletal immaturity when canines are between 6 and 14 months of age; these signs are predominantly due to loose hips. The second is when canines reach skeletal maturity 4- and years-old ; these signs are primarily due to osteoarthritis OA. Hip dysplasia diagnosis is made through a pelvic radiograph where veterinarians look at the hip socket acetabulum in relation to the head of the femur to determine if there is a proper fit or if there are any secondary arthritic changes. Once OA is present on a radiograph, dysplastic changes are irreversible and usually continue to progress over time. Kiszka leads Summer as she does figure-eights. Studies have shown that up to 76 percent of dysplastic dogs with osteoarthritic changes on radiographs are able to function and live comfortable, quality lives with conservative management. Conservative management includes exercise modification, physical rehabilitation, and anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications. For the cases in which canines do not respond to this method of management, surgery, such as a total hip replacement or femoral head and neck excision FHNE , may be recommended. Even with a prosthesis total hip replacement in place, or an FHNE, OA may still develop in the opposite hip joint and cause ongoing problems that require constant conservative or surgical management. With appropriate treatment, however, the prognosis for long-term comfort and function is good to excellent. Exercise modifications are typically tailored to avoid activities that cause limping and decrease high-impact type forces. If the dog is overweight, a weight-loss plan would be recommended as excess fat promotes OA. At-home exercises and rehabilitation help maintain muscle tone and strength while stabilizing the joint. The goals of the exercises are to help to maintain range of motion in the joint and prevent compensation, and promote body awareness, sense of proprioception, and core strength to avoid injury. Medical management involves anti-inflammatories, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and chronic pain medications. Additional medications may include injections that protect the joints. Treating the pain and inflammation in hip dysplasia patients is extremely important, as pain limits mobility, joint range of motion, and decreases quality and quantity of life. Kiszka helps Summer practice how to shift her weight on an uneven surface. Summer takes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and eats egg whites as a protein additive to her food. She starts her day with a 23—minute walk on the underwater-treadmill at 1. This speed and time equates to her walking approximately yards. The water allows Summer to bear only 70—80 percent of her body-weight, which lessens the impact on her hips, while she is walking. The water contact also increases sensation and the moving treadmill belt increases multiple-joint range of motion. After her water exercise, Summer rests before she begins therapeutic exercises. There are seven different exercises prescribed to Summer; based on her strength and mobility, her exercises vary each rehabilitation session. While exercising, she is monitored for signs of fatigue, pain, and poor posture, as the Rehab team pushes her to maximum potential to achieve the greatest therapeutic benefit. After she completes the exercises, she receives a therapeutic laser treatment of her hip and lower back region. The laser has factory presets for her weight, body type, and hair coat length and color. This type of laser therapy has proposed benefits of increased circulation and improved tissue repair with decreased pain and inflammation. How is Summer doing now? Summer walking on the underwater treadmill. Through the relationship among Dr. The early intervention allowed her to maintain mobility and quality of life for both her and her owners. Related Stories.