We do all that is possible to create genetically,
emotionally, and physically, sound and overall superb
companions. Accomplishing this requires strong
commitment to goals. Serious effort, knowledge, and
"tuning in" to each individual canine and human
personality, goes into making it all work. We truly
want you and your puppy to succeed together in your
long-term relationship. We raise pups holding a
vision of that success constantly in mind.
We will gladly advise you on whether a Boston is right
for you, instruct you on training, assist with choosing
a good veterinarian (of the utmost importance!) and
with anything else we are qualified to help with which
will support your success with your extraordinary new
companion.
- Your Part.
you would for a toddler. We ask you to be informed
on the Boston Terrier, breed, and housebreaking,
and training methods, well before your puppy's
arrival. We ask you to confine your 2-5 month
puppy unless under total supervision, giving
gradually more unsupervised freedom as the puppy
"earns it" We do not ever advise raising a young pup
"underfoot".
.Naturally, you want to be a good puppy-parent! It is
essential for the puppy to have consistent, clear
leadership and equally consistent, clear
communication.. A dog needs the person to be in
control, without that, the puppy will feel insecure and
unsafe, and many behavior problems can develop
as a result. The puppy may be part of your family but
keep in mind it has a canine brain, and instinct will
compel it to take the leadership role if you don't. This
is NOT to suggest that all issues of misbehavior or
biting have to do with leadership or dominance,
usually it is simply a matter of what the dog is
learning from you. Please check our training apage
Your puppy needs to be understood as the unique
individual it is. Don't assume what worked with
another dog will work with every dog.. To learn more
on dominance or biting see
- Hazards to Your Puppy's Health
aside from the usually fatal diseases it is vaccinated
against (not 100% protection!). Many hazards are
due to pups' tendencies to put everything in their
mouths. Poisoning from toxic plants, household
chemicals, pesticides, is common. Bacteria, human
food, or change in brand of food, will result in
digestive upsets. Puppies can eat all manner of non-
food items which may either puncture or become
lodged in the intestines, with sometimes fatal
consequences. Keeping control over what your pup
puts in its mouth is vital which in addition to
housebreaking concerns, is another important
reason for not raising a pup just loose in the house
where it cannot be completely supervised . Not all
toys or chewies are safe, some rawhides can soften
up and be swallowed, causing choking.
We have 40+ years experience with dogs in
numerous areas such as show, obedience, behavior,
health, raising and loving dogs. We apply this
knowledge toward supporting a long, happy human-
canine relationship!
- Vomiting & Diarrhea
up (more than once) for an unknown reason, do NOT
give any food or water!!! This is extremely important,
because If you do, it will make the puppy sicker. Take
puppy to vet immediately. If the pup's stools are
watery foul smelling or have blood in them, go to vet
immediately! Puppies get sick much faster than
adults and can go from healthy to critically ill in a very
short time.
- Low Blood Sugar
sugar (hypoglycemia) from: stress, change of homes,
too much play, not eating often enough, illness,
parasites, having an unusually immature metabolism
or an abnormal liver. Pups under 3 months should
not be overstimulated by too much activity, and must
eat several times daily.
Symptoms are lethargy, excess sleepiness, unsteady
walk, weakness, and if untreated, seizures leading to
coma, and if untreated, eventually death.
Immediately give some form of sugar by mouth only if
conscious if you see these signs, up to a teaspoon or
two depending on size. Recovery is within 15 to 20
minutes if that is the cause. Puppy may need
veterinary care in order to stabilize, or it may soon
happen again.
- Parasites
and are often healthy and symptom free in spite of it.
But heavy parasite loads make puppies susceptible
to disease, can cause the puppy to be anemic, lose
nutrition, and become sick from toxins. Most breeders
worm their pups regularly and know the dangers of
worms. But many puppies have protozoa such as
coccidia and giardia, these are not worms, worm
medicine has no effect on protozoa. Coccidia can be
seen microscopically with an ordinary stool check.
But Giardia very rarely can be found this way.
Protozoa are fairly simple (but lengthy) to treat.
However, Giardia is rarely diagnosed in spite of being
very common;studies show about 50% of pets have
it. If your dog has chronic, intermitant, soft, mucousy
stool with bad odor and much gas, Giardia is a
possible cause, and in spite of what your vet may
say, It IS contagious to people!
Stimulated by touch, new smells, later by sound
Gently held on back, praised and caressed to learn trust, (not as a "dominance test") Learns to be alone gradually before leaving
*see more on parasites |
| Learning trust /human leadership Carried, held, bathed, ears, mouth, feet, handled, nails cut, learning trust when being restrained. |
- Our Part
- Veterinarians-Your Puppy: Life or Death?
- Diseases
routine vet visits, are potential exposure to disease. The
extent of the risk depends greatly on whether your vet
has a separate entrance for sick animals, as well as the
age of your pet. Best to always keep your puppy off the
ground and not in contact with dogs or petting from
people. Be certain the exam table is disinfected before
you set your puppy down. Serious or fatal diseases may
still be contracted by your healthy, vaccinated puppy
until around 18 weeks when last "puppyshot" should be
given. There is a promising new Distemper vaccine by
Agri Med! Link coming soon.
- Overvaccinating:
yearly booster shots, may cancel out any good they are
meant to do, and worse. The latest vaccine guidelines
issued by the AVMA, recommends that the parvo and
distemper vaccines not only do not need to be given
yearly, but may even damage the immune system,
showing up later in life, leading to autoimmune diseases
and siezures. Many vets won't give up the large revenue
of the yearly vaccine and continue this dangerous
practice in spite of the new guidelines. Vaccinating more
often than every 3 weeks starting at 8 weeks of age, until
18-20 weeks is not recommended. Yearly boosters are
NOT required after the final puppyshot at 18-20 weeks.
- Medications/Treatments
protocols that are not without potentially serious
complications. Painkillers, arthritis treatments, some flea
preventions, to name a few, have created real concerns
about side effects. Some vets will not even use these
treatments, or if they do, will inform you of the risks.
Others may be unaware of the risks or consider them not
worth mentioning. There are more vets coming out of
school now who are marketing their practice with an eye
for profit or who are simply "wet behind the ears" and
need to learn from experience. Some vets overzealously
prescribe meds, and suggest unneeded surgeries. If you
have a feeling this might be the case, it may be smart to
question the necessity of treatments, or even better,
change vets.
- Emergencies
emergency? It is hard to find a vet willing to do any
emergency calls outside of an emergency clinic. If you
can find a vet who does, his/her value is inestimable! If
you have several pets, having good emergency vet care
lined up is of paramount importance.
- Vet's Strengths and Weaknesses
and her/his shortcomings. Talking with the employees or
receptionist in a friendly way can reveal much about both
the vet and the clinic. Talk with other clients who have
been going to that vet for a long time. It is wise to have
more than one vet if they have complementary skills.
A good personality or fancy facility alone cannot
compare to excellent diagnostic and surgical skill,
knowledge, honesty and a non-authoritarian attitude.
You need to both feel and be in control of your dog's
care. You need to know what your options are, what
treatments are given and what the undesirable
consequences of those treatments may be, ahead of
time. Your vet should respect your decisions and wishes,
as well as financial limitations and never "guilt trip" you
into any treatment. Some frequently suggested
treatments are unnecessary. Often less expensive
options are available. Spending more money on your
puppy does not automatically mean better care; costlier
treatments, even some routine ones, are sometimes
harmful! These are things you should be able to discuss
without feeling intimidated or patronized.
Do you get the feeling your vet (and the clinic staff) truly
cares about the life of your animal? Will he/she go the
extra mile for your pet?
- Out of Sight
longer know what is being done to it, where it is being
taken, what diseases it is exposed to, or how it is being
handled. You have the right to know these things. Do be
polite and pleasant, but don't be passive. Ask questions,
and if need be, interrupt, be assertive. You have the
right to (nicely) refuse to allow certain procedures or
actions. If the Vet wants to keep your pet, ask to see
where it will be kept, (is there bedding, or just stainless
steel?).
- Stay Informed
trust built over time, in both vet and clinic, never
automatically assume that all is being done properly and
you can sit back and relax. Since pets cannot tell us of
the of mistakes made behind the scenes, you need to try
to be as informed and "in the loop" as possible. If your
pet is staying at the vet's, ask if someone will be there at
night or on the weekend? Or will a kennel worker just
drop in briefly to feed and water? The latter may be fine
if you are just boarding, but not if your pet is sick, it's
better to take your pet home with you if you can care for
it.
Remember, In most states, if there is malpractice
resulting in loss, or harm to your dog, vets are not liable
for any more than the cost of your dog and refunding the
fees you were charged. The state Veterinary board and
the Better Business Bureau should be informed if you
believe a vet to be irresponsibly negligent or
incompetent. This is not to be confused with an honest
mistake which even the best vets inevitably make sooner
or later. [This is not legal advice].
Questions?
For the real "low-down" on Veterinary care go to
oldcountryvet.com
Got questions? For more information on choosing a
veterinarian, contact me.
For the real "low-down" on Veterinary care go to
oldcountryvet.com
Got questions? For more information on choosing a
veterinarian, contact me.
Your Boston Puppy |
| Like our site and our dogs? Want to reserve a puppy? Need stud service? Want a dog portrait to be proud of? Personal data and address omitted for security reasons. Will give after initial contact. contact us! |
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| Feeding Your Puppy (See bottom of page) |
With so many widely advertised dog food brands as well as numerous less well known ones, the choices can be overwhelming. If you aren't confused yet, there are dog diets ranging from commercially made, to feeding entirely raw meat and bones (B.A.R.F. diet) and everything in between. Devoted fans defend the values of each, sometimes even to the point of zealotry. There are convincing arguments to support many homemade and raw diets. Dogs are cited as primarily carnivores, needing mostly meat and real food. Instead, kibble usually consists of highly processed grains and fillers with just a small percentage of meat. But there are detractors of raw and homemade diets too. It's not a simple choice. From a practical standpoint it doesn't fit with certain lifestyles. Concerned veterinarians see the consequences of alternative diets gone wrong so can be opposed to them due to perceived risks. Ultimately this must be a personal decision, but most importantly should be an informed one. If kibble looks simple and convenient, then be sure to know the basics of reading ingredient and analysis labels and what to look for and what to avoid. Do not buy food, treats or chewies made in China as there have been lethal contamination found in some of their products.
Our understanding of how profoundly gut bacteria influence health is relatively new. In the past, live cultures were primarily used after a course of antibiotics and doctors usually recommended yogurt. Mostly just "health nuts" considered probiotics part of a daily regimen. Now even veterinarians are beginning to suggest daily Probiotics for their clients' pets. Science is starting to identify certain strains as beneficial for particular areas of health which is explained in the second link below. Basics of Top 5 Probiotics and their uses |