Vets Somerset: All About Beagle Breeders

When you are looking for the right beagle, it is important for you to know its personal history and you ought to get your beagle from a respectable and trusted breeder. There are beagle breeders who have extensive show kennels that are well-known and there are those which are operated by small family who just really love the breed. The most important thing to consider is the reputation and standards of the breeders so be sure you do your investigation.

The best place to start when looking for beagle breeders is usually the national associations the Beagle Club and the Beagle Association in the UK. Any good, reputable beagle breeders will be members of these clubs, and bound by their codes These associations often recommend well-known breeders to future beagle owners.

The main reason why it is essential to purchase your beagle from respectable and honest breeders is simply because there are many fraudulent vendors out there who are in the industry for profit only and do not care about the beagles that they are breeding. Getting your beagle from these kinds of breeders will only encourage them to continue with their wicked and cruel way. You may likewise find yourself owning a puppy with poor health.

Vets Somerset Answers: Things To Consider When Buying a Beagle in a Breeder

Any good beagle breeder, large or small, should be able to show you your prospective puppy with its mother – there’s no legitimate excuse for them not to, so don’t accept one! They will also be more than happy to let you look around their kennels and to see their other beagles. Usually a beagle breeder is more than willing to let you go around their kennels and look at the other beagles. In cases wherein the beagle breeder prohibits you from looking around then that would be a sign that there is something fishy in the business.

Usually, a respectable breeder do not part with their puppies that are less than eight weeks old, so if a breeder gives you a puppy of that age to bring home then you should start thinking. When you visit the puppies watch how they behave around people and situations. They should already be well used to being held and handled. Reputable beagle breeders should also have all their puppies registered with the Kennel Club. You’ll get your registration documents when you come to take your beagle puppy home. The breeder must be able to provide you with all the details of the puppy, its ancestry for four generations, in case you will be getting the pedigree for the puppy.Reputable beagle breeders will also want to ask you some questions - if they are good at what they do and care about the beagles they breed they will want to be confident of sending them to a good home before they let them go. They want to be certain that you will be able to give what the puppy needs throughout its existence. Do not forget that nice and well-behaved beagles originate from breeders who are honest and of good reputation so that in the future you will turn out to be a trustworthy breeder too.

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Vets Somerset: Our Pet Dogs Dental Problems

A mighty mouthful of shiny white teeth is the ideal in any dog. These are, after all natural predators, and we even take the name of our own frontal fangs – the canines – from the scientific name for the dog family. It might, then, be easy to imagine that dogs’ teeth look after themselves, but unfortunately this isn't the case, and dental disease is very common, especially in older dogs. In fact, over three-quarters of dogs over the age of three show signs of periodontal disease, a chronic infection of the gums which affects the teeth, and may even cause their loss.

Prevention, as always, is the best cure, and the best prevention for this and other dental problems is regular cleaning.  It’s a good idea to train a dog to accept regular tooth brushing, which will be a major help in keeping its mouth healthy. The training is best done while the dog is still a puppy, but you can often train an older dog to accept – and even enjoy – having its teeth brushed. Fortunately there are also lots of toys, treats and foods specially designed to keep teeth clean, even if your dog won’t accept a toothbrush. It’s always worth asking a vet for advice on the best approach.

Vets North Somerset: Another Dog Problem is Dermatitis

Dogs can suffer from all sorts of skin problems – after all, under that lovely shiny coat they have skin just like us, and just like us it is susceptible to all sorts of problems. A major cause of skin issues in dogs is what is known as atopic dermatitis. All dogs get a few itches, and a well-placed paw usually hits the spot. But if your dog is forever scratching itself, and if you can see physical signs on the skin, then there may be an allergy-based problem, causing atopic dermatitis.

Dogs, like people, can suffer from all sorts of allergies leading to skin problems, from a reaction to flea bites and particular infections, to sensitivities to pollen, dust mites or even certain types of food. If such allergies are causing severe itching then you might notice redness, acne-like spots, or hair loss. Above all, your dog won’t be very happy!

A vet will often run tests to rule out other causes of skin problems – many of which can be treated with straightforward medication. If allergies are identified as the source of the problem then as well as medication to ease the symptoms, there are possible means of dealing with the allergy itself. As with humans, steroids and antihistamines can provide relief, but these can lead to side effects of their own. It may, however, be possible to tackle an allergy through allergen-specific immunotherapy, gradually exposing a dog to increasing amounts of the allergen responsible for its itchy reaction to the point where it builds up a tolerance.

Puppy - Socialising

What is socialization?

Socialization is the name given to the process whereby the puppy learns about itself, its own species and the other species with which it will live. During this process the puppy develops relationships with other living beings in its environment and learns how to interact appropriately.Another important term relating to the puppy’s development is 'habituation'. This concept is often lumped together with socialization, but it helps to differentiate the two terms.

What is habituation?
As all animals develop there are numerous stimuli (sounds, smells, sights and events) that they need to become accustomed to in their environment, the vacuum cleaner is a good example. If puppies do not encounter these stimuli and place them in their frame of reference of things that are not threatening, then the stimuli can induce fear and anxiety (including an aggressive reaction) when they are encountered later in life. Habituation is the process whereby dogs get used to a wide variety of stimuli, and stop reacting to them, provided that there are no unpleasant consequences during exposure. Extensive habituation as a puppy lays the foundation for general confidence and an ability to cope with novelty or the unusual later in life.

Why are these terms important?
The processes of socialization and habituation are essential for the normal development of the brain and in particular the stress management mechanisms that will enable your puppy to cope with any challenges that he faces as an adult. Failure for these mechanisms to develop appropriately puts your dog at risk of developing behavioral problems and also increases the risk of developing certain physical diseases which are exacerbated or triggered by chronic stress.

To reduce the possibility of fearful responses as a puppy grows and matures, it is essential to expose young puppies to many safe and appropriate stimuli (people, places and things) when they can most effectively socialist with and habituate to these stimuli. This means that exposure before the age when fear responses are well developed is going to be more beneficial than exposure once your puppy has a higher tendency to avoid novelty than to approach it. In practical terms this means that puppies should be exposed to appropriate social and physical situations in a safe and secure environment between the ages of 3 and 8 weeks of age. Clearly this time is likely to be spent at the breeders’ premises and therefore careful selection of the source of your puppy is crucial. Dogs that receive insufficient exposure to people, other animals and new environments during their early weeks of life may develop significant levels of fear which in turn can lead to issues of timidity or aggression.

What can I do to improve my chances of having a social, non-fearful dog?

Parentage
The genetics of the breed and of the parents in particular play an important role in how sociable, playful, fearful or excitable a puppy becomes. In order to maximize your chances of having a dog who is sociable, you should choose a breed and parents (both male and female) which have the type of behavior that you would like the puppy to have. Of course, there is a great deal of variability between individuals, so that breed and parental behavior will not always be indicative of what the puppy will be like, but sound temperament genetics is an important base from which to build.

Puppy assessment
Even the most sociable and playful of puppies may become fearful and aggressive as they develop out of puppy hood and to date no test exists that can accurately predict the personality a puppy will have as it matures. However, to maximize the chance of selecting a puppy likely to develop a friendly outgoing personality, avoid selecting a puppy that is shy, withdrawn or fearful. This does not ensure that the puppy will mature into a friendly, non-fearful adult as puppies under 3 months of age are still developing their social skills. Therefore, assessing the behavior of the parents, and understanding the behavior of a breed are far more critical than assessing an individual puppy.

Early handling
Puppies that are stimulated and handled appropriately from birth to five weeks of age are more confident, sociable, exploratory, faster maturing and better able to handle stress as they develop. Puppies obtained from a breeder or home where they have had frequent and appropriate contact and interaction with people are likely to be more sociable and less fearful as they develop.

Primary socialization
There is a sensitive period in the development of most species when they develop social attachments with their own and other species, independent of punishment and rewards. The events that occur during this socialization period shape the puppy’s preferred social partners, and therefore by recognizing the time frame in which canine socialization develops, you can help to ensure a healthy social attachment to people and other animals, including other dogs.

The main socialization period for dogs begins at approximately 3 weeks of age and is diminishing by 12-14 weeks. Peak sensitivity occurs at approximately 6-8 weeks and beyond 12-14 weeks there is a tendency to act fearfully towards new people, animals and situations. It is also important to remember that socialization is ongoing and that many young dogs will regress or become fearful again if they do not receive continued appropriate social interaction as they grow and develop. This is especially important during the first 6-8 months of life.

To help to keep a healthy social relationship with other dogs throughout life, dogs should maintain their social contacts with their mother and litter mates until 6-8 weeks of age. They should also continue to have regular positive social interaction and play sessions with other dogs after they are taken into a new home.

What is the best age to obtain my new puppy?
Since it is so important for the puppy to develop and maintain social attachments to their own species, puppies should ideally remain with their mother and litter mates until 6-8 weeks of age. Provided that the breeder has also started the process of socialization to people, the puppy can move to the new home at 7 weeks of age and then expand their social contacts to new people and species while still in their socialization period. You may find that breeders dictate the age of re homing to fit in with current legislation and in these situations the importance of the quality of the breeder environment in terms of socialization and habituation becomes even more important.

Where should I get my puppy from?
There are a variety of potential sources for your new puppy but in behavioral terms the most important thing is to select somewhere that offers adequate and appropriate socialization and habituation opportunities for the puppies. In order to reduce the emotional upheaval when your puppy moves from the breeder’s premises to your home it is useful to look for a breeding environment that has as many similarities as possible to the home environment that you intend to provide for your dog. For example, if you are intending to keep your dog as a house dog with a family of young children it would be sensible to look for a litter of puppies reared with exposure to a home environment, rather than one that has been reared entirely in outdoor kennels or an outbuilding or shed.

What can I do to assist my puppy in its social development?
Your puppy is most likely to become fearful of stimuli that are not found in his day-to-day routine so it is a good idea to make a conscious effort to identify those people and situations that your puppy is not regularly exposed to so that you can structure positive experiences with these. Your puppy needs to have the opportunity for positive interaction with a wide variety of people of all ages, races, appearances and both sexes during the formative months. For example, if there are no children in the home, you might arrange regular play sessions with children who understand dogs and will behave appropriately with your puppy. If you live in the country it can be helpful to make a few trips into the town/city, so that your puppy can be taken for walks on town streets. However, remember that early experiences need to be controlled so that they are entirely positive, so do not overwhelm your puppy with an environment that is too busy and noisy. Conversely, a puppy that grows up in the city might become fearful or excited if as an adult he meets farm animals that he was not exposed to during his early development. So try to arrange to take your city dweller into the country as early as possible.

Introduce your puppy appropriately to as many new people and situations as possible, beginning in his first three months of development. People in uniforms, babies, toddlers, the elderly and the disabled, are just a few examples of people that might not commonly be encountered and could lead to fear and anxiety, unless there is sufficient early exposure. Similarly, car rides, lifts, stairs, or the noises of cars, trains, aero planes, or hot air balloons are some examples of events and experiences to which a puppy might be usefully exposed. It is important that the puppy be given the opportunity to relax in these new situations and the way in which he is introduced is as important as what you introduce him to. The new experience or person needs to be as passive, positive and unchallenged as possible and it is important not to overwhelm a young puppy.

One way to facilitate the introduction of your puppy to new situations and people is to provide a reward such as a favourite toy or biscuit each time he is exposed to a new stimulus. However, it is important to ensure that the pleasure from the reward is greater than any apprehension about the person or situation. It can therefore be beneficial to divide the introduction into two stages. In the first stage it is more beneficial for the reward to be passively delivered, such as by dropping it to the floor, than for strangers to actively approach your puppy with a treat in their hand. Once your puppy has formed a positive expectation and is actively approaching the stranger in a relaxed manner you can move to the second stage and the stranger can then begin to offer a treat from their hand. Provided that the first stage of introduction has been successful this second stage can be useful in terms of reducing the risk of puppies being hand shy, since your puppy will learn to associate new friends and an outstretched hand with something positive. Once the puppy has learned to sit on command, each new friend should ask him to sit before giving the biscuit. This teaches an appropriate greeting and will make your puppy less likely to jump up at people.

There will of course, be times when your puppy is in a new situation and you do not have treats. Be sure then to use a happy tone of voice and encourage your puppy to relax.

If your puppy seems to panic, back off a little. Trying to continue the introduction may aggravate the fear and lead to negative associations with the stranger or situation. Do not draw attention to the problem and try to act as passively as possible. Once the puppy has relaxed you can try the introduction again.

Never reassure the fearful dog as this might serve to reward the fearful behaviour.

Is it healthy to take my puppy out in public at such a young age?
There is always a concern about the risks of taking a puppy out of his home before he is fully vaccinated. This is because he may be exposed to infection before the vaccines have had time to become protective. However, benefits gained from these new and early public appearances can be enormous and without them the risk of your puppy developing permanent fears or anxiety is a serious concern.

One solution is for people and healthy vaccinated animals to visit the puppy in its own home, until it is sufficiently vaccinated to be taken out. A compromise is to take your puppy out to meet people and other pets in low risk environments. Taking your puppy to the homes of other dogs that you know to be fully vaccinated is one option and carrying your puppy when you are out in public places can also be considered. It is important to avoid places that are frequented by other dogs that are unknown to you. You should certainly avoid neighborhood parks where farces and urine might accumulate.

Another valuable aid to successful socialization and habituation for your puppy is to enroll in a well run puppy socialization class. If these classes are held indoors in a room that can be cleaned and disinfected and all puppies are screened for vaccination and health prior to each class. Then these classes can provide varied and plentiful exposure to people and other dogs in a low risk environment.

More rich information about your pets here in Vets Sherbourne


This client information sheet is based on material written by: Daniel Mills BVSc PhD CCAB DipECVBM-CA MRCVS, Sarah Heath BVSc DipECVBM-CA CCAB MRCVS and Helen Zulch BVSc MRCVS.