Puppy Questions

[salvochick]

Hi all,

Our 8 week old Rotty pup "JAXON" is great, we have never owned a dog of any breed and are madly reading up on heaps of information from all forms of publication ie this forum, books, magazines etc

We (my hubbie and I)have a few questions for anyone who would be willing to answer.

1. We have read in some books that you shouldn't play games lik tug-o-war with puppies. Any comments?
2. What should we play with our rotty pup?
3. With respect to obedience training alot of places I have spoken to wont take him until he is about 6 months old, some are until he has had all of his vaccinations. I have found one place that will take him now for puppy pre-school and then obedience training after that. It is at a property and my main concern is why they will accept him so youn when most palces will not. I have also read that taking our pup to strange places we should carry him to avoid any germs etc. Does anyone have any advice on this? We are keen to get him into obedience training as soon as possible.
4. How long are rotty pups puppies? What is the next stage of their life? When dowe go onto dog food as opposed to puppy food?
5. I also read somewhere that we shouldn't cook the chicken or mince meat for our pup as it kills the nutrients? Is this true?
6. s it ok to take our puppy for a long drive? say 3 hours? providing we stop along the way for food and toilet stops?
7. And finally, what should we be feeding our puppy for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

Thank you very much in advance for your responses. This forum is great - I am glad I found it.

[rottlove]

First of all, read as much as you can in this forum. It's free and we've all been there!!! Keep asking questions too. The books that have been recommended to you are excellent; i also like "How to Raise a Puppy You can Live With" by the Monks of New Skete. I'm only on my second rottie puppy, but here is what I've learned:

With regard to feeding your pup, there is a book called Grow Your Pup with Bones by Dr. Ian Billinghurst, an Aussie himself. That will tell you all you need to know about the raw meat/bones/veggies program. If you don't go that route, find a high quality kibble, one without corn, soy, or wheat if possible, and DON'T feed regular puppy formula whatever you do. Your pup could grow too fast, and that is very bad for a large breed. It should either be a large-breed puppy formula or even possibly adult food. Don't overfeed. Limit how much your pup gets, don't let him get fat. Don't supplement with calcium either. The favored kibbles on this forum seem to be Canidae, Innova, and Wellness, but I don't know if you can get those in Australia. Your vet may recommend something but take his/her advice with a grain of salt. The Billinghurst book is great, but I've heard pups may have a harder time with salmonella in raw chicken. I fed it to my pup, though, and she never got sick. Not even vomiting or diarhhea, ever.
As for tug of war, most rottie owners will tell you it's a no no because it teaches them to bite hard and may encourage aggression. But puppies love to play it, sometimes you HAVE to play it just to get something out of their mouth, and you can use the game to teach them the "OUT" command. When they have a toy in their mouth and are tugging, show them a treat or bit of kibble. As they drop the toy to get the kibble, say "OUT", praise them, and give them the treat. Never let them win the game, though, and I wouldn't play it for very long. The human always wins, and play on YOUR tems, not the pup's. You can force the pup's mouth open by pressing in on the hinges of his jaws and prying open the teeth with your other hand. A GREAT game is Hide and Seek. You hide, call their name, and when they find you, go nuts happily praising them and give them a treat if you like. Also you can try teaching them fetch though it doesn't come as naturally to rotties as some other breeds. Just bouncing a tennis ball around is great fun for them. Also an empty platic bottle such as a water bottle or milk jug is fun.
As for the training class at such a young age, it is possible to find one where the owners must provide proof of vaccination before entering the class. Up to you! Ask the trainer and your vet what they think about the risks. I would not risk it without proof. You should find a way for your pup to meet other people and dogs and puppies you trust. Socialization is a huge part of raising one of these dogs successfully.

Car trips are fine if your dog doesn't get sick or stressed (panting, scared). Try a shorter trip and see how he does first. Be careful on the potty stops to go where it's clean and it doesn't look like other dogs use that area, for disease. I'm sure you know not to leave your dog in a hot car, ever. Especially rotties with their short snouts and thick dark coats -- they are really succeptible to heat stroke.

Your rottie will act like a puppy for years! Your best investment is a crate. For potty training and damage control, and his safety.

You can start feeding adult food after 6 months to a year -- ask your vet or breeder what they recommend, if you trust them.

Best of luck! It will all pay off!

[TrishB]

Originally posted by salvochick

1. We have read in some books that you shouldn't play games lik tug-o-war with puppies. Any comments?

We don't encourage tug-of-war games with Rottie pups/dogs for the single reason that it allows them to challenge you. Puppies and dogs play tug-of-war to challenge status. If you win, you're dominant over the other dog. People are always 'alpha' to dogs. Therefore, it is not in your best interest to encourage your puppy to think that he even has the right to challenge you for dominance. He's the worm, he'll always be the worm and as long as you both know that, you'll be happy! :)

Originally posted by salvochick

2. What should we play with our rotty pup?

Play with recalls (letting him wander away in a fenced in area and call him back to you). Play Hide And Seek (one person holds on to the puppy, the other hides, in an easy spot at first, and calls the puppy). Play with retrieving (toss a ball, get him to chase it and bring it back - this will also be when you teach him to release). When you enroll your puppy into puppy training classes (your vet can recommend someone), the trainer will also give you lots of games to play.

Originally posted by salvochick

3. With respect to obedience training alot of places I have spoken to wont take him until he is about 6 months old, some are until he has had all of his vaccinations. I have found one place that will take him now for puppy pre-school and then obedience training after that. It is at a property and my main concern is why they will accept him so youn when most palces will not. I have also read that taking our pup to strange places we should carry him to avoid any germs etc. Does anyone have any advice on this? We are keen to get him into obedience training as soon as possible.

Your puppy will be safe to go to training classes after he's had his first 3 sets of puppy shots. The vaccination program in Australia may be different than here, so the best person to ask would be your veterinarian. Once his vaccines are complete, he'll be safe to play with other puppies his own age and go to classes. Do not go if he is not vaccinated.

Originally posted by salvochick

4. How long are rotty pups puppies? What is the next stage of their life? When dowe go onto dog food as opposed to puppy food?

Again, your vet is the best resource to ask about diet. Large breed puppies are normally taken off of puppy foods at 5 months of age as they do not require a high protein diet that could encourage fast growth rather than balanced growth. At 5 months, wean him over to a good quality, adult formula. As for life stages there are many. ;) At around 4 - 5 months, he'll turn into an awkward, ugly duckling. Because Rotties are a large breed, they sometimes grow in spurts, causing their heads to look too large, or their bodies to look too lean. It's just a stage, and he'll grow out of it. There will be another stage when he's about 14 - 18 months where he'll begin to challenge you - this is adolesance and you should be prepared. Your trainer will be able to help you through this period. Rotties mature anywhere from 2 - 4 years of age (depending on the individual). Because they are slow to mature, you'll find that he'll be a big overgrown puppy for quite a long time! :D

Originally posted by salvochick
5. I also read somewhere that we shouldn't cook the chicken or mince meat for our pup as it kills the nutrients? Is this true?

Again, the best person to ask is your veterinarian.

Originally posted by salvochick
6. s it ok to take our puppy for a long drive? say 3 hours? providing we stop along the way for food and toilet stops?

As you said, as long as you do frequent stops (every 40 minutes) for walks, food and water. Be sure he is not in the direct sun and that the car is well ventilated. Rotties can get over heated, so you'll want to be sure he's comfortable.

Originally posted by salvochick
7. And finally, what should we be feeding our puppy for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

Typically, depending on the age of your pup, you should feed him frequently when he's little (8 - 16 weeks), possibly 4 times a day. You can then wean him down to 3 times until he's about 6 months and ready for his neuter (or for females, spay). Personally, I like to keep them on 2 meals as adult dogs. It cuts down on begging and they tend to eat slower because they're not SO hungry that they gobble it down.

Originally posted by salvochick

Thank you very much in advance for your responses. This forum is great - I am glad I found it.

You're welcome - you'll find a wealth of knowlege here! Welcome to the forums! :)