Pyr Shep Care & Grooming |
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LA BRISE PYRENEAN SHEPHERDS www.Pyrs.net PATRICIA PRINCEHOUSE & COLIN MCLARTY 9573 MENTOR ROAD, CHARDON, OH 44024 440-286-7431 440-478-5292 ITEMS NEEDED FOR YOUR NEW PYRENEAN SHEPHERD PUPPY BOOKS Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide, by Cesar Millan Three Rivers Press Mother Knows Best: The Natural Way to Train Your Dog, by Carol Benjamin, Howell Books How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With, by Rutherford & Neil Alpine Publications, PO Box 7020, Loveland, CO 80537 Agility Start to Finish, (with illustrative focus on Pyr Sheps!) by Diane Bauman Alpine Publications Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook, by Carlson and Giffin Howell Book House GROOMING AND TRAINING SUPPLIES: The following items are available at wholesale prices from free catalogs such as: CHERRYBROOK 800-524-0820 www.cherrybrook.com/ J-B 800-423-3333 www.jbpet.com For more upscale items, see http://inthecompanyofdogs.com/ For agility equipment and all sorts of training-oriented super fun toys, see www.cleanrun.com CRATE - Your pup needs a crate for travel, housebreaking, and as a puppysitter when you can’t give him your full attention. The pup will grow so fast that I recommend you get an adult-sized crate from the beginning. I recommend the plastic airline crates (vari-kennel traditional or deluxe #200 - #500) as they are easier to put up and take down, are easier to wash and sterilize, are leakproof, and are somewhat safer. If you prefer a metal crate, get one at least 20”x24”x24”. An exercise pen is also very useful & is highly recommended. CRATE MAT -Newspapers should be used (flat ones on the bottom & shredded ones on top) until pup is reliable in his crate, then old towels or blankets can be used (and will be chewed). Many owners like to provide their adult Pyr Shep with a polyfoam orthopedic mat with a washable cover or a fleece or quilted crate mat that is entirely washable. When puppy is older, you might want to get a dog bed or if decor is an issue, an upscale sofa or chaise, or couch, or modern piece. EXERCISE PEN – The pup may take several months before s/he is big enough to be crated for more than a couple hours at a time without having to go outside. Xpens limit your dog to a small, safe area where s/he can play but is big enough for her to eliminate if necessary without subsequently stepping in it. They start around $30 and go up to $100 or more. For an upscale decorator version, see: http://inthecompanyofdogs.com Leaving puppy in an X-Pen at night & when you’re gone for more than 2 or 3 hours at a time works very very well for Pyr Sheps. Newspapers should be laid flat (preferably on tile surface) with shredded newspaper added on top (and you can transition to a litter box if you like). A few toys can be added and a towel or washable bed. I usually don’t give water as they may start playing in it & make a mess. Never gate your puppy into a room as s/he could damage the room and likely injure him/herself (eating wallpaper or furniture, putting nose in electrical outlets, etc). Always use a crate or xpen. LITTER BOX – Increasingly popular are variations on the sort of litter boxes traditionally used for cats. Purina makes a dog litter called Second Nature www.doglitter.com for more tips see: www.kturby.com/litter/litter.htm FOOD - Nothing containing soy in any form. All the premium adult foods are fine for Pyr Shep puppies. High quality low-residue foods like Evo small bites may help with housebreaking, but if the pup starts to get pudgy, you'll either have to switch brands or give less food. Pyr Sheps should always feel quite lean over the ribs. Your pup has been eating Canidae ALS. BOWLS - Stainless steel bowls are unbreakable and easily sterilized. FLEAS - Before you get your pup, it’s a good idea to fog your house for fleas with a top-strength fogger from the vet (eg Vet-Kem with Precor) as fleas can lie dormant as pupa for a year. If you have other dogs or cats, dip them at the same time. This will provide a flea-free environment for your pup’s first few months. Repeat this process at the first sign of fleas. Once or twice a year is the most you’ll likely need. Flea and tick collars are also a good idea, especially now that ticks can carry Lyme disease. If you need to bathe your Pyr Shep for some reason (normally every 6 months is plenty often) it’s a good idea to use flea shampoo just as a precaution. When bathing, the most important thing is to be sure to rinse out every trace of shampoo. The all-natural products are attractive and can help a little, but they really don’t work very well. Use Pyrethrins. Ultrasonic flea devices do not work. The once-a-month flea preventatives (Spot-On, Advantix, Frontline, Revolution, etc) work well & can help you avoid having to fog the house. For more on flea prevention see the University of Florida flea site: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ig132 HEARTWORM – Heartworm control is both easier & more important than ever before as the problem is spreading across N Am. One-a-month chewables such as Heartgard Plus are available from the Vet. Revolution combines both flea & tick and heartworm preventative in one monthly treatment. ODOR REMOVERS - There are many products around which neutralize odors -Nilodor, Simple Solution, etc. You can also use white vinegar. Many of the products also remove stains. BITTER APPLE - Bitter Apple can be sprayed on furniture to discourage chewing, and on the dog to keep him from chewing, or licking a wound. There’s now a formula to use on plants, too. POOP-SCOOPS - The 2 piece work better than the hinged variety. COLLARS AND LEADS - For a little pup, use an expandable harness (12"-20") or expandable (10"-16") cotton or nylon flat woven collar. Get a 6 foot leather, cotton or nylon lead. You may also want to get a “Flexi-lead”. The Flexi-2 is usually sufficient. For advanced training, you may want to get a snug-fitting nylon choker. Do not use a chain collar or lead as they are weaker than a nylon choke and the links can rub the pup's hair off or discolor it. When the pup is 9-12 months old, s/he’ll be mostly grown and you can get a rolled leather collar sized appropriately to put his/her tags on. DO NOT LEAVE ANY COLLAR ON WHEN THE PUP IS IN THE CRATE! He could accidentally strangle himself. It is also a good idea to remove all collars when puppies are playing together. For obedience or show training, you may want to use a round nylon or parachute cord choker --it should be snug enough that the collar stays open rather than with an end hanging down. Remember, the choker is open all the time except for the split-second that you are making a correction. Never allow the dog to pull or drag you. Keep a loose lead. Remember, the point of training is to get the dog to do what you want without much force. This involves lots of praise, flattery, treats, and other motivation, not physical power. TOYS -Pyr Sheps adore all toys but also have highly individual preferences in playthings. Most like rawhide chews (only buy those actually made in the US or Canada. And don’t get the basted kind as the color rubs off on their fur). For young pups, get the chopped rawhide munchies, then graduate to chips and bones. They love cow hooves (and other moo-chews), but the hooves are often smelly. Some like nylabones (especially the nubby dinosaurs) and rubber toys, but others turn up their noses. Pups love fleece and plush toys with squeakys inside -especially pia pets. Some like squeaky toys and regular and mini tennis balls. Encourage him to play “Fetch” – it gives him constructive physical & mental exercise & builds your bond with the pup. You can build fetch motivation using special "jackpot" toys with hidden food pouches so that they have to bring the toy back to you to get the treat out. You can play tug-o-war games but not in a way that encourages him/her to challenge your authority or builds frustration. Instead, make sure you control the game. Tug for 10- 20 seconds & then let go & stare anywhere except at the dog. S/he will bring the toy back for more tugging. You say “good dog” and continue the game. It’s you & puppy against the tug toy, not you pitted against the pup. Most pups like “Booda Bones” rope toys and puzzle toys. “Kong” toys are nice and you can fill them with a mixture of peanut butter or squeeze cheese or soft soaked kibble and freeze to give to the pup when you put him in his crate or Xpen before you leave the house. Similarly there are various treat-dispensing toys. If you choose to give your pup plastic milk jugs or empty soda bottles (with perhaps some beans or rice inside to make a rattle), old socks, shoes, jeans, etc, s/he will have a great time, but don’t expect her to know the difference between new and old. For cutting-edge fun & educational toys, see www.cleanrun.com BRUSHES, COMBS, NAIL CLIPPERS – Start with a soft bristle brush for a young puppy & run it all over the pup every day. You will eventually need a pin brush (some have soft pins or rubber tips on the bristles -which are nice) and slicker brush, and a long-toothed metal comb. Get a Miller’s Forge brand heavy duty “big dog” nail clippers or a nail grinder. A double-row coat rake such as the Evolution rake will cut down on shedding, make brushing easier, and help prevent matting. In addition to using the soft bristle brush every day, you’ll want to do a thorough grooming session every week, starting the week you get your pup. Brush every inch of his body with the pin or slicker brush (including feet, behind the ears, under the throat, pants and tail, etc). Most Pyr Sheps come to love these weekly grooming sessions as long as they are introduced with positive, motivational techniques when the pup is already tired (eg after a long walk). As s/he gets older and starts shedding, the sessions will get a little longer. Be sure to brush out as much dead hair as you can. This prevents matting and promotes the growth of healthy new coat. Brush first in the direction the coat grows, then against, then with again. Trim the hair around the anus, and under the pads of the feet as needed. Trim or grind the nails every week, even if you can only take a shaving off. When the pup is little, it’s a good practice to pinch his toenails everyday to get him used to letting you mess with his feet. Make grooming a pleasant experience, but do not allow the pup to bite the brushes or misbehave. Maintain a positive atmosphere in which you are fully in control. This means NO LAUGHING at any misbehavior - no matter how funny s/he is being. S/he’ll soon learn that grooming is fun, but it isn’t playtime. It helps to give him/her a rawhide chew or stuffed Kong toy to keep him busy. If you brush your Pyr Shep thoroughly every week, s/he will never get mats. But, if you fall behind and s/he does, an Oliver tool mat splitter, or a mat comb will help. You can clean his ears using Oti-clense, Mystic Ear, or alcohol, or a 50-50 solution of water and white vinegar, and cotton balls or baby wipes. For persistent ear infections, try athlete's foot anti-fungal cream. You may find a Grooming Table with arm to be most useful. You can also use the top of a 500 Vari- Kennel. Brushing his/her teeth is also a good idea. |