| Aussie Info |
Aussie Info.......
Life Span:12-16 years
Litter Size: 2-8 puppies
Group: Herding
Recognized By: NSDR/ASDR
Color:red/liver merle, blue merle, black,
and red/liver solid colors with white
markings on the face, chest and legs. All
eyes colors including mixed eye colors and
black or liver skin pigment colors are
acceptable depending on coat color.
Hair Length: Medium
Size: Small - Medium
Shedding: Moderate Shed
Height:13-17 inches (33-46 cm)
Weight: 20-35 pounds (9-18 kg)
Living Area: indoor with a large yard for
exercise and/or daily structured activities.
History.........
The Miniature Australian Shepherd is
not a cross between an Australian
Shepherd and another breed, it was
actually developed in the late1960's,
mid 1970's by breeding the smallest of
the Australian Shepherds. This
constant breeding back to the smallest
of the litters produced a consistently
small breed that is even being further
reduced in size to the toy variety.
Although the Australian Shepherd
originated in Australia as a herding
and working dog, the Miniature
Australian Shepherd was bred first in
the United States.
This was largely in response to the
dog owners desire for a well behaved
herding type dog with the coat
variations found in the Miniature
Australian Shepherd that would be
more suited to smaller living spaces
and yards in cities. In many areas the
Miniature Australian Shepherd is still
used as a working breed in
competitions, and many people feel
that the term miniature is a bit
misleading as the smaller dogs are
only miniature in size to the standard,
and are not petite and tiny like other
"miniature" breeds.
The Miniature Australian Shepherd is
not a cross between an Australian
Shepherd and another breed, it was
actually developed in the late1960's,
mid 1970's by breeding the smallest of
the Australian Shepherds. This
constant breeding back to the smallest
of the litters produced a consistently
small breed that is even being further
reduced in size to the toy variety.
Although the Australian Shepherd
originated in Australia as a herding
and working dog, the Miniature
Australian Shepherd was bred first in
the United States.
This was largely in response to the
dog owners desire for a well behaved
herding type dog with the coat
variations found in the Miniature
Australian Shepherd that would be
more suited to smaller living spaces
and yards in cities. In many areas the
Miniature Australian Shepherd is still
used as a working breed in
competitions, and many people feel
that the term miniature is a bit
misleading as the smaller dogs are
only miniature in size to the standard,
and are not petite and tiny like other
"miniature" breeds.
| Basic Needs for your New Puppy |
Behavioral Needs
Puppy Training Kennel - puppies are denning animals by nature, aids with housebreaking,
eliminates destructive behavior
Housebreaking Aids - scented drops to attract puppies where to go
Puppy Treats - a must under training and housebreaking.
Chew Toys - minimum of 6, puppies are teething
Harness first then Collar - keeps puppy under control and safe, remove while puppy is in
playpen
Leash - keeps puppy under control and safe
Toy Box- Make the puppy toy box for the pup. Keep all there safe toys within reach which will
train them not to go after the household iteams.
Deterrents or Repellants - keeps puppy away from specific items and areas
Maintenance Needs
Shampoo - puppy shampoo only, NO human shampoo as it has an inappropriate ph. We
suggest Hartz brand "Whitner" shampoo as it has a great smelling scent of cherry blossoms.
Cologne - keeps puppy smelling clean and fresh between baths
Baths - we suggest 2 times per month for shed control and health maintenence.
Brush & Comb - removes dead hair from coat to reduce shedding
Shed Reducer - supplement to put on food to reduce shedding. We suggest "Fur buster"
Nail Clippers & File - keeps nails short and smooth. (We suggest getting it done at puppy
appointments. Its much quicker, safer and easier to handle.
Toothpaste/Toothbrush - A MUST. Helps eliminate bad breath and gum disease
Flea & Tick Product - provided by your vet. We suggest "Revolution" as it treats all-in-one.
Stain and Odor Remover - eliminates proteins in urine that attract the puppy back to the same
area
Tear Stain Remover & Ear Cleaner - keeps around eyes and ears clean if needed.
Puppy Book - breed information & instructions about the Aussie.
Training information- for ongoing care or classes
Environmental Needs
Puppy Training Kennel - aids in housebreaking, puppies want to keep the area where they
eat and sleep clean
Water Bottle - used in playpen to provide water and keep playpen neat
Food & Water Bowls - clean containers for puppy to eat/drink out of, stainless steel last the
longest and are hard to tip over (if they show an allergy to the steel, you can then choose
plastic).
Dog Tie-out & Tie-out Stake or Fenced yard - keep them out of garden areas or areas that
keep puppy safe.
Dog Bed - puppy's own place to sleep and rest
Identification Tag - if puppy becomes lost
Nutritional Needs
Premium Grade Puppy Food - ensures proper nutrition, quality ingredients. We feed Iams
puppy.
Canned Puppy Food - entices teething puppies to eat. Good supplement if they get finicky.
Puppy Training Kennel - puppies are denning animals by nature, aids with housebreaking,
eliminates destructive behavior
Housebreaking Aids - scented drops to attract puppies where to go
Puppy Treats - a must under training and housebreaking.
Chew Toys - minimum of 6, puppies are teething
Harness first then Collar - keeps puppy under control and safe, remove while puppy is in
playpen
Leash - keeps puppy under control and safe
Toy Box- Make the puppy toy box for the pup. Keep all there safe toys within reach which will
train them not to go after the household iteams.
Deterrents or Repellants - keeps puppy away from specific items and areas
Maintenance Needs
Shampoo - puppy shampoo only, NO human shampoo as it has an inappropriate ph. We
suggest Hartz brand "Whitner" shampoo as it has a great smelling scent of cherry blossoms.
Cologne - keeps puppy smelling clean and fresh between baths
Baths - we suggest 2 times per month for shed control and health maintenence.
Brush & Comb - removes dead hair from coat to reduce shedding
Shed Reducer - supplement to put on food to reduce shedding. We suggest "Fur buster"
Nail Clippers & File - keeps nails short and smooth. (We suggest getting it done at puppy
appointments. Its much quicker, safer and easier to handle.
Toothpaste/Toothbrush - A MUST. Helps eliminate bad breath and gum disease
Flea & Tick Product - provided by your vet. We suggest "Revolution" as it treats all-in-one.
Stain and Odor Remover - eliminates proteins in urine that attract the puppy back to the same
area
Tear Stain Remover & Ear Cleaner - keeps around eyes and ears clean if needed.
Puppy Book - breed information & instructions about the Aussie.
Training information- for ongoing care or classes
Environmental Needs
Puppy Training Kennel - aids in housebreaking, puppies want to keep the area where they
eat and sleep clean
Water Bottle - used in playpen to provide water and keep playpen neat
Food & Water Bowls - clean containers for puppy to eat/drink out of, stainless steel last the
longest and are hard to tip over (if they show an allergy to the steel, you can then choose
plastic).
Dog Tie-out & Tie-out Stake or Fenced yard - keep them out of garden areas or areas that
keep puppy safe.
Dog Bed - puppy's own place to sleep and rest
Identification Tag - if puppy becomes lost
Nutritional Needs
Premium Grade Puppy Food - ensures proper nutrition, quality ingredients. We feed Iams
puppy.
Canned Puppy Food - entices teething puppies to eat. Good supplement if they get finicky.
| Housebreaking: Give your dog a den If you’re putting the crate before the dog, then you’re one of the happiest puppy owners around because your best friend is probably already housebroken. If you’re thinking that crate is just a nice name for C-A-G-E, you’re right again. But to your puppy, the crate is a den and a natural way of life. By nature, dogs are pack animals that live in dens. They take great comfort in having their own secure area. The most common den-like areas in your home are underneath a table, under a bed, or in a closet. You might already be finding your puppy holed up in one of these places each afternoon when she needs a secure place to rest. Offering your dog its own crate meets your pet’s instinctive needs and allows you some control in housebreaking endeavors. Crate selection The best crate is one that is just big enough so your dog can lie, stand and turn around. Giving your dog too much space destroys the den concept, allowing your pet the option of soiling half of its crate and still having an unsoiled area in which to rest. Crates are made of a variety of materials. Those made of molded plastic are easy to clean, draft-free, and generally are more like dens as they have limited visibility. Wire crates provide a better view if car traveling is frequent. In the home, a wire crate may need to be covered to keep out drafts and make it more den-like. Slide-out flooring can make a wire crate just as convenient to clean as a molded plastic model. Aluminum and wooden pet crates are not practical for the typical pet owner, and are best left for use by professional dog handlers. Bring on the crate Once you have purchased a crate you will want to give your puppy or dog time to investigate. Just leave the crate on the floor with the door open for a few days until your dog becomes comfortable with it. Placing dog treats and a towel inside may help get a cautious dog to explore the crate. The next step is to close your dog in the crate for 10 to 15 minutes. Then open the door. This procedure should be repeated several times a day. The crate should never be used to punish your dog. Crate time should be enjoyable time. Toys and treats can help establish this setting. |
| Why dogs chew... hewing actually is not such a bad thing for a dog to do. It is necessary to the physical and mental health of the dog. However, as you might have guessed, the real concern here is not that the dog chews, it is “what” the dog chews. For a puppy, one of the most important first survival lessons is the use of its mouth and jaws. Mouthing, by definition, is a puppy’s unending desire to bite at your hands, feet, shoes, or hemlines. Because this behavior can be destructive and it hurts, puppy owners usually want it to cease as soon as possible. Yet, one of the biggest mistakes owners make is to come down too hard on a mouthing puppy. Mouthing is Learning During the socialization phase of your pet’s development, approximately the first 4 to 16 weeks, your puppy is learning what is and what is not appropriate behavior. He will bite constantly at everything that moves, including the tail, ears, and legs of his own mother. Because the puppy’s milk teeth are so sharp, it takes very little pressure to bring about a quick and startling response from Mom. After perhaps hundreds of these types of encounters, the puppy finally learns to be quite gentle when playing with other members of his canine group. With training and a bit of patience, this important lesson will carry over into your puppy’s relationship with people. As a new puppy owner, you should allow your pet to mouth, correcting him repeatedly, but in a mild fashion, when he bites too hard. Reacting in a sharp and startling way with a loud “hey” works with many puppies. If you are too harsh in correcting your pet, then your puppy may stop mouthing and fail to learn to be extremely sensitive to situations where his teeth come into contact with human skin. A mature dog that has failed to learn and make this distinction could end up unintentionally injuring someone. This could result in the dog being termed a biter and regretfully euthanized. Chewing Relief During early development, your puppy also uses chewing to constantly sample the taste and texture of many different things in its environment. During teething, chewing helps to relieve the constant dull pain in your pet’s gums. Chewing also strengthens the teeth and gums. But one of the main benefits of chewing is often overlooked. Chewing releases tension. If your pet builds up excess tension and chewing is something that helps to release that tension, then your puppy might get into the habit of constantly chewing furniture, clothing, and carpeting. To curb this chewing addiction, you should be offering your puppy a variety of appropriate toys to chew followed by praise for doing so. If you offer your pup one of your old boots to chew, then don’t expect him to stop there. He will get a hold of your new leather slippers. He won’t be able to make the distinction no matter how much you scold. Therefore, giving your pet his own toys – different from your personal items – is necessary. Toys and tension You also should be mindful of what causes tension in your pet. Possibly your puppy does not like being left in the dark or home alone for long periods of time. Possibly a lack of human attention may lead to boredom, causing your pet to chew just to wile away the hours. Meeting your puppy’s behavioral, environmental, nutritional, and maintenance needs will help alleviate boredom. A daily exercise schedule also can help while increasing the human-pet bond. Under normal conditions, your puppy’s constant need to chew will diminish as it matures. A healthy dog still will enjoy chewing, but easily can be satisfied with a pet-safe bone or other types of pet chew toys. |
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| Pet Poisons Chocolate, fruit and nuts may sound like tasty delights to you, but these foods can be downright deadly to our four-legged friends. In 2008, the ASPCA handled 140,000 animal poison related emergencies. It's often pet owners who unwittingly poison their pets by giving them foods and drinks they can't tolerate. To help you protect your furry friends, we tapped Fiona Fisher, D.V.M, veterinary expert at JustAnswer.com, who practices in Ontario, for her roundup of common household foods and items that pose a threat to your beloved pets. Avoid these common toxins to keep your dogs and cats living long, healthy lives. 1. Grapes and Raisins Healthy for you? Yes. Healthy for pets? No. In dogs and cats, grapes can cause kidney failure. We're not exactly sure why grapes pose a health hazard to pets, says Fisher, but experts suspect it has something to do with a chemical in the fruit's skin. Raisins are even more dangerous because they contain a concentrated supply of toxins. Keep this snack out of the reach of your pets. 2. Bread Dough I see this one a lot when people make bread, leave it to rise, and come back to find their dog has helped himself to a serving, Fisher says. What's the harm? The dog's body heat will cause the dough to expand quickly resulting in severe abdominal pain and bloating. In some cases, death can occur if enough dough is eaten. 3. Chewing Gum A dog might be attracted to the sweet-smelling gum that your kids are chewing or that's tucked away in your bag. But the artificial sweetener, xylitol, in many types of gum and breath mints, can be deadly to pets. The sweetener can cause a low-blood sugar crisis in your pet. In fact, just one pack of gum can kill a dog. 4. Macadamia Nuts Careful where you keep that bowl of mixed nuts. If they're on a low table that your dog can reach, your pup might get into trouble. Ingesting these nuts can cause tremors, weakness, unsteadiness, depression, a rapid heart rate, and a dangerous rise in body temperature that can lead to other complications. Though macadamia nut toxicity is very scary and dangerous, most dogs recover within a few days. 5. Nicotine It may seem unlikely that a dog would eat cigarettes, but those nosy, little creatures will gobble them without a second thought. Nicotine is highly toxic so it doesn't take much to cause a health crisis for your pet, including seizures, coma and death. 6. Chocolate Who doesn't find chocolate irresistible? But when it comes to dogs, chocolate is one deadly treat. Caffeine-like stimulants in chocolate known as methylxanthines can produce vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death. 7. Alcohol This type of poisoning happens a lot after people throw a party and their dog or cat gets into a glass of alcohol sitting around or that's spilled on the floor. Sometimes, children will think it's funny to give a dog some beer, Fisher says. And while animals may experience some of the same wobbliness and weakness that humans do after drinking, they are much more sensitive to alcohol than humans and can quickly be in a life-threatening situation, she says. Alcohol ingestion can lead to seizures, heart arrhythmia, vomiting, coma and death. 8. Pain Relievers According to Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI), the number one insurance claim by far for poisonings in 2007 was owner-induced. In most cases, the problems were caused by pet owners giving their pets drugs intended for human use. Sometimes when the vet's office is closed and a pet is in pain, people will administer over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen to their dogs, Fisher says. Never give your pets these types of drugs, warns Fisher. One tablet of acetaminophen can kill a cat 9. Tea Ever had your cat poke its head into your cup of tea? It's not just annoying, it can be downright dangerous depending on the type of tea you're drinking. Caffeine in your tea is toxic to both cats and dogs. Depending on how much is consumed and the size of your pet, ingesting it can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, seizures, coma and even death. 10. Onions You'd probably never consider giving your dog a piece of an onion, but if you toss her a piece of steak or a bit of stir fry cooked with onions, you're putting your dog in danger. Onions are toxic to dogs and cats whether they're raw or cooked. When ingested, onions can cause hemolytic anemia, a condition that destroys the red blood cells in the bloodstream. A dog with onion poisoning may become lethargic and have difficulty breathing. Generally, a large amount of onions would need to be consumed to pose a serious threat to your dog, but cats are highly sensitive to onion toxicity. I hope this was helpful. |
Dog Vaccination Schedule 8 weeks "Core" vaccines*: Canine parvovirus, Canine distemper, Canine adenovirus At veterinarian's discretion, based on risk: Parainfluenza, Bordetella *Each of the above "core" vaccines should be given every 3-4 weeks, with the final puppy vaccination administered at 14-16 weeks of age. 12 weeks Second vaccination with "core" vaccines At veterinarian's discretion, based on risk: Leptospirosis, Lyme 16 weeks Rabies 16 weeks Third vaccination with "core" vaccines 1 year Vaccinate with "core" vaccines. Rabies At veterinarian's discretion, based on risk: Parainfluenza, Bordetella, Leptospirosis, Lyme ______________________________________________________________________________________ http://www.pawnation.com/2010/09/03/australian-shepherds-101/ Australian Shepherd 101 - Dog Breed Info by Josh Loposer (Subscribe to Josh Loposer's posts) Sep 3rd 2010 @ 11:00AM Filed Under: Dogs Getty Images Dog Breed: Australian Shepherd Personality: The Australian shepherd makes for "a delightful and loyal companion and a great family dog," according to the United States Australian Shepherd Association (USASA). The American Kennel Club (AKC) concurs, citing the Aussie's tendency to "want to always be near their families." The AKC also describes the Australian shepherd as "energetic" and possessing "strong herding and guarding instincts." Grooming: According to the AKC, Aussies have thick coats that require weekly brushing. Their coats are "of moderate length, with a texture that is straight to wavy and weather resistant." Common Health Issues: Potential health issues for Australian shepherds include hip dysplasia, thyroid dysfunction, epilepsy, and allergies. According to the USASA, "Aussies can inherit a number of eye defects which impair vision in varying degrees or cause complete blindness." Training Tips: According to Aussie Rescue and Placement Helpline Regional Coordinator Michelle Force, it's important to understand that "Aussies have both herding and guarding instincts, and may perceive visiting children, joggers or vehicles as things that need to be physically controlled." This, Force tells Paw Nation, "can lead to unsafe situations for the dog and others." Force recommends that, keeping the breed's working instincts in mind, trainers should employ "encouraging and consistent leadership," stressing that Aussies don't respond well to harsh treatment. Best Animal/Owner Match: The great owner for an Australian shepherd is "someone who is physically active and interested in training and spending a lot of time with their dog," Force tells Paw Nation. Since Aussies are typically high-energy dogs, it's best if they're paired with owners who can match that energy, or at least direct it into a positive outlet. That's why Force recommends activities like "fly ball" and "trick training" for Aussies that have particularly active temperaments. According to the USASA, "One of the most frequent reasons Aussies are turned over to rescue groups is because their owners didn't realize how much energy the breed has, and weren't willing to channel that energy through training." What Australian Shepherd Owners Say: Paw Nation Facebook friend Erin Watzek-Valenti says of her Australian shepherds, "I have two Aussie shepherds and love them. I wouldn't give up my two for anything!" |
