ALL ABOUT GENERAL CARE
FOOD and NUTRITION- What I think is the most important topic...
What do I feed my dogs? I have tried many foods, and switch every now and then because feeding one food for the rest of the dogs life, is a sure fire way to help them develop food allergies or intolerances. Any nutrient deficiency, excess or imbalance expressed in a food can become entrenched in your dogs body if that is all you fed him for years. The following are some of best top of the line foods recommended by the Whole Dog Journal. Most of the following web pages have a store locator tab where you can find a store near you. You will probably wont find most of the good foods at stores like Pet Smart and Pet Supermarket.
How does your current food measure up? Pick your food and compare it here. The non recommended ingredients have red circles with lines through them. Then you can click on the ingredient and it tells you why. How many red circles does your current food come up with? Then compare it to one of the following foods:
Canidae- I use this one the most. Good ingredients, not much more in cost than the middle of the line foods.
Claifornia Natural, Innova, and HealthWise- all made by the same company, all good but california natural seems to be great for dogs with allergies. Innova is a great food, but some find it too rich and may result is soft stools. Health Wise is fine too. On thier web site they have a great comparison chart where you can pick your food and a few others to compare them. The Red circles are ingredients that are undesirable.
Eagle Pack- Use it a lot too. Similar to Canidae and in the same price range.
Flint River- Another high quality great food.
Solid Gold - Great food but on the pricey side.
Wellness- Very good food, maybe the best, but also, on the pricy side. The manufacture, "Old Mother Hubbard" caries a line of dog bones you can find at PetSmart, etc. which are good too.
The best middle of the line food I have used is Nutro. Although it has a little too much processed grains it does not contain by-products like some similar brands. You can find it at Petsmart and Pet Supermarket.
Read
this about by-products. Does your dog food contain by-products?
Look on the ingredients list. Here are some you want to avoid
- By Products or Byproduct Meals- Includes Poultry Byproducts and meat and Bone Meal
- Processed Parts or Grains- Like Brewers Rice and White or Wheat Flour or Wheat Middlings
- Chemically Preserved animal Fats- (some known to cause cancer) like Ethoxyquin, BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole), BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene), Propylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate.
- Appetite Stimulants- Salt (sodium Chloride), Sugar, Glucose, Sucrose, Fructose, or Phosphoric Acid
- Inorganic Minerals- Iron Oxide (rust), Copper Sulfate (drain Pipe Cleaner) and Zinc Oxide (Desitin)
I also alternate adding these foods
and supplements to their
meals:
Raw Chicken necks, backs and wings, Cottage Cheese, yogurt, Acidophilus (especially when on Antibiotics), Raw Vegetables (puréed), Raw Chicken, Giblets, Kelp, Sprouts, Flaxseed Oil, Coenzyme Q10, Cod Liver Oil, Glyco-flex, Vitamin C (Ester) and Vit. E, Milk Thistle or Dandelion, Selenium, B-complex, Garlic (in small amounts), Oatmeal, Brewers Yeast and garlic.
GENERAL CARE
Vizslas shed very little. A brushing several times a week will help distribute coat
oils and keep your dog's coat glossy and beautiful. They should not be bathed
too often, usually not more often than every 2-3 weeks unless they get dirty. Too frequent bathing will strip the oil from their coats, and dry skin
and dandruff will result. You can expect your Vizslas coat to have a bit of an oily
feel about it, and will notice that it is somewhat water repellant. I
have a great homemade shampoo recipe that works
great. It is cheap to make, it rinses easily and it cleans well
without drying.
Toenails should be kept short. Trimming once a week is recommended. Absolutely start this
from the beginning. Vizslas must surely learn toenail hysterics in the whelping
box, because most all of them HATE having their nails done. Don't let them talk
you into not doing it. If you hear nails click on the floor, they need to be
trimmed. If you are going to show, trimming the nails often is a
must. Whether you show or not, I think grinding the nails with a dremmel
is the best way. It looks harder than it actually is. Remember to check
their ears at least once a week and clean them as necessary. There is a good herbal ear wash made by
Halo
you can find at some health food stores and on the web as well. Also check for fleas and ticks.
Sprinkling Borax in the rug is a good way to avoid the fleas. I don't use
any flea control unless necessary.
EXERCISE
Inactivity is probably the best way to ruin a good dog and cause him to become
destructive. Yes, Vizslas can be very destructive if left to their own devices.
They will chew furniture (and anything else you value), dig pits in the backyard,
jump fences, and become a general nuisance. Many are talkers, and some are recreational barkers. They like to bark at and chase small furry animals. This is a
hunting dog; you cannot expect a dog that is bred to hunt to ignore game!! The
Vizslas is an active breed that requires a good deal of attention and exercise.
Turning your dog loose inside a fenced yard does not guarantee he will exercise.
They are excellent companions to joggers. Being a natural retriever, most Vizslas will enjoy chasing balls or Frisbees, and sticks (Riley's
favorite.) . If you are fortunate to have a lake
nearby, take your Vizslas swimming. (If you live in Florida just
watch for alligators!) Most Vizslas love water and will enjoy fetching sticks, or balls out of the water. A
Vizslas who is properly
exercised will be much calmer and quieter in the house. If you cannot
guarantee the proper amount of time, attention and exercise to your dog
please do not choose a Vizslas!!
TRAINING
From the day your puppy comes home, start a routine, keeping in mind that it
will take time and patience for the learning process to take place. As your
puppy matures, simple lessons pave the way for more complex ones, but remember that training should always be fun with emphasis placed on repetition.
The Vizslas often requires a "softer" approach to discipline.
They are very sensitive dogs and don't recover like other breeds to hard
disciplinary tactics. I usually start with a loud firm
"no" and sometimes while shaking their skin on the back of their
necks. Sometimes they get a "time out" in the bathroom
while I am cleaning up their mess. (Never punish them in their crate, they
should never associate it with punishment.) Do I ever hit my dogs?
Yes, a pop on the muzzle or butt is sometimes warranted when other methods fail,
but I try to limit that to one. They get the point, but sometimes they are
just being stubborn.
For housebreaking crate training is a must. However, never punish them in their crate. Their crate should always be a place of comfort for the dog.
Whether you plan to show or not, a good obedience class with the proper
instructor is imperative and also a wonderful opportunity for you and your dog
to really get to know each other. If an ADULT member of your family is not
willing to assume the responsibility of proper obedience training your dog, a
Vizslas is not for you. They are able to outwit highly intelligent and well-educated
adults; children are simply no match for them.
SEX
The sex of your puppy is your individual choice. If you are not going to show,
hunt and/or ultimately educate yourself to responsibly breed the dog, spay or
neuter it. My non show dogs will be on limited registration until
they are neutered and/or spayed. The females tend to be a little more independent,
bossy and stubborn while the males are more clingy and "mamma's boys."
HEREDITARY CONCERNS
As are many of the larger breeds, Vizslas are susceptible to a condition known
as Hip Dysplasia (HD). Described simply, it is a malformation of the ball and
socket joint in the dog's hip. HD varies in degrees of severity and some dogs
may or may not experience problems and/or pain. While there are surgical
procedures to help relieve pain in some instances, it is best to avoid HD by
purchasing your pup from parents who have been cleared of it. The more
generations of OFA certified dogs behind your pup, the lesser the chances that
your pup will have this disease. The OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals)
is a non-profit organization which maintains a staff of Veterinary Radiologists
who evaluate x-ray films of the dog's hip. On or after two years of age, x-rays
of hips can be submitted to the OFA. They will be examined and issued an
OFA certification number ONLY if the dog is free of HD. A conscientious
breeder will have OFA certification on both sire and dam before breeding.
A rating of Fair, Good or Excellent means that dog is free of hip dysplasia.
A dog will not be issued any OFA number if they have dysplastic
hips.
Vizslas are also prone to other hereditary conditions, including epilepsy, Von
Willibrand's disease (a form of canine hemophilia), allergies, entropia and autoimmune
disorders. Dog's who have these conditions SHOULD NOT BE BRED.
Like
I said, there are resources out there that I have found particularly useful.
One of them I highly recommend is The
Whole Dog Journal. This monthly newsletter is full of good advise
and new information regarding the health of your dog. I have changed many
things I do with my dogs due to some of the research I discovered in this
publication.