Archive for: June 2007

My puppy has lots of tiny red spots on his tummy and seems forever scratching; the vet says he thinks it is an allergy to something. What does he mean?

An allergy means a sensitivity to something or other; usually a food of some kind. Heat bumps in children are an example. Perhaps your puppy has an allergy to eggs, or fish, or even milk with the cream on it. Perhaps you have bathed it in some kind of medicated shampoo to which its skin is sensitive.

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Only by a process of elimination will you be able to find out what is causing this irritation. In the meantime, just to make sure the vet is right in his diagnosis, It is strongly advisable that you bathe the dog in a good anti-pesticide soap that the druggist can recommend for mange; when you have washed the puppy, dry it with the soap left in. This will make sure the spots you mention are not follicular mange, which has the same symptoms and which the soap will cure.

 

If you are going to introduce your puppy to the beach, go on a day when the waves are calm. Most puppies are frightened by the movement and the sound of waves. The best time to take your puppy is in the early morning when there aren’t too many people around. Never let your dog romp on the beach where people are laying and tanning themselves.

 

The best way to lead a puppy into water is to have him follow you. Try throwing his favorite toy a foot from the shore and see if he will run in to retrieve it. Make it a game for your puppy. You can also try running a few feet into the water or walking along the shoreline to see if he follows you. If your puppy still won’t go in, then carry your puppy in the water about five feet from the shore. Walk back with him as he paddles.

 

As he gets older and more confident in the water, you can play fetch with him by making him dive off a dock. There is a beauty in watching a dog dive gracefully in the water as he swims out to retrieve a stick or ball. However, never force him in this game if he is not comfortable in the water, or shows little swimming ability.