HELLO SCHNAUZER PUPPY

Below is a link to another one of my doggie bling favorite things.  It's a leather step-in-harness with a fleur de lis adornment.  I just ordered two.  One in each color: purple and brown.  I have three other leather step in harnesses for the dogs.  The other style harnesses are also available at the website below.  They're the ones with the diamond doggie bone bling.  Love, love, them.  I have them in blue, black and pink.  One of the good things about the step in harness is that you can add a slider necklace to the "look."   I'm including a photo of my boy, "Jax" wearing the light blue step in harness and a slider necklace.  Link to the fleur de lis style step in harness is located below the photo.  

Who says boys can't wear bling?

http://puprwear.com/item_6285/Designer-Charm-Fleur-de-Lis-Step-In-Harness.htm

IT'S CARNIVAL TIME!  REVEL, SET, GO!

Mardi Gras is early this year, Tues. Feb. 12, and it's time to start combing, brushing and clipping your Miniature Schnauzers especially if you're planning on participating in any of our regional Mardi Gras parades for dogs.  Our doggie parade in Baton Rouge, The Mystic Krewe of Mutts is sponsored by CAAWS (Capitol Area Animal Welfare Society) and the parade rolls at 1:30 on Sun. Jan. 27.  Hello Schnauzer Puppy has a krewe and we participate in the Mystic Krewe of Mutts.  We are mostly a krewe of Miniature Schnauzers, but we welcome all non-aggressive dogs of any breed to join our krewe.  Please contact me by Jan. 23, for more information about joining our krewe.  Remember it's all for a good CAAWS!

At the end of this entry there is a list with Links to Doggie Mardi Gras parades in our region.

"Got My Ticket in my Hand, Going to the Mardi Gras"

LINKS TO REGIONAL DOGGIE PARADES

http://www.caaws.org/parades/  Baton Rouge:  Mystic Krewe of Mutts

http://www.nola.com/community/st-tammany/index.ssf/2013/01/krewe_de_paws_of_olde_towne_in.html  Slidell:  Krewe de Paws of Olde Towne

http://www.mardipaws.com/  Mandeville:  Mystic Krewe of Mardi Paws  Please Note:  This is a post-Mardi Gras parade.  Let the good times keep on rollin.'

https://www.barkus.org/store/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1  New Orleans:  Mystic Krewe of Barkus.  This parade rolls the same day as our Baton Rouge parade.

If you want to see more photos of my Schnauzers and other fun stuff, check out my Facebook page.  Click on the link below to "Like" us on FB.

https://www.facebook.com/HelloSchnauzerPuppy?ref=hl

Why is a fully weaned puppy an important consideration when buying a new puppy?  No matter how many comforts an owner has provided for their "new arrival," there is going to be an inevitable amount of stress on the puppy the first few days in their new home.  Weaning a puppy is not a stress the new owner, or the puppy for that matter, should be expected to endure.  Prospective puppy buyers will have far less heart ache and vet costs if they purchase from a reputable breeder that does not release puppies until they are at least 8 weeks old.  If you see a Miniature Schnauzer puppy available for its new home at 6 weeks old, look elsewhere --don't walk away, run--fast.  

Puppy buyers and breeders alike; read on, if you are interested in a gentle and carefully planned approach to weaning that puts the dam and her puppies first.

There are different factors to consider when making the decision that the time is right to wean a litter of Miniature Schnauzer puppies.  Primary considerations would be litter size and the size of the puppies.  What is the dam (mama) telling you?  Is she producing less milk?  Does she seem less interested in cleaning/nursing her pups?

What are the puppies telling you?  Is there one puppy that is smaller than the others?  Surprisingly, I've found it's often the smaller puppy that is the most eager and ready to start on puppy gruel.  Why is this the case?  It appears to me the smaller puppy has been getting pushed aside by the bigger ones and when the opportunity arises at weaning for that puppy to have his own place with a big plate of gruel, that puppy will often set the example for the other puppies.

Conversely, a small puppy may need more time with mama.  You may be able to start the smaller puppy with puppy gruel, but you may also have to give some additional one on one time with mama and the little one.  If this is the case, just bring the mama up on the couch with you (I usually put a fleece blanket down first) and place the puppy with the mama for some independent nursing time.  Of course, you are sitting on the couch with them so the puppy doesn't accidentally take a tumble.

What is the best age to wean a Miniature Schnauzer puppy?  I wean my puppies between the age of 4-5 weeks.  Date of weaning can vary from litter to litter.  Watch the dam.  Watch the puppies.  Don't watch the calendar.  If you are attune to the dam and her pups you will know.  4-5 weeks is an average time, but circumstances may present that require you to wean a few days earlier or later.  When in doubt, check with your vet!

What is your weaning process?  My process is gradual and I would like to think gentle for both the puppies and the dam.  My process usually takes about 5-7 days.  The first day of weaning usually begins a few hours after mama has finished her morning feeding.  I will take mom away and offer the puppies a soupy mixture of gruel on a plastic Solo brand plate.  I put 3 plates together for sturdiness--see photo below. (Specifics about my gruel mixture will be addressed later in this post).  Usually 1 or 2 puppies will take right to the gruel.  For the pups that are more hesitant to feed, I put a little gruel on my finger and let them lick it as if they are nursing.  Generally, all it takes is 1 or 2 puppies to show the rest of the puppies that gruel is good!

After the pups have had their first experience with puppy gruel, I put mama back in with them and give them the opportunity to nurse, just in case they haven't gotten their fill.  After nursing, I remove mama again & wait about 3-4 hours.  I do want the puppies to be a wee bit hungry, but don't want to wait so long as to worry about low blood sugar--especially with the smaller pups.  I continue this feeding protocol for the first couple days and always leave mama in with the puppies throughout the night.

Gradually, I add less water to the gruel.  In a few more days, I no longer make "gruel," but advance the puppies to pre-moistened puppy kibble.  The intervals between allowing the pups to nurse and kibble feeding are increased.  The goal is to have the puppies eating dry puppy kibble before they go to their new homes at 8 weeks old.  The hard, dry puppy kibble will help the baby teeth break through the gums.

My puppy gruel:

Place your dry puppy food (kibble) in the blender and blend to the consistency of course coffee grounds.  I store this in a sealed plastic container and use as needed.  In a separate plastic container I mix the ground puppy kibble. I add a small amount of canned puppy food--about 75% ground kibble to 25% canned food; a small amount of honey (pasteurized, not comb in); milk replacer (I use a powder called Puppy Gold); a very small amount of 100% natural, all pumpkin pie filling and water.

As the puppies adjust to their food, I decrease the water.  Eventually I am feeding puppy food straight from the bag moistened with water and a bit of canned puppy food.  I begin to eliminate the milk replacer as I find it tends to make their stools loose.  At the time of weaning puppy's system is going through a big adjustment.  Issues of constipation and/or loose stools may present.  Adding a small amount of 100% pure, natural pumpkin will help with the initial digestive concerns.  Although, I eliminate the pumpkin as soon as puppies stool is normal.  Please be very conservative with the amount of pumpkin you add to the gruel.

Because the puppies are going through a huge change in their diet during weaning, you will want to check their bottoms (rectum) a few times a day.  This is a good time for you to give a sanitary clip around the rectal area. If you notice redness around the rectum or loose and/or hanging stools, bathe the puppies back end under a warm water facet.  Towel dry and apply Neosporin or other over-the-counter antibiotic ointment such as; Triple Antibiotic Ointment + Pain Relief (generic).  This is a recommendation and not intended as veterinarian advice.  If in doubt, always consult your vet before using any over-the-counter product.

Every breeder has their own method for weaning.  The process I've described in this post works for me.  I hope all or some of this information is useful to both breeders and prospective puppy buyers.  Please use my information in addition to a consultation with your veterinarian. 

Happy Weaning!

Here in South Louisiana it stays so hot in the summer that I often find myself walking the dogs around 8:30 or 9:00 at night.  If you walk your dog at dusk or night, this is a must have.  I bought the size S 10"-14" for my Miniature Schnauzers.  It will fit both the Large Toy and the Miniature sizes.  I hook the leash to my usual walking collar and then add the illuminated collar behind the fitted regular collar.  When you use the illuminated collar in this way, it doesn't matter if it's a tight fit or not since you will be using your regular collar as the "control" collar.  Here's the link to the collar I use:

http://www.visiglo.com/

Time to get off the couch; turn off Facebook and go out for a safe, illuminated night time walk!

It's the holiday season and Santa has surprised many families with a new puppy.  For young and old alike, a new puppy is a happy memory that is held close to one's heart for a long time, perhaps even for a lifetime.  My favorite Christmas memory goes back to when I was 7 years old. Santa reached his red velvet and white fur lined arm through our family room door and surprised me with a little white Toy Poodle puppy.  We named him Snowball.  What a memory!   It was just a few years ago, when I finally got my mom and dad to reveal to me how they managed to get Santa to personally deliver my Snowball.  The older kids in the neighborhood had almost suspended my "belief," but Snowball and my parents well laid secret plan sustained the magic for another year or two.  It appears I've digressed, but it was a happy digression. Let's get back to the topic.

Why do you need to take your puppy to the vet?  Hopefully, your puppy has come from a reputable breeder or shelter and has already been checked by a veterinarian.  Nevertheless, it's a good idea to have your personal vet check the puppy within 1-3 days of bringing the new puppy home.  A "well puppy" check establishes a relationship with your veterinarian and your new puppy.  Your vet will notify you of upcoming vaccination dates and other wellness information.  At Hello Schnauzer Puppy we do a vet check when the puppy is first born and a second vet check a few days before the puppy goes to its new home.  We strongly encourage our buyers to schedule a well puppy visit with their own veterinarian.  As a matter of fact, it's part of our 2 year health guarantee that your vet health checks your new puppy within 4 working days.

How do you find a veterinarian if you don't already have one?  Social media is a great tool.  Ask your friends on Facebook for recommendations.  Do a Google search and read online reviews.  Ask your breeder or shelter for referrals.  Once you have a few recommendations, take a drive.  Visit some vet clinics.  Ask questions and observe the environment.  Does the clinic offer after hour emergency services?  How does the reception staff treat you?  Do they have time to answer your questions?  Is the clinic clean?  What kind of vibe do you get?  Trust your instincts.

Your first visit to the vet:  PROTECT YOUR PUPPY.  PROTECT YOUR PUPPY.  PROTECT YOUR PUPPY.  I know I've used all "caps," but I'm not screaming just emphasizing--strongly!  When we take our young puppies to the vet, we take them in a crate covered with a towel.  Remember your puppy is very vulnerable to airborne viruses; bacteria and fungii.  Don't let your puppy's feet touch the floor or the ground when visiting the vet.  TIP:  I try to schedule a well puppy check for the first appointment in the morning.  If I can't get the first appointment and the office is very busy, I wait in my vehicle with the puppies.  I'll ask the receptionist to call my cell phone when an exam room is available and the vet is ready to see me.  Don't be shy about doing this.  A good vet and his/her team knows you are acting in the best interest of your puppy.

After the vet check:  You've been to the vet and your puppy checks out just fine and you can't wait to go to the dog park and puppy classes.  Whoa!  Wait a minute.  There will be plenty of time for all that wonderful puppy socialization and training, but remember your puppy is not fully immunized until 1-2 weeks following its final round of vaccines.  Until your vet gives you the okay, please limit your puppy's activities to your home environment.  Avoid dog parks; puppy training classes; doggie boutiques and other places with high volume dog traffic.

A healthy puppy.  A great relationship with your vet.  Years of fond memories with your Miniature Schnauzer.  Priceless!