Puppy Care

We at Summer Brook believe that there are far more reasons not to use an invisible fence than there are benefits. We realize that there are some advantages for some people for an electric fence over a physical fence. These advantages might include cost and maintaining views. In addition, you can put them over a driveway without having to deal with a gate.

However, we feel that the disadvantages far outweigh any advantages.

Dogs Running Through Invisible Fence

First of all, we have known of many dogs that have run through invisible fences and then been hit by a car. These include a neighbor, a good friend, and friends of friends. Also, multiple families who have sent in puppy questionnaires have told us about their past dogs who died because of invisible fences.

Fence Batteries Can Unknowingly Run Down

Secondly, the safety feature of an invisible fence is too highly dependent on the consistency of families keeping batteries replaced. It happens far too often that batteries run down unbeknownst to owners. Without working batteries, the fence becomes useless and dogs begin roaming outside their boundaries.

Invisible Fences Do Not Keep Other Animals OUT of Your Yard

Thirdly, invisible fences do not keep other dogs and animals OUT of the yard. This can be a significant issue with with older puppies who haven’t been spayed or neutered as of yet. (For health reasons, families should not neuter or spay a dog until they are at least a year of age, preferable 1 1/2 years.) Further, this lack of ability to keep animals out can be a real problem for young puppies that haven’t had all vaccines. Even worse, there is the possibility of aggressive dogs or other animals entering a dog’s space.

A False Sense of Security

Fourthly, invisible fences are problematic because of the false sense of security that they give owners. Invisible fences are NOT always a secure place for a dog. Too many things can go wrong. There are some dogs that learn how to “work the system”. Some learn to sit at the edge until the battery (along with the beeping) wears off. Then they walk through. Some dogs run through them because it is worth taking the shock. Other dogs run through when in a high drive state chasing something. Then the dog is afraid to return to their yard.

You Cannot Train Young Puppies to an Invisible Fence

Fifthly, families cannot use invisible fences until a puppy or dog can be trained to it. Even the fence manufacturers do not recommend training a puppy to their fence system until they are 4-6 months of age. Further, back when punishment based training was the norm, all trainers recommended waiting until puppies were at least 6 months of age before starting training. The younger the puppy, the more damaging punishment based training can be. This fact presents an additional challenge in that families are left without a fence at the age that they most need one.

Punishment Based Training That We Don’t Agree With Is Required for the Use of an Invisible Fence

And finally, invisible fences are not acceptable to us at Summer Brook because they go against our training philosophy and our beliefs in the humane treatment of animals. We don’t use punishment based training ourselves. We are okay with punishments under certain conditions as long as they are given under our Punishment Guidelines. However, teaching a puppy the boundaries set by an invisible fence is strictly the type of punishment based training that we are opposed to.

There is a possibility that the training could cause a puppy to associate the shock with something other than crossing a particular line. It is not uncommon for dogs to end up with random irrational fears caused by something such as a shock from an invisible fence. An example of this might be when a man with hat comes close to an invisible fence and the dog tries to cross the line. When the collar delivers the shock, the dog could associate the shock with the man. He might then develop an irrational fear of men in hats. When you are initially training your puppy to the fence, the puppy does not understand why he is being shocked.

We Cannot In Good Conscience Place a Puppy Where He Will Use An Invisible Fence

Many people claim that their dogs have trained easily, never left the yard, and that their invisible fence has been a good experience. However, there are many families who’ve not had good experiences. There have been many dogs hurt by them and it is not worth the risk. We can not with a good conscience send one of our puppies to a home where they will be trained to an invisible fence.

Exercise is a very important part of a puppy’s life. Without adequate exercise, few puppies will be able to control their energy. Families see an out-of-control puppy and immediately think exercise is the answer to their problem. Often it is, but exercise can also be overdone. There is a balance. Most people don’t know exactly what is an appropriate level of exercise for a Golden Retriever puppy. The information below has exercise guidelines for large breed puppies along with a broad range of various ways for your puppy to get that exercise.

*Disclosure – Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Off-Leash Strolls – The Best Exercise for a Golden Retriever Puppy

Off-leash strolls are a great way to get exercise for a growing puppy if you have a safe place. Make sure that you have a fenced area or that you are far from any place that cars or other dangers might be. For off-leash strolls, let the puppy set the pace. If he lies down, let him rest. Don’t go so far from home that you’ll have to push your puppy to keep him moving when he’s tired.

Here are a few general guidelines. Keep in mind that puppies that are used to active lifestyles can handle longer excursions. Conversely, puppies that have not had opportunity to exercise off leash need to start off at a slower pace. For your average puppy, start off with 10-15 minutes for an 8-week old puppy. Increase to up to 20 minutes for 12-16 week old puppies. By the time your puppy is 6 months, the time can be increased up to as much as 45 minutes and for a 12-month-old puppy, you can go for as long as an hour as long as you are going at a slow pace with plenty of opportunities for your puppy to sniff around.

How to Increase the Distance

If you are a very active person and want your puppy to participate with you, increase the distance very slowly, starting with only ¼ mile and adding ¼ mile every other week, going up to 3 miles when your puppy is at least 5 months of age. If you miss a week or two of the work, decrease your distance when starting back and gradually build up the distance again. This long distance exercise must be off-leash so that your puppy can take breaks and slow down as needed. The puppy must set the pace. Forced running on a leash is never good for a growing puppy.

Leash Walks as Exercise for a Golden Retriever Puppy

Leash walking can be a good form of exercise when certain criteria are met. First puppies need to be trained and socialized to the environment. Second, leash walks need to be done in a certain way. Finally, leash walks for a young puppy shouldn’t be the puppy’s only form of exercise.

Leash walking can be overdone. One of the biggest causes of growth plate and soft tissue injury in young puppies is repetitive exercise. Leash walks for puppies must be broken up with training sessions or opportunities for free off-leash play or time to sniff around on the leash. 15 minutes should be the maximum for an 8-week old puppy. If your puppy gets tired, flops down, or doesn’t want to go, it’s time to stop. At 3 months, you can go for 20 minutes and at 6 months, you can walk up to 30 minutes. You must be much more careful with leash walking since you and not the puppy control the pace.

Leash walking provides an excellent way of combining a little bit of physical exercise with mental exercise, obedience training, socialization, and environmental desensitization. It is a fantastic way to introduce a puppy to his world. It gives a bit of exercise while at the same time giving opportunities for socialization and training. However, strolls on a leash are not enough. Puppies must have an opportunity to run and play. Again, off-leash walks are best if your goal in your walk is to provide adequate exercise.

My favorite collars for leash walking are the Country Brook Design Martingale Collar and the Blueberry Pet Martingale Collar. A 10-12 week old Golden Retriever puppy will have a neck that is about 12 inches. Get a collar of any brand that includes 12 inches in the size range. An adult female will have about an 18 inch neck. A male adult will need a collar that fits a 20 inch neck.

Running With a Puppy On Leash Should Be Avoided

Many people have plans to run with their dog, but running on a leash can be harmful to a puppy’s growing joints, growth plates, and soft tissue. Wait until your puppy’s growth plates have closed, which can be anywhere from 18-24 months. Similarly running on a treadmill or any other types of forced running are not appropriate forms of exercise for a golden retriever puppy.

Free Play as Exercise for a Golden Retriever Puppy

Free play is always an excellent form of exercise for a golden retriever puppy. Dogs and puppies of all ages can play as long they like in your safely contained yard. If your puppy is playing with another dog in the family, make sure you supervise their play until you are sure that they play well together and that the older dog is not too rough. End the play if the other dog is getting too rough, if your puppy is starting to annoy the other dog, or if your puppy shows signs that he is ready to quit playing.

Dog Parks and Playing with Friend’s Dogs

If your puppy is on a “play-date” with a dog outside of your family, limit the time to 20 minutes and supervise closely. Limit your play-dates to dogs that you know well and are confident that the experience will be a good one, especially during your puppy’s first year.

I don’t recommend a dog park for puppies unless you are absolutely sure that every single dog that will be interacting with your puppy is friendly and gentle and will provide a good experience for your puppy. I’ve heard too many stories of dogs having one bad experience with a strange dog and then becoming fearful for life. Strange dogs are not worth the risk.

Playing With Your Puppy

Many (in fact most) people don’t have a clue as to how to play with a puppy. Getting on the ground or running around with your puppy can be one of the best ways to exercise your puppy. Fetch and tug can be options if played within certain guidelines. Not only does play with your puppy provide a way to meet your puppy’s exercise needs, play can serve as a bonding experience between you and your puppy.

Whether you are playing tug or fetch or just running around with your puppy, there are a couple of rules that need to be followed. First of all, you need to be the one initiating the game and second of all, you need to teach your puppy an “off switch”.

In other words, if your puppy comes up to you demanding that you play with him in an inappropriate way, don’t oblige him. Instead, ignore him. For instance, if he starts pulling on your pants legs or barking at you, don’t begin the play session. Wait until your puppy is behaving. Then, once you begin playing with your puppy, periodically, stop the game and make him gain control of himself before resuming the game. Ask him to do a simple behavior such as a sit or a down. Then start playing again.

Fetch as a Form of Exercise for A Golden Retriever Puppy

Another popular form of exercise for dogs is the game of fetch. We recommend teaching your puppy the game of fetch at a young age. Going and getting a toy, bringing it back, and giving it to you is easier to teach when they are young. However, fetch shouldn’t be a form of exercise unless several guidelines are followed.

Start With a Toy

When puppies are young, don’t throw balls. Chasing balls causes puppies to twist, roll, jump, and tumble while trying to grab a moving ball. These actions are not good for puppies’ developing joints. Instead, use toys. Then, combine your game of fetch with a game of tug. Tug is discussed in detail in another section. Once your puppy has learned to tug, teach your puppy a release command.

Don’t throw a toy more than 10-15 feet for puppies under 12 weeks of age. Save longer throws for your dog until after he is over 2 years of age.

Teach The Wait Command

Once your puppy has learned to bring a toy back to you reliably, you can begin teaching your puppy to safely retrieve a ball. Before moving from a toy to a ball, teach a wait command. Playing fetch with a dog with a wait command is a tremendous exercise. It not only provides physical exercise, but it also provides a super opportunity for a puppy to learn self-control.Here is how to teach it.

Use a Pull Tab

You’ll need a means of holding your dog back from chasing a ball. I like to use what is called a pull tab. A pull tab is a very short leash that you attach to a collar. Pull tabs are typically 6 inches or shorter. A pull tab is long enough to give you control over your dog, but short enough for the dog to be able to run and play with it dangling from his collar.

Once you have your collar and pull tab on the dog, hold the puppy back with the pull tab and tell him to “wait”. Once the dog relaxes (and I require a sit as well), throw the ball. Repeat the “wait” command if he starts to bolt. Once relaxed again, release the dog with a verbal command such as “okay” and let him go. When the dog is dependable with regard to waiting on the release, you can do away with the tab. Having a dog wait before chasing a ball is a necessity with puppies because it eliminates the problem of the dog twisting, turning, and diving for a moving object. By waiting until the ball has finished rolling, the game moves from being a game of “chase” to a game of “find and retrieve”: a much safer version of fetch for growing puppies’ joints.

Fetch is a great exercise for an adult. Once a dog is over 2, you can begin throwing balls and even add a Chuck-it ball thrower to your game.

Tug as a Form of Exercise for a Golden Retriever Puppy

Tug is a very good exercise for dogs of all ages except for during the stage when puppy teeth are coming out and new adult teeth coming in to replace them. Teach your puppy to play tug early (at 8 weeks) and he can enjoy it until he is about 3 1/2 months. Make sure you stop before he looses his first teeth at around 4 months. Tug can then be resumed when all adult teeth are in.

The most current training recommendations for tug no longer include the idea that the dog can never win and that you must always be in charge. Puppies need to win the “battle” for the toy when they give a good tug at it. If the puppy never wins, he’ll loose his motivation to play the game.

Old fashioned traditional trainers claimed that you must always be the “pack leader” and that letting a dog win a game of tug would make him believe that he was in charge. This is not true.

Consider a child racing his Dad down the street. The Dad lets the child win and the child beams. Does it undermine the Dad’s authority? No. It gives the child confidence and makes him want to be faster and better.

The same holds true with puppies. Let them win when they do a good job!

The Release

Once a puppy is tugging vigorously and understands the game, you can teach a release cue. Teach this by making the tug toy become motionless and no fun. There is no need to pry your dog’s mouth open, or yell, or punish. Just keep the toy still until the dog opens his mouth on his own. Then immediately give the toy back to the dog and start the tug game again. Dogs who are conditioned to love to tug don’t enjoy a toy that doesn’t move. Begin integrating the release into your play session in such a way that you are giving the toy back far more often than not. The dog needs to associate his releasing the toy with a restart to the game, not an end to it.

Frisbee is Never a Good Form of Exercise for a Golden Retriever Puppy (or Dog)

Frisbee throwing is also a poor choice for any dog whose growth plates have not closed. It encourages forced running, jumping, and twisting, all bad for the growing puppy. Frisbee throwing can be dangerous for any dog, but especially for a puppy. We personally never play frisbee with our dogs. There are many other better exercise choices.

Digging

Digging is actually a very good exercise for a puppy (though it may not be so good for your lawn!). If you should have a place that your puppy can dig, maybe a soft spot in the corner of your yard, train him that that place (and only that place) is his digging spot.

Puppies Should Avoid Full Flights of Stars

Your Summer Brook puppy will be trained shortly before changing homes to safely navigate a set of 3 or 4 steps. If your set of steps is more than half a full flight, we require that you carry him up them until he is 4 months old. Even after this, we recommend keeping him off the steps as often as possible. Dogs tend to get excited and fly down them, often leaping over 4 or 5 of them at a time. This can result in injury. As with so many other repetitive or impactful activities, we highly recommend waiting until growth plates are closed. Baby gates can be a huge help until that time.

Swimming

Swimming is super exercise for a Golden Retriever puppy and most dogs enjoy playing fetch in the water. See our website page on teaching a puppy to swim for more information.

Other Activities to Avoid with Your Puppy

Don’t do anything with your puppy that encourages jumping or fast turning. This includes jumping up on and off of furniture until he is fully grown (and growth plates are closed).

Growth Plates and Exercise

We have mentioned quite a few times on this page the importance of limiting certain activities with your puppy until his growth plates are closed. Some of you might be wondering what growth plates are and why they matter with regard to exercise.

What Are Growth Plates?

Growth plates are soft areas that are at the ends of the long bones in puppies. They contain rapidly dividing cells that allow a puppy’s bones to get longer. These growth plates gradually get thinner until they completely close. The closure of growth plates is brought on by hormonal changes during puberty. When growth plates close, they harden as they calcify and the rapid cell division stops. The growth plates become what is called an epiphyseal line. The epiphyseal line is sturdy and not so prone to injury as the growth plates.

What Causes Growth Plate Injuries in Puppies?

A dog’s bones are held together with muscles, tendons, and ligaments. These are collectively referred to as soft tissue. In an adult, when there is a soft tissue injury, a sprain will result. However, in a puppy, the soft tissue is stronger than the growth plates. An injury that would only cause a sprain in an adult dog could cause an injury to the growth plate in a puppy. The soft tissue can actually pull the growth plate apart.

Growth plate injuries can sometimes not heal properly and keep a dog from growing straight and strong which can subject him to problems for his entire life. In addition to having soft growth plates at the ends of the bones, puppies’ bones themselves are softer before they reach puberty. 50% of all fractures in dogs occur in puppies under 12 months of age.

Conclusion

Although you need to be much more careful with the type of exercise you provide your puppy, exercise is still very important to a growing puppy. Appropriate exercise is key to building strong bones. The right kinds of physical exercise are one key to a puppy’s development. Another key to good puppy development (and a relaxed puppy) is mental exercise. If you will add mental stimulation to a dog’s day, he won’t need as much physical exercise in order to reach the same levels of tiredness.

Give your puppy appropriate physical exercise and give your puppy a long life with healthy bones and joints.

For more information on our puppies, see our page on Golden Retriever puppies.

There are many causes of diarrhea and loose stools in puppies. Sometimes puppy diarrhea in Golden Retrievers (as with any breed) can be acute and serious. However, often puppy diarrhea is little more than an inconvenience to the family and is easily treated at home. Loose stools sabotage house-training efforts at best. At worst, they can be a symptom of a life-threatening illness such as Parvo or Distemper.

Diarrhea is a common reason for vet visits in all breeds. Golden Retriever puppies are no exception. Let’s take a look at when you need to call the vet and what you can do at home. We’ll also consider common recommendations by many veterinarians.

Serious Puppy Diarrhea

For serious cases of diarrhea, you need to consult a vet. If your puppy is vomiting or acting lethargic or sick, you need to get him to a vet. Likewise, if your puppy has a fever (over 102.5 is a fever in dogs), has blood in his stool, or has other abnormal symptoms, see your vet. Puppies can dehydrate fairly quickly with severe cases of diarrhea. Make sure your puppy stays hydrated. Serious cases of diarrhea can be dangerous and are beyond the scope of this article.

However, if your puppy is acting normally other than having loose stools or diarrhea, then this article might be a help.

Common Causes Easily Treated With Medicine

Giardia, coccidia, and worms are fairly common causes of diarrhea that are easily treated with medicine. Many young puppies raised in kennel settings struggle with these problems. All breeders (even those raising very few puppies in a home setting) will occasionally experience one of these conditions.

Puppies can also contract these conditions after getting into new homes. Your veterinarian can test for these problems with a simple fecal exam. Take the prescribed meds and your puppy’s diarrhea problems should be easily taken care of.

Reoccurring Puppy Diarrhea

Recurring diarrhea in puppies is a very common problem. The most common “fix” is repeated courses of antibiotics along with a “sensitive stomach” food. This works because antibiotics will take care of any excess bacteria in the digestive tract and the specialty foods have a lot of fiber. However, these same foods rarely contain much by way of nutrition and repeated courses of antibiotics can wipe out the “good” bacteria in a puppy’s gut.

Many people think that a “sensitive stomach” puppy needs to be on a “sensitive stomach” diet for life. What they don’t realize is that most cases of loose stools in puppies can be easily fixed and shouldn’t become chronic. There are good solutions without sacrificing good nutrition for most of these problems. If treated correctly to begin with, these problems should not become chronic.

There are three major causes of diarrhea that we will be discussing. Over-feeding, a lack of adequate fiber in the diet, and overgrowths of bacteria in the digestive tract can all cause recurring puppy diarrhea if not handled correctly. All of them can be “fixed” by a change in diet, by probiotics, and/or by antibiotics. However, we argue that there does not need to be such an extreme change of diet as some vets recommend. Further, if handled correctly long courses of strong antibiotics shouldn’t be necessary.

Overfeeding

Most dogs and especially puppies will get loose stools when they are over-fed. Usually, stools caused by overeating look like cow patties.

When we have a female nursing a large litter of puppies, we intentionally feed them far more than they are accustomed to in order to keep weight on them. All of them will have cow patty type poop while we are heavily feeding them. Their poop returns to normal when the feeding returns to normal. Even adults struggle to maintain normal poop when they are overfed.

Overfeeding puppies will have an even stronger impact. We have had families with our puppies call us reporting that their puppy has begun having chronically loose poop. The first questions we ask are about what the poop looks like and the weight of the puppy. If the puppy is over the weight ranges in our growth chart, or the puppy is having loose cow patty looking poop, and the puppy is acting normally in other ways, the culprit is almost certainly too much food. Families will often say that the puppy doesn’t look fat and that the vet says that he is at a healthy weight but decreasing the food still can help.

Find Someone Who Knows Your Breed

However, few (if any) veterinarians know normal growth patterns of all dog breeds. There are too many breeds to keep up with normal weights for all breeds at all ages. Check with a reputable breeder who knows your breed to determine normal growth rates. Also, consider that various lines within breeds can grow at different rates. Another very important fact to keep in mind is that unlike people, dogs will grow too fast before they will grow fat. Dogs (especially puppies) do not always look fat when they are being overfed. In fact, unless they are grossly overfed, they usually appear normal to the untrained eye until they are an adult.

Often, the vet will prescribe a “sensitive stomach” food when all that is necessary is a reduction of the amount of a nutritious food. Sensitive stomach foods ARE easier on the digestive tract, but this is a case where these foods are not necessary.

See Our Page on How Much to Feed

Once a family with a puppy who is growing too fast cuts back on the food, the poop will return to normal. If you have a Golden Retriever and aren’t sure if you are feeding the correct amount, see our growth chart on our page entitled How Much to Feed Your Golden Retriever. Also see our page on and How Much to Feed your Golden Retriever Puppy for more information on how puppies should be growing.

It is often difficult to ascertain if a puppy is growing too fast without having good breed information. Always consider the possibility of over-feeding if your puppy begins to consistently put out poop that looks like cow patties.

Overfeeding could be a possibility even if you’ve not increased the food. Growth spurts or a slow down in growth cause a puppy’s feeding needs to change. Sometime close to a year of age most Golden Retrievers have a significant decrease in caloric needs as growth slows down. For some dogs, this slow down comes earlier. If you don’t decrease food amounts as caloric needs lessen, loose poop can result.

Not Enough Fiber

A second very common cause of frequent loose poop and diarrhea is an inadequate amount of fiber in the dog food. Many puppies cannot tolerate rich foods (especially grain-free foods) until they are older and have more mature digestive systems. Many puppies (and dogs) need SOME grain in their food in order to maintain firm poop for life. However, few dogs need the large amounts of grain that is in a “sensitive stomach” formula.

Try adding canned pumpkin to your dog’s food. Give about two tablespoons for a 60-70 pound Golden Retriever. Adjust according to your dog’s weight. If the fiber fixes the loose poop, you’ll know that your puppy cannot handle the lack of fiber in your current dog food.

Puppies and 5 Star High Protein Dog Foods

In our early years of breeding, we were committed to feeding the very best puppy foods to our puppies. We still have the same commitment. However, we have learned quite a bit about which foods actually are the very best.

Anyway, for several years, we started our puppies on several of the most expensive foods on the market. We started with Orijen, tried Wellness Core, and then Blue Buffalo Wilderness. Then, we used Acana before they changed their formula and moved their facility out of Canada. We didn’t feed anything that wasn’t a high protein 5 Star food in keeping with our desire to feed the very best possible food.

With almost every litter, there was at least one puppy that struggled with loose stools. To combat the stools, we added fiber (either rice or pumpkin) and the problem resolved. We decided to try a food with a little grain. We were pleasantly surprised that our puppies did much better on foods with some grain.

We’ve tried several different foods in order to find the “sweet spot” for healthy poop without sacrificing nutrition. Higher levels of meat protein are healthy for dogs. Dogs were created to eat meat. However, dogs in the wild don’t have humans dealing with the loose poop that an all meat diet will often produce in puppies.

Puppies Do Best on a Food that Has SOME Fiber and about 26-28% Protein

*Disclosure – Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

What we found is that almost all Golden Retriever puppies can handle a diet up to about 28% protein. When you start feeding foods with close to 30% or more protein, you’ll start seeing puppies with problems with loose poop. The higher the protein, the more loose poop you will see. However, higher amounts of meat protein also make a food more nutritious. You must feed the right balance of protein and fiber.

When we started feeding TLC to our puppies, we had virtually no loose stools except for the very occasional bacterial overgrowth that is discussed in the next section. See our page on How to Choose a Dog Food for information on how to choose a food that has adequate fiber without sacrificing on good nutrition. If you’d like to try TLC, click on the link below to get $5.00 off, a free gift, and to go to their website for more information.

If changing foods, make sure you scroll down to read the section on how to change foods.

A very important consideration when changing dog foods to a food with more fiber is to find your own dog’s “sweet spot”. Having firm poop is important. However, it is even more important that you not sacrifice on good nutrition.

Puppy Food or Adult Food

We feed our puppies TLC puppy food. However, if your puppy is having loose poop on a regular basis, I’d try the TLC dog food rather than the puppy food. Both the puppy food and the dog food are rated as “all life stages” and can be fed to any age dog. They are very similar.

There are only two differences between the puppy food and the adult food. The first difference is that the puppy food has a little bit more protein and a little less grain. The second difference is that the adult food has glucosamine. For the purposes of controlling loose stools, the additional grain in the dog food is all that matters.

Veterinary Prescribed Sensitive Stomach Foods

According to Dogs Naturally Magazine, veterinarians reportedly put 35-45% of their dogs on prescription diets. We at Summer Brook receive numerous questionnaires from families with other dogs that are on a vet prescribed “sensitive stomach” dog food. These foods fix the loose poop because they are low in protein and high in fiber. These veterinary diets are fortified with the necessary vitamins because most of the primary ingredients have little intrinsic nutritional value of their own. Sensitive stomach foods can be a good temporary fix, but there is no reason to leave most puppies or dogs on such a food for life. Look for a food with SOME grain for the long term. However, it is highly unlikely that it is necessary to keep your dog on an extremely high fiber, low protein specialty diet for life.

Change Foods SLOWLY

Another consideration if you change foods is that food change needs to be done slowly over the course of several days. Dogs that are fed the same food on a daily basis will probably not have the correct kind of good bacteria in their gut to properly digest a brand new food. They need to be acclimated to the new food gradually over a few days instead of having an abrupt change.

On the first day of the food change, give 1/4 of the meal with the new food and 3/4 with the old food. Then on day two of the food change, give 1/2 of the meal as new food and 1/2 as the old food. On the third day, give 3/4 new food and 1/4 old food. On the fourth day, it is time to feed 100% new food.

Adding probiotics will also make the food change go smoother (and quicker if need be). However, if you change your dog’s food too quickly, you could get loose stools because of the lack of adequate good bacteria to digest the new food. Take it slow.

Bacterial Overgrowth

A third common cause of puppy diarrhea is bacterial overgrowth. All puppies and dogs have bacteria in their digestive track to some degree. A good immune system will keep these bacteria under control. However, bacteria will tend to overgrow in puppies (and even in dogs) in at least three different common conditions: when a dog is under stress, when he is habitually eating junk, or when he has a poor or immature immune system. Unfortunately, puppies often meet all three conditions, especially when first changing homes.

Stress

A very common cause of bacterial overgrowth is stress. Some of our dogs have had this type diarrhea occasionally when they first start going to dog shows. The travel and the loud stimulating sounds in show environments are causes of stress in many dogs who’ve never experienced the dog show world. However, once we return home, the diarrhea goes away on its own and the more shows dogs go to the less likely they are to experience the accompanying diarrhea.

It is also common for some puppies to experience diarrhea when first changing homes. Our socialization program at Summer Brook is so intensive that we have very few that experience diarrhea shortly after leaving us. However, if you have a puppy who started having diarrhea right after getting in your home, it very well could be that stress is causing an overgrowth of bacteria.

Weakened or Immature Immune System

The second cause of bacterial overgrowth is a weakened or immature immune system. Dogs who have been over-vaccinated or neutered early or fed a poor diet will be more likely to have weak immune systems. In addition, it takes time for young puppies to develop strong immune systems. However, with good care from a human family, immune systems will gradually get stronger. See our pages on Puppy Care for more information on how to build a strong immune system.

The lack of strength in the young puppy’s immune system is a major reason that young puppies struggle with diarrhea more than adult dogs.

Puppy’s Eating Bacteria Laden Junk

Unlike most adult dogs, puppies’ immature digestive systems cannot handle the bacteria found in all the many things that they sometimes ingest. To make matters worse, puppies tend to consume what appears at times to be EVERYTHING. I’ve had families describe their puppies as vacuum cleaners. Along with all the junk that puppies sometimes eat, there is going to be bacteria. As puppies get older, their immune system will take care of it and the gut bacteria will stay in check. BUT, what do you do until your puppy outgrows this “eat everything I see” stage?

How to Fix it

In the meantime, you might need to feed a little more fiber, keep your puppy from eating too much junk (as best as you can), and build your puppy’s confidence so that he easily copes with stress.

Antibiotics?

You might also need to occasionally give your puppy a MILD antibiotic. We don’t jump to the use of antibiotics at the first sign of loose stools but prefer to give a puppy’s own immune system a chance to take care of the problem on its own first. However, we do not let diarrhea go on for more than a couple of days.

Tylan

If after two days, diarrhea is continuing, we like to use Tylan for bacterial overgrowth in puppies. If given early before diarrhea gets out of control, Tylan will get the bacteria back under control after the first dose. There is no need to continue giving the Tylan after the problem is resolved (unlike with other antibiotics for other problems). The goal is not to wipe out all the bacteria in the dog’s gut. You need to merely give your puppy a little help in controlling the bacteria.

Give 1/4 tsp. of Tylan powder to a 60-pound dog. Adjust according to your dog’s weight. For instance, give a 30-pound dog 1/8 tsp of Tylan. You can give it twice a day if necessary. If your problem isn’t fixed in two days or if your dog is not eating, lethargic, or exhibiting other concerning symptoms, then you should consult your vet.

Metronidazole?

Most veterinarians recommend Metronidazole (Metro for short) for these types of issues. However, we think that Metro is an overkill and is stronger than necessary. Tylan is a very mild antibiotic and I’ve never had a digestive problem in a dog that wasn’t quickly solved by it.

Tylan used to be sold over the counter until around 2017 or 2018. It is a very safe antibiotics that is even prescribed for long periods of time for chronic problems. (We are definitely not advocating long-term use of Tylan, but are merely pointing out its safety.) Tylan has also been used to stop tear staining in small breeds with white coats. If it can safely be used over long periods of time without side effects for many dogs, I feel much more comfortable using it for occasional loose stools than I do in using Metro. Metro works, but so does Tylan.

Probiotics

Whenever giving antibiotics to dogs (or to people for that matter), give a probiotic along with the antibiotic. Otherwise, the antibiotic might wipe out the good bacteria in the dog’s digestive tract causing loose stools or diarrhea for a different reason. The good bacteria in a healthy digestive tract is necessary for the proper digestion of the food. It is actually best to give the probiotic a few hours after giving the antibiotic. However, giving them together is better than not at all. We use and recommend Natures Farmacy Digestive Enhancer.

Final Thoughts

I am not a veterinarian, so please consult your own vet. However, I’ve been working with puppies for years. I’ve also talked to many other breeders who’ve been working with puppies for long periods of time. Tylan works. Adequate amounts of fiber works. Permanent use of high fiber, low protein diets is seldom necessary. If treated before problems get bad, strong antibiotics will rarely be needed either.

We, at Summer Brook, have NEVER had an adult dog with more than a very occasional (less than once a year) case of loose poop. We’ve never had a case of loose poop that wasn’t totally taken care of by either cutting back on food or giving a single dose of Tylan as long as we’ve been feeding TLC dog food. More importantly, we feel good knowing that in treating occasional diarrhea, we’ve not sacrificed good nutrition.

If you should find a flea (even one flea) on your dog, it is time to start killing the fleas immediately.  There are many methods of killing fleas naturally.  The key to keeping a flea-free home and a flea-free dog naturally is to take immediate action at the sight of even a single flea.

Killing fleas naturally is considerably more work than using chemicals. However, if you use good natural flea prevention, you should rarely have fleas.

If you should ever have fleas, you will be prepared to deal with them after reading this post.

If after reading this article, you decide that you do not want to invest the necessary time to kill fleas naturally, consider sticking with natural flea prevention at the very least! If you are committed to not using chemicals even when you do find fleas, here is a discussion of a wide variety of effective ways to get rid of fleas naturally.

Kill Fleas With a Flea Killing Bath

The first thing to do is to kill all the fleas on your dog by bathing him in Dawn dishwashing liquid.  It must be done in a certain way or the fleas will hide.  If you start the bath the traditional way by wetting the dog’s entire body, the fleas will run into the dog’s ears or between his paw pads until you are finished. Then, just when you think you’ve killed them all, they will come back out and re-establish residency all over your dog.

Bathe the Head First

The best way to kill fleas with a bath is to start the bath by squirting the soap on the top of your dog’s head (before wetting your dog).  Then, wet your dog’s head only. Soap up your dog’s head and around his ears forming a soap barricade to keep the fleas from running into his/her ears.  Once you have barricaded the ears by soaping up all around them, the fleas have no safe place to hide. 

Bathe from Top to Bottom

Next, wet your dog’s back. Then, soap up the rest of your dog, starting with his/her back and working around to his/her neck. Then bathe down to the end of the tail, around to the stomach and down each leg.  Don’t forget to soap up even the paw pads.  If there are fleas, the Dawn will kill them on contact. 

Don’t Rush the Bath

I continue to scrub for at least 5 minutes to make sure there are no places that I have missed.  I use a liberal amount of soap and then make sure that I rinse well.  Be careful not to get soap in your dog’s eyes and when rinsing around the ears, hold the ear flaps over the ears so that you don’t get water inside.  The ears must be rinsed well. At the same time, the water should be kept out of them.  Dawn is a strong soap.  I would use it once at the first sign of a flea and then not use it again.  It can dry out your dog’s coat and skin.

Drive the Fleas Away With Garlic

Begin adding garlic to your dog’s food if you find fleas.  While some claim that garlic is not good for dogs, most holistic vets do recommend it for flea control in moderate amounts. It is safe in moderation. It requires very high dosages for garlic to be unsafe. 

Use about a teaspoonful per day for an averaged sized Golden Retriever (about 60-70 pounds).  I would use this from the time of the first flea until you’ve been at least a month without seeing a flea.  You can buy large containers of garlic from Springtime, Inc. Garlic, in addition to apple cider vinegar, will make your dog very unattractive to fleas.

Get Rid of Fleas in Your Environment

The next thing to do is get the fleas out of your environment.  There are two ways that I find that work well. 

Use Cedar Oil in Your Home

Cedar oil is the most effective way but it leaves behind an odor that could linger for a couple of weeks if you spray your entire home. 

Use Diatomaceous Earth in Your Home

Diatomaceous earth works also but if there are more than a few fleas, it is not as thorough at killing them all as the cedar oil.  I advise wearing a yard mask when spreading diatomaceous earth as it can be irritating to your nose and throat to breathe it if it gets in the air.  I would suggest spreading DE on your dog’s bedding and anywhere your dog frequently lies.   It is also safe to put on hardwood and tile floors.  I would leave the DE for 24 hours and then vacuum thoroughly.  The same applies to cedar oil. If you have found a flea on your dog, you need to vacuum every single day until you are sure that the fleas are gone.  

If you use diatomaceous earth, make sure you buy food grade as some dogs will lick it up.  Try to discourage that as the diatomaceous earth only works when it is dry.  The way it kills fleas is by cutting the exoskeleton thereby causing the bug to dehydrate.  (Diatomaceous earth will kill any bug. As a bonus, if you buy DE, it is a safe natural ant killer.)

Again, it must be dry so make sure you use it outside when rain is not in the forecast.  It is the shape of the tiny granules that cuts the bugs and when it is wet, the grains stick together and lose their effectiveness. 

Don’t Use DE and Cedar Oil At the Same Time

Do not use both diatomaceous earth and cedar oil.  The cedar oil will make the DE wet.  Choose one or the other.

Wash anything that your dog has come in contact with….upholstery, bedclothes, pillows, dog beds, etc.  If it will go in the washing machine, wash it there with hot water if the fabric will tolerate it.   If it can’t be put in the washing machine, spray it with diluted cedar oil.  I have used Dr. Ben’s Paws and Claws successfully on upholstered furniture.  It didn’t stain or cause fading to either my fabric or leather.

However, I’d suggest using it first on an inconspicuous place before putting it on an entire piece of furniture. It does smell like cedar at first but the smell will mostly fade within a day and will fade totally within two or three weeks. This is true even if you heavily spray your entire house. I’ve sprayed furniture, hardwood floors, and carpet.

Treat Your Yard

If your yard is not too large, treat the yard with either cedar oil or diatomaceous earth.  Again, I believe that cedar oil is more effective but diatomaceous earth is less expensive.  I recommend the brand of cedar oil called Nature’s Defender if you are going to be spraying it outside.  My yard is too large to treat.  I have almost 10 acres fenced for our dogs.  This makes it impractical for me.

Therefore, I cannot personally attest to the effectiveness of using these products outside other than using DE on ant beds.  However, because of the success I’ve had getting rid of fleas in my home with these two cedar oils and DE, I believe that outside treatments would be helpful for someone with a normal-sized yard.

Continue Flea Combing

If you’ve seen a flea on your dog within a week, make sure that you are flea combing every day until you’ve been at least a week without fleas. 

If I find fleas, I use a different type flea comb than I use for combing when there aren’t fleas.  I like the kind with a single row of teeth and a plastic flea catcher on one side.  It is a little more difficult to use than the kind with the double row of teeth.  You have to comb slower and make sure that you are holding the comb a little more parallel to the dogs skin than you would hold the other type comb.  Using this type comb is slower but more thorough. 

Spray Dog With Cedar Oil

I also make sure that I have a bottle of Dr. Ben’s Paws and Claws Cedar oil handy. Sometimes flea combing will make a flea come to the surface. If you should miss it with your comb, you can spray it with the oil.  The cedar oil will kill it on contact.

As long as you are continuing to see fleas, you can spray your dog directly with Cedar Oil.  It will make your dog smell like cedar. However, it will kill any fleas on contact that are on him. It will also repel them for several days.

Put Out a Flea Trap

Until you are sure that all fleas are gone, put out a flea trap, the kind with a light and a piece of sticky paper that goes under the light.  This will let you know if you still have a problem in your home.  There shouldn’t be if you’ve sprayed with cedar oil, but continue checking just in case. 

To save money, you can make your own flea trap by rigging up a night light to shine down on a flat pan of soapy water.  I’ve never used the home-made kind. However, you can find information on how to make one by googling it. 

The bought traps are not expensive and it was worth the lack of hassle for me to make the purchase.  Place your trap in the area where you suspect there might be fleas.  If you catch one, you probably have more.

Chemical Flea Products

I believe that the makers of chemical flea products are making flea problems sound worse than they are.  Even a cursory reading of this article might give someone the impression that fighting fleas can be a major ordeal. 

Preventing fleas with natural methods is certainly no big deal and fighting them naturally is very possible for someone with the time and inclination to follow these tips. I’ve done it during times that I’ve had 6 or 7 dogs living in my home and while taking them on frequent excursions out in woods and fields. If I can do it successfully with a house full of active large breed dogs, you can certainly do it successfully and more easily if you only have one or two dogs.

However, in all honesty, fighting fleas naturally if you should actually have them can be time-consuming. Still, at the very least, consider natural flea prevention and then if you should find a flea, fight it with chemicals at that point. Read our article on Natural Flea Prevention for more information.

Chemical Flea Control

As was discussed on our page on flea prevention, Chemical flea preventatives such as Comfortis and Bravecto are flea killers, not preventives.  However, they could be a good option for WHEN you get fleas. They turn your dog into a walking flea bomb. Your dog will pick up the fleas in your home and in your yard. The chemicals in his body will kill the fleas after the flea bites him.

If you don’t want to go to the trouble to kill the fleas naturally, then use the chemicals. However, there is absolutely no need to subject your dog to these chemicals circulating in his body “just in case”. Use them sparingly, once every few years. Your dog will be healthier for it.

Again, year-round chemicals are not necessary to have a flea-free dog and home!

There are several drug companies promoting chemical flea treatments for dogs.  They give some scary statistics about how quickly one flea can turn into thousands.  These facts could be quite true in an environment where the conditions are ideal for fleas to thrive and multiply. The goal of these drug companies is to make you believe that natural flea prevention isn’t possible.

However, the truth is that there are ways to make the dog and the environment difficult, if not impossible for fleas to live in. There are many different natural flea control methods that are advocated by a wide variety of people and websites.  Although some work better than others, I find that it is best to use varying natural flea protection methods under varying circumstances.  I will discuss many of these methods, beginning with what I recommend for prevention. Then in a second post, we will discuss what to do if you should find fleas. This post will be coming soon. Check back.

Keep Your Dog Healthy

The most important way to prevent fleas naturally is to keep your dog healthy.  See our other blog posts on our Puppy Care page for more information. Fleas are much more attracted to old dogs, to puppies, and to unhealthy dogs.  There is nothing you can do about the age of your dog, but there is a lot you can do to keep your dog healthy and thereby less attractive to fleas. 

A healthy diet is paramount.  See our page on Dog Food where you will find multiple posts on dog food topics.  Foregoing flea chemicals can actually have the positive effect of giving you a healthier dog.  Fewer vaccines and late spaying or neutering will also keep your dog healthier. A flea will jump on an unhealthy dog before a healthy one.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Adding apple cider vinegar to your dog’s food is a second very important method of natural flea prevention.  For an average-sized (65 pound) adult Golden Retriever, add two tablespoons daily to your dog’s food.  Use a little more or less depending on your dog’s weight. 

When I first decided to go all natural with regard to flea control, I went two years without a single flea and only used apple cider vinegar.  I got the first flea when I ran out of the vinegar and forgot to get more for over a week.  I am convinced that ACV is a big deterrent to fleas.

Cedar Oil

I prevent fleas by spraying diluted cedar oil on the dogs’ coats before I take them out for long periods of time in the woods or to fields that might have fleas.  Mixing pure cedar essential oil with water is the cheapest way to do it, but it can also be bought pre-mixed.  Oil does not mix well with water so getting and keeping a home mixed spray at the right concentration can be a little hard.  You must shake it often or it will separate.  I recommend using the brand Paws and Claws.  Paws and Claws will not only repel fleas, but if used liberally, will kill them. However, the homemade water/cedar oil mixture only serves as a repellant.

Cedar oil does have a smell (similar to the smell inside a cedar chest). Therefore your dog will need to be rinsed off before coming back in the house if you don’t like the smell.  Using cedar oil is not something that I do regularly. I don’t think it is necessary unless you will be outside for an extended period of time in an area that might be infested by fleas.  Apple cider vinegar alone is most likely enough of a deterrent to keep fleas away for a dog in most in-home environments.

Flea Detection

Most years, I have been fortunate enough to keep fleas away by only using apple cider vinegar.

I do, however, keep a close watch out for fleas so that I can take a more aggressive approach to get rid of them quickly at the first sign of even a single flea on any one of my dogs.  If I think there might be even a small chance of fleas, I will take additional steps.  Flea prevention is important. Equally important is flea detection. 

Flea Combing

The best way to detect fleas early is by frequent flea combing.  Using a flea comb is simple once you get the hang of it. However, if done incorrectly, you will miss the fleas or they will jump off your comb and back onto the dog.

Here is how to effectively use a flea comb.  Before starting, fill a 2 gallon bucket about ¼ full with soapy water to kill the fleas in.

What Type Flea Comb Do You Use?

You will need a flea comb obviously.  I prefer to use the type comb with a double row of tines if I believe there to be no fleas or only one or two. With this type comb, I am able to go quickly over the dog in a way that will either catch the fleas or get them moving away from the skin so that I can see them.  I recommend using a different type comb which I will explain in a future post about killing fleas.  Once you have your supplies set up, you are ready to begin.

How to Use a Flea Comb

Using a flea comb is easy, but you must hold it at the correct angle and the dog’s fur must be almost tangle free before you start. 

Comb First With a Butter Comb

If this is your first time to use a flea comb on your dog in a while, I suggest that you use a Chris Christenson Stainless Steel Fine/Course Buttercomb or some other type of comb to get the coat completely tangle-free. This helps the flea comb with its tight tines to glide easily through the hair.  A brush will get most of the tangles out, but a comb will separate the hairs better.  Make sure you go over the dog’s entire body with the butter comb including the entire tail.   Once all the tangles are out, you should be able to easily comb through your dog’s coat with your flea comb without pulling.

How to Hold the Flea Comb

After the dog’s hairs are pretty well separated, you are ready to begin.  Hold the flea comb at about a 60-degree angle from the dog’s body having the tips of the tines going ahead of the handle as you comb.  Be careful not to hold the comb too flat against your dog or the comb could scratch your dog’s skin.  

Comb From Head to Tail

Start combing at the top of your dog’s head and then move down his back and under his neck down his chest.  Then have your dog lie down on his side so that you can do his side, belly, legs, and tail.  Have him turn over so that you can do the other side.  

Make Sure Caught Fleas are Killed

When checking for fleas, you need to be very quick after every stroke to either get the comb back in your dog’s fur for another stroke or get the comb over the water in your bucket.  If you don’t and you’ve caught a flea, it will jump out of your comb and get right back on your dog.  When you put your comb back in the dog’s fur and apply pressure again, it serves to hold any trapped fleas there until you take the comb out. 

The time between each stroke must be short for flea combing to be effective.  If there aren’t any or many fleas, I will give about 3 or 4 strokes before emptying the comb and checking for fleas in the suds.  To get any fleas out of the comb, hold the comb down in the bucket, above the water (not in it).  Pull out anything that might be caught in the comb. 

Usually all that is there is hair. However, if there is a flea it will come out with the hairs in the comb. You should be able to see the black flea moving around on top of the white suds in the water.  Use the handle end of the comb to push any fleas down into the water so that they will drown.  Also push any hair under the water.

If You Find One Flea, There are Probably More

Fleas are usually nonexistent if you’ve done three things. 1. You’ve not caught any fleas while flea combing. 2. You feel comfortable that you have been combing the correct way. 3. You have quickly moved your comb from the dog to the water. This ensures that you haven’t caught any fleas that have jumped right back on the dog.

If you’ve caught even one flea, there are probably more.  It’s time to start aggressive flea killing.  There are several natural methods of killing fleas.  If I find a flea, I use them all. See our page entitled Kill Fleas Naturally (soon to be posted) for how to kill them if you should find them.

Chemical Flea Products

I believe that the makers of chemical flea products are making flea problems sound worse than they are.  Killing fleas without chemicals can be difficult once your dog has been infested. However, natural flea prevention is simple and it works.

All of my dogs live in my house. Our dogs also have access to large areas of land that cannot reasonably be treated for fleas. Also, I often take them out in the woods for walks.

The only time I have ever had more than one or two fleas was when my husband and I had to leave town for almost two weeks. My flea prevention schedule (especially the use of apple cider vinegar) was not followed during this time. Some of the dogs had fleas when I got home.

Still, even then, the problem was taken care of immediately when I sprayed our home and our dogs with cedar oil.  The smell was a bit of a nuisance. However, within a few days I could no longer smell it because I got used to it. For those with sensitive noses or for newcomers to my home, the smell lingered slightly for about 3 weeks.  Nonetheless, for the health of my dogs, it was worth the temporary nuisance. For those with only one or two dogs, I would guess that you could go many years without fleas just by using ACV, regular flea combing, and a good healthy diet. Catching fleas early is key to being able to kill them using natural methods. Consistency is key for not getting them at all.

If you do get fleas, see our soon coming page on Killing Fleas Naturally or you can quickly kill them with chemicals. Killing fleas with chemicals only when you need to is certainly better for your dog than keeping chemicals circulating in their body year round! Fleas are quickly killed, even when your dog (and your house) have not been treated in years.

Oral Chemicals Do Not Prevent Fleas; They Kill Them

One other final point to consider when thinking about flea control is that oral chemical flea preventatives such as Comfortis and Bravecto do work. However, they do not prevent or even repel fleas like the natural methods that I suggest.  These chemical products are flea killers, not preventives.

Topical medicines such as Front Line work in a different way. Fleas do not necessarily need to bite the dog for topical meds to work. However, topical medicines are not as effective as oral medicines. 

For oral medicines to work, fleas must first get on your dog, then bite your dog, and finally ingest the poison that is floating around in your dog’s body.  Before fleas actually bite your dog and die, the fleas could hitch a ride on your dog into your home or the dog could bite at the flea and catch and eat it.  Some dogs are very good at catching fleas. 

Tape Worms

Once a dog eats a flea, you could have another problem….tapeworms.  Tapeworm eggs live inside of fleas. Once your dog eats a flea that is infected with tapeworms, the tapeworm will grow and mature in your dog.

Two Ways to Get Rid of Fleas

There are two ways to keep your dog from having fleas.  The first way is by keeping your dog healthy, by adding supplements that make him unattractive to fleas, by using natural repellants, by regular grooming and checking for fleas, and by keeping your environment free of fleas. 

The other more commonly used method is to turn your dog himself into a flea killing machine.  Circulate a chemical within his body.  Turn him loose where there are fleas so that he can collect them and kill them himself with the chemical that is in him.  This is the easy way, but is it what is best for your dog?

Consider Using Chemicals ONLY When You Find a Flea

Natural flea control is no doubt more difficult than giving a pill IF you should find a flea. At the very least, consider going natural until you find a flea. Then give one pill to wipe out any current fleas and their eggs. The dog himself will attract and pick up any fleas that might have gotten in your home. Then the flea will die once he tries to feed on your dog. Fleas WANT to be on your dog, not lying around in your carpet.

With good grooming practices, finding fleas will be a rare occurrence. You’ll be doing your dog a favor by giving him flea poison once every few years instead of following flea medicine manufacture’s advice. They want to keep the poison circulating in your dog’s body year round.

Seresto Collars

One final alternative for those with busy lifestyles and for those in tic infested areas is using a Seresto collar. They can be worn when needed and then taken off while in the house.

Final Thoughts

Again, year-round flea poison is not necessary in order to have a flea-free dog and home.

Oh, and by the way, you’ll save that monthly flea “prevention” cost! Natural flea prevention is better AND cheaper.

Genetics and Environment

In order to prevent hip and elbow dysplasia you will need two things. The development of Hip and Elbow Dysplasia is determined both by genetics and environment. All puppies bred by us have come from backgrounds clear of Hip Dysplasia and Elbow Dysplasia. Getting a puppy who has an excellent pedigree with regard to hips and elbows is important. This start will give you the best chances to prevent hip and elbow dysplasia. But you can take that a lot further. Provide your puppy with an environment that is conducive to the development of healthy joints to give your puppy the best shot at avoiding hip and elbow dysplasia.

Keep Your Puppy at a Good Weight

The first and most important way to prevent hip and elbow dysplasia is to make sure that your puppy/dog maintains a good weight. Most American dogs are overweight and almost all Goldens will over-eat given the chance.

For adult dogs, about once a month, check your puppy/dog’s weight by lightly feeling of his/her ribs. You need to be able to feel them. If you can’t, your dog/puppy is too fat and you need to cut back on his/her food. If his/her ribs are sticking out where you can see them, then your dog is too thin. You need to increase food, but this is rare. Americans just seem to think that a round pudgy dog is a healthy one. If when you look down on your puppy/dog, he/she is rounded looking, they are too fat. Remember, almost all American dogs are too fat. It is healthier for your dog to be a little too thin than too fat.

For puppies, you can’t depend on the adult guidelines. Puppies, unlike people, will grow too fast before they get fat. Research has shown that puppies that grow SLOW have much less incidence of problems with joints (even as adults). Your puppy will grow quickly and if fed by our guidelines will look thin. Even if you are overfeeding, your puppy will still look thin as a 4 month old unless you are grossly overfeeding. An overfed puppy will grow too fast. He will reach his full height sooner than a puppy that is fed the optimum amount of food. Feeding less will not affect the size that a dog will ultimately grow to. It affects only the time that he reaches that size.

Give Your Puppy Proper Exercise to Help Prevent Hip and Elbow Dysplasia

Age Appropriate

The next most important way to prevent hip and elbow dysplasia is to give your puppy the right kind of exercise. No doubt about it, puppies need plenty of exercise to develop properly and to be happy, content, and relaxed. However, there are some types of exercise that are much better than others. Certain types of exercise need to be held off until a puppy is full grown (over two years old). Giving your puppy the right kind of exercise will accomplish two things. It will give his/her body the type of exercise it needs to develop properly and minimize joint damage. It will also give his mind the exercise that it needs. Exercise is essential for a calm well-mannered dog.

No Forced Running (on Leash) Until Over 2 Years of Age

I will go over a few ways that people exercise their puppies that are not good. Then, I’ll offer suggestions of better ways.

Running with a young puppy is not good. Nor is any other type of exercise that forces a puppy to run. I’m not saying a puppy shouldn’t run, just that he shouldn’t be running on a leash beside you. He shouldn’t chase you on a bike. Trotting along side of you if you are moving at a very slow jog is okay. But if you are jogging at a speed forcing them to run, you are going too fast. Puppies shouldn’t be forced to break a trot when on a leash. Keep your distance to a few blocks with a young puppy. It is fine for puppies to chase you from one side of the yard to the other . However, don’t encourage a young puppy to chase you long distances.

Off Leash Walks Are Best – On Leash Walks Are Good

The best way for young puppies to get exercise is to take walks with them off leash. (Make sure you have a safe place.) A second good option is walks on a leash. Leash walking is an exercise for both mind and body. It teaches a puppy that you are in control. He’ll learn to listen and pay attention. You can teach him that the world is full of new and interesting things to be explored and not feared. At the same time, you can socialize your puppy with all kinds of new and different people.

No Ball Chasing for Long Distances With Puppies

Puppies should not chase balls repeatedly that are thrown more than 10-15 feet. Puppies have an instinct to chase things. It is okay for them to run after balls gently thrown for short distances (10 or 15 feet). Frisbee throwing is never good nor is any other activity that encourages puppies to jump. Wait until your puppy is two years of age for these more active forms of exercise. You will give your puppy many more years of being able to do them.

If you want your puppy to play fetch with you, there is a correct way to train a puppy for it.

Train Your Puppy Early to Play Short Games of Fetch

At 8 weeks you can go ahead and start training a puppy to bring things back to you. For puppies under six months of age, we recommend throwing a ball or toy only a few feet. Don’t throw more than 15-20 feet. Only throw the ball 6-7 times (no more). Ball throwing at this age should not be a puppy’s main form of exercise. It should only be done as a part of their training.

Teach the Wait Command for Games of Fetch

At 4-5 months of age, we recommend that the “wait” command is introduced as part of the game of fetch. You should have already taught your puppy two things before teaching the wait command along with fetch. First the puppy needs to be consistent with fetching and bringing the ball back. Second the puppy needs to understand the “wait” command in a less exciting environment. The best way to teach this is at meal times and before passing through doors and gates.

In order to teach “wait” as part of a game of fetch, start by putting a buckle collar on your puppy. Put him/her in a sit and tell him/her to wait. Throw the ball. Their instinct will be to bolt. However, you have your hand on the collar forcing them to stay until you say “ok”. Start by making your puppy wait a couple of seconds. Gradually increase the time. When you see that you can trust your dog, let go of the collar. Throw the balls only a short distance.

Making your dog “wait” accomplishes two things. First of all, it teaches them to listen and pay attention while they exercise instead of just running wild. Second, it keeps them from jumping and sliding to catch the ball while it is still moving. This is really bad for their developing joints.

As puppies get older and develop the ability to sit and stay for longer periods of time, you can increase the distance that you throw the ball. This will teach him to use his nose to search for the ball. Their fetch exercise time as one year olds becomes one of sniffing out balls that you have thrown 15-30 seconds sooner instead of actually chasing the ball.

Still, until a dog is two years old, fetch should not be their main form of exercise. Fetch should be limited to just a few throws of the ball a day.

Swimming – A SUPER Form of Exercise for All Ages

Swimming is an excellent form of exercise. A puppy can safely play fetch in water as long as you’ve taught him/her to swim. Most puppies learn to swim easily. However, some have to be coaxed to turn loose of the bottom more than others. If you have a pool, you must make sure your puppy knows well how to get out.

Correct Exercise Will Help to Prevent Hip and Elbow Dysplasia and Develop a Calm Dog

Using the right kind of exercise with a puppy will not only protect their developing joints, but it will also help to develop a calm dog. Puppies who wildly exercise are developing habits that will promote hyperactivity. A calm dog is one who has had enough exercise. A calm dog knows how to be still and listen at the right times. Hold off on throwing Frizbees, repeated ball throwing, and allowing the jumping involved in agility and other sports until a dog is over two years. You will be laying a good foundation for a calmer puppy that will grow into a well-mannered dog. He’ll have joints that will be in good shape for his/her entire life.

No Jumping On Furniture

There are a couple of other things that are important in laying a good foundation for healthy joints.

Firstly, keep your puppy from jumping off of furniture. We do not allow our dogs on the furniture except for when a person has invited them up. They never help themselves to the couch when we are not in the room. Of course as puppies they sometimes sneak up there before they are fully trained. We do enjoy snuggling with our dogs on the couch, but if you can teach your dog to stay off the couch unless invited and then when you do invite them up, slide them off with their rears going first, you can take some of the stress off of their elbows. Jumping off of anything is hard on even an adult dog’s joints.

Secondly, don’t let them go up and down full flights of stairs (4 or 5 steps is ok) until they are grown.

Third, provide either a ramp or portable steps for getting in and out of a van or SUV. I also, keep a light-weight set of portable steps in my van for getting in and out so that they aren’t jumping. Mine are the steps that go with a booster bath. They weigh less then 4 pounds and are easy to drag in and out of the van. If you have a truck or SUV with a higher step up, there are ramps that can help a dog in and out.

Late Spay/Neuter

Another tip to prevent hip and elbow dysplasia is late spaying and neutering. According to a recent study done by UC Davis, the incidence of hip dysplasia in dogs neutered or spayed before 12 months is double that in dogs who are not. OFA is reporting 20% of Goldens with hip dysplasia and most of those tested are intact dogs coming from breeders. If more of those who were spayed or neutered early were in the mix, I would guess the dysplasia rate would be much worse. This study also found that certain cancers are also more prevalent in dogs fixed early. In Europe, the practice of early spaying and neutering is rare which may partially account for the reduced cancer rate. Here is a link to the study if you’d like to read it: Golden Retriever Study Suggests Neutering Affects Dog Health

Golden Retrievers are at High Risk

Golden Retrievers as well as many other breeds of dogs are at high risk of developing hip dysplasia. According to OFA’s site, about 1/5 of all Goldens tested have some form of hip dysplasia. This 1/5 does not include untested dogs which would be the ones most likely to have bad hips. By far, most of these tested by OFA are from parents who have been tested and cleared. Puppies from untested parents are most likely not tested themselves. If all dogs were tested, I have no doubt that the actual percentage of Golden Retrievers with hip dysplasia would far exceed 20%. Granted, most of these have a mild form which will not show clinical signs until they are older.

Good Genetics + Good Environment = Good Hips and Elbows

Our dogs on average have better hip scores than most breeders. We don’t have any dogs that have barely passed. That plays in the favor of your puppy. If you would add to the diligence that we have done up front by following the above guidelines while your puppy is young, you will give your puppy an excellent chance of having good joints his/her entire life.

What vaccine policy does the AAHA recommend? Are schools of veterinary medicine in the U.S. still currently teaching annual vaccines? What do specialists in the field of veterinary immunology advocate? The answer to all of these questions is NOT annual vaccinations. This article discusses what the experts are recommending and why we at Summer Brook recommend a minimal vaccine policy.

Every 3 Years

Most, if not all, schools of veterinary medicine in the United States have changed their vaccine protocols to no longer recommend annual vaccines.  The
American Animal Hospital Association’s (AAHA) Vaccine Protocol recommends core vaccines every three years or titers. So why are some vets still recommending annual vaccinations?

Many Vets Still Recommending Annual Vaccines

Whether it be out of ignorance or for financial gate, many vets (especially in the south) are still recommending annual vaccines. Annual vaccinations bring in a large percentage of pets who otherwise would not have annual check-ups. Are some veterinarians more interested in keeping this business than in the health of the pets? Maybe some veterinarians simply don’t keep up with changes in recommendations and protocols from those who know best. A veterinarian’s vaccine recommendation would be an important consideration to me in choosing a vet. I wouldn’t want a vet who cared more about money than my pet. Neither would I want one who is not knowledgable on the latest research and recommendations.

Veterinary Immunology Specialists

Dr. Jean Dodds, a nationally known research veterinarian in the fields of immunology and vaccination, and Dr. Ronald Schultze, a research veterinarian at the University of Wisconsin, have been instrumental in changing canine vaccination protocol.  We have seen changes across the country. However, it has been a slow process.

Over-Vaccination is Unnecessary and Harmful

We believe that the over-vaccination of America’s pets has been a large contributor to the high cancer rates and other diseases in the American pet population.  Certain vaccines definitely contribute to auto-immune problems such as allergies. Dogs with worn out immune systems from too many vaccinations are not as capable as dogs with strong immune systems in fighting disease. We have seen it time and time again where dogs who have been heavily vaccinated are sicker than those with only the bare minimum vaccinations.

Summer Brook Vaccination Protocol

Our vaccine recommendation involves no annual vaccines. Instead, we suggest one of two options. The first option is for families to do titers on their dog starting 3 years after giving a vaccination and annually after that. A second option is for families to give vaccinations every 3 years after giving a vaccine at a year of age. We have links at the bottom of this page with information to back up our reasons for these recommendations. We spell both options out in more detail on this page. These recommendations come from the most respected immunologists in the U.S.

Below is the protocol that we recommend for those getting puppies from us. I heartily approve individual vaccines that most holist vets recommend, but since most families don’t have access to a good holist veterinarian, I’ve listed below a good simple alternative. Scroll below the protocol for a discussion of individual vaccines and why we do or do not recommend them.

Vaccination Protocol for Puppies

First Round of Core Vaccines at 9 Weeks

When puppies are 9 weeks of age, we recommend giving a Parvo, Distemper, and possibly an Adenovirus vaccine. We at Summer Brook do not give Adenovirus to our own puppies until 13 weeks.

Dr. Jean Dodds, (well-known research vet in the field of immunology) recommends first vaccinations at 9-10 weeks which you can see here: Dr. Dodds’ Vaccine Protocol

Second Round of Core Vaccines at 13 Weeks

We recommend vaccines for Parvo, Distemper, and Adenovirus at 13 weeks.

Third Round of Core Vaccines at 17 Weeks

Again at 17 weeks, we recommend Parvo, Distemper, and possibly Adenovirus

Why Multiple Vaccinations for Puppies

Puppies are vaccinated multiple times because of the uncertainty of when antibodies passed from the mother will be gone. These antibodies will give a puppy a degree of protection from disease. However, these same antibodies when present at a certain level will prevent a vaccination from working. Some puppies loose their mom’s antibodies at very young ages. However, some will hold onto these antibodies until they are almost 16 weeks old.

If we knew the age at which any particular puppy would loose maternal antibodies, a single vaccination could be given subsequent to the time the maternal antibodies have declined to a sufficient level. Further, if puppies were kept in a vacuum with no possible exposure to disease, all of them would be sufficiently protected with a single vaccine given after 16 weeks of age (when you’d know maternal antibodies were gone).

Therefore, we give vaccinations multiple times to give young puppies the best possible chance of not getting disease during their young and very vulnerable weeks prior to their turning 16 weeks of age.

Vaccine Protocols for Adults

We recommend that families either use titers to determine when vaccinations are actually needed or vaccinate every three years. Which should you use? Every 3 years is simpler. Titers are best. Either will protect your dog and both are much better than annual vaccinations.

Option 1 – Simplest and Easiest

Our simplest option for adult dogs is to give Parvo, Distemper, and an Adenovirus-2 vaccines at 1 year of age, 4 years of age, 7 years of age, and 10 years of age.

Option 2 – Best

The best option is a little more complicated. This option utilizes titer testing to determine when a dog actually needs vaccinating.

How Long Do Core Vaccines Give Protection?

Studies have shown that Parvo and Distemper vaccines give protection for a minimum of 5 years. An Adenovirus-2 vaccine will give protection for a minimum of 7 years. All of these vaccinations will many times protect for the life of the dog.

This does not include puppy vaccinations. For dogs to build up this kind of immunity, they must be at least a year old. Therefore, we recommend families give a vaccine a year after giving puppy vaccinations. Then 3 years later ,annual titer testing should begin.

We err on the side of caution when we recommend that titers be started 3 years after a vaccine has been given. However, a titer, does not hurt a dog other than the sting of having blood drawn. A titer gives you assurance that your dog is covered without having to risk an unnecessary vaccine.

After your dog has had a titer test that shows that he is covered, you need to repeat it every year until he needs another vaccine. Once he’s been vaccinated again for a particular disease, he can forego titer testing for another 3 years before beginning annual titer testing again.

With titer testing, each disease is tested individually. Once your dog begins having titers, he very well could need another vaccine for one disease while his antibodies are still sufficiently high to give protection for another year for another disease.

First Rabies Vaccine as Late as Legally Possible

The one year rabies vaccine should be given at least a week before or after other vaccines but preferably 3-4 weeks before or after other vaccinations.

Rabies Booster Shots One Year After The First Rabies Vaccine and Every Three Years After That

In most states, rabies titers are unfortunately not an option so if the three-year rabies vaccine is available in your area then we recommend the three-year rabies vaccine every three years after the initial one-year vaccine. Some states require a yearly rabies vaccine. We don’t think that this is best for the dog and we hope that the law changes but until it does, we, of course, recommend that you comply with the laws of your state.

Discussion of Individual Vaccines

I only recommend the vaccinations that are referred to as “core vaccines” and rabies.  The core vaccines are Parvovirus, Distemper,and Adenovirus-2. 

Parvovirus

Parvovirus is often referred to simply as Parvo.  It is a deadly and fairly common disease which is why I give it before sending puppies home.   Parvo, as it is commonly called, causes severe bloody diarrhea and vomiting along with fever and often dehydration.  It can cause damage to the muscles including permanent damage to the heart.  The virus is extremely virulent and can live for many months in the environment.  It often attacks puppies.  Though I’ve never experienced a case of Parvo myself, I’ve heard of breeders loosing entire litters from it.

Canine Distemper

Though not as common today as in past years nor as prevalent as Parvovirus, Canine Distemper is a dangerous disease.  It affects a dog’s intestinal tract, respiratory system, and the conjunctival membranes of the eyes.  It is often deadly. Though it can be a dangerous disease, Dr. Jean Dodds recommends that it is never given to a puppy under 8 weeks of age and also not when a puppy is under stress.  There are greater side effects from the Distemper vaccine than from the Parvo vaccine.  Therefore we at Summer Brook have decided to not give it to our puppies before they leave our home.  Studies have also shown that it is in a dog’s best interest to have vaccines given separately.  Because with decreasing age, there are increasing chances of a vaccine causing problems, we’ve decided to separate our puppyies first Parvo vaccines from their first Distemper vaccine.

Adenovirus-2

The third core vaccine is Adenovirus-2.  I am on the fence with regard to the CAV-2 (Adenovirus-2) vaccine.  Dr. Jean Dodds currently doesn’t recommend it.  Dr. Ronald Schultz does.  These are the two most prominent immunologists in the country and I respect them both. 

CAV-2 (Adenovirus-2) is considered a core vaccine by most schools of veterinary medicine.  This vaccine protects against a form of kennel cough, but it also provides cross protection for a form of canine hepatitis.  I would not recommend it if merely for the kennel cough protection and a few years ago, I wouldn’t have recommended it for hepatitis either. 

Until recently, there had not been a case in the U.S. in 12 years.  However, with a few cases starting to creep in and the fact that Dr. Schultz is now recommending it, I wonder if it might be a good thing.  At this point, we do not give it along with our puppies’ very first vaccine set but starting with the second set, we do.

Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is a disease contracted from contaminated water. Though it can be a serious disease, I do not recommend the Leptospirosis vaccine for several reasons. 

We Don’t Recommend The Leptospirosis Vaccine

Why? First of all, because it is rare. Most states have no reported cases or only a handful per year.  

Second, it is a disease that is contracted through the urine of infected animals.  Most American pets do not frequent environments with dirty water that might be contaminated with the Lepto virus even if they did live in an area of the country with a higher prevalence of Lepto.   

Thirdly, the Leptospirosis vaccine has the highest rate of side effects. 

Fourthly, the vaccine doesn’t immunize against all the different strains of the virus.  There are about 200 different strains.  The current vaccine only protects against the 4 most common strains.  

Fifthly, the vaccine doesn’t give protection that lasts for very long.  Studies have shown that it does not give protection for even a full year.

In my opinion, the risks far outweigh the benefits. I wouldn’t even consider this vaccine unless I lived in the area of the country with the highest incidence of the 4 strains of Leptospirosis that the vaccine covers and then only if my dog spent huge amount of time in water that could be contaminated. Even then, I’d tend to agree with those many vets who say that the benefits don’t outweigh the risks ever.

No Leptospirosis Vaccine to Puppies Under 12 Weeks

If you do decide to give a Leptospirosis vaccine, we require waiting until your puppy is 12 weeks of age at the very minimum.  All immunologists and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) have this same age recommendation.  Some vets are giving the Leptospirosis shot to young puppies.  Please don’t allow your vet to do this to your puppy.  Also, do not give this vaccine along with any other vaccine.  Give it either 3 weeks (or more) before or after other vaccinations.

Bordatella

I also never recommend the Bordatella vaccine. Bordatella is nothing more than the canine equivalent of a cold and it is only one of many forms of what is commonly referred to as kennel cough.  None of my dogs have ever had a Bordatella vaccine and none of them have ever had Bordatella or any other kind of kennel cough in spite of going frequently to dog shows, training facilities, and parks.  I attribute the health of my dogs and their good immune systems partly to good genetics but mostly to the care I give them.  Limited vaccinations are part of that good care.  

The Bordatella vaccine is sometimes required by boarding and training facilities, but if you will ask them if you could sign a waiver saying that you will not hold them accountable should your dog get Bordatella, most will waive this requirement.  The requirement is usually for their protection, not your dog’s. If you do get a Bordatella, get it on an “as needed” basis.

Coronavirus

A third vaccine that I never recommend is the Coronavirus vaccine which has been referred to by more than one immunology expert as the “vaccine looking for a virus”.  The AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) also says that they never recommend it (so why is it even manufactured?).

Adenovirus

A fourth vaccine that I recommend that dog lovers stay away from is the adenovirus type 1 vaccine (CAV-1).  The CAV-2 vaccine cross protects for CAV-1 without as many side effects.  The CAV-1 is another vaccine that the AAHA never recommends under any circumstance.

Final Notes

If your vet doesn’t have the recommended vaccinations in any other form besides a vaccine with 5 or more vaccines in one, you can order them yourself or ask your vet to order. Neopar (Parvo) vaccine and either a Neovac D (Distemper) or a Neovac DA2 (Distemper/Adenovirus-2 combination) can be ordered in single dose quantities. There is also a Parvo/Distemper combination vaccine called a Nobivac Puppy DPV if your vet was interested in ordering for several customers, but to my knowledge, you can only buy it in packages with 25 vaccines in it.

Dr. Jean Dodds at Hemopet in California and Dr. Ronald Schultze at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine are both research veterinarians who have done much research in the field of animal vaccinations.   See the American Animal Hospital Association’s (AAHA) Vaccine Protocol which I highly recommend showing to your vet and Dr. Dodds’ Vaccine Protocol.  You might want to print off some of this information to take to your veterinarian.  Many, if not most, vets are either unaware of the changes or are unwilling to make the change because of fear of the financial implications that might go along with fewer vaccines.

Too many vaccines can cause allergies and autoimmune problems. Further, we believe that the over-vaccination of pets is a big contributor to the high cancer rates.  With the cancer rate of Golden Retrievers in the United States at 60%, we are sure that by changing vaccine protocols, we are making a big step toward giving our dogs longer, healthier lives.

Many veterinarians are not following the same recommendations being taught in vet school and advocated by the AAHA. Make sure your vet is following the correct vaccine recommendations.

More Information

For more information on our puppies here at Summer Brook, see our Puppies page.

This page will give you tips on flying with puppies. Learn to keep your puppy happy while at the same time navigating the rules and regulations of the airlines. Summer Brook has sent puppies home with families to almost every state in the U.S. Almost half our puppies fly to new homes in the cabin of an airplane.

[Read more…] about Traveling With Puppies

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