Daily exercise is one of the key fundamentals in our training program. So, we are always looking for ways for our clients to get their dogs the exercise they need. Often a good walk for us barely gets the dog warmed up, roading the dog like we do here with a 4-wheeler isn’t possible for many folks that live in more urban areas, so we often recommend  a bike. It must be done with caution however.

Years ago when we lived in Nebraska, we lived right off a great Rails to Trails bike path that, at the time, went more than 20 miles out through the country side (I think now it crosses the whole state). We would regularly take our dogs out on the trail for good long morning run. Not having any other way to do it, we would just hold the leash in one hand while riding. I no longer recommend this, in fact don’t try this unless you have a helmet and body armor. My 2 year old lab took off after a squirrel, crossed me up and sent me over the handlebars where I landed on my forearms and the side of my head. (No helmet of course). I dragged my bike, dog and myself to a nearby house and scared the owner to death, standing there bleeding. She took me and my dog home where I luckily didn’t die from intracranial bleeding.

The “springer,” a setup to run a dog with you bike is a much safer option. The price seems fairly reasonable and has gotten several good reviews. If you are looking for another way to exercise your dog, this may be something to look into.

Image: Web capture. Dog in Copenhagen.

I read a great quote today: “If your dog is overweight, you need more exercise!”

My thoughts below are specific to hunting dogs and not necessarily applicable for all dogs.

Should I remove my puppy’s dew claws? Hopefully this is not a question you have to even ask yourself, because the puppy you purchase from a reputable breeder will already have had it done. When puppies a just a couple of days old the dew claws can be removed by a vet quickly, with very little pain and almost no bleeding. (This is the same time that tails are docked on appropriate breeds.) They heel quickly and there is so much new already in their world that they don’t register any trauma with the event.

Here’s why I remove dew claws, first is injury to the toe and claw; on hunting dogs that are busting through brush, cattails and tall cover regularly, they can get it caught on things, tear it or otherwise get injured. Dogs dew claws can really vary, with some only having a toenail tight against the ankle and others dangle floppily from the side of the ankle. Most gun dog breeds only have front dew claws, but some dog have them on both front and back feet. The second reason I remove them is that since they don’t touch the ground, the claws are often very sharp and when I or my kids are playing with the puppy they can deliver a nasty scratch. The third reason is I personally don’t like the way they look.

If you got your puppy from the breeder and it still has dew claws, I suggest having the dew claw removed based only on how the claw fits against the leg/foot. If it is tight and the claw doesn’t come away from the leg much at all, I would leave it. If the claw opens out much, or if it dangles off a bit of a tissue I would definitely have it removed. This type when used around much brush will likely cause the hunting dog troubles. It you do want the dew claw removed on an older puppy, wait until 7 to 12 months old when you are getting the dog spayed or neutered. After a week of life the dew claw removal becomes a more involved surgery, requiring the dog to be put under sedation. It is best to do both of these procedures at the same time. 

We run our dogs two to four miles every day. There are a couple of reasons we do this. First, and most obvious, is that it keeps the dogs healthy and in excellent shape. When you go hunting, the dog can get out and cover ground like it should. Second, it really makes a difference in their mental health. Third, it clears their head and opens them up for training. Finally, it hardens their feet in preparation for hunting rough country. I noticed this the other day when chukar hunting with two buddies and their dogs. After a half-day chukar hunt, over some rough lava rock country, their dog’s feet were tender and raw and needed several days to recover, whereas our dog’s feet never had a problem; they were ready to hunt again the next day. If you were planning on a three day chukar or desert quail hunt, raw feet could really slow your dog down.  (Gun Dog Magazine had an article about a nifty dog boot made out of bicycle tube. It looked interesting. However, my dogs have never really liked boots; but they are funny to watch in them for the first few minutes.)
 

Daisy loves to run, but this morning after 4 miles (2 roading and 2 with me running) she was ready to go home. If she could figure out which way was forward, she may drive off and leave me. That’s whay I keep the key in my pocket.

 It’s a good feeling to have tired dogs. Jinx is ready to load up and go home to lay in his wading pool.

We have been working to rehab a beautiful German shorthair pointer after an injury. The dog was hit by a car and miraculously only had a broken pelvis. I say ONLY, as it could have been much worse. The vet said that a broken pelvis was better than other broken bones, since the pelvis is like a box, held together with a lot of strong muscles. She had to spend 4 weeks in the crate with only short bathroom breaks on leash, and another 2 weeks in the kennel run with short walks around the yard. Now that the bone has largely healed, we have started water therapy, swimming the dog daily to strengthen the muscles without putting too much pressure on bones.

The only catch here is that the dog hates the water. You practically need body armor to swim with her and not get clawed to ribbons. It is almost comical, the dog panics and tries to paddle straight up out of the water, rather than just swimming horizontally. It works though, she goes all out getting a good workout.

This morning, Pioneer Day (a State holiday here in Utah) was a beautiful morning. With the cloud cover it stayed in the sixtys until almost 8:30. Chris and I took the dogs for five mile run and had a great time. They were hot when we got back and enjoyed a cool dip in the snow sled/dog bath.

After exercise, dogs are always so much happier. They really respond to regular exercise. I guess people do to. I know it clears my head and makes me feel more alive.

Happy 24th of July.

You can’t get out too much with your dog. The other day we were out running dogs on the Parker and had a great time. The place was beautiful and the dogs loved it. It is starting to get too hot during the middle of the day to run, but mornings and evenings are perfect.

Allie, our twenty month old lab is in heat for the first time, so she is in lock down. Man, that’s a pain. We have to keep her and her brother Zeke well separated. She has a lid on the kennel and we wrapped the sides with chicken wire to prevent any through-the-fence visitors. And she sulks in the house when she has to wear a pair of kids underwear with a hole cut for her tail. The kids thought that was funny looking. To tell the truth, the neighbors think it kind of strange as well.

Some things to remember about the heat cycle: it usually occurs for the first time between 6 to 12 months, but may be as late as 24 months. The full cycle usually take about six months, so the actual estrous period comes about twice a year. However, a friend’s German Shorthair has had her last two cycles 3 months apart. There are 4 parts to the cycle: 1.) proestrous – begins with vaginal bleeding and lasts 4 to 9 days. Males become very interested in the female, but she does not accept them. They often feel kind of mopey and lie around.  2.) Estrus – discharge shifts to more yellowish than bloody and is ususlly lasts for 4 to 12 days. The vulva will usually swell and may even be flagged or winked around a male. This is the period when she is most fertile and willing to willing to accept the male. By nature, she will stand and hold her tail to the side when you press on her back or when the male tries to mount. 3.) Metestrus and anestrus are periods of the ovarian cycle, but with no outward signs.

Keep in mind that you may easily miss the first day or two of the heat, and they may take longer or shorter than the norm to move through the cycle. Consider her to be in season for 21 days: 7 early heat, 7 days in season, and 7 days late season. Though conception is most likely to occur when they are in full season, due to individual variation and sperm life, it may occur anytime during the 21 days, so you have to keep them confined the whole time. Something else to remember is that she may attract dogs from all over town and males during this period like to mark everything that seems like a good scent post, like kennel corners, house corners, fence posts, standing bags of dog food, the car tire, whatever.

I have also heard many stories of neighborhood dogs (several specific to Australian Shepards) climbing a 6’ kennel and breeding a female in heat. I have also heard stories of dog breeding through chain link kennels, so be aware. Please think through breeding your dog very carefully before breeding your dog. Think of your young female’s health first, and remember that there are lots of very good, proven breeders out there. Visit the local animal shelter and see how many puppies end up there before you proceed.

I strongly recommend that all my clients microchip their pets. For what it is worth, it is so inexpensive, yet it works so well. It costs roughly $30 - $40 at most vet clinics and comes with a registration for the lifetime of the pet. It is quick and relatively painless, about like getting a shot.

How it works: A microchip transponder is placed in a needle and injected just under the pets skin on the back between the shoulder blades. The device, just about the size of a grain of rice sits dormant until it is pinged with the scanner device. The scanner reads a number from the transponder. This number can then be called into a toll-free national database (staffed 24/7). The service then immediatley connects the lost dog with the owner.

The chip does a number of things; first, it helps quickly return a lost pet to the owner. Many police officers and sheriffs carry the scanners in their cars, and all shelters and vet centers have them. Further, it is policy in most all animal shelters to scan pets when they first come in, and again before any disposition (placement or euthanasia) of the animal. What’s more, in some shelters, if a dog is microchipped, they will often waive any fines or fees associated with picking up your pet, if they are microchipped. Finally, the microchip can help prove the ownership of the dog if ownership is in question.

All this is well worth $40 over the lifetime of your dog.