Owning dogs, especially taking care of the german longhaired pointer, is a specialty of humans. Zoologists believe dogs were domesticated between 12,000 and 25,000 years ago—and that all dogs evolved from the wolf. Since then, humans have selectively bred more than four hundred different breeds, which vary in size from 4-pound teacup poodles all the way up to Irish wolfhounds, whose 3-foot stature earns them the distinction of tallest dog. However, the most popular dogs are the non-pedigree dogs—the one-of-a-kind dogs known as mixed-breeds. The german longhaired pointer is also a popular pick with canine owners. Some owners are misinformed, however, of many crucial german longhaired pointer care tips.
Health care cost for your german longhaired pointer
The annual cost of caring for your german longhaired pointer—which includes food and treats, veterinary care, toys and license—could range between four hundred twenty and seven hundred eighty dollars. This doesn’t even account for capital expenses for spay/neuter operations, dog collar and leash, a dog carrier and dog crate. Tip: Be positive you have all of your items before bringing your german longhaired pointer home.
Typical german longhaired pointer Care
How To Feed the german longhaired pointer
- german longhaired pointer pups between 8 and 12 weeks old need 4 meals in a 24 hour period.
- german longhaired pointer pups 3 to 6 months old should be fed three meals in a day.
- Feed pups six months to 1 year 2 bowls of food per day.
- By the time your german longhaired pointer reaches his or her first birthday, one bowl in a 24 hour period is adequate.
- Many times german longhaired pointers might prefer two smaller bowls. It is your responsibility to learn your german longhaired pointer’s eating habits.
Excellent-quality dry food ensures balanced nutrition for grown german longhaired pointers and can mix with canned food, broth, or water. Your german longhaired pointer may love fruits and vegetables, cooked eggs, and cottage cheese, but these shouldn’t be more than 10 pct of her daily nutrition. german longhaired pointer pups ought to be fed high-quality, name brand puppy food. Please cut down on “people food”, though, since it can result in mineral and vitamin imbalances, tooth and bone problems, and may cause very finicky eating habits as well as obesity. Clean, potable water should be made only, and be certain to clean food and water bowls often.
german longhaired pointer Care Tips: Make sure to give your german longhaired pointer some daily exercise
german longhaired pointers need physical activity in order to stay in shape, recharge their brains, and stay healthy. Daily physical activity also really helps german longhaired pointers avoid boredom, which has the potential to lead to difficult behavior. Going outside will quench most of your german longhaired pointer’s instinctual urges to herd, dig, chase, retrieve and chew. Exercise needs are dependent on your german longhaired pointer’s age and her level of health—but ten minutes outside and just a couple of walks around the block every day probably is not enough. If your german longhaired pointer is a six to eighteen month adolescent, his requirements will be higher.
german longhaired pointer Grooming
You can help keep your german longhaired pointer clean and reduce shedding with regular brushing. Check for fleas and ticks daily during warm weather. Many german longhaired pointers don’t need a bath more than a few times during the year. Before the bath, comb or cut out any mats from the german longhaired pointer’s hair. Rinse all soap from the coat, or the dirt will stick to the soap.
How to Handle Your german longhaired pointer
Puppies, as opposed to adults, are clearly easier to handle. To carry your german longhaired pointer puppy, take 1 hand and place it under your dog’s chest, either with the forearm or other hand supporting her back legs and rear. Don’t try to grab or lift your pup by her forelegs, nape or tail. When you need to pick up a larger, full-grown german longhaired pointer, lift from the underside, bracing his or her chest with one of your arms and rear end with the other arm.
Housing your german longhaired pointer
Your german longhaired pointer needs a comfy peaceful place to be able to relax apart from all drafts and away from the floor or ground. You may want to think about buying a dog bed, or feel like making one from a wooden box. Put a clean comforter, blanket, or pillow in the bed. Wash the german longhaired pointer’s bed covering often. If the german longhaired pointer will be outdoors frequently, be certain she has access to covering and plenty of cool water in hot weather, and a dry, covered, warm shelter in winter.
german longhaired pointer Identification
Be certain you follow the community’s licensing rules. Be certain to attach the license to your german longhaired pointer’s collar. The license, together with an ID tattoo or tag, will most likely help you recover your german longhaired pointer if she happens to go missing.
german longhaired pointer Behavior Information
Training the german longhaired pointer
A well-mannered, companion german longhaired pointer is a a joy. However, when untrained, your dog may be a headache. Teaching your german longhaired pointer the fundamentals—”Down”, “Heel”, “Off”, “Sit”, “Stay”, “Come”, and “Leave it”—strengthens the relationship with both your dog as well as the relatives. If you’re the owner of a pup, start teaching him the right behavior immediately! Food can be used as incentive and recognition. Puppies should start obedience class when they are sufficiently vaccinated. Call the local SPCA or humane society for details about training class recommendations. You should always keep your german longhaired pointer leashed when, even as a puppy. Be certain your german longhaired pointer will come back to you every time you tell him. An aggressive or disobedient german longhaired pointer can’t play with kids.
The Health of Your german longhaired pointer
german longhaired pointers should visit the veterinarian for a thorough assessment, vaccinations and a heartworm assessment annualy, and ASAP when she is injured or ill.
Knowing Your german longhaired pointer’s Dental Health
Although we might object to our german longhaired pointer’s foul breath, it’s important to be aware of what it might be telling us. Halitosis is most commonly an indication that your german longhaired pointer should have an oral exam. Plaque , which is caused by germs brings a bad odor that can only be cured with treatment by a professional. Once your german longhaired pointer has had a professional cleaning, her mouth can be maintained by feeding a special diet focused on dental health, eliminating table food, and regular brushing. The vet can supply you with additional data on eradicating periodontal problems as well as bad breath. You can use a baking soda and water paste or a dog toothpaste once or twice per week to brush your german longhaired pointer’s teeth. Use a child’s soft toothbrush, a gauze pad or a piece of nylon stocking stretched over your finger. Some german longhaired pointers are prone to periodontal disease, also known as an infection between the tooth and the gum. This painful affliction can sometimes cause loss of your german longhaired pointer’s teeth and propagate disease throughout her body. Your vet usually will brush the german longhaired pointer’s teeth while performing her routine health screening.
german longhaired pointers with Bad Breath
If your german longhaired pointer has smelly breath, gum disease may simply be a symptom of another ailment. A pleasant, even sweet smell may be indicative of diabetes, while liver or intestinal diseases may cause foul breath. When your german longhaired pointer’s breath smells like urine or ammonia, kidney disease is a possibility. Set an appointment with a veterinarian whenever your german longhaired pointer has halitosis along with other signs of disease like excessive urinating or drinking, depression or lethargy, weight loss, nausea, or decreased appetite.
german longhaired pointer Tick and Flea Issues
During the summer, it’s crucial for you to perform regular, daily inspections of your german longhaired pointer for ticks and fleas. Use a flea comb to find fleas. There are many new technologies of tick mitigation. Ask your vet about her or his recommendations.
Heartworms in german longhaired pointers
The heartworm is a parasite that resides in the heart and is passed from a contaminated dog to your german longhaired pointer by way of mosquitoes. Several german longhaired pointers die each year because of heartworm infestations. It’s extremely critical you make sure your german longhaired pointer has a blood screening for this parasite every spring. It is recommended that you give your german longhaired pointer a monthly pill during the warm, wet time of the year to protect her from heartworms. Should you ever travel in warmer regions with your german longhaired pointer in the winter, he must be on the preventive medicine during the trip. In some more moderate climates, veterinarians advise preventive worm medication throughout the year.
Medicines and Toxins
If you’re contemplating giving your german longhaired pointer pills that was not prescribed for her by his doctor, don’t do it. Did you know that one regular-strength ibuprofen tablet causes stomach ulcers in some dogs Make sure your german longhaired pointer is never exposed to rat poison and other rodenticides. If you have reason to think your pooch has eaten a poisonous substance, call the veterinarian or the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 for twenty-four-hour animal poison help.
Spaying and Neutering german longhaired pointers
It is recommended that male german longhaired pointers should be neutered – the extraction of the testes – and females spayed – the removal of the uterus and ovaries – by six months old. Spaying before maturity significantly diminishes the risk of breast cancer, a usually fatal and common disease of more mature female dogs. Spaying also eradicates the risk of a diseased uterus, a traumatic issue in older females that demands intensive medical care. Testicular cancer, prostate diseases, some hernias and certain types of aggressions can be prevented by neutering male german longhaired pointers.
Shots for your german longhaired pointer
- german longhaired pointer puppies should be vaccinated with a combination immunization (called a “five-in-one”) at two, 3 and four months of age, and then once per year. This innoculation immunizes your pup from parainfluenza, parvovirus, leptospirosis, hepatitis, and distemper. Your german longhaired pointer must be immunized for at least the first four months of his life.
- If your german longhaired pointer has not been innoculated and is older than 4 months, she will need 2 immunizations asap, two or three weeks apart. After that you must vaccinate yearly.
- german longhaired pointer pup vaccination and socialization should go hand in hand. You may bring your german longhaired pointer pup to socialization classes by eight to 9 weeks of age, as recommended by most vets. At this point, they should have received at least their first immunizations.
Because rules vary between different areas, call your neighborhood vet for instructions on rabies immunization. For instance, in New York City, the rule requires all pets older than 3 months must be vaccinated for rabies. After the first vaccination, he must get a second shot the following year, and then every three years after that. There are a variety of innoculations, many of which are appropriate for your german longhaired pointer. Others, however, are not. Your veterinarian can tell you about them. Please be aware, if your german longhaired pointer gets sick because he is not immunized, the innoculation should be taken after your dog recovers.
Intestinal Parasites in german longhaired pointers
german longhaired pointers are commonly exposed to worms—in all areas, both rural and urban. Microscopic eggs produced by roundworms and hookworms are transmitted through an infected dog’s feces. Even the healthiest of german longhaired pointer puppies carry hookworms or roundworms. The key to effective treatment is early detection. Early, accurate diagnosis maximizes the possibility that prescribed medicine will be effective against your german longhaired pointer’s worms. A dewormer that eradicates hookworms, for example, will not kill tapeworms. Your veterinarian can best identify the culprit—and assign the most effective treatment.
german longhaired pointer Care Tips: Additional Information
german longhaired pointer Supply Checklist
- Excellent-quality dog food and snacks specifically for german longhaired pointers and similarly-sized dogs
- Food dish
- Water bowl
- As many safe toys as you can provide, especially chewable
- Brush and comb for grooming, including flea comb
- Collar with license and ID tag
- Quality leash
- Carrier (for puppies)
- Training crate
- Dog bed or box with sheet or towel
- Dog toothbrush
The no-no list
The following items should never be fed to german longhaired pointers:
- Alcohol, beer, wine or liquor
- Coffee, tea, or chocolate
- Raisins or grapes
- Spoiled or moldy food
- Onions, chives or garlic
- Bones of chicken, turkey, or any other animal (choking hazard)
- Salt & salty foods
- Tomato leaves, stems or unripe fruit
- Dough
The “Bottom” Line
Unless you are at home, or in a fenced-in, secured area, always keep your german longhaired pointer on a leash. And please, when your german longhaired pointer defecates on your neighbor’s grass, clean it up! Don’t forget to check out these other articles about german longhaired pointers
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