Owning dogs, in particular taking care of the lithuanian hound, is a specialty of people across the world. Zoologists say dogs were originally domesticated between 12,000 and 25,000 years ago—and that canines evolved from the wolf. Since those days, people have selectively bred more than 400 breeds, which range in size from four-pound teacup poodles all the way up to Irish wolfhounds, whose three-ft stature has earned them the title of tallest canine. But the most widespread dogs are the non-pedigree dogs—the one-of-a-kind dogs known as mutts. The lithuanian hound is also a favorite choice among canine owners. Many owners are uninformed, however, of some of the most critical lithuanian hound care tips.
Health care cost for the lithuanian hound
The annual budget for providing for your lithuanian hound—to include food and snacks, veterinary care, toys and license—can vary between $420 and $780. This does not even count capital costs for sterilization surgery, a collar and leash, carrier and a dog crate. Tip: Make sure you have all your items before you get your lithuanian hound home.
General lithuanian hound Care
How To Feed your lithuanian hound
- lithuanian hound puppies between 8 and twelve weeks old need 4 meals in a day.
- Feed lithuanian hound pups 3 to 6 months old three meals in a day.
- Feed pups six months to one year old 2 times daily.
- When the lithuanian hound hits her first birthday, one feeding every twenty-four hours is usually sufficient.
- Many times adult lithuanian hounds, however, prefer 2 lighter helpings. It’s your responsibility to learn your lithuanian hound’s eating habits.
Top-quality dry dogfood ensures balanced nutrition for grown lithuanian hounds and may be mixed with broth, water, or canned food. Your lithuanian hound may love cooked eggs, fruits and vegetables, and cottage cheese, but these should be less than 10 pct of her daily allowance. lithuanian hound pups must be fed a high-quality, brand-name puppy food. You should limit “table food”, though, since it can result in mineral and vitamin imbalances, bone and teeth concerns, and may create very picky eating habits and obesity. Give fresh, potable water exclusively, and make certain to clean water and food bowls often.
lithuanian hound Care Tips: Your lithuanian hound needs exercise daily
lithuanian hounds need daily exercise so they can stay healthy, stimulate their brains, and remain in good health. Exercise also tends to help lithuanian hounds avoid boredom, which often leads to naughty behavior. Getting out of the house can satisfy most of your lithuanian hound’s instinctual urges to dig, chase, herd, chew and retrieve. Exercise needs will depend on your lithuanian hound’s level of health and his or her age—but 10 minutes outside and merely a couple of walks around the block every day probably won’t cut it. If your lithuanian hound is a 6 to 18 month adolescent, his requirements will probably be greater.
lithuanian hound Grooming
You can help keep your lithuanian hound clean and reduce shedding with brushing. Check for ticks and fleas every day during the summer or other warm weather. Many lithuanian hounds don’t need a bath more than a few times per year. Prior to giving her a bath, comb or cut out any mats from the lithuanian hound’s coat. Carefully rinse all soap from the coat, or the dirt will stick to the soap residue.
Handling Your lithuanian hound
Pups are obviously the easiest to manage. To carry your lithuanian hound puppy, place one of your hands under your dog’s chest, with either the forearm or your other hand supporting his or her back legs and rump. Don’t try to grab or lift your pup by her forelegs, nape or tail. If you have to lift a bigger, adult lithuanian hound, pick it up from the underside, holding his or her chest with 1 arm and rear end with the other.
lithuanian hound housing
Your lithuanian hound needs a comfy peaceful location to sleep away from all the breezes and away from the floor. You might wish to purchase a dog bed, or make one out of a wooden box. Place a clean comforter, blanket, or pillow in the bed as cushioning. Wash your lithuanian hound’s bed covering frequently. If your lithuanian hound will be spending a lot of time outdoors, be certain she has access to plenty of cool water and shade in the summer, and a warm, dry, covered shelter during the winter.
Licensing and Identification for lithuanian hounds
Your city has licensing rules to heed. You should attach the license to the lithuanian hound’s collar. This, together with an ID tag, will most likely help you recover your lithuanian hound should he go missing.
lithuanian hound Behavior Facts
Training the lithuanian hound
Well-mannered, companion lithuanian hounds can truly be a blessing to have. But left untrained, your dog could be a big headache. Teaching your lithuanian hound the minimums—”Stay”, “Come”, “Down”, “Heel”, “Off”, “Sit”, and “Leave it”—will improve your relationship with both your dog as well as your neighbors. If you’re the owner of a puppy, start training him on the appropriate responses ASAP! Food can be used as incentive and recognition. Puppies should commence obedience classes when they are adequately immunized. Call your local humane society or SPCA for training course recommendations. It is wise to walk your lithuanian hound on a leash in public, even while a pup. Just be sure your dog will come back to you every time you say the word. An aggressive or disobedient lithuanian hound can’t play with children.
lithuanian hound Health
lithuanian hounds should see the veterinarian for a complete exam, immunizations and heartworm exam annualy, and ASAP when he is injured or sick.
The Dental Health of Your lithuanian hound
Although we might object to our lithuanian hound’s foul breath, we should be aware of what it might indicate. Foul breath is a symptom that your lithuanian hound requires a dental screening. Plaque , which is a result of unhealthy bacteria creates a bad smell that can only be eliminated by the help of a professional. Once your lithuanian hound has had a professional dental cleaning, his teeth and gums may be maintained by brushing the teeth regularly, feeding a specially formulated dental diet and treats, and avoiding table scraps. The vet can supply you with additional information for minimizing periodontal disease as well as stinky breath. You can use a baking soda and water paste or a dog toothpaste once or twice per week to brush your lithuanian hound’s teeth. Use a child’s soft toothbrush, a gauze pad or a piece of nylon pantyhose stretched over your finger. Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, often affects lithuanian hounds. Frequently, teeth loss occurs because of gum infection. Infections can sometimes also propagate to the rest of your lithuanian hound’s body. Your vet will clean the lithuanian hound’s teeth during his regular health assessment.
lithuanian hound Bad Breath
If your lithuanian hound has smelly breath, periodontal disease may only be a symptom of another ailment. Liver or intestinal diseases also cause smelly breath, whereas a pleasant, even sweet smell can frequently be a sign of diabetes. Kidney disease is a possibility when your lithuanian hound’s breath smells of urine or ammonia. Set an appointment with a veterinarian whenever your lithuanian hound has halitosis along with other signs of disease like excessive urinating or drinking, depression or lethargy, weight loss, nausea, or decreased appetite.
Dealing with Ticks and Fleas in lithuanian hounds
During the warm seasons, it’s vital for you to perform daily inspections of your lithuanian hound for fleas and ticks. Find fleas using a flea comb. There are numerous new procedures of flea control. Speak to your lithuanian hound’s doctor about her recommendations.
Heartworm problems in lithuanian hounds
This parasite lives in the heart and passes from a contaminated dog to your lithuanian hound by way of mosquitoes. Heartworm infestations are potentially deadly. It is important you ensure your lithuanian hound takes a blood test for worms each spring. It is also good to give your lithuanian hound a monthly tablet during mosquito season to help you protect her from heartworms. If ever you travel in a warmer-than-usual climate with your lithuanian hound in the winter, your dog ought to be on the preventive medicine during the trip. There are some regions, usually the areas with warmer temperatures, where veterinarians advise parasite pills be consumed all the time.
Medicines and Poisons
Remember to never give your lithuanian hound medicine that has not been prescribed by a veterinarian. One little ibuprofen tablet can cause stomach ulcers in lithuanian hounds. Keep rat poison and other rodenticides away from your lithuanian hound. Make sure you immediately call your lithuanian hound’s vet when you have reson to think your lithuanian hound has eaten a poison. You could also call the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 for twenty-four hr. help.
lithuanian hounds: Neutering and Spaying
It is recommended that female lithuanian hounds be spayed—which is the removal of the uterus and ovaries—and males neutered—extraction of the testes—by 6 months of age. You will significantly diminish your female’s chance of breast cancer by spaying prior to maturity. The risk of an infected uterus, which is also a serious disease that impacts older females, can be removed by spaying before six months. Neutering males prevents testicular and prostate diseases, some hernias and certain types of aggression.
Innoculating your lithuanian hound
- The combination vaccine (also called the “five-in-one shot”) should be given to your lithuanian hound at 2, 3, and four months of age and then once every year. This shot protects your puppy from parainfluenza, parvovirus, leptospirosis, hepatitis, and distemper. Your lithuanian hound puppy’s vaccination regimen cannot be finished prior to 4 months of age.
- If you have an uninnoculized lithuanian hound older than 4 or five months, he must have a set of 2 vaccinations 2 or three weeks apart, followed by an annual innoculation.
- lithuanian hound puppy socialization and innoculation should go hand in hand. Many doctors recommend that new owners take their lithuanian hound puppies to socialization classes, as early as eight or nine weeks old. At this point, they should have already received their first innoculations.
Since statutes are so different around the country, call a local vet for information about rabies vaccination. In New York City, for example, the statute requires any pets older than 3 months must be vaccinated for rabies. After the initial immunization, she must get a second shot the next year, and then every three years after that. There are a variety of innoculations, many of which are effective for your lithuanian hound. There are others that are not, however. Ask your lithuanian hound’s vet for her opinion. By the way, if your lithuanian hound gets ill because he is not properly innoculated, do not administer the shots until the dog has made a full recovery.
Tapeworms in lithuanian hounds
lithuanian hounds are commonly exposed to worms—especially in rural areas. Eggs that carry roundworms are transmitted through a lithuanian hound’s feces. Most puppies, from all environments, even those with healthy mothers, carry hookworms or roundworms. The key to treatment is early detection. Early, accurate diagnosis maximizes the possibility that prescribed treatment will be highly effective against your dog’s worms. A dewormer that eliminates hookworms, for example, won’t kill tapeworms. Your veterinarian can best determine the culprit—and decide the effective treatment.
lithuanian hound: Miscellaneous Care Tips
lithuanian hound Supply Checklist
- Top-quality dog food and treats specifically designed for lithuanian hounds and similarly-sized dogs
- Food dish
- Water dish
- As many safe toys as you can provide, especially chewable
- Comb & brush for grooming, including a flea comb
- Collar with license and identification tag
- Quality leash
- Dog carrier (for pups)
- Crate for training
- Dog box or bed with comforter or towel
- Dog toothbrush
The no-no list
Never feed your lithuanian hound the following:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Chocolate, tea, coffee, or any other caffeinated foods
- Raisins and grapes
- Moldy or spoiled food of any kind
- Onions, garlic & chives
- Bones of chicken, turkey, or any other animal (choking hazard)
- Salt or salty foods
- Tomato leaves, stems or unripe fruit
- Dough
The “Bottom” Line
Unless you are at home, or in a secured, fenced-in area, keep your lithuanian hound on a leash at all times. And please, when your lithuanian hound defecates on your neighbor’s yard, clean it up! Don’t forget to check out these other articles about lithuanian hounds
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