Raising dogs, especially providing care for the keeshond, is nothing new for people. Zoologists postulate dogs were first domesticated sometime between 12,000 and 25,000 years ago—and that canines evolved from wolves. Since those days, human beings have selectively bred more than 400 different breeds, which range in size from 4-pound teacup poodles all the way up to Irish wolfhounds, whose three-ft stature has earned them the distinction of the tallest pooch. However, the most preferred dogs are the non-pedigree dogs—the one-of-a-kind dogs known as mixed-breeds. The keeshond is also a favorite choice with canine owners. Some owners are uninformed, however, of some of the most crucial keeshond care tips.
Typical cost of care for your keeshond
The yearly budget for rearing your keeshond—to include everything from nutrition and treats, veterinary care, toys and license—could vary between $420 and $780. This figure doesn’t include capital costs for spay/neuter procedures, dog collar and leash, dog carrier and a doggie crate. Tip: Be positive you have all your items before getting your keeshond home for the 1st time.
Basic keeshond Care
How To Feed the keeshond
- keeshond pups between eight and 12 weeks need 4 meals in a 24 hour period.
- keeshond puppies 3 to 6 months old should be fed 3 meals every 24 hour period.
- Feed pups six months old to one year 2 bowls of food in a twenty-four hour period.
- By the time the keeshond hits her 1st birthday, 1 feeding in a twenty-four hour period is typically adequate.
- Some adult keeshonds might do better with 2 lighter bowls. It’s your duty to learn your keeshond’s eating habits.
Top-quality dry dog food provides balanced nutrition to grown keeshonds and can mix with water, canned food, or broth. Your keeshond may love cooked eggs, cottage cheese, and fruits and vegetables, but these dishes shouldn’t result in more than 10 percent of her daily food allowance. keeshond puppies must be fed excellent-quality, brand-name puppy food. You should try to cut down on “people food”, however, because it can result in vitamin and mineral imbalances, bone and teeth concerns, and may lead to extremely picky eating habits as well as obesity. Give fresh, clean water exclusively, and be sure to clean food and water bowls often.
keeshond Care Tips: Make sure your keeshond gets plenty of daily exercise
keeshonds must have daily exercise so they can burn calories, stimulate their brains, and keep healthy. Daily physical activity also really helps keeshonds fight boredom, which has the potential to lead to naughty behavior. Playing outside would satisfy many of your keeshond’s instinctual urges to dig, retrieve, chase, chew and herd. Activity needs will depend on your keeshond’s age and her level of health—but ten minutes in back of the house and a couple of walks around the block every day probably won’t be enough. If your keeshond is a 6 to eighteen month adolescent, his requirements will be a little higher.
Grooming tips for keeshonds
You can help reduce shedding and keep your keeshond clean with brushing. Inspect for ticks and fleas daily during the summer or other warm weather. Sometimes keeshonds don’t need a bath more than a few times a year. Before giving him or her a bath, cut out or comb any and all mats from the keeshond’s coat. Rinse all soap out of the coat, or the dirt will stick to the soap residue.
Handling Your keeshond
Pups are obviously the easiest to manage. When carrying the keeshond pup, place one hand beneath the dog’s chest, with either your forearm or other hand supporting his back legs and rear. Don’t ever attempt to grab or lift your puppy by the forelegs, tail or nape. When you have to pick up a bigger, adult keeshond, pick it up from underneath, bracing his or her chest with 1 of your arms and rear end with the other arm.
How to House your keeshond
keeshonds need a cozy peaceful spot in order to sleep away from all breezes and off the ground or floor. You might wish to think about purchasing a doggie bed, or make one out of a wooden box. Put a clean blanket or pillow in the bed. Wash your keeshond’s bed covering frequently. If the keeshond will be outdoors often, be sure he has plenty of cool water and shade in the summer, and a covered, dry, warm area when it’s cold.
keeshond Licensing
There are licensing rules to follow in your area. Be certain to connect the license to your keeshond’s collar. The license, together with an ID tag, can help you recover your keeshond should she get lost.
Facts on keeshond Behavior
Training the keeshond
A well-mannered, companion keeshond is a joy to own. But when untrained, your keeshond will most likely be a big headache. Teaching your keeshond the standards—”Down”, “Heel”, “Off”, “Sit”, “Stay”, “Come”, and “Leave it”—will bolster your relationship both with your pooch as well as your friends. If you have a puppy, begin training him on the right behavior as soon as humanly possible! A snack can be used as incentive and recognition. Pups should start obedience classes when they are sufficiently immunized. Contact your local humane society or SPCA for information on obedience schools. Invariably you should walk your keeshond on a leash in public, even while a puppy. Just be sure your keeshond will come back to you when you say. An aggressive or disobedient keeshond can’t be allowed to play with other people.
Your keeshond’s Health
keeshonds should visit the vet for a thorough diagnosis, innoculations and heartworm examination each year, and promptly when he is ill or hurt.
keeshond Oral Health
Although we might simply dislike our keeshond’s halitosis, it’s important to be aware of what it may be telling us. Bad breath is a sign that your keeshond is in need of an oral screening. Plaque , which is a result of unhealthy bacteria brings a terrible smell that can only be freshened with treatment by a professional. Once you have given your keeshond a professional cleaning, her teeth and gums may be kept up by feeding a special diet focused on dental health, eliminating table food, and regular brushing. The vet can supply you with additional data for eradicating periodontal diseases as well as halitosis. You can use a baking soda and water paste or a dog toothpaste once or twice per week to brush your keeshond’s teeth. Use a child’s soft toothbrush, a gauze pad or a piece of nylon stocking stretched over your finger. Periodontal disease,which is an infection between the gums and teeth, sometimes affects keeshonds. Often, tooth loss happens due to periodontal disease. Infection can also spread to the rest of your keeshond’s body. Veterinarians can sometimes clean the teeth as a regular part of your keeshond’s health physical.
Bad keeshond Breath
While oral disease by itself is not that big of a deal if it is found early enough, the foul odors may indicate more serious, chronic causes for concern. Diseases of the intestines or liver sometimes cause halitosis, whereas a fruity, even pleasant smell can often be indicative of diabetes. Kidney disease is a possibility if your keeshond’s breath smells like urine or ammonia. Set an appointment with a veterinarian whenever your keeshond has halitosis along with other signs of disease like excessive urinating or drinking, depression or lethargy, weight loss, nausea, or decreased appetite.
keeshond Tick and Flea Issues
Throughout the warm seasons, it’s important for you to perform daily checks of your keeshond for fleas and ticks. Use a flea comb to find fleas. There are numerous new procedures of flea and tick reduction. Visit your keeshond’s doctor about his recommendations.
Heartworm problems in keeshonds
Your keeshond is at risk of contracting heartworms if she is exposed to mosquitoes often. The insect transports the worm from dog to dog. Several keeshonds die yearly as a result of heartworms. It is critical that you ensure your keeshond takes a blood test for heartworms every spring. A monthly pill given in mosquito season will help to protect your keeshond. If ever you travel south with your keeshond in winter, she ought to be on the preventive medicine during the trip. In some of the warmer regions, vets recommend preventive heartworm medication year round.
Poisons and Medications
Never, ever give your keeshond medication that has not been prescribed by his vet. Are you aware that just 1 regular-strength ibuprofen capsule causes stomach ulcers in keeshonds? Keep rat poison and other rodenticides away from your keeshond. When you have reason to think your doggie has consumed a toxin, notify your doctor or the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 24 hours per day for help.
keeshonds: Spaying and Neutering
Male keeshonds should be neutered – the removal of the testicles – and females spayed – the removal of the ovaries and uterus – by six months of age. You usually will significantly reduce your female keeshond’s breast cancer risk by spaying prior to maturity. The risk of an infected uterus, which is also a serious affliction that affects more mature females, will be removed by spaying before 6 months. Neutering males eliminates the risk of prostate diseases, certain aggressive behavior and some hernias.
Shots for your keeshond
- The combo vaccine (also called the “5-in-1 shot”) must be given to your keeshond at two, 3, and four months old and again once annually. This innoculation protects your keeshond puppy from hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, and distemper. Your keeshond must be innoculated for at least the first four months of her life.
- If your keeshond has not been vaccinated and is older than 4 months, she will need 2 vaccinations asap, two to three weeks apart. After that you must vaccinate yearly.
- keeshond pup socialization and innoculation should coincide. You may take your keeshond pup to socialization classes as early as 8 to 9 weeks old, as recommended by most doctors. At this point, they should have already received at least their first innoculations.
Laws vary so much around the country, that it’s best to contact your community doctor about rabies innoculation info. For instance, New York City regulations state that pets older than three months must be vaccinated for rabies. After the first innoculation, she must have a second shot the following year, and then every three years after that. There are a variety of immunizations that may or may not be right for your keeshond. Your vet can give you his advice. Please be aware, if your keeshond happens to get sick because he is not vaccinated, the immunization must be given after your companion animal fully recovers.
Tapeworms in keeshonds
keeshonds are commonly exposed to worms—especially in rural areas. Microscopic eggs made by hookworms and roundworms are passed in an infested dog’s stool. Most puppies, even from healthy mothers in good homes, carry intestinal worms. The secret to treatment is early diagnosis. This will maximize the possibility that the medication is effective against the worms your dog has. A dewormer that eliminates hookworms, for example, will not kill tapeworms. Your doctor can best define the culprit—and assign the effective medication.
Miscellaneous keeshond Care Tips
keeshond Supply Checklist
- High-quality dog food and snacks specifically for keeshonds and similarly-sized dogs
- Food bowl
- Water dish
- Toys, toys and more toys, including safe chew toys
- Comb & brush for grooming, including flea comb
- Collar with identification tag and license
- Leash
- Dog carrier (for pups)
- Crate for training
- Dog bed or box with comforter or towel
- Doggie or child’s toothbrush
The no-no list
The following items should never be fed to keeshonds:
- Alcohol, beer, wine or liquor
- Chocolate, coffee, or tea
- Grapes or raisins
- Moldy or spoiled food
- Onions, garlic & chives
- Chicken, turkey, or any other poultry bones
- Salt or salty foods
- Tomato leaves, stems or unripe fruit
- Yeast dough
The scoop on poop
Unless you are at home, or in a fenced-in, secured place, keep your keeshond on a leash at all times. If your keeshond goes #2 on a neighbor’s grass, his sidewalk or any other public space, please dispose of it! Don’t forget to check out these other articles about keeshonds
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