Raising dogs, in particular taking care of the german rough-haired pointer, is a specialty of humans across the globe. Zoologists postulate dogs were domesticated sometime between 12,000 and 25,000 years ago—and that dogs evolved from wolves. Since those days, we have selectively bred more than 400 different breeds, which vary in size from four-pound teacup poodles to Irish wolfhounds, who have earned the title of tallest dog. But the most widespread dogs are the non-pedigree dogs—the one-of-a-kind dogs known as mutts. The german rough-haired pointer is also a favorite choice with dog owners. Some owners are misinformed, however, of many common german rough-haired pointer care tips.
Health care cost of the german rough-haired pointer
The annual cost of raising the german rough-haired pointer—to include meals and treats, veterinary care, toys and license—could vary between four hundred twenty and $780. This doesn’t even consider capital costs for sterilization surgery, dog collar and leash, dog carrier and a crate. Note: Be positive you have all of your items before bringing your german rough-haired pointer home for the first time.
Typical german rough-haired pointer Care
Feeding your german rough-haired pointer
- german rough-haired pointer pups between eight and 12 weeks need 4 bowls of food in a day.
- german rough-haired pointer pups 3 to 6 months old should be fed three meals every day.
- Feed puppies six months old to one year old two times in a day.
- By the time your german rough-haired pointer makes her first birthday, 1 meal in a 24 hour period is typically enough.
- Some german rough-haired pointers might prefer 2 smaller helpings. It is your duty to learn your german rough-haired pointer’s eating tendencies.
Top-quality dry food provides balanced nutrition to grown german rough-haired pointers and can mix with water, canned food, or broth. Your german rough-haired pointer may like cottage cheese, fruits and vegetables, and cooked eggs, but these should not add up to more than 10 percent of his or her daily nutrition. german rough-haired pointer puppies should be fed a high-quality, name brand puppy food. You should limit “table food”, though, since it can cause mineral and vitamin imbalances, bone and teeth concerns, and may cause very picky eating habits as well as obesity. Give clean, fresh water at all times, and make sure to clean water and food dishes regularly.
german rough-haired pointer Care Tips: Your german rough-haired pointer needs exercise daily
german rough-haired pointers need physical activity so they can stay healthy, stimulate their minds, and maintain their health. Daily activity also really helps german rough-haired pointers fight boredom, which would often lead to naughty behavior. Some outside playtime will appease many of your german rough-haired pointer’s instinctual urges to retrieve, dig, chew, chase and herd. Exercise needs can depend on your german rough-haired pointer’s age and her level of health—but merely a couple of walks around the block every day and 10 minutes in back of the house probably is not enough. If your german rough-haired pointer is a six to eighteen month adolescent, his requirements will probably be greater.
german rough-haired pointer Grooming Tips
You can help reduce shedding and keep your german rough-haired pointer clean with brushing. Inspect for ticks and fleas every day during warm weather. Sometimes german rough-haired pointers don’t need to be bathed more than a few times during the year. Before a bath, cut out or comb any and all mats from the german rough-haired pointer’s coat. Carefully rinse all soap from the coat, or dirt will stick to soap residue.
Handling Your german rough-haired pointer
Pups, as opposed to adults, are obviously the easiest to handle. To carry your german rough-haired pointer puppy, take one hand and put it under your dog’s chest, with either the forearm or your other hand supporting his hind legs and rump. Never attempt to grab or lift your pup by the front legs, tail or back of the neck. When you have to lift a larger, full-grown german rough-haired pointer, pick it up from the underside, holding his or her chest with one of your arms and rear end with your other.
Housing the german rough-haired pointer
german rough-haired pointers need a warm peaceful spot to relax away from all breezes and away from the floor or ground. You may want to think about purchasing a doggie bed, or make one out of a wood box. Put a clean comforter, sheet, or pillow inside the bed for cushioning. Wash your german rough-haired pointer’s bedding often. If the german rough-haired pointer will be outdoors often, be certain he has shade and plenty of cool water in the summer, and a covered, warm, dry shelter in winter.
Licensing and Identification for german rough-haired pointers
Follow the community’s licensing rules. Make sure to attach the license to your german rough-haired pointer’s collar. This, together with an identification tattoo, could help you recover your german rough-haired pointer should she get lost.
Facts on german rough-haired pointer Behavior
Thoughts on Training Your german rough-haired pointer
A well-mannered, companion german rough-haired pointer can be a blessing to have. However, when untrained, your dog can easily be a lot of trouble. Training your german rough-haired pointer on the fundamentals—”Come”, “Down”, “Heel”, “Off”, “Sit”, “Stay”, and “Leave it”—will bolster your relationship with both your german rough-haired pointer and the house guests. If you own a puppy, start training him on manners immediately! Use doggie snacks as a lure and recognition. Pups can enroll in obedience class when they have been adequately immunized. Contact the local humane society or SPCA for training courses. It is best to keep your german rough-haired pointer on a leash while in public, even as a pup. Just be sure your german rough-haired pointer will come to you every time you call her. A disobedient or aggressive german rough-haired pointer cannot play with other people.
german rough-haired pointer Health
german rough-haired pointers should visit the vet for a complete examination, innoculations and heartworm assessment annualy, and promptly if she is sick or injured.
The Dental Health of Your german rough-haired pointer
While many of us may object to our german rough-haired pointer’s halitosis, we should pay attention to what it might be telling us. Foul breath usually means that your german rough-haired pointer requires a dental screening. Dental plaque , which is brought on by unhealthy bacteria brings a bad smell that can only be cured with professional treatment. Once you have given your german rough-haired pointer a professional oral cleaning, her gums and teeth may be kept up by brushing the teeth regularly, feeding a specially formulated dental diet and treats, and avoiding table scraps. Your vet can supply you with additional information on mitigating oral problems and stinky breath. You can use a baking soda and water paste or a dog toothpaste once or twice per week to brush your german rough-haired pointer’s teeth. Use a child’s soft toothbrush, a gauze pad or a piece of nylon stocking stretched over your finger. Sometimes, german rough-haired pointers end up with periodontal disease, another name for an infection between the gum and tooth. Often, tooth loss happens because of periodontal disease. Infection can possibly also spread to the rest of your german rough-haired pointer’s body. The doctor will usually brush the german rough-haired pointer’s teeth while performing her typical health examination.
Halitosis in german rough-haired pointers
Although periodontal disease in isolation is not life-threatening when it is detected early, bad breath may be indicative of fairly serious, persistent issues. A sweet, even pleasant smell can frequently be a sign of diabetes, while intestinal or liver diseases may cause foul breath. If your german rough-haired pointer’s breath smells of ammonia or urine, kidney disease is a possibility. Any time you notice your german rough-haired pointer has halitosis and other indications of ill health, such as loss of appetite, vomiting and nausea, loss of weight, bad mood, too much urination or drinking, set a physical with the doctor.
german rough-haired pointer Flea and Tick Issues
Throughout the summer, it’s important for you to perform regular, daily inspections of your german rough-haired pointer for ticks and fleas. You can remove fleas using a flea comb. There are several new techniques of flea and tick reduction. Visit your vet about his recommendations.
Heartworm problems in german rough-haired pointers
The heartworm is a parasite that resides in the heart and passes from a contaminated dog to your german rough-haired pointer by mosquitoes. Heartworm infestations are known to be fatal. Your german rough-haired pointer should have a blood test for heartworms each spring—this is necessary for catching infestations from the prior year. A once-a-month pill taken in mosquito season will protect your german rough-haired pointer. Whenever you vacation south with your german rough-haired pointer in the winter, he should be on the preventive medicine during the trip. There are some regions, usually the regions with hotter temperatures, where the veterinarians recommend parasite pills be used continually.
Toxins and Medications
If you’re pondering giving your german rough-haired pointer pills that was not prescribed for her by his doctor, don’t even think about it. For example, did you know that just 1 ibuprofen tablet will sometimes cause ulcers in german rough-haired pointers? Keep rat poison and other rodenticides away from your german rough-haired pointer. If you have reason to suspect your doggie has eaten a toxin, contact the vet or the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 twenty-four hrs. per day for help.
Spaying and Neutering german rough-haired pointers
It is recommended that male german rough-haired pointers should be neutered – the removal of the testes – and females spayed – the extraction of the uterus and ovaries – by 6 months old. Spaying before maturity greatly diminishes the risk of breast cancer, a common and often deadly illness for older females. Spaying also eliminates the risk of a sick uterus, a very serious problem in more mature females that requires surgery. Neutering male german rough-haired pointers helps prevent prostate diseases, some hernias and certain aggressive behavior.
german rough-haired pointer Shots
- german rough-haired pointer puppies should be vaccinated with a combo innoculation (called the “5-in-1”) at 2, 3 and four months old, and again once each year. This immunization immunizes your puppy from parainfluenza, parvovirus, leptospirosis, hepatitis, and distemper. The german rough-haired pointer must be vaccinated for at least the first 4 months of his life.
- If you have an uninnoculated german rough-haired pointer older than four or five months, he must have a series of 2 innoculations given 2 to three weeks apart, followed by a yearly innoculation.
- Your german rough-haired pointer puppy’s vaccinations should coincide with her socialization program. Most veterinarians recommend that new owners bring their german rough-haired pointer puppies to socialization courses, beginning at eight to 9 weeks old. They should have already received their first immunizations by this point.
Statutes vary so much around the country, the best thing is to call your local doctor about rabies innoculation details. In New York City, for instance, the rule requires all pets older than three months must be vaccinated for rabies. After the original shot, you must get a second innoculation the next year, and then every three years. There are many innoculations that may effective for your german rough-haired pointer. Your veterinarian can tell youmore about them. Please be aware, if your german rough-haired pointer gets sick because he is not properly immunized, the innoculation must be taken once your dog recovers.
Worms in german rough-haired pointers
german rough-haired pointers are commonly exposed to worms—especially in rural areas. Eggs that carry roundworms and hookworms are transmitted through a german rough-haired pointer’s stool. Even the healthiest of german rough-haired pointer puppies carry roundworms or hookworms. The secret to treatment is early detection. This will make sure that the medicine is successful against the worms your german rough-haired pointer has. A dewormer that eradicates roundworms, for example, won’t kill tapeworms. Your german rough-haired pointer’s doctor can best define the culprit—and decide the effective treatment.
Additional german rough-haired pointer Care Tips
Checklist of german rough-haired pointer Supplies
- High-quality dog food and snacks designed for german rough-haired pointers and similarly-sized dogs
- Food bowl
- Water dish
- Toys, toys and more toys, including safe chew toys
- Comb and brush for grooming, including a flea comb
- Collar with license and ID tag
- Leash
- Carrier (for puppies)
- Crate for training
- Dog box or bed with warm sheet or towel
- Doggie or child’s toothbrush
Warnings to be Heeded
Never feed your german rough-haired pointer the following:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Chocolate, coffee, or tea
- Raisins and grapes
- Spoiled or moldy food
- Onions, garlic & chives
- Chicken, turkey, or any other poultry bones
- Salt & salty foods
- Tomato leaves, unripe fruit and stems
- Dough
Final Thoughts
Retain your german rough-haired pointer on a leash whenever you are outside, unless you are in a fenced-in, secured place. And please, when your german rough-haired pointer defecates on your neighbor’s yard, remove and dispose of it! Don’t forget to check out these other articles about german rough-haired pointers
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