Owning dogs, in particular providing care for the groenendael, is a specialty of people. Some zoologists have proven dogs were originally domesticated sometime between twelve thousand and 25,000 years ago—and that all dogs evolved from the wolf. Since those days, we have selectively bred more than four hundred different breeds, which range in size from 4-pound teacup poodles all the way up to Irish wolfhounds, whose three-foot stature earns them the distinction of the tallest pooch. But the most popular pooches are the non-pedigree dogs—the one-of-a-kind dogs known as mixed-breeds. The groenendael is another popular choice among canine owners. Many owners are uninformed, however, of many of the most critical groenendael care tips.
Health care cost for the groenendael
The annual budget for providing for your groenendael—including everything from meals and snacks, veterinary care, toys and license—could vary between $420 and seven hundred eighty dollars. This does not even include capital costs for sterilization surgery, collar and leash, a dog carrier and a dog crate. Note: Make sure you have obtained all your supplies before you get your groenendael home for the first time.
General groenendael Care
groenendael Feeding Plan
- groenendael puppies between 8 and 12 weeks need 4 bowls of food daily.
- groenendael puppies 3 to 6 months old should be fed 3 meals daily.
- Feed puppies six months to one year two meals every twenty-four hours.
- By the time the groenendael makes his first birthday, one meal in a twenty-four hour period is enough.
- Many times groenendaels, however, eat 2 smaller helpings. It’s your job to adapt to your groenendael’s eating schedule.
Excellent-quality dry food provides balanced nutrition for full-grown groenendaels and can mix with broth, canned food, or water. Your groenendael may also dig fruits and vegetables, cottage cheese, and cooked eggs, but these dishes should be less than 10 percent of her daily food allowance. groenendael pups ought to be fed high-quality, name brand puppy food. Try to cut down on “people food”, though, because it can cause vitamin and mineral imbalances, tooth and bone issues, and may create some extremely picky food choices as well as obesity. Give fresh, potable water exclusively, and be certain to wash water and food dishes frequently.
groenendael Care Tips: Your groenendael needs exercise daily
groenendaels need some daily exercise to burn calories, stimulate their brains, and keep healthy. Daily activity also really helps groenendaels avoid boredom, which often leads to difficult behavior. Getting out and about can appease many of your groenendael’s desires to dig, retrieve, chase, chew and herd. Exercise needs are dependent on your groenendael’s level of health and his age—but ten minutes in the backyard and just a walk around the block every day probably will not be sufficient. If your groenendael is a 6 to eighteen month adolescent, her requirements will be a little higher.
groenendael Grooming Tips
Regular brushing will help reduce shedding and keep your groenendael clean. Inspect for ticks and fleas every day during the summer or other warm weather. Many groenendaels don’t need to be bathed more than a few times a year. Prior to giving her a bath, comb or cut out all mats from the groenendael’s coat. Carefully rinse all soap out of the coat, or the dirt will stick to soap residue.
groenendael Handling
Pups are obviously the easiest to manage. When carrying your groenendael puppy, take 1 of your hands and put it under your dog’s chest, with either your forearm or your other hand supporting his or her back legs and rump. Never try to grab or lift your pup by her forelegs, nape or tail. When you need to lift a larger, adult groenendael, lift from the underside, supporting his or her chest with one arm and rump with the other arm.
Housing your groenendael
groenendaels need a comfortable peaceful location to be able to rest apart from all the breezes and off the floor. You may want to buy a dog bed, or make one out of a wood box. Place a clean comforter or pillow inside the bed for cushioning. Wash your groenendael’s bed covering frequently. If your groenendael will be spending a lot of time outdoors, make sure she has access to covering and plenty of cool water in the summer, and a warm, covered, dry shelter during the winter.
groenendael Licensing
Heed your city’s licensing rules. Be certain to connect the license to your groenendael’s collar. This, along with an ID tattoo or tag, may help secure your groenendael’s return should she go missing.
groenendael Temperament Facts
Training Your groenendael
A well-mannered, companion groenendael is truly a joy to own. However, untrained, your dog could be a lot of trouble. Teaching your groenendael the standards—”Come”, “Down”, “Heel”, “Off”, “Sit”, “Stay”, and “Leave it”—bolsters the relationship both with the pooch and your house guests. If you own a pup, start teaching her the right behavior asap! Use snacks as an incentive and a reward. Puppies can be enrolled in obedience courses when they are adequately immunized. Call the local humane society or SPCA for information about training classes. You should always keep your groenendael leashed while in public, even as a puppy. Just be sure your groenendael will come to you every time you tell him to. A disobedient or aggressive groenendael cannot play with other people.
Knowing Your groenendael’s Health
Your groenendael should see the veterinarian for a thorough diagnosis, immunizations and a heartworm test each year, and ASAP if he is sick or hurt.
The Oral Health of Your groenendael
While many of us may object to our groenendael’s halitosis, we should be aware of what it might be telling us. Foul-smelling breath usually means that your groenendael should have an oral examination. Plaque caused by bacteria creates a terrible odor that necessitates treatment by a professional. Once you have given your groenendael a professional dental cleaning, the teeth and gums may be maintained in a healthy state by feeding a special diet focused on dental health, eliminating table food, and regular brushing. The veterinarian can provide you with other guidance for eliminating periodontal problems and bad breath. You can brush the groenendael’s teeth with a dog paste or a baking-soda-and-water paste a few times per week. Use a child’s soft toothbrush, a gauze pad or a piece of nylon pantyhose stretched over your finger. Periodontal disease,which is an infection between the gums and teeth, sometimes affects groenendaels. Sometimes, teeth loss occurs because of gum infection. Infection can possibly also spread to the rest of your groenendael’s body. The veterinarian will usually brush the groenendael’s teeth while performing her routine health test.
Bad Breath in groenendaels
While the foul odors caused by oral disease may not be very serious if caught early enough, sometimes halitosis may also indicate more serious, chronic issues. A sweet, even pleasant smell can often be a sign of diabetes, while liver or intestinal diseases may cause foul breath. If your groenendael’s breath smells like urine or ammonia, kidney disease might be the cause. Whenever you determine your groenendael has halitosis accompanied by other signs of ill health, such as diminished appetite, vomiting or nausea, weight loss, depression, excessive urinating or drinking, set a checkup with his or her vet.
Fleas and Ticks in groenendaels
Throughout the warm seasons, it’s critical for you to perform daily, regular inspections of your groenendael for ticks and fleas. Find and remove fleas with a flea comb. There are many new procedures of tick mitigation. Talk to your groenendael’s doctor about his recommendations.
Heartworms in groenendaels
Your groenendael is at risk of developing heartworms if he is exposed to lots of mosquitoes. Mosquitoes carry this parasite from dog to dog. Heartworm infestations are known to be deadly. It is critical that you make sure your groenendael takes a blood test for heartworms each spring. It is recommended that you give your groenendael a once-a-month pill throughout the course of mosquito season to help protect him from heartworms. Your groenendael should be on heartworm medication throughout a winter trip to a warmer climate. In some of the warmer climates, veterinarians recommend preventive parasite medication throughout the year.
Poisions and Medicines
If you’re thinking about giving your groenendael medication that was not prescribed for him by his vet, forget it. For example, are you aware that just one ibuprofen pill can possibly cause ulcers in some dogs Keep rat poison and other rodenticides away from your groenendael. Make sure you call your groenendael’s doctor if you think your groenendael has ingested poison. You could also immediately call the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 for twenty-four hr. help.
groenendael Sterilization Procedures
It is recommended that male groenendaels should be neutered – the extraction of the testicles – and females spayed – the removal of the ovaries and uterus – by six months old. Spaying before maturity significantly reduces the risk of breast cancer, which is a common and usually fatal health problem of more mature females. Spaying also eradicates the risk of an infected uterus, a traumatic issue in older females that can only be treated with surgery and intensive medical care. Prostate diseases, testicular cancer, certain types of aggressions and some hernias can be prevented by neutering males.
groenendael Immunizations
- Your groenendael pup should be innoculated with a combo shot (called a “five-in-one”) at 2, 3 and four months old, and then once per year. This innoculation protects your groenendael puppy from distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, and parainfluenza. The groenendael puppy’s immunization regimen cannot be finished prior to four months old.
- If you have an uninnoculized groenendael older than 4 or five months, he will need a set of two innoculations given 2 to 3 weeks apart, followed by a yearly vaccination.
- groenendael pup socialization and immunization should coincide. Many veterinarians advise that new owners take their groenendael puppies to socialization courses, beginning at eight to 9 weeks of age. They should have already received their first innoculations by then.
Laws vary so much around the country, the best thing is to contact your local vet to get rabies vaccination information. As an example, NYC statutes state that pets older than 3 months must be innoculated for rabies. After the initial immunization, she must get another innoculation the next year, and then every 3 years after that. There are many vaccines that might effective for your groenendael. Ask your groenendael’s vet for his recommendation. You should be aware, if your groenendael happens to get ill because he is not properly immunized, the shot can be taken once your pet fully recovers.
Tapeworms in groenendaels
groenendaels are often exposed to worms and possible infestation—especially in rural areas. Microscopic eggs produced by hookworms are passed in an infested dog’s feces. Most puppies, even from healthy mothers in good homes, carry hookworms or roundworms. An accurate, early detection is the key to treatment. Early, accurate diagnosis maximizes the possibility that prescribed treatment will be successful against your groenendael’s worms. A dewormer that eradicates hookworms, for example, can’t kill tapeworms. Your veterinarian can best define the culprit—and prescribe the effective medication.
Miscellaneous groenendael Care Tips
groenendael Supply Checklist
- Excellent-quality dog food and snacks specifically designed for groenendaels and similarly-sized dogs
- Food bowl
- Water bowl
- Toys, toys and more toys, including safe chew toys
- Brush & comb for grooming, including a flea comb
- Collar with license and ID tag
- Quality leash
- Carrier (for puppies)
- Crate for training
- Box or dog bed with blanket or towel
- Child’s toothbrush
Warnings to be Heeded
Never feed your groenendael the following:
- Alcohol, beer, wine or liquor
- Caffeinated foods, like coffee, tea or chocolate
- Grapes or raisins
- Spoiled or moldy food
- Onions, chives or garlic
- Poultry bones
- Salt or salty foods
- Tomato leaves, unripe fruit and stems
- Yeast dough
The scoop on poop
Keep your groenendael on a leash whenever you are outside, unless you are in a secured, fenced-in spot. If your groenendael goes number 2 on your neighbor’s lawn, on the sidewalk or any other public location, please remove it! Don’t forget to check out these other articles about groenendaels
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