Raising dogs, in particular taking care of the finnish spitz, is old hat for humans. Some zoologists believe that dogs were originally domesticated between twelve thousand and 25,000 years ago—and that all canines evolved from wolves. Since those days, human beings have selectively bred more than four hundred breeds, ranging in size from four-pound teacup poodles all the way up to Irish wolfhounds, who have earned the title of tallest canine. But the most popular pooches are non-pedigree dogs—the one-of-a-kind dogs known as mixed-breeds. The finnish spitz is another popular choice among dog owners. Some owners are unaware, however, of some common finnish spitz care tips.
Cost of care for your finnish spitz
The annual cost of taking care of the finnish spitz—to include nutrition, to vet bills, toys and license—can range between $420 and seven hundred eighty dollars. This doesn’t even include capital expenses for sterilization operations, dog collar and a leash, a dog carrier and a crate. Note: Make sure you have procured all of your items before you get your finnish spitz home.
Typical finnish spitz Care
Feeding your finnish spitz
- finnish spitz pups between 8 and 12 weeks need four bowls of food each day.
- Feed finnish spitz puppies three to 6 months old 3 meals every twenty-four hour period.
- Feed pups six months to 1 year old 2 bowls of food daily.
- When your finnish spitz makes his or her first birthday, one bowl daily is typically adequate.
- Many times adult finnish spitzs, however, prefer 2 smaller meals. It is your responsibility to adapt to your finnish spitz’s eating tendencies.
High-quality dry dog food provides a well-rounded diet for full-grown finnish spitzs and may be mixed with canned food, broth, or water. Your finnish spitz may dig cottage cheese, fruits and vegetables, and cooked eggs, but these foods shouldn’t add up to more than 10 pct of his or her daily food allowance. finnish spitz pups ought to be fed premium-quality, brand-name puppy food. You should cut down on “people food”, however, because it can result in mineral and vitamin imbalances, bone and teeth issues, and might create extremely picky food choices and obesity. Give fresh, clean water always, and be certain to clean food and water dishes very regularly.
finnish spitz Care Tips: Make sure your finnish spitz does some daily exercise
finnish spitzs must have physical activity in order to stay fit, recharge their minds, and remain in good health. Daily activity also seems to help finnish spitzs avoid boredom, which often has the potential to lead to to naughty behavior. Physical activity will quell many of your finnish spitz’s instinctual urges to retrieve, dig, chew, chase and herd. Activity needs will vary based on your finnish spitz’s age and his or her level of health—but ten minutes in back of the house and a couple of walks around the block every day probably will not be sufficient. If your finnish spitz is a 6 to 18 month adolescent, her requirements will probably be a little higher.
finnish spitz Grooming Tips
You can help keep your finnish spitz clean and reduce shedding with brushing. Check for fleas and ticks every day during the summer or other warm weather. Most finnish spitzs don’t need to be bathed more than a few times per year. Before bathing, cut out or comb any and all mats from the finnish spitz’s hair. Rinse all soap out of the coat, or the dirt will stick to soap residue.
finnish spitz Handling
Puppies are obviously easier to handle. When carrying your finnish spitz pup, take one hand and place it under the dog’s chest, with either the forearm or other hand supporting his or her hind legs and rump. Never try to grab or lift your pup by her front legs, tail or nape. If you need to lift a bigger, full-grown finnish spitz, lift from underneath, holding his chest with one of your arms and rear end with the other.
How to House your finnish spitz
finnish spitzs need a warm quiet location to sleep apart from all the breezes and off the floor or ground. You might wish to buy a doggie bed, or make one from a wooden box. Place a clean blanket, comforter, sheet, or pillow in the bed as cushioning. Wash the finnish spitz’s bed covering frequently. If your finnish spitz will be outdoors much, make certain he has access to covering and plenty of cool water in the summer, and a dry, covered, warm area in winter.
Licensing and Identification for finnish spitzs
There are licensing regulations to heed in your area. You should connect the license to the finnish spitz’s collar. This, together with an ID tag or tattoo, can help you recover your finnish spitz should he become lost.
finnish spitz Behavior Facts
Training finnish spitzs
A well-behaved, companion finnish spitz is a pleasure to raise. However, when left untrained, your finnish spitz will most likely be trouble. Training your finnish spitz on the standards—”Down”, “Heel”, “Off”, “Sit”, “Stay”, “Come”, and “Leave it”—improves your relationship with both your dog as well as the neighbors. If you have a pup, start training him on manners quickly! Use snacks as recognition and incentive. Puppies can commence obedience class when they have been sufficiently vaccinated. Contact your local humane society or SPCA for details on training class recommendations. It is wise to walk your finnish spitz on a leash while in public, even as a pup. Be sure your doggie will come back to you every time you say. An aggressive or disobedient finnish spitz shouldn’t play with kids.
The Health of Your finnish spitz
finnish spitzs should see the vet for a full diagnosis, shots and heartworm assessment every year, and ASAP when she is injured or ill.
Your finnish spitz’s Dental Health
Although we might object to our finnish spitz’s foul breath, it’s important to be aware of what it may represent. Foul-smelling breath usually means that your finnish spitz needs an oral exam. Dental plaque due to unhealthy bacteria brings a terrible smell that demands treatment by a professional. Once your finnish spitz has had a cleaning done by a professional, his gums and teeth can be kept up by feeding a special diet focused on dental health, eliminating table food, and regular brushing. Your vet can give you additional info on eradicating periodontal disease 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 finnish spitz’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 finnish spitzs. This painful affliction can sometimes cause your finnish spitz’s loss of teeth and also spread disease to her body. The vet can brush your dog’s teeth at a typical physical.
finnish spitzs with Bad Breath
If your finnish spitz has halitosis, gum disease might only be the tip of the iceberg as far as his health issues. A sweet, even pleasant smell can often be indicative of diabetes, while intestinal or liver diseases may cause foul breath. Kidney disease is a possibility if your finnish spitz’s breath smells like ammonia or urine. Set an appointment with a veterinarian whenever your finnish spitz has halitosis along with other signs of disease like excessive urinating or drinking, depression or lethargy, weight loss, nausea, or decreased appetite.
Fleas and Ticks in finnish spitzs
Regular, daily checks of your finnish spitz for fleas and ticks throughout the summer are important. Use a flea comb to find fleas. There are many new procedures of flea and tick elimination. Speak with your vet about these and other options.
Heartworm problems in finnish spitzs
The heartworm is a parasite that lives in the heart and passes from a contaminated dog to your finnish spitz by way of mosquitoes. Heartworm infestations are potentially fatal. Your finnish spitz should have a heartworm screen each and every spring—this is crucial for detecting infections from the past year. A monthly tablet taken in the warm, wet time of the year can help to protect your finnish spitz. If ever you vacation in warmer regions with your finnish spitz in the winter, your dog needs to be on the preventive medicine during the trip. There are some locations, usually the places with milder climates, where the doctors recommend worm medication be consumed continuously.
Medicines and Poisons
Never give your finnish spitz medicine that hasn’t been prescribed by his vet. For example, are you aware that 1 ibuprofen capsule can easily cause ulcers in finnish spitzs? Keep rat poison and other rodenticides away from your finnish spitz. When you have reason to think your doggie has eaten a poisonous substance, notify the doctor or the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 24 hrs. a day for information.
Spaying and Neutering finnish spitzs
It is recommended that female finnish spitzs be spayed—the removal of the uterus and ovaries—and males neutered—removal of the testicles—by 6 months of age. Spaying before maturity significantly reduces the risk of breast cancer, which is a usually deadly and common problem of more mature female dogs. The risk of a sick uterus, which is also a serious condition that impacts more mature females, can be removed by spaying before six months. Prostate diseases, testicular cancer, certain types of aggressions and some hernias are preventable by neutering male finnish spitzs.
finnish spitz Innoculations
- The combo vaccine (also called a “5-in-one shot”) ought to be given to your finnish spitz at 2, 3, and four months old and then once annually. This vaccine immunizes your pup from parainfluenza, parvovirus, leptospirosis, hepatitis, and distemper. Your finnish spitz must be vaccinated for at least the first four months of his life.
- If you have the rare finnish spitz who has not been innoculated and is older than four or five months, he will need a series of two innoculations 2 or 3 weeks apart, followed by a yearly innoculation.
- Your finnish spitz puppy’s immunizations should coincide with his socialization program. You should take your finnish spitz pup to socialization classes by 8 to nine weeks of age, according to many doctors. At this age, they should have already received their first immunizations.
Because laws vary so much between different areas, call a neighborhood doctor for instructions on rabies vaccination. In NYC, for instance, the rule requires all pets older than 3 months of age to be vaccinated for rabies. After the original immunization, she must get a second innoculation the next year, and then every three years. There are a variety of innoculations, many of which are right for your finnish spitz. Others, however, are not. Your vet can give you her advice. Also, if your finnish spitz gets sick because he is not immunized, do not give the vaccination until the dog has made a full recovery.
Tapeworms in finnish spitzs
finnish spitzs are commonly exposed to worms—in all areas, both urban and rural. Eggs that carry hookworms and roundworms are transmitted through a finnish spitz’s feces. Even the healthiest of finnish spitz puppies carry intestinal worms. Getting an accurate, early detection is the secret to treatment. Early, accurate diagnosis maximizes the possibility that prescribed treatment will be successful against your finnish spitz’s worms. A dewormer that eradicates hookworms, for example, will not kill tapeworms. Your veterinarian can best define the culprit—and prescribe the effective medication.
finnish spitz: Miscellaneous Care Tips
Checklist of finnish spitz Supplies
- Excellent-quality dog food and snacks specifically designed for finnish spitzs and similarly-sized dogs
- Food dish
- Water dish
- As many safe toys as you can provide, especially chewable
- Comb & brush for grooming, including flea comb
- Collar with license and identification tag
- Quality leash
- Dog carrier (for puppies)
- Crate for training
- Box or dog bed with quilt or towel
- Doggie toothbrush
The no-no list
The following items should never be fed to finnish spitzs:
- Alcohol, beer, wine or liquor
- Chocoloate or any food with caffeine
- Raisins & grapes
- Moldy or spoiled food
- Onions, garlic and chives
- Bones of chicken, turkey, or any other animal (choking hazard)
- Salt and salty foods
- Tomato leaves, unripe fruit or stems
- Dough
The “Bottom” Line
Unless you are at home, or in a secured, fenced-in location, always keep your finnish spitz on a leash. If your finnish spitz goes #2 on your neighbor’s yard, her sidewalk or any other public place, please take care of it! Don’t forget to check out these other articles about finnish spitzs
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