Owning dogs, in particular providing care for the russell terrier, is a specialty of people across the globe. Experts postulate that dogs were first domesticated sometime between twelve thousand and 25,000 years ago—and that all canines evolved from wolves. Since those days, we have selectively bred more than 400 breeds, ranging in size from four-pound teacup poodles all the way up to Irish wolfhounds, who have earned the title of the tallest pooch. But the most preferred canines are the non-pedigree dogs—the one-of-a-kind dogs known as mutts. The russell terrier is another popular pick among canine owners. Many owners are oblivious, however, of some important russell terrier care tips.
General cost of care for your russell terrier
The yearly budget for providing for your russell terrier—which includes everything from meals and treats, veterinary care, toys and license—can range between four hundred twenty and seven hundred eighty dollars. This doesn’t even account for capital expenses for sterilization procedures, collar and leash, carrier and a dog crate. Tip: Make sure you have obtained all of your items before getting your russell terrier home for the 1st time.
Basic russell terrier Care
russell terrier Feeding Outline
- russell terrier puppies between eight and 12 weeks need four bowls of food in a day.
- russell terrier pups 3 to 6 months old should be fed 3 meals in a day.
- Feed pups six months old to 1 year 2 bowls of food in a day.
- By the time your russell terrier hits his or her 1st birthday, 1 meal in a twenty-four hour period is enough.
- Many times russell terriers might eat two smaller meals. It’s your responsibility to learn your russell terrier’s eating habits.
Top-quality dry dogfood ensures balanced nutrition to adult russell terriers and can mix with water, canned food, or broth. Your russell terrier may also like fruits and vegetables, cottage cheese, and cooked eggs, but these should be less than ten percent of his daily allowance. russell terrier pups ought to be given top-quality, brand-name puppy food. Please limit “table food”, though, because it can cause mineral and vitamin imbalances, bone and teeth concerns, and might result in some very finicky food choices and obesity. Give clean, fresh water always, and make sure to wash water and food bowls often.
russell terrier Care Tips: Make sure to get your russell terrier plenty of daily physical activity
russell terriers need daily exercise so they can stay healthy, stimulate their brains, and remain in good health. Daily activity also seems to help russell terriers fight boredom, which has the potential to lead to difficult behavior. Exercise would quell many of your russell terrier’s instinctual urges to chase, retrieve, chew, dig and herd. Individual exercise needs can vary based on your russell terrier’s level of health and his or her age—but merely a walk down the street every day and ten minutes in the backyard probably won’t be sufficient. If your russell terrier is a six to eighteen month adolescent, his requirements will probably be a little greater.
russell terrier Grooming
You can help keep your russell terrier clean and reduce shedding with brushing. Inspect for ticks and fleas daily during warm weather. Sometimes russell terriers don’t need to be bathed more than a few times during the year. Prior to bathing, comb or cut out any and all mats from the russell terrier’s coat. Rinse all soap out of the coat, or the dirt will stick to the soap.
How to Handle Your russell terrier
Pups, as opposed to adults, are clearly the easiest to handle. When carrying the russell terrier pup, take 1 hand and put it under your dog’s chest, either with your forearm or other hand supporting her back legs and rear. Never attempt to grab or lift your pup by his or her forelegs, back of the neck or tail. When you need to lift a larger, full-grown russell terrier, lift from the underside, holding his chest with 1 arm and rear end with the other arm.
How to House your russell terrier
russell terriers need a comfy peaceful location to be able to rest away from all breezes and away from the ground or floor. You may wish to think about buying a dog bed, or make one from a wooden box. Place a clean sheet, comforter, blanket, or pillow in the bed for cushioning. Wash the russell terrier’s bedding frequently. If your russell terrier will be spending a lot of time outdoors, be sure he has access to covering and plenty of cool water in the summer, and a dry, covered, warm shelter when it’s cold.
russell terrier Identification
There are licensing rules to follow in your city. Make certain you affix the license to your russell terrier’s collar. This, along with an ID tag, could help secure your russell terrier’s return if he happens to go missing.
russell terrier Temperament Info
Thoughts on russell terrier Training
A well-mannered, companion russell terrier is truly a pleasure to raise. But untrained, your russell terrier can easily be trouble. Teaching your russell terrier the standards—”Come”, “Down”, “Heel”, “Off”, “Sit”, “Stay”, and “Leave it”—will improve your relationship with both the dog as well as your family. If you’re the owner of a pup, begin teaching her the appropriate behavior ASAP! Doggie treats can be used as incentive and recognition. Pups should enroll in obedience class when they are sufficiently immunized. Contact the community SPCA or humane society for details about training classes. It is best to walk your russell terrier leashed when, even as a puppy. Be certain your doggie will come back to you whenever you tell her to. A disobedient or aggressive russell terrier cannot play with others.
Knowing Your russell terrier’s Health
Your russell terrier should see the veterinarian for a complete check-up, innoculations and heartworm test every year, and immediately when she is sick or injured.
russell terrier Oral Health
Although we may object to our russell terrier’s halitosis, we should pay attention to what it may be telling us. Halitosis usually means that your russell terrier should get a dental examination. Dental plaque caused by unhealthy bacteria causes a foul smell that demands professional treatment. After a professional dental cleaning, the mouth can be maintained in a healthy state by brushing regularly, feeding a special diet focused on dental health, and eliminating table food. Your vet can provide you with additional data on reducing dental ailments and halitosis. You can use a baking soda and water paste or a dog toothpaste once or twice per week to brush your russell terrier’s teeth. Use a child’s soft toothbrush, a gauze pad or a piece of nylon stocking stretched over your finger. Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, often affects russell terriers. Often, loss of teeth takes place because of periodontal infection. Diseases can possibly also propagate to other areas of your russell terrier’s body. The doctor will sometimes clean your russell terrier’s teeth during the typical health assessment.
russell terrier Bad Breath
If your russell terrier has foul breath, periodontal disease may only be the tip of the iceberg as far as his health issues. A fruity, sweet smell can sometimes be indicative of diabetes, while liver or intestinal diseases may cause foul breath. When your russell terrier’s breath smells like urine or ammonia, kidney disease is a possibility. If ever you notice your russell terrier has bad breath and other symptoms of ill health, like diminished appetite, vomiting or nausea, weight loss, bad mood, a lot of drinking or urinating, set up a consultation with his or her doctor.
Dealing with Ticks and Fleas in russell terriers
When it’s warm, it’s important for you to perform daily, regular inspections of your russell terrier for fleas and ticks. Find fleas with a flea comb. There are numerous new methods of flea management. Ask your russell terrier’s doctor about her or his options.
Heartworm problems in russell terriers
This parasite lives in the heart and passes from an infested dog to your russell terrier by mosquitoes. Many russell terriers die yearly due to heartworm infections. It is very critical to make sure your russell terrier has a blood screening for heartworms each year during the spring. A once-a-month tablet given in the warm, wet time of the year can help to protect your russell terrier. Your russell terrier should be on heartworm medication throughout a winter trip to a warmer climate. There are some locations, usually the places with milder climates, where the vets recommend worm medication be consumed continually.
Poisons and Medications
Do not ever give your russell terrier medicine that hasn’t been prescribed by a vet. Just one ibuprofen tablet is known to cause stomach ulcers in russell terriers. Make sure your russell terrier is never exposed to rat poison and other rodenticides. Make sure to call your russell terrier’s veterinarian if you have cause to believe your russell terrier has been exposed to a poison. You may also immediately call the ASPCA Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 for 24 hour help.
russell terrier Reproductive Operations
It is recommended that female russell terriers be spayed—which is the extraction of the uterus and ovaries—and males neutered—removal of the testes—by six months of age. Spaying before maturity greatly reduces the breast cancer risk, which is a usually deadly and common condition for more mature female dogs. Spaying also eradicates the possibility of an infected uterus, a very serious issue in more mature females that necessitates intensive medical care and surgery. Prostate diseases, testicular cancer, certain types of aggressions and some hernias are preventable by neutering males.
russell terrier Innoculating
- Your russell terrier puppy should be immunized with a combo shot (called the “5-in-one”) at 2, 3 and 4 months of age, and then once every year. This immunization immunizes your pup from distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, and parainfluenza. Your russell terrier must be immunized for at least the first 4 months of his life.
- If your russell terrier has not been vaccinated and is older than 4 months, she will need to be given 2 innoculations promptly, 2 to three weeks apart. Then you must innoculate annualy.
- Your russell terrier pup’s socialization should coincide with the immunization program. You may bring your russell terrier puppy to socialization classes by eight or 9 weeks old, according to most vets. At this point, they should have received at least their first vaccinations.
Since regulations vary around the country, call your local veterinarian for instructions for rabies immunization. For example, in New York City, the law states that any pets older than 3 months must be vaccinated for rabies. After the first immunization, you must get a second shot the following year, and then every 3 years after that. There are many immunizations, many of which are right for your russell terrier. There are others that are not, however. Your veterinarian can tell you about them. Also, if your russell terrier gets sick because he is not properly innoculated, do not give the shot until the dog has made a full recovery.
Intestinal Parasites in russell terriers
russell terriers are commonly exposed to worms—in all areas, both urban and rural. Tiny eggs created by intestinal worms are passed in an infested dog’s stool. Even the healthiest of russell terrier puppies carry intestinal worms. An accurate, early detection is the key to effective treatment. This will maximize the possibility that the medication is effective against the parasite your dog has. A dewormer that eliminates hookworms, for example, can’t kill tapeworms. Your doctor can best figure out the culprit—and prescribe the most effective treatment.
russell terrier Care Tips: Additional Info
Checklist of russell terrier Supplies
- High-quality dog food and treats specifically for russell terriers and similarly-sized dogs
- Food dish
- Water dish
- As many safe toys as you can provide, especially chewable
- Brush & comb for grooming, including a flea comb
- Collar with ID tag and license
- Leash
- Dog carrier (for puppies)
- Crate for training
- Dog bed or box with sheet or towel
- Child’s toothbrush
The no-no list
The following items should never be fed to russell terriers:
- Alcohol, beer, wine or liquor
- Chocolate, tea, coffee, or any other caffeinated foods
- Grapes & raisins
- Spoiled or moldy food
- Onions, garlic & chives
- Bones of chicken, turkey, or any other animal (choking hazard)
- Salt and salty foods
- Tomato leaves, unripe fruit and stems
- Dough
The “Bottom” Line
Unless you are at home, or in a secured, fenced-in location, always keep your russell terrier on a leash. If your russell terrier defecates on your neighbor’s yard, on the sidewalk or any other public location, please remove it! Don’t forget to check out these other articles about russell terriers
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