I got a puppy that is a Pit bull mix about a month ago. The dad was full Pit, the mom was about 1/2 Pit and the rest mutt. She is a hyper little dog and is about 3 1/2-4 months old. She is fairly well behaved and doesn't really chew on furniture too much, but terrorizes the cats.
Your puppy needs as much exercise and walks as you can give it. Shut outside for 6 hours a day does not constitute exercise! Total boredom yes, but not exercise. U say he terrorizes the cats. With GENTLE correction (not hitting) cats and dogs can live in harmony.
It sounds like she could use a little more exercise. She's going to be a big girl and has alot of energy to expend. Our dog is a year and also a terrier mix, and he runs 6-8 miles 5 times a week -- and he's full grown at 30 lbs. Your girl is probably going to be at least 50 lbs when she's matured.
I'm thinking your dog may need more socialization, more people contact. Six hours alone is a long time, especially for a puppy. Do you have a neighbor or a friend who can come over and spend some time with her for even a short time, while you are at work? Throw a ball, play with her, etc.?
I agree pits are the best dogs in the world. I would exercise it for at least an hour a day. If you don't have the time you could get a dog walker.
I agree dogs [big dogs mainly] should get at least an hour. I had a cockerpoo that was mean to the cat. We did some training. Make sure you keep a leash on it, and when it misbehaves take the leash and pull up, so that don't choke it though!
Keep holding the leash up until the dog sits then say good boy/girl and then get closer to the cat Example : keep dog on leash and then sit down about 10 - 15 feet away from the cat make it sit and down and you sit on a chair while you sit reading a book/watching tv ect.
Since you don't know how much exercise the puppy is really getting in the yard..(it could be lying around all day) Is it getting destructive, or barking excessivly which are signs of it being bored...on the days you aren't walking are you playing with it for exercise? chasing a ball (it chasing not you).. even basic obedience training is exercise....
Have you considered another dog for him to play with? You can probably find one in a rescue that needs a good home. That is a long time for him to be out alone.
NO your dog isn't getting enough exercise. Sitting them alone in a yard is NOT exercising them or properly socializing them.
In all honesty; it probably just annoys your neighbors by disturbing their peace and quiet. You may tune out your dog but they WON'T. Most dogs don't "just run away". Neighbors don't want the stress of complaining to a negligent pet owner. Leaving your bored, unexercised dog out for hours at a time exposes them to poisoning and theft or worse.
To keep a dog healthy, happy and socialized, you need to run with them. You need to get out and throw a frisbee or ball around with them or they aren't having a very good quality of life.
Dogs need at LEAST 45 mins+ of brisk walking/running every day. This should be in the morning so the dog looks forward to a nap when you leave for work. They'll need the same at night after their main meal too. If this is too much exercise for you; try using roller blades or a bicycle and letting the dog run.
The long walks you need to be doing will also help with socialization as long as you are the leader and ensure that your dog follows your instructions. Another dog can be a good idea but you really should have your dog's undesired behaviors under control first or you could end up with two cat haters and some real behavior problems on your hands.
If you haven't already; try some Kong toys and hide good treats inside for the dog. It's one of the few things that will occupy some dogs when they are left alone.
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I am no expert, but I have 2 dogs and they too will sometimes have diarrhea if they get more exercise than usual.
I wouls talk to your Vet to see if this could have been a reaction to any vaccinations your pet was given. Also, even though a dog has had the parvo shots, they can still get the disease. Just as with anything else, sometimes the pavo vaccine can be defective. This is what my Vet told me.
Exercise does not cause diarrhea.
Your dog can get diarrhea from eating something that does not agree with him such as even a tiny piece of plant or grass. Some dogs have higher tolerances for seemingly routine things than others.
Vaccines are not 100% effective and they do take some time to become effective after your dog is innoculated. they work by stimulating your dog's immune system to produce antibodies against whatever the vaccine is for so it takes a little time for your dog's system to produce the antibodies.
You also have your dog dressed like a fashion accessory so her being "out and about" with you probably doesn't amount to much exercise for her as she is probably carried more often than not. She needs exercise, discipline and lastly affection just like any other dog or she will have serious behavior problems.
Dog owners need to be very careful where they allow their dogs to sniff and explore unsupervised as there are many irresponsible pet owners who do not vaccinate their dogs and some are horrific slobs who do not even pick up after their dog.
If you walk your dog where an irresponsible slob owner has been it can be fairly easy for your dog to pick up a virus or parasite.
Stress can easily give a dog diarrhea so you need to make sure your dog gets proper training, LOTS of exercise and good socialization so she doesn't stress out on certain trips.
It is not so much the exercise as it is a combination of heat and dehydration. If your puppy is not used to the heat (and it is still very hot in Los Angeles); the heat can upset their digestive tract and cause diarrhea. Also, if your puppy became dehydrated and then gulped down water, sometimes the water does not have time to be absorbed and the excess water causes diarrhea.
If the diarrhea only lasts a short time, that is probably all it is. If it lasts longer, give the puppy a little bit of cottage cheese and then keep it on a bland PLAIN chicken and rice diet for a day or two before you reintroduce regular dog food.
If the diarrhea lasts more than 24 hrs, there is something else wrong and it definately needs a veterinarian.
My Great Dane got diarrhea ONCE and THAT was more than enough.
Exercise is good for dogs, but remember, she has very small legs. You shouldn't make her walk too far and you need to make sure the pavement isn't too hot.
She might have eaten something that doesn't agree with her or she might have parasites (worms). Take a stool sample to the vet. In any case, the vet should be the first place you ask.
If she has had her Parvo shot, you shouldn't have to worry about that at all. She's precious.
I agree. Getting the shots could have upset her. Heat and dehydration too. Excersise right after getting her shots, probably not a good idea.
Is she a teacup chihuahua? Very very cute! I have one that looks just like her. She will be 4yrs old in Dec and weighs only 5 lbs.
I take my dog to the dog park every day and I have noticed that indeed, excess exercise does cause some diarrhea in some dogs. I wouldn't be worried about it unless the dog did NOT have the inoculations!!
Has someone been feeding her table leftovers and too many doggie treats? This might cause the problem, too.
there was a recent voluntary recall of some
pet foods. also ask you vet how much
solid pumpkin to give your doggie to help
his diarrhea.
You two are cuties.
good luck do not be afraid to call your vet
and ask questions my vet always helps me out.
We have a Pomeranian who was a tiny 2 lb. when we brought her home. I took her directly to the vet who told me that since she is a rescue, it is probably that she will have boughts for maybe a year. We were instructed to give her a little canned pumpkin when she started each episode. This has worked well. She hit it right on the head. Gizzy is four years old now and that pesky recurring diarrhea disappeared right on Que at about a year old. She now weights in at a pudgy 6 lbs.
I disagree. I have a young german short haired pointer. On a 20 minute walk she is fine. After an hour of exercise she always has loose stools
I have a Pit Bull, female about 8 months old. I'm sorry to say this, a friend of mine bought her at a pet store and as soon as she turned 3 months it was obvious that there were serious problems with the poor little one. My friend couldn't afford to keep her so I've adopted her.
She has serious allergies, so far we have identified allergies to all meats, chicken, cow, lamb, all of them. We now have her on a special seafood. She is also allergic to any milk products and wheat. Her allergies are so severe that we once had to take her to the vet because she broke out in huge hives and had trouble breathing. She is small for a Pit Bull, but the vet guaranteed that it is just the way she is.
So my questions are, can I give her vegetables as treats and which ones? Are there any that could be dangerous? Also she is a bit of a lazy dog. I take her for walks everyday and sometimes she will happily go, others not, how many times should I walk and how long? Should I force her to walk when she makes it hard? (By hard I mean she lies down and only with a treat will go.) The last question is she has dreams and will whimper and bark in her sleep, until I pick her up to my bed in which she sleeps with no problems. Do dogs really have bad dreams? Thank you all.
By Irene
To me it seems that she probably isn't allergic to meat, but more what may be used to process it. Although I understand the fear of trying to experiment more. I am just wondering if it's the canned varieties or if it was the real thing you tried that is all. I give my dog carrots and apples as treats, without the seeds from the apples.
My dog also likes radishes. I hear sweet potato is good too. As for the walking, I first had to drag my dog, eventually he started walking. I think it's because they have a leash on and don't like being controlled. If you have the ability to test this out do so otherwise, don't take the risk of walking unleashed.
Bet this started at the first vaccine. Her auto immune system is a mess. Vaccines contain mercury, formaldehyde, aluminum, anti freeze and other immune busting poisons. Some thuja will help but this baby needs other homeopathics as well. A homeopath can help. Sooner the better.
Her diet should have no corn wheat or soy. No dog should have any of those allergens. No grocery store aisle foods. Today they even contain euthanized animals from the pounds (along with the euthanol that does not cook out). Some raw is very necessary in her diet. Fruits and veggies. Nn, no, NO grapes or raisins. Sweet potato is good. Oatmeal. I often cook washed lentils with organic brown rice (Costco) ground turkey a little coconut oil, flax oil, fish oil.
Nzymes would help tremendously. Nzymes.com. Google Nzymes as their recommendations are absolutely true. No i don't sell them. It won't happen overnight but skin, digestion and overall health will improve with their product. So we have; no vaccines, clean food, Nzymes and a homeopath. Your dogs doctor can give you a waiver on the rabies vaccine as it probably made your dog sick in the first place. Ever see how parvo vaccine often gives a dog parvo?
I have taken in messed up dogs and other animals all of my life. Many years study on vaccine dangers after my 3 month old step grandson died a few days after a vaccine. I, myself got MS within a week after a vaccine. Lots of study. I urge all to observe what happens around them, including their pets. Notice ADD ADHD in the newly vaccinated children? Juvie arthritis? Lupus? Cancers? Severe disassociation, detachment?
I'll address the dream question section as there are two great answers on the other parts of your post. I think dogs (and cats) dream.
I took a puppy for a vet check after hearing him whimper and bark in his sleep, thinking he might have injured himself and in the relaxed state of sleep, was saying 'ouchie!' in dog-speak.
The vet checked him over completely, gave him a clean bill of health and gave me some advice: if a pet whimpers, moves paws, barks, purrs, growls, whatever, during sleep, wake him or her gently then try to get them moving around. Watch how they move to see if they are limping or whimpering, etc.
If they seem fine, the vet said they were most likely dreaming about the 'one that got away' or a memory of something that happened long ago.
LOL, I figure if a vet thinks pets dream, I can think so too:)
Do remember though, that pain is expressed differently by everyone, animals included (cats sometimes purr when they are in pain, for example), and our furbabies are awfully good at hiding pain as well. They express pain in so many ways, you'll just have to learn your baby's way of doing so over the many happy years you'll have together.
Maybe he is having some kind of pain when you try to walk him and he doesn't want to go. I, too, would try a homeopathic vet who might be able to suggest some organic recipes that you could use for him.
My Mom has a Westie with food allergies. She gives her dog whole, large carrots, which Meghan chews on as a bone, and frozen peas. Gluten seems to be what sets off her allergies. There are some pet foods without gluten in them. Read the labels carefully. Anything made with grains usually has gluten, as this is where gluten come from.
Carrots are great. Have you ever watched The Dog Whisperer? He is on all across the US and I would check your tv guide to see when in your area. You will learn a lot from this show. Patience, calmness and love. Good luck.
My allergic dog did very well on brown rice and canned salmon. He lived to be 17 years old. He was most allergic to brocolli. We just had to play it by ear. He was very healthy other than the allergies. Dont give up. You will work it out.
I know this answer is a little late, but I understand that canned pumpkin is also good for dogs & that most dogs love it. Be sure not to give this, or any dog, onions, garlic or anything related to them. Good luck with your pup!
I am in the military and go on road marches a lot. I have a 3 month old Boxer. Would taking him on a 6 mile walk in 1 and 1/2 hours be too much? What about when he gets older?
Adam from GA
Could you give it trial when you're not committed to finishing the whole thing? Like around and around the block for 6 miles and seeing how he does. Then if he begins to tire out you're not so far from home. I suspect it'll be a bit much for a pup but he should be able to build up to it.
I live in Arkansas, where it's hot and humid too. I used to take my dog with me when I went for bike rides. She loved to run beside me and always stayed close. She got heatstroke one day in the summer, went under a tree and could not get up. I raced home to get her with our truck and immediately placed her in a tub of cool water. She lived, but the turnout could have been much worse. Soon we will be in the summer heat. Please be careful.
Boxers have heaps of energy and need exercise. If you walk 6 miles he will probably run 12 voluntarily. He will also be better company - more settled - at home if he has plenty of exercise.
However, you should be careful not to overdo things while his bones are still growing. Exercise on grass if you can avoid pavements. When dogs move at a swinging trot their bones and joints receive less impact than when they canter. Watch his behaviour while you walk. If he shows signs of slowing down it's time to stop. You sound like you must be fit and strong so why not just carry him when he needs a rest?
If you are both on foot you can use your comfort as a guide to his. If you need to re-hydrate so does he. Once he is mature he will easily out-perform you. If you give yourself an advantage by cycling you will have to watch him carefully.
Hello. We have a boxer, who will be 5 in June. We've had him since he was 8 weeks, purchased from a wonderful and reputable breeder. My first boxer, hubby had them as a child. Boxer's have a lot of energy. I would, as previously suggested, go for short walks, first, to acclimate the pup. Check the pads on his/her feet, to make sure they aren't red...puppies can have tender pads. After our pup was about 1, we took him on 10 mile hikes....through shade, however. We live in the ATL, GA area, so you will definitely need to watch for the heat. We walk our dog for 1 to 1 1/2 hours currently, but he can't do that if the temps are above 80 or the humidity is high. The smushed muzzles of dogs such as boxer, bulldogs, pugs make it harder for them to cool off. The pup can do it, just go slowly and good luck!
The exercise if exactly what your dog needs.
You should bring water for yourself and the dog particularly in hot weather.
Also, you warm up and so should the dog. Start out a little slower for a few minutes to allow the dog to warm up since they don't start out stretching as you do.
Since he is so young a tender pup, start with small walks before going to hikes and you can see what he can do
and do not let him over do it. You might be ready to carry him if he poops out. Enjoy your healthy marches and having
a good bud with you.
