What can I do now?

I just got a new pup that I'd like to take to a local fun show coming up in September. I'm kinda new to the show world. I've been to shows, but never entered a dog myself. The pup I just got is only 9 weeks. I'm sure his litter mates will be at the show as well. What can I do to start getting him ready? Of course, I have been socializing him a lot. Also, I take him for walks up one of the mountains here, take him for swims, and he gets a lot of exercise playing with my other dog. He's very smart, he's already sitting, shaking, and high five (both paws) in the two weeks that I've had him. So, I'm expecting him to be a pretty sharp little man. What more can I do to get him ready for this show?


Here are some pictures of Champ.

 

Nothing, you dont want to put too much stress on a pup. Pup shows are generally just to get out and have a good time I believe, they dont expect conditioned 5 month old pups.

 

At this age you dont need to do any conditioning. They will be looking for healthy dogs that do well on a lead and look correct.

 

What they look for at that age is how the handler handles. And the structure on the pup but they like to see a pup that is healthy. Dont worry about working the dog hard you will have plenty of chances to do that when it grows up. Pup class is just to have fun with.

 

Thank you all for the advice. I was worried that I wasn't doing enough with him. I have one more question. Is it normal for him to scratch at his collar A LOT? At first I got him a nylon collar. It seemed to really irritate his neck, so I got him a leather collar. He seems to do better with it, but he still scratches at it a bit. He seems to be loosing hair around his neck area too. I don't remember my female scratching at her collar so much, but then again that's been five years. LOL I asked my vet about it and she said not to worry that most puppies scratch until they get used to the collar. She said she would not be concearned unless it spread to other areas, which it has not yet. I am probably over obsessing about this like I do everything else. LOL. But, I just want to make sure my baby is okay.

 

Okay, now I am very concearned about his skin. I first noticed the scratching of the collar like I mentioned above. Well, I decided to take his collar off for a few days, only putting it on him when we go somewhere that he needs to be on a leash. Then I notice he has these small bumps inside of his ear. The next day I notice bumps on his legs and stomach area. They kinda remind me of poison oak. Can dogs get poison oak? He doesn't really scratch at the bumps a lot. I have checked him for fleas and I haven't seen one on him yet. I bought a flea collar as well, which by the way he scratches at a lot less than the nylon and leather collar. Any of you have any thoughts on what this may be? I'll try to take some pictures and post them.

 

I'm not sure if they can get poison oak, but I'd be wary of a flea collar. Almost everydog I've ever had loses all their hair around the collar and it irritates their skin. Don't know if every dog has that problem, but that has been my experiance with them.

 

oh, thank you for the advice. I just bought the flea collar yesterday. So, if it is only going to irritate the problem, I will take it off.

 

My dog used to scratch a lot around his collar....when I took it off it had a lot of bumps...I asked my vet and he said that his collar was tight...I mentioned I could put my 2 fingers all the way through....he told me it was the pulling when he walked...thats what I thought you ment till you said they were pretty much everywhere...I agree with what they said about the flea collar...

And at the fun show...just like it says, Have Fun...Win or loose, you have a beautiful pup!

 

i had the same problem. red bumps and red irritated skin on the belly and all non hairy parts. then at 4 to 5 months it all magically went away. seems like part of the puppy's hormonal changes or growth spurts. don't worry too much.

 

If you brought a 5 month old pup in conditioned to my ring I'd probably have a few words for you after the class...I tend NOT to be shy about folks conditioning pups that young. Judges look at the conformation of a pup but we also look at the overall health and attitude too. Bathe 'em up and socialize 'em and have fun. It is a fun show...so you are basically just warming up for the real thing. And it's usually a club member that judges a fun show or someone who is interested in becoming a judge.

 

I understand. Like I said, I've never shown a dog. I was just wondering if there is anything I should be doing. I got some good feedback. Thanks.


david, thanks for your post....makes me feel a little better.

 

do yourself and the pup a favor. go to the grocery store and get a small bottle of Apple Cider Vinager. put it a a spray bottle and spray him down, in the irritated areas 2-3 times a day. this will most likely take care of the little guy's irritations. he's gonna smell like a pasta salad but i'd rather deal with that than an unhappy little pup. this should work for ya, and rather quickly too. if you do this, let me know how it turns out.....oh....and avoid the flea collar.

 

Thank you, Iverson. I will try that. I'll start it today. I will let you know how it turns out. The flea collar is off. Any of yall ever dusted your yard with that 7 Dust stuff? I heard that it really helps control fleas in the yard. Just want to get yall's opinion before I actually try it.

 

For me personally, I refrain from using ANY chemicals like that in my yard. Yes, the mosquitos are quite vicious this year and I'd love to just spray the yard down and erradicate them, but, I'm worried about my dogs ingesting harmful chemicals when they eat grass, fetch sticks, and play with toys that have been on the ground, etc. So, I got a mosquito magnet for that problem, and I put that stuff from the vet on them for the fleas (frontline or advantix or something, don't remember which). There's also those pills that do the same thing as the drops, never used it but I heard it works just as well. I think Sevin is highly toxic, and I wouldn't use it.....

 

See that's the way I thought too. I was talking to a co worker (who has labs) oneday. He was telling me that he dusted his yard with the 7 dust and even put it on his dogs. He said it helped a lot. Well, while I was at Wal Mart one day, I decided to just take a look at the stuff. Sure enough on the bag it says you can put it on your pets. I didn't buy any because I wanted to do some more research on it. I was and still am afraid that it will hurt my dogs and I don't want that to happen.

Edit: My parents use frontline on their dogs. So, I know it works really well. I've never really had a problem with bugs until I moved in to the house I am in now. I was just looking for a way to help eliminate the bugs without hurting my dogs.

 

Wow, I didn't know it says you can put it on your pets! Hmmm, perhaps it's no more toxic than the drops or pills, but I would be cautious and talk to my vet about it before I used it in that manner. Maybe contact the company that makes it and see if there's any guarantees that it won't cause harm.....

 

Be VERY cautious with your use of 7Dust. We have seen at least 50 dogs in our clinic over the past 2 years who have suffered toxic effects (most ended up dying) from it. Overuse & putting out/on too much was the main cause while some just had reactions to it.

On a side note, I would never use the crap.

 

I took Champ to the vet yesterday. He said that it was an allergic reaction to something. He said it was more than likely something he had layed on since it was the worst on his stomach. He gave him a shot, some pills, and a cream to put on it. He wants to see him again tomorrow to make sure he's doing better. He also said to put olive oil on his food because his skin was dry. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping he gets better soon.

 

recently i saw a few natural products with essential oils in them try the recipes first .. i have dobie that almost died from the ex putting chemicals in the yard alot of money and alot of time and care later and she made it , nice you done the research,, and asked the question.. look for the threads with the flea control in it and maybe that will help you ... as for many bugs on my property i have a small pond , i light it at night and bugs go there to get water and multiply ofcourse i got skeeter eaters there and locally the bugs have gone down 33% in the areas with ponds and fish.. and i also invite other benificial insects by keeping my yard in natural balance.. soon as the problem comes the problem preditor shows up.. ants in spring.. woodpeckers follow.. pests in garden lady bugs and preying mathis follow ...you get it ,, skeeter eaters are fish given free every year to people with ponds so they can help keep down the pest populi.....much luck you have a pretty baby there.. i would think if one thing i would train to be good when alot of dogs are around him.. so he will pay attention to you when in the ring.. at 5 mo its a nice , very nice characteristic