AboutKaza Expertise Questions on Breeding showing, training grooming, whelping, Veterinary holistic medicine on Bichons Frise, Havanese, Bolognese, Lowchen, Coton Du Tulear, Maltese we deal with these breds specifically on a global basis.
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Question QUESTION: We recently purchased a bichon frise puppy from a breeder, but we are having doubts that he is a full bred bichon. He is now 4 months old, but his fur is straight and is not yet curly. Will his fur become curly anytime soon?
ANSWER: Puppy coats can be straight early on, have him cut back and allow the coat to breakthrough , give osmanods showglo and spirulina in his diet and watch the coat come through strong and healthy.
Many Bichons coats are slow untill adulthood.
www.eurobichons.com
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QUESTION: My puppy loves to bite, especially on the feet and his teeth are really sharp. What would be the best way to treat his behavior?
Answer Pups bite, that I am afraid is how they socialise within a pack, you however are now his new pack and as leader of that pack you must learn to control it.
WE NEVER HIT A DOG, WE NEVER ROAR AT A DOG, what we do is this :
It comes as a great surprise to many puppy owners that their little darling arrived with a full set of sharp pointed teeth that the average shark would be proud of! Worse, the puppy likes to flex them on you! This information is designed for puppies under the age of 18 weeks - which still have their puppy teeth. If you have a dog over this agethat is mouthing or biting please call the office for advice.
Biting during play is essential and normal for all puppies, but you need to take action to reduce it in your home. Puppies have needle-sharp teeth for one reason only - so that when they bite, it hurts! This helps them to discover what is alive and what is not! This is normal and should not be treated as aggression. However, it is not acceptable for dogs to bite people - and puppies need to be given education in how to moderate their biting.
• Puppy biting teaches a pup just how hard it can bite other living things. Clearly, it can exert a huge amount of pressure on a lifeless object such as a toy, without causing any kind of reaction, while trying the same behaviour on a litter mate - or on us - will most certainly result in a big response!
• How do litter mates respond if they are bitten too hard? Puppies play by biting each others’ ears, tail, legs and any other part that they can catch hold of! This is accepted quite happily - until the pressure becomes too hard. Then the ‘victim’ is likely to yelp and stop playing for a short while, leaving the pup that bit too hard to realise that there were consequences to his actions. We need to mimic this response when teaching our own puppies not to bite.
• The process of learning to moderate biting is known as learning ‘bite inhibition’. It is vital that all puppies learn how to moderate their bites before they lose their deciduous teeth at around 18 weeks’ of age.
Suggestions
Your puppy needs to know that biting hurts! This means that each and every time your puppy mouths your hands or clothes, you MUST:
• Yelp loudly or give a shout.
• Immediately turn away as if to nurse your wounds, and ignore your pup.
• Your puppy will probably look a little bewildered.
• Ignore your pup for about 20 seconds, then resume interacting.
• Repeat the “Ouch!” and turn away each and every time you feel his teeth.
• It is important to be consistent, that means everyone must do the same.
Biting will not stop immediately. Instead, it should become less and less hard over a period of about three to four weeks. At this point, your pup should realise that he cannot put any pressure on you at all, and then you can yelp even if he puts his mouth on you gently - finally teaching him that he cannot initiate biting.
IMPORTANT! Do not play rough and tumble games with your puppy, or play any game where the pup grabs your clothes, skin or hair. (Dad, listen!!!) This is giving your puppy permission to bite and will set back all your other efforts.
Help, we’re still having problems!
This process works well for the vast majority of puppies. However, there are exceptions: pups which are already well over 14 weeks’ old and puppies which have learned to bite for attention! If you find that yelping and turning away has had no effect, despite total consistency for a fortnight, or if your puppy seems to become more excited and snappy if you yelp, you may need a different strategy.
• Take all the fun out of the behaviour! This means no laughing, squealing or shouting if your puppy bites.
• As soon as your dog puts his mouth on you, even in play, say “Wrong” or “Quit it” in a normal voice, then immediately put him in the kitchen or behind a door or baby gate.
• This social isolation should only last about 3 minutes, then he can rejoin the family.
• However, if your puppy gets excited by being picked up, simply say “Wrong” then get up and leave the room yourself, shutting the door behind you. Children can do this very effectively.
• Be consistent! It will take many repetitions before your puppy understands that biting results in the loss of fun.
