Big days for the pups today !
This morning we weighed them all and then dosed them all with Drontal puppy worming. We put it in their food this time and fed them individually rather than try and inject it into their mouths. With the heaviest pup now tipping the scales at 5kg, that equates to 5ml of worming solution each - never would have been able to squirt all that in successfully. Now that they are all little food hoovers, it was so much easier to just put it in their food :)
Then this afternoon it was off to the vets en masse for their first vaccination and micro chipping. We used 3 large cat carriers with 3 pups in each to get them there (along with Jess). Took a few trips to get everyone into the surgery from the car. Each puppy was given a complete health check along with their shots. I am happy to report that all puppies are doing extremely well and are in perfect health (as is Jess :). We were there for nearly 2 hours !
When you come to collect your puppy, your puppy pack will include the vaccination card from the vet along with details of how to register the micro chip in your own name.
Tuesday 29 June 2010
Puppy insurance
As mentioned earlier in the shopping list post, one of the things I believe is very important to have for your new puppy is pet insurance. I am able to provide 4 weeks free cover with Petplan for those that want it, but after that, you're on your own !
When choosing pet insurance be very careful about the type of policy. They fall into 3 categories :
1. Time limited policies. Cover is provided up to a maximum amount per condition. There is a 12 month limit on how long you can claim for each condition. After 12 months the condition claimed for will be excluded from the policy
2. Maximum benefit. Cover is provided up to a maximum amount per condition (eg £3000) but there is no time limit. Once you have claimed the maximum amount, the condition will be excluded from the policy
3. Lifetime policies. Cover is provided up to a set amount of vet fees each year which is renewed at the start of each policy year. As long as you continue to renew the policy without a break in cover, there is no time limit on how long you can claim for each illness or injury.
Types 1 and 2 really need to be avoided. What you want is policies of the third type - that will pay out for a injury or illness for life and where the amount of vet fees claimable is renewed each year.
Petplan has policies that fall into the type 3 category, they are the biggest pet insurer in the UK and offer excellent coverage on their premium lifetime policies BUT they are very expensive. I personally use Axa pet insurance. Axa underwrite a lot of the other store pet insurance policies that are out there. I had a quick look at the main categories to compare the policies and price for Jess :
- Vet fees (renewed each year) - Axa (£7,000), Petplan budget (£4,000), Petplan premium (£12,000)
- Complementary treatments - Axa (£250), Petplan budget (£750), Petplan premium (£750)
- Third party liability - Axa (£2m per event), Petplan budget (£1m), Petplan premium (£3m)
- Emergency boarding - Axa (£750), Petplan budget (£250), Petplan premium (£1,000)
- Advertising costs - Axa (£1,000), Petplan budget (£250), Petplan premium (£1,000)
- Overseas quarantine - Axa (£2,000), Petplan budget (£1,500), Petplan premium (£1,500)
- Excess (per condition) - Axa (£50), Petplan budget (£90), Petplan premium (£90)
In my opinion, the two most important items are veterinary fees and excess. Now the cost :
Axa (£11.15 per month)
Petplan budget (£25.70 month)
Petplan premium (£36.23 month)
So to get better coverage than the Axa policy (but a higher excess) it will cost you an extra £300 per year !
Important : I am not qualified to give insurance advice, nor am I suggesting the Axa is the only alternative to Petplan. It's simply my personal experience/opinion and should be used as a general illustration. Please do your own research into Insurance before making your decision - just make sure what type of policy it is and exactly what you are getting :)
ps - I have made a couple of claims with Axa and have had no issue with getting money back - they have been very prompt and my premium even came down the second year after making claims in the first ! I will certainly be using Axa to ensure our new puppy. A years worth of premium with Axa costs £131 - this is the cost of a single out of hours consultation !
When choosing pet insurance be very careful about the type of policy. They fall into 3 categories :
1. Time limited policies. Cover is provided up to a maximum amount per condition. There is a 12 month limit on how long you can claim for each condition. After 12 months the condition claimed for will be excluded from the policy
2. Maximum benefit. Cover is provided up to a maximum amount per condition (eg £3000) but there is no time limit. Once you have claimed the maximum amount, the condition will be excluded from the policy
3. Lifetime policies. Cover is provided up to a set amount of vet fees each year which is renewed at the start of each policy year. As long as you continue to renew the policy without a break in cover, there is no time limit on how long you can claim for each illness or injury.
Types 1 and 2 really need to be avoided. What you want is policies of the third type - that will pay out for a injury or illness for life and where the amount of vet fees claimable is renewed each year.
Petplan has policies that fall into the type 3 category, they are the biggest pet insurer in the UK and offer excellent coverage on their premium lifetime policies BUT they are very expensive. I personally use Axa pet insurance. Axa underwrite a lot of the other store pet insurance policies that are out there. I had a quick look at the main categories to compare the policies and price for Jess :
- Vet fees (renewed each year) - Axa (£7,000), Petplan budget (£4,000), Petplan premium (£12,000)
- Complementary treatments - Axa (£250), Petplan budget (£750), Petplan premium (£750)
- Third party liability - Axa (£2m per event), Petplan budget (£1m), Petplan premium (£3m)
- Emergency boarding - Axa (£750), Petplan budget (£250), Petplan premium (£1,000)
- Advertising costs - Axa (£1,000), Petplan budget (£250), Petplan premium (£1,000)
- Overseas quarantine - Axa (£2,000), Petplan budget (£1,500), Petplan premium (£1,500)
- Excess (per condition) - Axa (£50), Petplan budget (£90), Petplan premium (£90)
In my opinion, the two most important items are veterinary fees and excess. Now the cost :
Axa (£11.15 per month)
Petplan budget (£25.70 month)
Petplan premium (£36.23 month)
So to get better coverage than the Axa policy (but a higher excess) it will cost you an extra £300 per year !
Important : I am not qualified to give insurance advice, nor am I suggesting the Axa is the only alternative to Petplan. It's simply my personal experience/opinion and should be used as a general illustration. Please do your own research into Insurance before making your decision - just make sure what type of policy it is and exactly what you are getting :)
ps - I have made a couple of claims with Axa and have had no issue with getting money back - they have been very prompt and my premium even came down the second year after making claims in the first ! I will certainly be using Axa to ensure our new puppy. A years worth of premium with Axa costs £131 - this is the cost of a single out of hours consultation !
Puppy shopping list
A few of you have had puppies before so you know what to expect but for those that don't, I thought I would put together a quick list of recommended things you will need for your new puppy :)
1. Crate or basket for puppy to sleep in. I would personally recommend the use of a crate - more details can be found by searching earlier posts
2. Water and food bowls. These need to be durable (ie not chewable !) - either stainless steel (ones with rubber underneath are good to stop the bowl being pushed all around the room) or ceramic ones are the best
3. Chew items - your puppy at this stage is a chewing machine ! It's important to have some good, durable toys that they can use to help with teething rather than your prized shoes. Puppies need to know right from the beginning what they are allowed to chew and what they are not ! Don't put down countless toys for them, just one or two at a time which can then be rotated to provide the puppy with some variety (and allow you to clean them if necessary). Once the puppy is older and going outside, it's good to have a "special" toy that you take outside for use with training. Labradors are very powerful chewers and you will need sturdy toys if they are to last. Nylabone and Kong make some excellent products.
4. Food. The puppies are being raised on predominately a raw diet and they have had chicken mince, chicken carcasses, chicken fillet, liver, heart, kidney, duck necks, green tripe and pork belly ! For those keen to continue with a raw diet there are some good suppliers around (if in Edinburgh, contact Steven at http://www.fifeanimalfeeds.co.uk/). For England, http://www.landywoods.co.uk/ is very good. If you are wanting to feed them on biscuits then the only one I would recommend is Burns (http://www.burnspet.co.uk/dog/index.asp). For more detail on other commercial pet food companies see my earlier posts. I can provide you with some Burns when you collect your puppy
5. Poop bags. Until their final vaccination they will need to stay inside your own property but once out, it is your responsibility to clean up after your dog. For those that are interested in the details, the relevant legislation can be found here - in England Dogs Fouling of Land 1996, and in Scotland Dogs Fouling Scotland 2003
6. Lead and collar. Even before your puppy is safely able to go outside you can start some basic training inside. I'm a big fan of Red Dingo Collars - you will only need a small one to start with. You can get matching Red Dingo Leads as well - Hamish McBeth do some fantastic collars as well but are more expensive. Once the pup is getting bigger (eg 9 months) I would personally recommend investing in a good quality leather lead and collar - a good one will last for years (still good to pack a cheap one for trips to the beach !)
7. ID tag. Under the Control of Dogs Order 1992 your dog must be identified (either on the collar or by a tag attached to the collar) with the name and address of the owner. Your telephone number is optional but advisable. Once again (I promise I don't work for Red Dingo ;), Red Dingo have some really nice ID tags
8. Wire brush for grooming
9. Stair gate. If you have a house with stairs you must be very careful to ensure that the puppy cannot run up and down them until they are at least 6-8 months old as doing so can cause damage to their soft, young bones and joints. Stair gates are an excellent option giving you peace of mind that the puppy will be safe (also good for restricting puppies to a particular room within the house rather than shutting the door). You can get ones that don't require any mountings to be screwed to the wall. Lindam have a great range of gates (and extensions for bigger gaps) and can be bought at a number of different retailers (eg Amazon, Argos, Asda, Tesco)
10. Vet. For those that don't already have a vet I would recommend hunting around for a good local vet. Get registered with the vet and let them know you are buying a new puppy. It's a good idea to take the puppy along to the vet a day or two after you have them home so you can get them checked over and get all their details on the system. You will need to take the puppy back for their second vaccination once they are at least 10 weeks old
11. Insurance. In my opinion an essential purchase for peace of mind. Looking after your puppy if something goes wrong can be very expensive - especially if you need out of hours consultation which usually will charge you a minimum of £100. For as little as £12 a month you can be covered for up to £7000 a year, every year. I will put some more details around insurance in a separate blog. When you pick up your puppy I will offer you free 4 weeks insurance from Petplan which will cover you from the moment you leave with your new puppy. If you wish to take advantage of this, I can organise it online in a matter of minutes when you collect your puppy.
Happy shopping ! :)
1. Crate or basket for puppy to sleep in. I would personally recommend the use of a crate - more details can be found by searching earlier posts
2. Water and food bowls. These need to be durable (ie not chewable !) - either stainless steel (ones with rubber underneath are good to stop the bowl being pushed all around the room) or ceramic ones are the best
3. Chew items - your puppy at this stage is a chewing machine ! It's important to have some good, durable toys that they can use to help with teething rather than your prized shoes. Puppies need to know right from the beginning what they are allowed to chew and what they are not ! Don't put down countless toys for them, just one or two at a time which can then be rotated to provide the puppy with some variety (and allow you to clean them if necessary). Once the puppy is older and going outside, it's good to have a "special" toy that you take outside for use with training. Labradors are very powerful chewers and you will need sturdy toys if they are to last. Nylabone and Kong make some excellent products.
4. Food. The puppies are being raised on predominately a raw diet and they have had chicken mince, chicken carcasses, chicken fillet, liver, heart, kidney, duck necks, green tripe and pork belly ! For those keen to continue with a raw diet there are some good suppliers around (if in Edinburgh, contact Steven at http://www.fifeanimalfeeds.co.uk/). For England, http://www.landywoods.co.uk/ is very good. If you are wanting to feed them on biscuits then the only one I would recommend is Burns (http://www.burnspet.co.uk/dog/index.asp). For more detail on other commercial pet food companies see my earlier posts. I can provide you with some Burns when you collect your puppy
5. Poop bags. Until their final vaccination they will need to stay inside your own property but once out, it is your responsibility to clean up after your dog. For those that are interested in the details, the relevant legislation can be found here - in England Dogs Fouling of Land 1996, and in Scotland Dogs Fouling Scotland 2003
6. Lead and collar. Even before your puppy is safely able to go outside you can start some basic training inside. I'm a big fan of Red Dingo Collars - you will only need a small one to start with. You can get matching Red Dingo Leads as well - Hamish McBeth do some fantastic collars as well but are more expensive. Once the pup is getting bigger (eg 9 months) I would personally recommend investing in a good quality leather lead and collar - a good one will last for years (still good to pack a cheap one for trips to the beach !)
7. ID tag. Under the Control of Dogs Order 1992 your dog must be identified (either on the collar or by a tag attached to the collar) with the name and address of the owner. Your telephone number is optional but advisable. Once again (I promise I don't work for Red Dingo ;), Red Dingo have some really nice ID tags
8. Wire brush for grooming
9. Stair gate. If you have a house with stairs you must be very careful to ensure that the puppy cannot run up and down them until they are at least 6-8 months old as doing so can cause damage to their soft, young bones and joints. Stair gates are an excellent option giving you peace of mind that the puppy will be safe (also good for restricting puppies to a particular room within the house rather than shutting the door). You can get ones that don't require any mountings to be screwed to the wall. Lindam have a great range of gates (and extensions for bigger gaps) and can be bought at a number of different retailers (eg Amazon, Argos, Asda, Tesco)
10. Vet. For those that don't already have a vet I would recommend hunting around for a good local vet. Get registered with the vet and let them know you are buying a new puppy. It's a good idea to take the puppy along to the vet a day or two after you have them home so you can get them checked over and get all their details on the system. You will need to take the puppy back for their second vaccination once they are at least 10 weeks old
11. Insurance. In my opinion an essential purchase for peace of mind. Looking after your puppy if something goes wrong can be very expensive - especially if you need out of hours consultation which usually will charge you a minimum of £100. For as little as £12 a month you can be covered for up to £7000 a year, every year. I will put some more details around insurance in a separate blog. When you pick up your puppy I will offer you free 4 weeks insurance from Petplan which will cover you from the moment you leave with your new puppy. If you wish to take advantage of this, I can organise it online in a matter of minutes when you collect your puppy.
Happy shopping ! :)
Friday 25 June 2010
Puppies registered
Finished processing the online registration of the litter this morning. Costs £12 per puppy to register, £7 per puppy for a 5 generation pedigree and £6 for breed record - total £177 ! Beginning to think that the Kennel Club is a license to print money :) That's also taken the total breeding cost over the £2000 mark now.
Tuesday 22 June 2010
Less than 3 weeks to go
Yes, its less than 3 weeks to go now before we will have to say goodbye to these wonderful little bundles of joy :( For the new owners that have not had a puppy before (and for anyone else who is interested) over the next few days I will post some information up about things that are good to have ready for your new arrival :)
30kg of added weight and swimming ....
Today was such a lovely day that when I took jess out for her morning walk we ventured a little further and went to the nearby beach (10-15min walk) where I spent a while throwing sticks into the water for Jess to race out and fetch. She certainly loves the beach and I'm sure welcomes the start of more exercise :)
Once back we weighed the puppies for their 5 week weigh-in. Their weight gains over the last week were remarkably consistent, 4 pups gaining 800g, 3 gaining 900g and 2 gaining 1000g. The 2 heaviest pups now clock the scales at exactly 4kg each. After summing up all their weights we noted that the puppies have put on a combined weight of 30kg since birth (a 750% increase) !! No wonder we're having to feed Jess so much. The puppies have gained as much weight as Jess :)
For the next week, we are starting to restrict the amount of time Jess feeds the pups. We will only let her feed them once in the morning and once in the evening. Then after a week or so of that we will stop her feeding altogether so the pups are totally independent for at least 5 days before going to their new homes. It's not easy doing so though, we really need to keep them separated. Jess loves to go and have a sniff and a play but as soon as she gets close they all make a mad dash for her and latch on ! She only feeds them standing up now (you can see pictures of this in my last batch of photos - see previous post for details).
Once back we weighed the puppies for their 5 week weigh-in. Their weight gains over the last week were remarkably consistent, 4 pups gaining 800g, 3 gaining 900g and 2 gaining 1000g. The 2 heaviest pups now clock the scales at exactly 4kg each. After summing up all their weights we noted that the puppies have put on a combined weight of 30kg since birth (a 750% increase) !! No wonder we're having to feed Jess so much. The puppies have gained as much weight as Jess :)
For the next week, we are starting to restrict the amount of time Jess feeds the pups. We will only let her feed them once in the morning and once in the evening. Then after a week or so of that we will stop her feeding altogether so the pups are totally independent for at least 5 days before going to their new homes. It's not easy doing so though, we really need to keep them separated. Jess loves to go and have a sniff and a play but as soon as she gets close they all make a mad dash for her and latch on ! She only feeds them standing up now (you can see pictures of this in my last batch of photos - see previous post for details).
Photos from week Five
More photos from the last week can be seen here on Flickr
The last few photos in the set show the puppies attacking their first chicken carcass ! They had great fun with it :) Their diet is still predominantly chicken mince, with one meal a day Burns biscuits soaked in evaporated milk, but I am going to start to introduce some bones (chicken carcass, wings) over the next week.
The last few photos in the set show the puppies attacking their first chicken carcass ! They had great fun with it :) Their diet is still predominantly chicken mince, with one meal a day Burns biscuits soaked in evaporated milk, but I am going to start to introduce some bones (chicken carcass, wings) over the next week.
Tuesday 15 June 2010
Second worming
Tonight it was weigh 'n' worm night :) I can't believe how big they're getting ! They have all increased around 550% from their birth weight in the past 4 weeks. Their collective weight now is 25.6kg - about 5 kg short of Jess. I was a bit more successful with the process of administration this time with less of it being dribbled out on to the towel. Their next worming will be at 6 weeks - by then they will be eating lots of solid food so I will feed them individually and mix the worming treatment in with their food. Will be too much trying to syringe in their mouth the quantity they will need at that age !
The biggest boy now weighs 3.1 kg the biggest girl 2.9 kg.
They are all loving their time outside, I will get some photos up soon of their outdoor exploits. They have also started feeding from Jess while she is standing - Jess is not particularly thrilled about that ! She stays still for a while but then finds it hard to break free from them all - with 8 or 9 little mouths sucked on like limpets. It looks very uncomfortable while she is trying to move away with the pups still sucking on to her like mad - her teats get rather stretched !
The biggest boy now weighs 3.1 kg the biggest girl 2.9 kg.
They are all loving their time outside, I will get some photos up soon of their outdoor exploits. They have also started feeding from Jess while she is standing - Jess is not particularly thrilled about that ! She stays still for a while but then finds it hard to break free from them all - with 8 or 9 little mouths sucked on like limpets. It looks very uncomfortable while she is trying to move away with the pups still sucking on to her like mad - her teats get rather stretched !
Busy ... busy ... busy
The puppies are on to four solid meals a day now and it seems that I do little more each day then prepare their food, serve it, supervise their eating, clean up their pee and poo, move the puppies, pick up the paper, clean the floor, lay down new paper, move back the puppies.
We're starting the day with some Burns mini bites (200g between them) and evaporated milk then the rest of the days chicken mince. For this week, we're going through 1.2kg a day - 200g biscuit and 1kg of chicken mince.
Jess is still getting nearly 2 kg a day ! She was starting to look a little too lean considering how much the puppies are still feeding from her so the second half of last week I bumped her daily allowance up to 2kg - she of course thinks it's wonderful ! I'm going to lower it down to about 1.7kg this week and then down to around the 1kg mark the following week (as we will start restricting her access to the pups then).
We're starting the day with some Burns mini bites (200g between them) and evaporated milk then the rest of the days chicken mince. For this week, we're going through 1.2kg a day - 200g biscuit and 1kg of chicken mince.
Jess is still getting nearly 2 kg a day ! She was starting to look a little too lean considering how much the puppies are still feeding from her so the second half of last week I bumped her daily allowance up to 2kg - she of course thinks it's wonderful ! I'm going to lower it down to about 1.7kg this week and then down to around the 1kg mark the following week (as we will start restricting her access to the pups then).
Saturday 12 June 2010
Kennel name approved
Our first choice of kennel name "Waterfront" was unfortunately rejected as it was already in use but our second choice "HarbourGreen" (the name of our housing development) was approved :) Paperwork is to arrive early next week - then it's time to register the puppies with the kennel club - better start thinking up some more names !
More photos from week four
As you can see from the last few pictures in this set, today the puppies ventured outside for the first time ! They were a bit cautious at first but then loved having the extra space to chase each other around. Didn't take any pictures of them outside as it was all a bit manic but I will definitely take plenty during the coming week :)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brentharlow/sets/72157624134487031/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brentharlow/sets/72157624134487031/
Wednesday 9 June 2010
9 pups equals lots of food
Using the formula of 30-35g per week of age every day, during the 7th week that will see the pups going through 14kg of food in a single week !
In total, from weeks 3 to 7 (inclusive), they will consume a total of 51 kg of food !! Hmmm, how much poo will that mean we're picking up ?!! Here's hoping they make VERY efficient use of their food :)
In total, from weeks 3 to 7 (inclusive), they will consume a total of 51 kg of food !! Hmmm, how much poo will that mean we're picking up ?!! Here's hoping they make VERY efficient use of their food :)
Show me the meat !!
Went to the pet store yesterday and bought some Burns Mini Bites puppy kibble.
This morning started the official weaning process ! The idea is within 2 weeks we start limiting the amount of time that Jess is feeding the pups and then the following week stopping altogether so her milk is able to dry up in time for all the pups leaving. Plus they're getting quite big now and are developing a real appetite so to keep Jess as the sole provider for much long would really put a toll on her.
Each pup got 30g (1oz) of chicken mince this morning - it took them all of about 1/4 second to realise there was some real food in front of their nose before they devoured it !! It was so cute to watch, their little bodies were trembling with excitement. As they were eating it off our hands we realised that there was definitely some teeth coming through - poor Jess.
The plan is to ease them in - 2 meals a day today and tomorrow, then 3 meals a day for 3 days then by next Monday we'll be on to 4 meals a day. The amounts we will be feeding them will be approx 1oz - 1 1/4oz per week of age each day - so at 4 weeks they will each be getting around 130g divided into 4 meals.
Next week we'll start to add some puppy biscuit to their meals, then from about 5.5 weeks start introducing some bones (chicken wings, chicken backs).
I guess now it will start to get a lot harder for us - 4 feeds a day and cleaning up after them as Jess will soon stop doing that :( All great fun though ! :-)
Costs : Burns food (7.5kg bag) £24
This morning started the official weaning process ! The idea is within 2 weeks we start limiting the amount of time that Jess is feeding the pups and then the following week stopping altogether so her milk is able to dry up in time for all the pups leaving. Plus they're getting quite big now and are developing a real appetite so to keep Jess as the sole provider for much long would really put a toll on her.
Each pup got 30g (1oz) of chicken mince this morning - it took them all of about 1/4 second to realise there was some real food in front of their nose before they devoured it !! It was so cute to watch, their little bodies were trembling with excitement. As they were eating it off our hands we realised that there was definitely some teeth coming through - poor Jess.
The plan is to ease them in - 2 meals a day today and tomorrow, then 3 meals a day for 3 days then by next Monday we'll be on to 4 meals a day. The amounts we will be feeding them will be approx 1oz - 1 1/4oz per week of age each day - so at 4 weeks they will each be getting around 130g divided into 4 meals.
Next week we'll start to add some puppy biscuit to their meals, then from about 5.5 weeks start introducing some bones (chicken wings, chicken backs).
I guess now it will start to get a lot harder for us - 4 feeds a day and cleaning up after them as Jess will soon stop doing that :( All great fun though ! :-)
Costs : Burns food (7.5kg bag) £24
Monday 7 June 2010
Pet foods and animal testing
Came across this interesting article on well known pet food brands and the often cruel and unethical animal testing these large companies do. It suggests the biggest culprits are IAMS/Eukanuba (owned by Proctor & Gamble) and Hills Science (owned by Colgate Palmolive). Other brands that I am familar with I see on the list are Royal Canin and James Wellbeloved (owned by Mars).
I've never looked into this too much as we don't feed our dog(soon to be "s") kibble but with puppies going to new owners who may not be interested in feeding their dog a "raw, meaty diet" I want to feed the pups on a mixture of raw food and kibble - to make sure that their little tummies do not get upset switching from raw to a 100% kibble diet once they go to their new homes.
Looking at this article, it seems that "Burns Dog Food" would be a good choice - taken from Burns Pet Food website :
"All Burns diets for dogs and cats are hypo-allergenic and free from artificial flavourings, colourings and preservatives. Burns is a family run company that places great emphasis on quality and customer service, supports numerous charities and organisations both locally and further afield and works hard to minimise its environmental impact."
And no animal testing ! My local vet store is a Burns stockist so I'll be off to see them about getting some puppy kibble.
Here is the full article from Uncaged
I've never looked into this too much as we don't feed our dog(soon to be "s") kibble but with puppies going to new owners who may not be interested in feeding their dog a "raw, meaty diet" I want to feed the pups on a mixture of raw food and kibble - to make sure that their little tummies do not get upset switching from raw to a 100% kibble diet once they go to their new homes.
Looking at this article, it seems that "Burns Dog Food" would be a good choice - taken from Burns Pet Food website :
"All Burns diets for dogs and cats are hypo-allergenic and free from artificial flavourings, colourings and preservatives. Burns is a family run company that places great emphasis on quality and customer service, supports numerous charities and organisations both locally and further afield and works hard to minimise its environmental impact."
And no animal testing ! My local vet store is a Burns stockist so I'll be off to see them about getting some puppy kibble.
Here is the full article from Uncaged
First worming
I'm a little late with this post as the pups had their first worming treatment last Wednesday (just over 2 weeks old). I bundled all the pups (took two plastic crates this time) and Jess into the car and off to the vets where the vet nurse weighed them all (weights ranged from 1.27kg to 1.68kg) and showed me how to give them the Drontal puppy worming treatment. The bottle came with a 5ml syringe that you use to draw off 1ml per 1kg of body weight and then cradling the pup inject slowly it into the side of their mouths. The poor little guys weren't terribly impressed - the first small squirt was fine then once they got the taste of it on their tongues they kept trying to spit it out ! Pink coloured saliva ended up everywhere - I'm glad that the nurse showed me her doing the first pup otherwise I would have thought I was doing a terrible job. The nurse did one, I did two more while there and then did the rest once I got back home. Taking 9 pups along to the vets turns you into somewhat of a minor celebrity ! While I was there every 5 minutes it seemed someone else was knocking on the door to have a look at the puppies :) Great service from Oak Tree Vets - I was there at least 30 min and there was no charge :) Cost of the Drontal puppy was £24 for 100ml - I'm not sure if I'll need another one but I will get the next one off the internet and save a few pounds.
Cost : £24
Cost : £24
Professional puppy pics
We had a friend come round on Saturday who took some professional puppy pics for us. We soon found out that it's not terribly easy getting these little guys to do what you want :) Here is the link to her Flickr site where she has put some of the pictures up. The best way to view them is to click on the "Slideshow" link near the top right of the page - you can then view them in full screen and slow down or speed up the show.
Thanks so much to Nicky for these amazing photos !!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickygraham/sets/72157624085560903/
Thanks so much to Nicky for these amazing photos !!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickygraham/sets/72157624085560903/
Saturday 5 June 2010
Videos
I uploaded two small videos on to flickr last night - unfortunately the light was not very good so when the pups are feeding it's hard to work out the difference between Jess and her pups ! You can still see the tails going though and hear the noise they are starting to make :)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brentharlow/sets/72157624204577864/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brentharlow/sets/72157624204577864/
Friday 4 June 2010
Kennel name
After much deliberation (mainly because of the £70 fee !) we decided to apply for a kennel name. I like the idea of all the puppies having a common name in their pedigree and it will be exciting if we one day see a dog mentioned that has our kennel name in it !
Our first choice was for "Waterfront" which was chosen because it is the name of the large area being developed here in Edinburgh along the Firth of Forth where we live. Our second choice, in case the first is declined is HarbourGreen which is the name given to the group of houses and flats in our development. You're encouraged to select a few choices as they do checks to make sure the kennel name is not to popular a word or sounds too much like an existing kennel name etc... The lead time is 2-3 weeks before we hear - we will need to wait until we hear back before registering each of the puppies so we know which kennel name to use.
Cost : £70
Our first choice was for "Waterfront" which was chosen because it is the name of the large area being developed here in Edinburgh along the Firth of Forth where we live. Our second choice, in case the first is declined is HarbourGreen which is the name given to the group of houses and flats in our development. You're encouraged to select a few choices as they do checks to make sure the kennel name is not to popular a word or sounds too much like an existing kennel name etc... The lead time is 2-3 weeks before we hear - we will need to wait until we hear back before registering each of the puppies so we know which kennel name to use.
Cost : £70
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