The Flirt Pole

A long history as being a conditioning tool for dogs, the flirt pole has been referenced in books as far back as the mid 1800's. It also has a long history as a conditioning tool with old time dog fighters nevertheless it has found a new and increased interest with people who love to keep their dogs in great shape. The flirt pole can be fun for any breed of dog which has any ounce of prey drive but especially with dogs of the Terrier and Working groups or any dog that is a mix of either.

The flirt pole is an outstanding tool for tiring out your dog when you don't have a lot of time or space, a small patch of grass or dirt + one flirt pole = one happy and tired dog.

Using a flirt pole as a part of your dogs daily exercise program allows the dog to use up a lot of energy while twisting and turning with quick sprints as well as working on eye and mouth coordination. It is highly important that you use common sense when working your dog with a flirt pole. An out of shape dog, one stuck in a crate or tied to a chain all day needs to be worked with a flirt pole; slowly increasing the amount of time you spend and the speed of chase. This will decrease the probability of your dog developing an injury like a blown knee or torn ligaments.

 Most dogs love to chase period so there is no need to swing the lure at the dog, but away from the dog instead. If your dog has no desire to chase, first try using a different lure, then second you must be truthful with yourself and realize that your dog just may have a low prey drive and no desire to chase.  Never think hitting the dog in a teasing manner or flicking the lure in the dogs face will make them want to chase or bite at it. It will have the opposite outcome and one that you most likely are not ready for.

To reduce wear and tear on your flirt pole you should be using it to keep the lure away from the dog, not as a tug of war toy. If and when the dog catches the lure, go with the dog or drop the pole, and don't pull against the dog turning it into a tug of war game. As far as working puppies, I recommend that you wait to at least the pup is 6 months old. The two most important things I can tell you is first remember to always finish play time with the dog always wanting more and second  don’t overdo it because they won’t be as excited to play with it the next time you pull it out.

Forever Learning

The information I know about dogs is 25% from those who came before me who raised dogs and I picked their brains asking so many questions, 25% of learning on my own from trial and error as well as reading reading reading, and 50% from schooling from classes and from trusted vets.

Yet I am still learning everyday because this never stops for me it’s not just what I do but how I choose to live and broaden my education on these things.

The Dogs Favorite Treats

Vaccinating Your Dog

Vaccinations

So to my surprise I’m often asked, what can we do to help prevent illnesses from affecting our dogs and the simple answer to this is Vaccinations to begin on the right foot. Vaccinating is one of the oldest simplest ways of maintaining a healthy dog that may live a long life; which comes with risks and benefits that have to be weighed for each individual dog according to its lifestyle. Vaccines are highly important to the health of your dog, although every dog may not need to be vaccinated against every disease; it’s important that you discuss this with your vet so that you will know what vaccines are right for your dog while taking in the consideration the dog’s age, medical history, environment, lifestyle, and travel habits. Most vets highly recommend administering core vaccines to healthy dogs.

Understanding Vaccines

The main roll of vaccines is to prepare the body's immune system to fight off the invasion of disease-causing organisms. Containing antigens that look like the disease-causing organism to the immune system which don't actually cause the disease are introduced into the body to stimulate the immune system. This prepares the immune system to recognize and fight off the disease entirely or reduce the severity of the illness in case the dog is ever exposed to the real disease. 

Core Vaccines & Non-Core

Based on the risk of exposure, severity of the disease, or transmissibility to humans, core vaccines are extremely vital to all dogs. Canine: Parvovirus, Distemper, Hepatitis and Rabies are considered to be core vaccines. Non-core vaccines are given depending on the risk of exposure to the dog these include Bordetella, Influenza, and Leptospirosis.

Determining the Timing and Frequency of Vaccinations

I always say “only healthy dogs should be bred” and so if the dam (mother) has a healthy immune system, the puppies will most likely receive antibodies in the milk of its dam while nursing; which doesn’t mean the puppy is fully or even vaccinated. Here at NoVACAIN Kennels we start our vaccinations starting at 3 weeks of age with our puppies and administering the proper vaccines at the ages of 3, 5, 6, 8, 11 weeks of age and the Rabies vaccine being administered at 16 weeks of age by a licensed Vet here in Virginia. We here at NoVACAIN Kennels begin with the Parainfluenza & Bordetella vaccine at 3 weeks of age then repeated at 6 weeks and the final puppy dose being given at 11weeks of age; and then at 5 weeks of age we begin the 5-way combination vaccines, then its repeated at 8 weeks, and the final puppy dose being administered at 11 weeks of age.  So when it comes down to our adult dogs they receive certain vaccines once a year like Parainfluenza & Bordetella and a 5-way Combination vaccine, while the Rabies vaccine first initial vaccine being given at 16 weeks of age, repeated a year later from the first administered date and then given every three years after the second Rabies has been administered.

Risks Associated with Vaccination

Immunizations should mildly stimulate the dog’s immune system in order to create protection from specific infectious diseases. This stimulation can create mild symptoms, ranging from soreness at the injection site to fever and allergic reactions. There are other, less common side effects like injection site tumors and immune disease associated with vaccination, with that being said, it is important to realize that vaccines have saved countless lives, and play a vital role in the battle against infectious diseases. As with any medical procedure, there is a small chance of side effects, while in most cases, the risks are much smaller than the risks of the disease itself. But it is important that you talk to your vet about your dog’s medical history before it is vaccinated.

Most dogs show no ill effect from vaccination, yet vaccine reactions may be minor and short-lived or require immediate care from a vet. The clinical signs include:

·         Fever

·         Sluggishness

·         Loss of appetite

·         Facial swelling and/or hives

·         Vomiting

·         Diarrhea

·         Pain, swelling, redness, scabbing or hair loss around the injection site

·         Lameness

·         Collapse

·         Difficulty breathing

·         Seizures

·         Lameness

It is best to schedule your dog’s appointment so that you can monitor them for any side effects following administration of the vaccine. If you suspect your dog is having a reaction to a vaccine, call your vet immediately.

Local Laws Regarding Vaccines

Each state has its own laws governing the administration of core and rabies vaccine. Some areas require yearly rabies vaccinations; other areas call for vaccines every three years. In almost all states, proof of rabies vaccination is mandatory.