Vermilion Kennels

If you have any questions please contact me. As your dog’s breeder I am here to help you for the life of your pet! This information is to get you started. There are always other ways of doing things but I want you to feel comfortable with your new pup from day one!

For the future, I will list all phone and email changes with the Wheaten or Cardigan breeder’s list so that you will always be able to get ahold of me!

The First Few Hours

Your new little one will be frightened ! They are afraid of new things, naturally, but will quickly adapt. Don’t be alarmed if they don’t go potty when or where you think they should or if they don’t eat. Everything is new. At first they will likely crouch low to the floor. Nothing is wrong, they are just uncertain. Give them some time to get used to things. Keep things fairly quiet and uncomplicated for them. Visitors should be calm and quiet too. No ruff play or chasing games with kids. Pups are too little for this and it is dangerous for the puppy.

Don’t let them run all over the house. Keep them close to the same area OR to you. When they need a nap they will crash. It’s also okay to put them in a crate and leave them in a quiet room or in the room with the family. If they cry, don’t go back. Instead, wait for that momentary halt to the cry ( a breath if need be) and then take them out. If you go back when they are crying, just one time, they will think that their crying brought you!!!

At night if you decide that they must be near you when they sleep at night it is okay, but be prepared to lose sleep yourself.

As they age you can expand their territory in the house but they should never have free run of everything. It’s just too much temptation and trouble for a dog and their potty training will suffer!!

A good way to corral a pup is with a leash clipped to your belt. Then you know where they are and get used to staying by you. I have also attached a pup with a 6 foot lead to a stable object ( table leg on a heavy table, door knob, or radiator) so that they stay in one room with me. This works well and after a few weeks of this the dog is more likely to not leave the area. There are obvious problems of becoming tangled and make sure they can’t hang themselves when ever they are tied up.

Feeding

Your pup has been eating Nutro Natural Choice Chicken and Rice formula for ADULT DOGS. I would suggest you continue with this for at least a small bag’s worth of it. If for some reason you wish to change, make the change gradually. Dogs often get digestive upsets with abrupt changes in water and /or food and they will be changing water sources so keep the food source constant.

I started feeding adult food to babies ten years ago and am very happy with the results. Vets haven’t caught up with this thinking yet and the choice is yours.

Dog food companies do go to great lengths to produce good, healthy dog food. I suggest premium food rather than the cheaper grocery store brands. With the grocery store brands you end up having to feed the dog twice as much food to get the same results and then you have to pick up twice as much from the yard! Premium food also have additives which reduce smell. Grocery store brands of puppy food are okay…but the feed twice as much and scoop twice as much rule still holds.

Dry food is great for crunching young teeth on. If they make a really big mess of this, put water on it for a week and then try again. Dry is best, however. When you get your pup he/she will have been eating dry food.

There are “people food” or “raw” diets you can very successfully feed your dog and I would be glad to discuss this with you. It is a lot of work and not any cheaper! When I have felt the need to cook for them I have fed this…..but it is WORK.

You can give your dog a few table scraps, but remember that in so doing you are not necessarily keeping his foods in a good balance. It is easier and better for them to feed them just dry dog food. You also run a risk of having a fat dog and diarrhea with table scraps. You will have to cut back on the amount of food he gets if you feed scraps and I would stay away from a lot of meat and go heavier on the fruits, veggies and grains.

As your pup has been eating as part of a group, and as he/she is growing rapidly I can’t tell you how much to feed right off the bat. You will get the idea of it in a couple of days. I would put out a bowl of food and keep it full most of the day. This is called free feeding and a dog less than 6 months of age will not gain too much weight free feeding.

The other alternative is to feed 3 to 4 times per day.

When your dog is 6 months of age or so I would give the dog food once or twice a day. Naturally, if you ended up with the chow hound, you might want to cut back earlier. If you feed twice a day you would give them half a daily ration. An adult will eat about 2 cups or less of dog food per day but adjustments for climate and activity will need to be made.

Water

Your pup will drink about an ounce of fresh water for each pound of body weight per day and should have water available at all times. I give them water in their crate. They don’t seem to really be wet longer this way, although if it is really a big problem you could limit water intake after 6 PM.

Toys

Toys are fun for both dogs and owners but be aware that your dog can consume toys and that consumed toys cost money to remove from dog tummies AND can cause the death of your dog. Toys should be hard rubber and large enough so they won’t be swallowed if the dog will be left alone with them. Fabric and squealers are big offenders. Stay away from them except for totally supervised play.

Bones

Cooked bones should NEVER be fed to your dog. They will splinter and cause problems.

It is gaining greater acceptance to give your dog raw bones. I have fed beef knucklebones (sold in the grocery store as soup bones). They work well to keep the dog’s teeth clean but do present dangers in terms of broken teeth and ingested parts. I no longer take the risk.

Stay away from pork and chicken bones or bones that are small. If the dog can crunch off parts it could cause problems. Some people feed raw chicken wings. These can and do cause trouble. Stick to nylabones or quality raw hides and you will be much safer !

I never leave a dog unsupervised with any bone or raw hide!

Teeth

Dog’s teeth need to be cleaned! Talk with your vet about this. They will direct you to doggie toothpaste and brushes. This IS necessary. It has been found that heart and kidney problems can result from the build up of plaque and bacteria on the teeth of not only dogs but also people!

Your pup will be getting new teeth for about 6 months or so. You may or may not notice the baby teeth on the floor as they fall out. New teeth come in to the vacant spot in one day sometimes…other times it may take a few weeks or even a couple of months. It is truly amazing. Most people miss it. There may be a bit of blood that you see in this process but probably not.

As the teeth come out and new ones come in you will notice that your pup wants to chew. Chewing helps them feel better. Some people give bones, some give wet and frozen towels to their dogs. I would watch the latter so they don’t actually eat the towel or parts of it.

House training

Dogs can sometimes seem downright dense about alerting you to their “potty” needs. The more people involved in this process the harder it is for everyone as ALL OF THE PEOPLE in the dog’s life need to learn what the dog is telling you and the dog needs to learn how to get the proper attention from everyone !

Your dog may stand and look at you beseechingly and not bark to go out. You will learn to read subtle signs. A consistent program (and an intensive one) will pay off.. Feed
(Then out); Drink (then out); Wake ups (then out). And praise the dog as he/she is actually going potty in the proper spot along with giving the agreed upon command. I say, “Molly, go potty ” JUST ONCE….don’t nag! When she goes I say, “good, Molly go potty, good girl, good girl”. You could use anything as the command. Soon, your pup will go potty on command. It doesn’t take too long at all because dogs are born to please.

If your pup squats in the house don’t punish the dog, just pick them up and carry them outside. Give the command and praise when they do go. Try very hard to refrain from even a subtle groan……;-) They read that as praise!

If you find a puddle or pile, just clean it up. Don’t scold. Scolding becomes “attention” and “reinforcement” even though it is negative. They don’t really care if it’s negative….it’s attention! They also don’t know what they have done unless you catch them doing it. That is why you praise as they are going.

Don’t expect them to be dry or clean in the crate for a while. Just clean it up. I shred newspaper the long way and place it in the crate. It cleans up easiest.

Dogs also what to go where they smell that others have gone. It is nature! So take them to the part of the yard you want them to eventually go in from day one. If you take them 5 feet from the front door you may end up with a 5 year old dog who only wants to go there!!!! Cute for a pup but not for an adult!

A crate that is too large will invite your dog to use one corner for a bed and the other for a bathroom. That’s why we use smaller crates. If you use a larger crate you may want to put something in there that the dog can’t eat, to take up room. I use an old toddler booster seat or an old plastic cooler. Then the dog thinks twice about messing where he must sleep. On the other hand, this is NOT necessary and the pup will figure it all out. If you have a small crate it’s fine but I wouldn’t go out and purchase one just for a couple of months.

Vaccinations & Vet Visits

Your pup will have had his/her first set (s) of immunizations and will need to continue these at 12 and 16 weeks. Your pup will also need to have rabies vaccine and you should discuss with your vet the need for lymes, heartworm, and any other preventatives for your geographic area. I will give you a record to give to your vet concerning the exact vaccinations your pup received at my house and the dates.

Your pup will have been seen by my vet prior to leaving here and will be in excellent health. If there is anything noted by my vet, it will be written on the health record you receive.

You should take your pup to the vet as soon as you get your pup to assure that it is healthy in YOUR eyes and fulfill the contract.

Worming

We check for worms and seldom find them here in Duluth. Pups are frequently born with worms that they get from their Mom. I have had some vets say that all pups are born with worms but I usually don’t treat for them unless I find them. Some breeders who see this parasitic problem more frequently just automatically worm pups. I do not. If your pup has been treated for parasites I will note it on their health record.

If you find parasites in your puppy, please let me know so that I can check again here and alert the other buyers.

Hips, Eyes and Health Testing

It is standard procedure to to have hips certified as being sound prior to breeding. It is not necessary to do this for a pet. If there were a problem, however, your vet could direct you in these matters.

Corgi eyes have been certified clear via genetic testing. Wheatens have had recommended blood and urine testing done annually.

Wheaten Coat Care

Bathing

Your Wheaten should have regular baths. While the pup is young it is best to take it to the bath tub, be deliberate yet gentle, and make the experience rather fun. But YOU should be in charge!

First, make sure there is good footing. A rubber bath mat is best. Nothing scares the dog more than slipping and falling…although pups are more resilient than adults and humans!

A hand held shower is ideal but a plastic pitcher will do to wet the dog down. I usually run a little water into the tub (half and inch) and splash and play a bit. Pour small amounts of water on the dog or spray it gently. Basically don’t make too many surprises for the dog and praise the dog’s standing still and cooperating.

Keep one hand on the dog’s neck or head to assure him/her at all times. This also controls them very well. You control a horse the same way…so a dog is no real problem.

Wet the dog down and then use a dog shampoo on them. Rub it around and lather up and then rinse completely. I use dog shampoo that is cheap. I buy it by the gallon and it mixes 16:1. I put it in a smaller squeeze bottle and the $30.00 investment lasts a year or more! It only takes about 8 to 12 oz of dilute shampoo to generously do a dog! Don’t buy it in a premixed bottle…you’ll go broke.

TIP: Saw off all except an inch or two of a cheap sink plunger ( the kind without the inner ring) and put an eye screw in the remaining wood part. Attach a thin lead to that and you can “plunge” it to the side of the bath tub for a great dog holder!

Grooming

An excellent source for grooming now exists at HYPERLINK “http://www.scwtca.org/” http://www.scwtca.org . It is much better than what I can send and you need to go look at this!

Your Wheaten most likely will have an Irish coat! This is the dominant coat type for Wheatens and relatively unknown in the American bred dogs. Soon you will start to see changes as the dog’s coat matures. The new coat will start on the head and fore legs and continue back. A shinny lighter colored coat will appear. Leg furnishings will remain shorter than the usual American dog but will catch up in time.

I recommend a Greyhound brand comb with about one inch long or a little longer teeth. Comb the dog as frequently as needed to prevent matting. You will find the Irish coat to mat less than the American coat but it is capable of matting just as much if left unattended. All dogs actually do shed but the Wheaten fur stays on the body in the form of mats. These mats if left unattended can cause sores and broken skin under them.

Trimming will be as desired by the owner and the SCWTCA web site will guide you nicely. If you have questions don’t hesitate to contact me.

Tables made for grooming are a great help. An old sturdy table with a grooming arm and good footing can be a less expensive alternative. The grooming arms can be purchased separately at pet stores or through catalogues or you can fashion one with a lead and hook in the ceiling or pipe in the basement! Just be sure to never leave the dog unattended on this or they can hang themselves!

Catalogues are great places to shop! We have no pet stores here in Duluth with anything other than food and hamsters, so I shop mostly through the catalogues. Check in your area for stores but don’t be surprised if there is little beyond the basics. There are now on line catalogues and I have found HYPERLINK “http://www.cherrybrook/” http://www.cherrybrook to be very good. They have a nice search engine in their site! It works!

Groomers are often selected by Wheaten owners. Ask other dog owners in your area for recommendations on this.

Ears

Wheaten ears hang down; therefore, they are dark, moist and warm inside. A perfect breeding spot for all kinds of problems. I don’t do anything with ears unless I find a problem. Some dogs seldom need ear care while others need it weekly. It all depends on how much hair grows in there and what other little organisms take up residence.

If it is necessary to pull hair the best thing to use is a hemostat so that you can get down in and get it all out. Groomers will do this for you if you don’t care to. Once the hair has been pulled I use and ear cleaner that you can purchase at the pet store or peroxide to clean the ears daily for about a week. This keeps the open spots clean and allows them to heal nicely.

If warmth, redness, or smell persists you will need to contact your vet. Don’t neglect bad ears. It can in its worst case lead to deafness. Another sign of trouble is dark hair growing from the ears. Have it checked!

Cardigan Coat Care

I bet you thought you might get by without this!!! Well, you did for the most part. Cardigans don’t need frequent bathing but if you note that there is a lot of hair around the house a warm bath and thorough combing will help eliminate a lot of that. Use any shampoo or even dish soap and you will be fine. Avoid eyes! But, a couple times a year your dog will appear to “molt” and you do need to get the old hair out of there to prevent sores on the skin.

Feet

As much as I hate to do it, we need to keep the nails cut short. Again, a trip to the groomer every 6 weeks can take care of this. Or you can do it yourself. Get a nail cutter at the pet store and some powder to stop the bleeding that also stops the pain as the blood clotting powder stings! Clip the nails back a little at a time until you get the hang if it. If you draw blood use the powder OR just let them sit in their crate or out side until it stops on it’s own. The powder hurts…..I don’t use it for that reason unless I’m at a show. Shame on me…I should have done it long before we left home!!!!!

It works best to make sure the dog’s coat is out of the way and even if you don’t do the clipping your self you should frequently examine the feet and hold each toe while the pup is young so they get used to it. I often use a nylon stocking pulled over the foot to hold the coat back while I trim.

IF the pup screams (some sound like they are dying) ignore it and insist on gently but very firmly looking or clipping. They need to get used to it. Praise the calm moments even if they are a split second long!!!!

In the winter it’s nice to make sure the pads don’t have too much hair between them to catch ice and snow

Crates

You will want either a plastic or wire crate measuring about 28 x 18 x x24 inches high. Larger is not necessary for the comfort of the dog. My dogs try to get into smaller crates all the time. They like this little den.

Your dog should be in a crate whenever you don’t want to or don’t have the time to watch him/her. It is okay to watch TV without the dog too! ….. Or have a meal without the dog around ! I find it best to entertain company with the dogs in their crate and take them out to say hello rather than let them roam and get into trouble.

Dogs sleep a great deal of the day. By being crated while you are gone they can be active when you are home.

Don’t forget that these are still babies and need naps….even if you don’t want them to nap!!!!!!!!!!!

A dog is safest in a crate. A dog should be crated in the car. If not crated or restrained with a harness secured to the seat belt or head rest, they can run away during a minor accident. Dogs are often very frightened by small crashes and if a window is out or door opened they take off and hide! Be safe and restrain them.

Training

I expect that the dog will go to obedience training. This will show you how to control your dog and give the dog confidence. Puppy kindergarten is great and suggested also. Clicker training is great! It’s just a positive reward system rather than using punishment. Children can and should also be involved in training classes. It doesn’t hurt them to participate or to just sit and watch.

Behavior

From the beginning, do not let your pup bite you or chew on you. This can set up a bad situation for later. In the beginning they are actually exploring their environment with their mouths but they should never get the idea that this is okay with your body! Say a firm “No bite, good dog” all as one as you pull the hand or foot away. If it persists, turn your back or walk away. You will need to closely supervise young children with this. Dogs will find the weakest person in the household to “attack” and that isn’t fun for a small child who can’t defend themselves. Also, the screams of the child encourage the pup!!! So. be there and be

The first things other than pottying that you want your dog to learn is to come. Call the name and say “come” from just a few feet away and then lavishly heap on the praise for doing this. Continue this from longer distances. Try to not chase your dog. This can be a fun game for the dog and your anger or frustration is reward!!! Never punish the dog for finally coming to you when they don’t do it on the first call…… they won’t want to next time.

Decide on clear commands for behaviors that you want to reinforce. Don’t say “sit” one time and “sit down” the next. Keep to one command.

Always praise the behavior you like. And don’t nag!!!!

Did I miss anything?????

If I missed answering your question….call or email me!