Dogue de Bordeaux
Breed Info
GENERAL BREED INFO
In this section you will find general breed info that could be helpful , like what to look for when buying a puppy , what to ask potential owners , also feeding ..... well everything and anything really.
These are all Questions to ask yourself before getting a Bordeaux ...make sure you are honest for the dogs sake.
Why do I want a dogue?
Do I want a companion to share my life with or do I want a status symbol to show off to my friends and impress them?
Or do I want a lawn ornament so I can be just like everyone else?
Do I need something to make me look good ?
Or do I want a devoted companion and want to put the effort into making this relationship happen?
Can I devote the time to properly raise and train a puppy?
Can I commit to the next 5-10 or more years to this dog?
Will I take the time every day to properly exercise the dog, train and socialize or find someone to help me out of needed during the day if I am not home?
If I cannot devote almost as much time as raising a human child, I am not ready for a puppy. I will also be willing to take the time to wait for the right dog to show up. If I am impatient, I am not ready.
Costs involved
Can I afford not only the cost of a puppy from a reputable source but can I afford all the things a pup needs from a crate to training classes, food, toys, vaccines , compound ?
Will I pay for a dog walker or day care if I work fulltime?
Can I afford at least $800 - $2,500 per year in general upkeep?
Can I afford medical emergencies or the care for chronic health problems?
Do I realize the there is no such thing as a cheap large dog?
Can I remember that one goes to a shelter to save a life, NOT to get a cheaper pet?
Will I accept all the costs financial and emotional that go along with dog ownership?
Am i willing to keep my dog up to date with council registration and get him microchipped ?
Lifestyle
Am I active or sedentary?
Will a breed that is pretty much a couch potato most of the time best suit my lifestyle ?
Just because I like the looks of a dog does not mean it is the right match for my lifestyle. Am I willing to adapt my lifestyle to fit the dog even if it means not going out after work or partying all weekend?
Will I take the dog to various activities such as obedience classes ,or the beach instead of hanging out with my buddies all the time?
Will I do what is needed to see the dog gets what he needs even if it impacts my lifestyle?
Or am I going to be selfish and keep my life status quo even if the dog is miserable?
Could i handle the slobber and hair in my house and on my clothes?
Research
Will I take the time to seek out all the information possible about the dogue breed before jumping in ?
Will I take the time to research breeders or rescues available and find the best one to work with ?
Will i research the health issues that effect this breed , and be prepared for the worse senario ?
Experience
How much dog experience do I have with a large breed ?
Do I realize that many breeds seen in movies or on television are not neccessarily the best choices to suit you ?
Do I realize that these dogs have needs and may be more than I am willing or able to handle ?
If I do not think I have the experience to own the dog I like, am I prepared to ask or find someone to help me learn?
Human Medical Issues
Does anyone in my family have allergies to dogs?
Or is there anyone in my family who has a medical condition that could affect the amount of time I am capable of spending with the dog ?
Am i prepared to have my pet desexed to avoid any unwanted puppys or future illness due to being entire ?
Housing
Am I willing to let my dog live in my house and be part of a family as every pack animal needs to be ?
Or am I going to leave him outside all the time where he maybe at risk of theft, developing nuisance barking or even biting a child who comes to the fence to say “Hi” when no one is home to stop it ?
Or am i prepared to make or provide a compound or large kennel & run to contain him for his safety when i am not at home ?
Am I willing to take the time to teach the dog how to live harmoniously in the house and neighbourhood ?
Grooming
Am I willing to bathe when needed?
Deflea & worm it when required ?
Am I willing to take care to trim nails ,clean teeth ,and ears or find someone to do all the grooming needs for me?
Am I willing to put up with shedding?
Am i willing to put up with drool ?
Long Term
What will happen to the dog should I marry, divorce or pass away?
Am i prepared to put in a will my final wishes for my dogue upon my death ?
Am I willing to find a spouse who shares the same animal values I do and who will welcome my dog and me as a unit?
What if we have children ?
Will I be able to take the time to properly prepare my dog for the new addition?
What if my job requires moving and travel?
Can I fairly keep a dog and am I willing to do what is necessary to keep the dog happy while I am away or make arrangements to bring the dog along?
Golden Years
Am I willing to make the dog’s senior years comfortable?
Put up with senior issues like a leaky bladder?
Am I willing to take short walks with him so he feels as if he is still useful even though he is greyer and a little slower than he used to be?
Am I willing not to be selfish?
When it is time to say goodbye will send him painlessly and with my arms to comfort him to the Rainbow Bridge?
Do I realize it is not fair to ask him to hold on just to hold off on my pain of saying goodbye?
Can I be selfless when the time comes?
Am I ready for a dog?
And if I am not, am I willing to listen to my brain and NOT my heart?
Am I willing to do the right thing and not take on the responsibility of a new life if I am not fully prepared to accept all the work and heartache as well as the fun we can have?
Heatstroke occurs when normal body mechanisms cannot keep the body's temperature in a safe range. Animals do not have efficient cooling systems (like humans who sweat) and get overheated easily. A dog with moderate heatstroke (body temperature from 104º to 106ºF) can recover within an hour if given prompt first aid and veterinary care (normal body temperature is 100-102.5°F). Severe heatstroke (body temperature over 106ºF) can be deadly and immediate veterinary assistance is needed.
Signs
A dog suffering from heatstroke will display several signs:
- Rapid panting
- Bright red tongue
- Red or pale gums
- Thick, sticky saliva
- Depression
- Weakness
- Dizziness
- Vomiting - sometimes with blood
- Diarrhea
- Shock
- Coma
What you should do
Remove the dog from the hot area immediately. Prior to taking him to your veterinarian, lower his temperature by wetting him thoroughly with cool water (for very small dogs, use lukewarm water), then increase air movement around him with a fan. CAUTION: Using very cold water can actually be counterproductive. Cooling too quickly and especially allowing his body temperature to become too low can cause other life-threatening medical conditions. The rectal temperature should be checked every 5 minutes. Once the body temperature is 103ºF, the cooling measures should be stopped and the dog should be dried thoroughly and covered so he does not continue to lose heat. Even if the dog appears to be recovering, take him to your veterinarian as soon as possible. He should still be examined since he may be dehydrated or have other complications.
Allow free access to water or a children's rehydrating solution if the dog can drink on his own. Do not try to force-feed cold water; the dog may inhale it or choke.
What your veterinarian will do
Your veterinarian will lower your dog's body temperature to a safe range (if you have not already) and continually monitor his temperature. Your dog will be given fluids, and possibly oxygen. He will be monitored for shock, respiratory distress, kidney failure, heart abnormalities, and other complications, and treated accordingly. Blood samples may be taken before and during the treatment. The clotting time of the blood will be monitored, since clotting problems are a common complication.
Aftercare
Dogs with moderate heatstroke often recover without complicating health problems. Severe heatstroke can cause organ damage that might need ongoing care such as a special diet prescribed by your veterinarian. Dogs who suffer from heatstroke once increase their risk for getting it again and steps must be taken to prevent it on hot, humid days.
Prevention
Any pet that cannot cool himself off is at risk for heatstroke. Following these guidelines can help prevent serious problems.
- Keep pets with predisposing conditions like heart disease, obesity, older age, or breathing problems cool and in the shade. Even normal activity for these pets can be harmful.
- Provide access to water at all times.
- Do not leave your pet in a hot parked car even if you're in the shade or will only be gone a short time. The temperature inside a parked car can quickly reach up to140 degrees.
- Make sure outside dogs have access to shade.
- On a hot day, restrict exercise and don't take your dog jogging with you. Too much exercise when the weather is very hot can be dangerous.
- Do not muzzle your dog.
- Avoid places like the beach and especially concrete or asphalt areas where heat is reflected and there is no access to shade.
- Wetting down your dog with cool water or allowing him to swim can help maintain a normal body temperature.
- Move your dog to a cool area of the house. Air conditioning is one of the best ways to keep a dog cool, but is not always dependable. To provide a cooler environment, freeze water in soda bottles, or place ice and a small amount of water in several resealable food storage bags, then wrap them in a towel or tube sock. Place them on the floor for the dog to lay on.
http://www.youtube.com/user/vetstoria#p/u/10/YHrJDwDJlA0
Thanks to the Alaskan Malamute Club of America, Inc for developing this procedure and the Minnesota Malamute Club website for making this article available on the internet we now have an alternative to desexing pups before going to new homes without compromising there normal growth pattern by not removing there testosterone /hormone levels in there bodies.
For many years breeders, particularly large breed breeders, have wanted a method of birth control that would render very young puppies incapable of breeding so that they could be sold as pets and not become a part of the breeding population. It is important to breeders to have these procedures completed before a pup is seven to eight weeks old as many prefer to make placements at that age. Such results may be obtained by salpingectomy (tubal ligation) in the bitch puppy when she is as young as three weeks old and by vasectomy in the male puppy when he is about 5 1/2 weeks old. These procedures are acceptable by the Chondrodysplasia Committee for handling puppies from test litters.
Puppies should be examined carefully prior to surgery. They may be anesthetized and prepared for surgery by the standard methods used in any veterinary practice. In the female a small incision is made into the abdominal cavity caudal to the umbilicus and the ovary is elevated through the incision. The oviduct is easily seen in the mesovarium (see figure 1). It is grasped with forceps; a small section is removed and the cut ends are cauterized. The same procedure is repeated on the opposite side. Both ovaries are returned to the abdominal cavity and the abdominal incision is closed by standard methods. Please note that only a small portion of the oviduct is removed. The uterus and ovaries are left intact.
Vasectomy in the male may be done as soon as the testicles are descended to the scrotum, usually when the puppy is about five weeks old. A single small midline incision is made cranial to the scrotum and a spermatic cord is elevated through the opening. A small incision is then made in the common vaginal tunic of the spermatic cord. The ductus deferens is located in a medial fold of the cord along with a small artery and vein (see figure 2 and 3). The ductus deferens is separated from the artery and vein; a small section is removed and the cut ends are cauterized. The common vaginal tunic is closed around the spermatic cord but usually no sutures are required to close this incision. The procedure is then repeated on the opposite cord. Fascia and skin are closed by standard methods. Again please note that only a small portion of the ductus deferns is removed. The testicles remain intact.
Prospective owners of the pet puppies should be fully informed of the procedures that have been done. A bitch will still come into estrus and show all the signs of a normal heat. She will stand for a male but cannot conceive. It is suggested that bitches be confined when in heat and should be spayed at the usual time recommended by the veterinarian. This will prevent the undesirable manifestations of estrus and eliminate the possibility of later reproductive tract problems.
For more info and to talk to people who have done these procedures check out this Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/alternativealteringinfo/files/