Winnie's 6 week Puppies

Winnie's litter are already 6 weeks old now!  Their fur has grown thick and curly, and they are full of fun and energy.   Nothing makes them happier than to go outside to play.  They run about chasing each other and exploring the bushes.   This is such a fun age for a puppy!

Last Saturday they had fun meeting their new families.  Yes, all these precious pups are sold!  But you can always get on the Waiting list for our next litter of puppies!

 On Monday the puppies saw the Veterinary.  All the puppies were reported in great health.   They also received their first set of shots and were wormed.   The pups are now fully weaned and eating dry dog food.   So now they just need another week of growing and they will be all ready to go home with their new families.   We will miss these cuties for sure!

Daisy at 6 weeks of age

Ginger at 6 weeks

Violet at 6 weeks of age

Lilly at 6 weeks of age

Yoda at 6 weeks of age

Benji at 6 weeks of age

Winnie's 4 week old puppies

Daisy

Lilly

Benji

Bandit

Winnie's 2 week puppies

The 2nd week of a puppies life is so exciting because that is the time that puppies eyes open!   I always get an up to the minute report from my youngest child.   One day I get up in the morning and the first thing I hear is, "Mom!  Come and see!  One of the puppies eyes is opening!"  And the next day, "Another puppy has his eyes open!"   And through the day their are reports until all the puppies eyes are open.   It is such a big event for my 8 year old.  He must keep checking on the puppies constantly!   Ha ha! 

Benji and Bandit at 2.5 weeks of age.

Of course, I do not blame him.  The opening of the eyes signals the wakening of the puppy to the world around him.  The timing corresponds to the opening of the ears and the puppies learning to stand up and walk on all four feet.  Yes, their legs are shaky at first.  And there mobility is for very short bits of time as they gain their strength.  Likewise vision and hearing start out rather fuzzy and get better every day that goes by    And of course, the puppies look so much cuter when you can see their eyes!   So I do like to wait to take the second week photos until after their eyes have opened.

Just for clarity sake, I will start with the photos of  Winnies 2 boys, Benji and Bandit.

Bandit

Bandit

Benji

Benji

Below are the photos of Winnie's girls, Rosie, Violet, Daisy and Lilly.

Rosie

Violet

Daisy

Lilly

Winnies 1 week old puppies

This week seems to have gone by so quickly.   Winnie and her puppies moved out of my bathroom (the most quiet far away place in the house) to our nursery room.   The puppies have spent the week eating, sleeping and growing!   If there is anything that marks this first week for the puppies, it is that they have grown so much and gotten visibly chubbier.  The color pigment is coming into their noses...so they have lost the soft pink color and are almost completely black.  Their eyes and ears are still closed, but they are very active and move about the whelping pool very quickly to get to their mom.

Here are the photos of the girls (below)...

The girls (photo 2)

The girls (photo 3)

And the photos below are the boys....

Benji (left)  and Bandit (right) 

Winnie's Litter born June 1

A few hours after giving birth to 6 puppies, Winnie needs to sleep.

I am so excited to share the news that Winnie had her litter of puppies!   The litter was born Friday night, June 1, 2018.   There were 6 puppies in all....4 girls and 2 boys.  Yah for girls!   Not that I have anything against boys.  But I do believe this is the first time in my history of Schnoodle breeding that I have actually had more girls than boys!   It was uncanny how the boy genes always won out.   So yes, we have lots of little girl puppies.  And I am sure it will make some of our customers very happy!

The puppies came super quickly.  The first 4 pups were born every 15 minutes, and the last 2 puppies were born 30 minutes apart.   2 hours for 6 puppies is a very fast delivery!    Happily the little darlings are all very healthy and strong.   They had no problems finding their way to their mom, and started nursing as soon as they were born.  

Winnie is a very good mom.  She keeps her puppies very close to her.   I love this picture as you see one little puppy has snuggled up under Winnie's chin.  So sweet!

Look at that tiny face!

It took a few days to actually get a photo of the whole group of puppies (below) since Winnie was hovering over them so closely.   Yesterday when Winnie ran outside to use the potty, I finally got a photo where you can see all of the pups side-by-side.   I labeled the boys so you could see which pups were what gender.

I am so pleased that the puppies were all born without any trouble, and that the whelping went so smoothly.   Thank the Lord for a safe and healthy whelping!

How to Prevent Eye Stains and Beard Stains on White Dogs

Do you have Red or Brown stains on your dogs beard, face or fur?   If you do, I would like to share some solutions that work really well for my white Schnauzers.  I have owned white Schnauzers for 10 years so it has been a learning process.


We have all seen dogs with ugly brown staining under the eyes, or beard.   Most people just think the dog is dirty and needs a bath.  But it usually cannot be washed off.  People think it is a white dog problem...but it can be a problem for any dog.  It is most visible on a white dog.   Dogs with long growing fur are more susceptible since the fur can grow into the eyes and wick moisture onto the face, creating a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast.  The same is true around the mouth.  Thick fur around the mouth can stay moist and also be a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast overgrowth.

What causes Red Stains on the fur?

The strain of Yeast that causes the Red Stains on dogs is called Pityrosporum or Malassezia  (and commonly mispelled in articles as Ptyrosporin.)   Yeast thrives in warm moist areas.   The problem is often seen in dog ears where fur can trap moisture and create an environment that is perfect for yeast to thrive.   Dogs that tear from teething, or allergies, or tear duct problems often have Yeast overgrowth under their eyes.   The area around the mouth and beard on the White Schnauzer is a very common area of staining..   And when dogs lick their paws because of allergies or boredom, that too creates a breeding ground for yeast.   Finally the skin of a dog is also a place where yeast overgrows.  IF your dog has itchy flaky skin and especially a somewhat orange tinge to their fur on their back, that is possibly a Yeast problem.   Although fur stains are most obvious on a white dog, Yeast overgrowth can be a problem for a dog with any fur color.   If you suspect your dog has a problem with yeast read on....


How to STOP Yeast overgrowth from within....

The best way to stop yeast from growing is to remove the Yeasts Food Source!
What does yeast grow on?   Sugars and Carbohydrates that change to sugars in the body.  Therefore, you MUST remove all carbohydrates from your dogs diet.  Switch your dog to Grain Free Food and treats.  I like Petco's Whole Hearted Grain Free Dog Food.   For treats I like to use real food.  I cut up real liver, or chicken and freeze them to have on hand.   Once you change the diet, the yeast will start dying off within days.  You won't see the stains disappear immediately.   They are stains, so you have to give the fur a chance to grow out.   Give yourself a month and you will see noticeable results.   Cut away the stained fur if you like, and it will come back nice and white.

Is eliminating carbohydrates healthy for a dog?   YES..
Most inexpensive dog foods are full of carbohydrates because they are a cheap filler. But carbohydrates are not very good for dogs nutrition.   Experts say that the dogs digestive system is not meant to break down carbohydrates.... "Since dogs do not have flat grinding teeth, a long digestive tract, or amylase in their saliva, they have a difficult time digesting diets high in carbohydrates.  Carbohydrates tend to stay in the dog's digestive tract longer, which slows down the digestive process and can cause spasms and irritations in the large intestine as the dog labors to process them."  Raw and Natural Nutrition for Dogs by Lew Olson, PhD.

So again, the best way to get rid of Yeast is to take out the sugars and carbohydrates that convert to sugars.  This will give you the best results with the least effort and expense.

 The next step, Proper Grooming around Eyes

Regular grooming is necessary for reducing eye infections and yeast.  Fur that pokes into the eyes, will cause moisture to wick out of the eyes.  Build up of debris at the corner of the eye is a breeding ground for bacteria.  So yes, keep your the area under the dogs eyes clean by occasionally removing any build up and washing your dogs face to keep it nice and clean.

Other products that I have tried....
Before I thought to change my dogs diet, I also tried a multitude of products.  They worked to some extent and can be used in conjunction with a diet change to help stop the Yeast growth faster.    But used alone the methods below are really just band aids on the problem.   It is still best to solve the problem from within.   

1) Angel Eyes Original. -  The active ingredient Tylosin Tartrate is a low-grade antibiotic.  It really works to eliminate Yeast...but in 2014 the FDA banned the sale of products containing Tylosin Tartrate without a veterinary prescription.  There is the concern that continually giving a dog an antibiotic will develop an antibiotic resistance that will be a problem for a dog.   Nonetheless, this product does work.  And will reduce the yeast in your dogs system.  Most people use it over a period of 3-4 months.   It is not as fast as a diet change.  But it does work.  

Angel Eyes Natural - This product has no Tylosin. I have NOT found this product to be very effective in my experience.  But I did not use it for very long.  Perhaps it needs to be used for a longer period of time.

2) Organic Apple Cider Vinegar -  The idea is to put a little in the dogs water.  Organic Apple Cider vinegar is unfiltered unpasteurized vinegar and has beneficial bacteria in tact.  It is beneficial in creating an environment that is inhospitable to yeast.   So I have used a solution of 2 cups water and 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to soak paws and to rinse the back of a dog with yeasty skin.  One can also put a teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar in with your dogs water it is a healthy supplement for people and for dogs.  Not only is it good for the system.  But it will change the acid level of the saliva around your dogs mouth and beard... and the yeast will have a harder time growing there.   

3) Eye Envy for Dogs has been a good product that I have used to clean under the eyes of a dog with staining.  The product recommends that you clean the dogs eyes every day and some people do it more than once a day.  It does remove some of the red yeast.  It is a bit expensive.  With daily use it will help a lot.  I use this in conjunction with a grain free diet on new white puppies that have stains from teething.   It really helps to stop the yeast stains quickly.  



For EAR infections:

4) Pet King Brand Zymox Otic Pet Ear Treatment with Hydrocortisone. This product combats bacterial, fungal, and yeast infections in the ears.  It works without antibiotic.  The enzymatic action naturally cleans and disinfects while destroying even the most resistant microbes.   When a dog is shaking his ears and miserable from the itchy yeast in his ears, you should get this product immediately.  I used it on one puppy that came to me with terrible Yeast overgrowth in her ears.  I took her to the vet but the antibiotic they gave her only made the yeast worse.  Two weeks later I was about to go back to the vet  but bought the Zymox Otic Ear Treatment instead..  It cured her itchy ears so quickly and saved me a second trip to the vet. The 5 stars from 7,300 people on Amazon are no lie.  If your dog has Yeast in his ears this will take care of it!

For Skin:
5) Moosh Natural Dog Shampoo... Bathing a dog with itchy skin is the most under-utilized treatment for skin problems but is the very effective.  Moosh shampoo is antibacterial and antifungal so it will reduce the yeast that is causing itchy flaky skin on your dog.  Veterinarians recommend washing the dog every 2 days.  Because this shampoo does not have detergents it will not dry out the dogs skin.   I have used this shampoo and found it very effective.  But washing a dog every few days is a LOT of work!  So hopefully when you change the diet you won't need to bath your dog so often. 

Conclusion:    I have owned many white dogs over the last 10 years.   All of my dogs have experienced yeast overgrowth at some point in their life and occasionally during pregnancy.  I have taken my dogs to the veterinary for the problem and the antibiotics they prescribed did not do much to help the problem.  The best thing I have found to reduce staining is to feed my dogs a GRAIN FREE diet.   All my dogs have done very well not getting yeast problems once I made the switch.   The grain free food is also the healthiest way to feed your dog anyway.  

When I first changed my dogs diet, Winnie was still a puppy and had a very terrible yeast problem in her ears and under her eyes.  After the diet change, I literally could see the white fur growing in on Winnie's face and the Red Stains growing out as clearly as night and day!  The happened within weeks of changing to a grain free diet.  The Yeast in Winnie's ears disappeared and never returned.    My dogs have never looked so beautifully white before.   So if your dog has any staining on his or her fur, I do hope you will try a Grain Free diet.  Take Before and After photos!   Let me know how it works for you!   

Introducing Winnie the Pooch!

I would like to introduce Winnie for the first time.   She is one of our four Schnauzer girls who we breed for Schnoodle puppies.   Winnie is expecting her first litter very soon.

Winnie is 18 lbs and stands at 14 inches at her shoulders.   Her fur is very thick, soft and wavy.   Her coat is gorgeous, but when it is kept long it does need to be brushed 2-3 times a week to prevent knots from forming.

I took these photos a few weeks ago.  Winnie is expecting her first litter, but was not overly round, that she still looks nice in photos...

Winnie is what I would call "smitten" with me.   She follows me everywhere and when I sit down she is the first to leap into my lap.   She turns her body to face mine, so she can gave lovingly at me.   It is absolutely precious.   I think I am smitten with Winnie too!   

Winnie is super responsive to training.    When I took her to puppy classes she was a stand out in the class.  The trainer would show her once what she was asking and that was just about all it took.  I had a few different trainers over the course of her classes and they all were rather amused with how incredibly focused she was.   Other dogs in the class were all ADHD...but not Winnie.  She sat there with her gaze fixed on me waiting to find out what was next.  When the trainer was showing something to another dog, she would watch them so she would know what she would need to do next.   What a fun dog to train!!!

The photos below are what Winnie looked like at 5 weeks of age.   What a baby she was!

These next photos are not so clear, but I thought they were useful.
This first photo shows Winnie being held by my 6' 4" son.   He picks her up like a Teddy Bear, and  she is the biggest of all my girls.

This last photo is what Winnie looks like in her long Winter coat.   She is like a Sheepdog with all that fur!

Finally I want to share all the funny names we call Winnie.   Her registered name is "Winnie the Pooch".  

My 8 year old calls her "Winnie Wheats" since his favorite cereal is Mini Wheats.   

I like to call her  "Winnie Widi Wici" which is the Classical pronunciation for "Veni Vidi Vici", a quote from Julias Caesar meaning, "I came, I saw, I conquered!"   Now my son did not believe me that you pronounce V's as W's in classical Latin...but it is true!    (and I think this quote fits Winnie perfectly!)

Winnie was bred with Blaze (our awesome Red Mini Poodle)  on Mar 26, 2018.   Her due date is May 28, 2018.   She is now past her due date, so we are expecting puppies to arrive any day now!  We are super excited to share the story of Winnie's Schnoodle babies.  These will be the highest quality Schnoodle puppies you can find.  They will be beautiful, super smart and well socialized in an active household. We are so excited to see the new babies!  Be sure to check back for updates!

Pee Guard for a Ugodog Potty Tray

One of my recent puppy buyers wrote to tell me that their little boy Schnoodle is lifting his leg when going potty and is peeing off the potty tray as a result.  This is the first time I have been asked this question.   It sure would be nice if the Ugodog Company made guards to stop a puppy from peeing off the side of the tray.   Nonetheless, I have an idea that may work.....

MY SOLUTION:   If you take a 56 Qt Sterilite Plastic Box (sold at Home Depot and Walmart for $6.95) and turn it upside down  the sides of the box fits the edges of the potty grates quite nicely (without going off the sides of the lower tray).   So if you cut off the top of the box, and one of the long sides, then you have a 3 sided plastic barrier.  You might need to secure it to the plastic tray below with a couple pieces of packing tape...or duct tape.   Otherwise, the puppy might just knock it off the tray.   But it seems to me that once secured, the puppy could pee against the side of the plastic box and the pee would just run into the tray below. 

I have looked for a box whose floor is the right size to fit the whole Ugodog tray, but so far no luck.  So turning the box upside down does work since the top of the box is larger than the floor of the box.

If anyone tries the above Potty Guard, then let me know if it works well for you.  I do not have male puppies that are lifting their legs....so I cannot test drive this idea for you.   And if you find a better solution than let me know.   I would love to share your ideas and photos at the bottom of this post.

Dangerous Space for your Puppy on a Wire Crate!

Dear Puppy Owner, 

I want to bring your attention to a dangerous area on the standard wire crates that are sold for puppies....

   


The crate has several openings where puppies can get their lower jaws stuck.   (see the arrow below)

This half inch tall opening is just big enough for an 8 week old puppy to get his little jaws stuck....and stuck good!

I experienced this problem first hand when one of my puppies got his lower jaw stuck yesterday.  He was chewing on the bars like puppies do and his jaw got stuck.  His lower canines prevented him from pulling his jaw back out.  He couldn't close his mouth and he Started yelping loudly.  I heard the yelping from the upper floor and knew immediately that something was very wrong.   I ran down to the pen to see the poor little guy stuck helpless..   And what was worse, is that I didn't know how to free him!  I tried a few different times, but he seemed to be stuck in there good.    After what seemed like an eternity...but was probably not more than a minute or two, I was able to change the direction of his body and head and somehow that gave his little jaw the right angle for escape.

When he was free he went about happily playing and chewing on his toys.  He didn't seem to be traumatized....but I surely was!

All I could think about was how awful it would be if this happened to a puppy and no one was home to help him!   

So what should you do?   Well, don't throw away the crate.   It is too important a tool for raising a puppy.   When I mentioned this experience to one of my customers today, he had a great solution....Duct Tape!  He suggested I wrap up the holes with Duct tape.  Genius!  .   And when the puppy jaws have grown so big that this tiny space is no longer a problem.... you can remove the tape.   Problem solved! 

So YES!  Please get yourself a roll of black duct tape and wrap up those little half inch tall rectangular holes near the corners of your wire crate.  Do that, and give yourself peace of mind that your little puppy won't get himself stuck like mine did!  Thank you Derek for the great advise!  


How I use Crates with my litters of Puppies:   I like to attach wire crates to our Midwest wire pens, during week 6 to 8.  The door of the pen is always kept open and attached in an open position with a snap clip to the end of the wire pen. (So in a sense it is just an extension of their pen)   The puppies love to sleep in the pen, and get use to it as a place of security.  By the time they go home, the wire crate is a familiar place.   I will also put a hard shelled Airline approved travel crate in their living space.   That way, the puppies are familiar with sleeping in a plastic crate as well before they travel home by car or plane.   I feel this is one important way to make our puppies transition to his new home just a little bit easier.

How Cold is too Cold for your Puppy or Adult dog?

As I am raising my winter litter and also sending puppies home very soon, I want to be sure that everyone keeps their puppies safe during the cold winter days.   So what is the appropriate temperature for taking a puppy outdoors.   A puppy coat will offer some degree of warmth but for a new puppy that may not be enough.   When the temperatures are cold enough that you need to wear a coat, please limit your puppies exposure to just a few minutes.  I personally do not take new puppies outside unless I am comfortable without a coat.  When temperatures outside are colder than your home, you need to keep outdoor time brief.    Please watch your puppy to see signs of his comfort level.   If he is shivering, you better bring him inside and cuddle him in a blanket right away.   If the weather is raining, make sure he does not get wet.   If he does get wet, blow him dry with a blow dryer on a warm (not hot) setting.   You must not allow your puppy to stay wet, or he may get sick.

If your intention is to potty train a puppy in the winter, keep in mind that a cold puppy will not use the potty outside.  Better to use a potty tray until the weather is warm enough.   You should also know that a cold puppy will not eat or sleep well.  Watch for signs that your puppy is well, a wagging tail and happy face.   Do not wait for him to be shaking, whining or crying.   A new puppy does not regulate his body temperature as well as and adult puppy, so please be especially careful.

I have trained our litters to use a Ugodog potty to protect them during these winter months.  I highly recommend that every family have a Ugodog potty on hand especially for when the weather is cold, when it snows or rains, and for the middle of the night.   Spring is only a few months away and you can start bringing your puppy outside more often.  But right now, you need to keep your puppy very warm.   And when he is an adult dog, you will also need to pay attention to the cold.  Again, a puppy coat are helpful, but is not enough protection for a very young puppy.  This breed does not have a double coat and will not want to go out when the weather is bad.

If you want to be sure to have the best information on safety and your dog, please refer to the PDF by Tufts Animal and Condition Care TFAC which describes safe conditions for your dog.

Also, Dr Kym Smythe has summarized this information in the chart below.   Keep in mind, the Schnoodle does not have a double coat like many other breeds.  So you should always have a winter coat available for the cold weather.