Lusa/Drew Puppy Schedule - this is only an estimate, but fun to follow.

We should be able to feel the embryos in about three weeks although Lusa is so muscular that sometimes it's difficult.

Jensen Canine Pregnancy Calendar

Pregnancy Calendar for Dogs
Date:	Tue 18 Jun '13
Sire:	Amblers Cleveland Rocks - Drew
Dam:	Sonrisas Mi Chica - Lusa
Breeder:	Rita Thomas
Sat 15 Jun '13	First day of mating. 48 hours after the first mating the bitch should be mated again. Subsequent matings occurring over a period of time enhance the chances of fertilization taking place. The spermatozoa migrate up through the cervix.
Sun 16 Jun '13	Sperm travel searching for a mature ripened eggs.
Sun 16 Jun '13 - Mon 17 Jun '13	Spermatozoa reach the eggs in the oviducts.
Mon 17 Jun '13 - Tue 18 Jun '13	Fertilization occurs in the oviducts which lead from the ovaries to the uterus.
Tue 18 Jun '13 - Thu 20 Jun '13	Fertilized eggs migrate down the oviducts and into the uterine horns. The migration continue to enable even spacing of the embryos. During this migration the eggs will grow into a blastocystes.
Wed 26 Jun '13 - Fri 28 Jun '13	The blastocystes implant in the wall of the uterus.
Wed 26 Jun '13 - Wed 10 Jul '13	The blastocystes will grow into an embryos. During the next two weeks the important organs will develop.
Sat 29 Jun '13 - Sat 6 Jul '13	Dams nipples begin to pink enlarge. The fur on the dams belly and around the nipples may become thinner.
Fri 5 Jul '13 - Fri 12 Jul '13	Morning sickness might occur due to hormonal changes or stretching and distension of the uterus. Dam may appear a bit apathetic. She may be off her feed for a while and vomit from time to time. Feeding the dam several meals spaced throughout the day might help. Your veterinarian may want to prescribe a drug to relax the uterus.
Wed 10 Jul '13 - Sun 14 Jul '13	An experienced person (a breeder or a veterinarian) can tell by careful palpation whether the dam is pregnant. It's now the best time to do this because the embryos are walnut-sized now and easy to count.
Sat 13 Jul '13	Start to increase the dams food ration. Don't overfeed, excessive weight gain should be avoided. The fetuses are now and are fully developed miniature dogs.
Fri 19 Jul '13	The Dams abdomen starts to get larger.
Mon 29 Jul '13	It's very easy now to feel the puppies, counting them might be a bit more difficult.
Thu 1 Aug '13 - Fri 9 Aug '13	Dam begins to spend a lot more time in self-grooming. Her breasts become even more swollen. She may become a bit restlessness and begin to search for a suitable place to have her puppies.
Sat 3 Aug '13	The dam might lose her appetite during this period. Her abdomen can be crowded with puppies. It is better to feed several smaller meals spaced throughout the day. You can easily detect abdominal movement now.
Sat 3 Aug '13 - Sun 18 Aug '13	Nipples and vulva should be gently cleaned with warm water, you might want to trim the hairs surrounding the nipples, to allow easier access for the puppies to suck.
Tue 13 Aug '13 - Fri 16 Aug '13	Milky fluid may be expressed from the nipples.
Wed 14 Aug '13	You might want to start taking the dams rectal temperature each morning and evening.
Sat 17 Aug '13	Twelve to 24 hours before she is due to deliver, the dams rectal temperature may drop from 101 to 98 degrees. Clear discharge from the vulva might occur.
Sun 18 Aug '13	Expected date of whelp. Of course this is just an average. Whelping may take place from the 59th to the 65th day. Puppies born before the 58th day will probably be too young to survive.

Summer....or at least milder weather means more puppy pictures

Here are two Sonrias puppies, Dunka with the big smile and Migo learning new tricks.

Arsenic in Rice can affect dogs as well

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/arsenic-rice-report-finds-worrisome-levels/story?id=17267872#.UbEwrs_D_1I

I make my own dog food as a major part of my dogs diet, but also they eat Orijen fish in the morning.  This makes life easier when we travel with our dogs.  However, I am now using sweet potatoes and quinoa to replace the rice.  If you want more information about the vet backed diet that I feed my dogs please feel free to send me an email about it. 

rita@sonrisashavanese.ca

The Science Behind Saying, “No” to a Pet Store Puppy by Nancy Kay, DVM © 

Approximately one year ago I told you about animal welfare advocate, Dr. Frank McMillan’s study documenting the increased incidence of behavioral abnormalities in adult dogs rescued from puppymills. This important research provided scientific documentation that these animals come part and parcel with a plethora of negative behaviors.

Dr. McMillan has done it again. This time, his research focuses on puppies purchased from pet stores, the vast majority of which are born in commercial breeding facilities (aka, puppy mills). The most recent edition of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association features Dr. McMillan’s research documenting the behavioral differences between puppies obtained from pet stores and those obtained from noncommercial (non-puppy mill) breeders.

As Dr. McMillan states,

It has long been an article of faith among veterinarians and canine professionals that dogs obtained as puppies from pet stores have a higher prevalence of health and behavioral problems. However there has been a dearth of empirical studies to support this notion.

Research results

Dr. McMillan and his fellow researchers found that pet store dogs received less favorable scores than breeder-obtained dogs for almost every behavior variable measured. In no behavioral category did the pet store group achieve a more desirable score than the breeder group.

Pet store dogs were significantly more likely to exhibit aggression towards human family members, unfamiliar people, and other dogs. They were also more likely to have separation anxiety and touch sensitivity. Additionally, dogs originating from pet stores were more excitable, energetic, and attention seeking and generally less trainable. Lastly, they exhibited higher frequencies of negative behaviors such as escaping from the home, mounting of people and objects, and urinating and defecating in the house.

The authors theorize that stress experienced in a commercial breeding/puppy mill environment during the formative stages of a pet store puppy’s life negatively impacts brain development. There is also evidence that prenatal stress (stress experienced by the pregnant female) can alter normal behavioral development of her offspring. Specifically mentioned stressors include confinement to a small space, extreme temperatures, negative interactions with kennel staff, inability to regulate exposure to negative stimuli, and limited access to positive interactions with humans.

The researchers acknowledged that those who purchase puppies from pet stores might use different methods of training compared to those who purchase from noncommercial breeders. The current study did not investigate this variable.

I wholeheartedly applaud this terrific research. The more scientific substantiation we have to underscore the insanity of purchasing puppies from pet stores the better.

Have you lived with and/or trained a pet store pup? If so, how did it go?

If you would like to respond publicly, please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com/blog/?p=4008.

Nancy Kay, DVM

Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine

Author of Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life

Author of Your Dog's Best Health: A Dozen Reasonable Things to Expect From Your Vet

Recipient, Leo K. Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the Year Award

Recipient, American Animal Hospital Association Animal Welfare and Humane Ethics Award

Recipient, Dog Writers Association of America Award for Best Blog

Recipient, Eukanuba Canine Health Award

Recipient, AKC Club Publication Excellence Award

Common Household Poisons

April is Pet First Aid Awareness Month

Top 10 Toxins and Poisons for Dogs

1. Chocolates
2. Insect bait stations
3. Rodenticides (mouse and rat poison)
4. Fertilizers
5. Xylitol-containing products such as sugar-free gums and candies
6. Ibuprofen
7. Acetaminophen
8. Silica gel packs
9. Amphetamines, such as ADD/ADHD drugs
10. Household cleaners