Miniature Schnauzer, also known as the Miniature Schnauzer, originated in the Bavarian region of Germany and is classified by the AKC as a terrier dog.
The breed was created by crossing the Standard Schnauzer with miniaturized breeds that were popular in Europe in the 17th century, such as the Miniature Pinscher, Pomeranian, and Scottish Terrier. It was recognized in 1899 and is primarily used for hunting rats. Due to its cheerful and approachable nature, as well as its ease of care, it is now mostly kept as a family companion dog.
1. Canine Infectious Diseases
Common infectious diseases that dogs are prone to include canine distemper and canine coronavirus. Common clinical manifestations include fever, loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea, drowsiness, difficulty breathing, bloody stools, purulent eye discharge, dry nose, cracked paws, and other symptoms.
These types of infectious and life-threatening diseases often occur in dogs during the weaning period or around 1 year of age. Puppies have a higher susceptibility rate, a lower cure rate, and are more likely to leave sequelae.
How to prevent:
When bringing a dog home, it is recommended that the owner choose a reputable source to select the dog, administer vaccinations to the dog on time, regularly disinfect the home, and not take the dog outside for a walk until all vaccinations are completed. Avoid contact with unfamiliar dogs and do not allow others to touch the dog's mouth and nose casually.
2. Canine Skin Diseases
Because dogs often walk outside, they are prone to various skin diseases. If a dog accidentally becomes infected with mites, bacteria, or fungi, there is a risk of long-term difficult cure. Therefore, all dog owners must pay attention to it. Common clinical manifestations of canine skin diseases include greasy skin, peeling, redness, itching, papules, ulcers, suppurative discharge, hair loss, scabs, and so on.
How to prevent:
In daily care, it is necessary to keep the dog's living environment clean and tidy, and avoid darkness and moisture. In addition, regular disinfection of the dog's living environment, internal and external deworming, use of special dog shampoo, regular grooming, and supplementation of vitamins and fish oil can help prevent skin diseases in dogs.
3. Canine Parasites
Common parasites in dogs include roundworms, heartworms, ticks, fleas, etc. They often cause skin diseases and gastrointestinal diseases in dogs, which may cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs, affecting the quality of life and physical development of dogs. Generally, dogs with parasites are mostly weak and listless.
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How to prevent:
When feeding, the owner needs to pay attention to not giving dogs non-sterilized raw meat and unknown meat sources as much as possible. Dogs need deworming every 3 months and external parasite prevention once a month. When going out, prevent dogs from eating and licking indiscriminately and going into the grass. After returning home, make sure to check carefully.
Newborn period: The newborn period is when the puppy is just born, mainly relying on mother's milk for survival. The body cannot regulate temperature and needs the mother to provide warmth. No hearing and vision for the first day, only relying on weak touch to find the nipple. Eyes open around day 13, hearing develops after day 15, and teething starts after day 20. From day 21 to 28, the amount of mother's milk is not sufficient, and the transition from liquid to semi-solid food is necessary. At this time, it is easy to have diarrhea and constipation, so lactase, probiotics, or goat milk powder/pet milk should be fed. In case of constipation during formula feeding, a small amount of vegetable oil can be fed and massaging the abdomen can help with bowel movements. Deworming should start from 14 to 28 days old.
Puppyhood: 1 month to 2 months old. The puppy's digestive system is not fully developed at this stage and needs careful care from the owner. Generally, they should be fed at least 3 times a day, with small meals according to the puppy's condition. Soak the dry food in warm water or goat milk powder and feed it slowly. Do not overfeed, as it can lead to poor digestion. Make sure to provide fresh water for the puppy, but never give milk as it can cause diarrhea. Introduce probiotics daily to regulate the gastrointestinal system. At this stage, puppies have a weak resistance to viruses and bacteria, and should not be taken outside or exposed to colds to avoid getting sick. Vaccination begins at 6-7 weeks old, with completion at 3 months old. Try to bathe them after vaccination is complete, and dry cleaning powder can be used for earlier baths. Teething begins at 19-28 days old and all deciduous teeth should be grown by 2 months old. They have certain learning abilities and can start potty training.
Adolescence: 3 months to 6 months old. During this period, puppies can gradually transition from soaked to dry food. Adjust the feeding time slowly and make it more regular. They still eat dog food and drink fresh water. However, their bones and muscles grow rapidly at this stage, requiring a large amount of protein and calcium. Their fur also changes to adult fur, which is a critical period for maintaining a beautiful coat, but may be awkward during the transition. They also start to develop dominance and territory, trying to dominate the owner. Destructive behaviors increase. Puppy's body length and height develop rapidly, losing baby fat, so they need daily exercise to maintain their growth.
Sexual maturity: 8 months to 14 months old. At this stage, dogs enter sexual maturity and have their first estrus. The first estrus can cause hormonal imbalances and estrus disorders. Continuous estrus, anestrus, or pseudopregnancy can result in low pregnancy rate and high rate of dystocia. They need to be supplemented with nutrients that promote reproduction, such as vitamin E, organic chromium, folic acid, etc. It is important to note that they should not be bred during the first estrus. Pay attention to hygiene during estrus to prevent infection. If they are not going to breed, they can be spayed after the estrus ends.
Adolescence: 6 months to 10 months old, 6 months to 18 months old. At this stage, puppies can eat dry dog food completely and can be appropriately supplemented with meat to enrich their nutrition, such as cooked beef or chicken. However, it is important not to feed them chicken or duck bones, as it can result in poor bone development. If necessary (e.g. poor nutritional status, weakness, picky eating), some nutritional supplements can be given. Based on the puppy's actual condition, choose vitamin supplements, calcium supplements, protein supplements, or hair care nutrition supplements. Do not over-supplement, and do not give a large amount of supplements at once out of pity. Take a gradual and steady approach to maintain their health. At this stage, their bones and muscles grow rapidly, requiring a large amount of protein and calcium. They also have strong curiosity and cognitive abilities, with deep memory. This is the best period for learning.
Adult: Dogs that are 1 year old to 6 years old. Dogs are considered adults at 1 year old and have already grown into their form at this time. There are no specific restrictions on diet during this stage, but it is still important to supplement nutrients appropriately. Do not feed chicken or duck bones, avoid salty and spicy foods, avoid raw food, and avoid eating animal fat. If the dog catches a cold or gets sick, take them to a pet hospital in a timely manner. Do not make blind judgments and administer medication by yourself, unless you are a veterinarian. Take responsibility for your beloved pet.
Senior years: 8 years old to 18 years old. Dogs over 8 years old are equivalent to over 50 years old in human age, and should enter the "old age" stage of their lives. At this time, various organs of the dog start to decline in function, and age-related diseases such as diabetes, weakened liver and kidney function, and bone and joint diseases may occur. They are more prone to diabetes, liver and kidney diseases, high blood pressure, fractures, arthritis, and other illnesses. Therefore, it is important to pay special attention to supplementing calcium. You can choose to eat more soy products and cartilage, or use calcium supplements available on the market. Sunbathe more often and take them for walks. Pay attention to hygiene and believe that you can spend more time with your beloved dog.
1. Do not bathe frequently
Bathing the dog, of course, should not be too frequent. Bathing the dog depends on the dog's hygiene condition. If the weather is hot in summer, bathe the dog one or two more times. In winter, you can reduce it by one or two times, but in total, it should not exceed 5 times. Otherwise, it will damage its fur and skin!
2. Regularly brush the fur
Dogs shed almost every day, especially in spring and autumn. Seasonal shedding is more severe. If you want the fur to grow well, regularly brushing the fur is an important step. The pet owner can use a pet-specific brush to help the dog clean naturally shed hair and prevent tangling. It only takes about five minutes to brush once in the morning and evening.
3. Sunbathe
Sunbathing is beneficial to the growth of the dog's fur. Besides making the fur more shiny, letting the dog sunbathe can also help kill bacteria. While sunbathing, the pet owner can let the dog exercise, which can improve the dog's physical fitness, promote blood circulation, and help grow healthier fur.
4. Deworming
Poor fur condition is actually closely related to parasites. Parasites absorb a large amount of nutrients from dogs and compete for nutrition. Therefore, deworming is essential. It is recommended to do internal and external deworming together. Deworming medication can cause significant damage to the dog's gastrointestinal tract, so it is recommended to feed probiotics regularly to relieve gastrointestinal discomfort.
5. Pay attention to diet
In order to have shiny fur, the dog must have a good nutrition foundation and pay attention to daily diet. On one hand, feed the dog with nutritious and healthy dog food, choose a suitable and nutritionally adequate dog food that meets the dog's needs. On the other hand, you can feed the dog with a moderate amount of lean meat, cooked egg yolk, and vegetable oil.
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