Care of the puppy 

(from T.Podobedova's book "South Russian Ovtcharka")

    So, now you are the dog owner and completely in the answer for your pet. Remember, that what you enclose in the dog in to 1 - 1, 5 years you will have later! It is the main period in his and in your life now.

         Recommendations on feeding are in any cynological literature, it is necessary only to follow them precisely. Do not overlook, that a dog, as well as all carnivorous, the basic set of the vital elements receives from crude meat which should be during this period in a diet of your puppy daily if you have decided to feed it with its natural food. Fibers and fats contained in it are necessary for construction of the musculoskeletal system, surrounding tissues, synthesis of enzymes, hormones and the antibodies providing stability for organism to diseases. Irreplaceable products at this age are also cottage cheese, kefir (milk), eggs.

         Twice more of energy is required for puppies during the growth, than for an adult dog. Proteins prevail. Besides they contain irreplaceable fat acids which the organism of a dog cannot develop independently. Their deficiency first of all is reflected on skin and hair, that for South Russian sheep-dog is extremely essential.

         Carbohydrates serve as one more energy source which the puppy receives from cereals. Insoluble carbohydrates (cellulose) are not digested and are not acquired by an organism, but they are necessary for normal work of a stomach and intestines, requirement for them for a dog is much more, than for the person. Soluble carbohydrates are acquired easily, but have a property to turn to fats and to be laid up (saved) in organism. Therefore during the rough growth it is important not to allow the overfeeding of the puppy and attentively observe the balance of such vital elements as calcium and phosphorus which accepts direct speed up in construction and development of skeleton of a young dog, their ratio for the SRO puppy as for fast-growing and large breed, should be within the limits of 1, 3 (1, 4): 1.

    Dog breeders beginners are frequently carried away with overdose of calcium.  Bones and cartilages cease to be formed normally at  its constant superfluous use, bones thicken and are condensed at delay of formation of a cartilage which does not maintain loading at physical activity and excess weight. In result there can be very serious infringements of the locomotors apparatus. To the greatest risk are exposed joints of back extremities, humeroscapular joints, a backbone (the sagged back). The puppy's organism cannot independently adjust evacuation of surpluses of calcium yet. It is enough high-quality complex vitamin-mineral additives. Here, as well as all in this world, the cost of good things is expensive, therefore you must be guided by your own financial opportunities and solidity of the firm - manufacturer. To give these additives to puppy is necessary strictly observing the instruction.

    One more very specific vitamin Н (biotin) has a great value for long-haired South Russian sheep-dog and some amino acids are necessary for maintenance of dense brilliant wool and a healthy skin, participating in formation of muscular system of a young dog. There are no strict requirements concerning frequency rate of feeding. You should be guided by specific features and a way of life of the puppy. When there are several animals in the house, they eat with greater greed; appetite of the puppy which walks a little and lives in an apartment is much worse than at his coeval, the most part of time conducting in the yard or on a summer residence. Dogs eat less willingly in heat; even long cloudy weather can lower activity and appetite of an animal.

         However frequency of feeding (that is division of daily volume of food) can influence on exterior qualities. At a reusable diet the dog will become more mobile, is easy, with a tightened line of a stomach, smaller loading lays down on its locomotors apparatus. At disposable feeding there are more chances to cultivate heavier, powerful dog. All told above concerns to the widespread form of feeding with natural products. However preparation of such forage is very labor-consuming and occupies a lot of time. Besides of that the constant additive to it qualitative and consequently also expensive vitamin-mineral preparations equalizes such feeding with dry forages.

         Advantage of dry forages consists in convenience of feeding, equation. Dry forages remove a problem of constant selection of food additives and vitamins; allows selecting more precisely a diet in conformity with the years and the constitution of a dog. With a dog adapted on dry forages it is easier to leave for city, on distant exhibitions, etc.

         Cultivation - concept very volumetric also is not limited only to feeding. This is both a physical development, and a dosed out loadings, and hygienic condition of the puppy, and made properly inoculations which within one year should be made three times. It is necessary for you to know about physiology of a dog and to remember, that the roughest growth of the musculoskeletal system of this breed occurs in the age of with 3 till 6 months and proceeds till 1, 5-2 years. Therefore the puppy at such age is similar to clay which is possible to model, correct, and also it is possible to spoil all finally.

          Movement is life, but the vital space of a city apartment obviously does not suffice for 3-4 monthly puppies, which already have the sizes of an average dog. The basic physical development of a puppy occurs on walks. For large puppies they should not be too long.

         Choose the successful place removed from a road (the puppy is still badly controlled). It is desirable to walk in the company of coevals or not spiteful dogs. Let the puppy let out stream, run as much as it pleases, but if he starts to lose interest to walk, lays down at your legs - you can safely go home. It is possible to allow long transitions   with an easy dog, but for the large puppy it is a superfluous loading on not strong joints. Running behind a bicycle for such puppies until they reach one and a half years is excluded. Be attentive on the ice! The puppy is very mobile and does not expect his own opportunities, «the cold dislocation " can do very much harm to him.

         For many breeds the soft paw is serious lack. It is not so actual for this breed, because it is not visible under wool, but it in any case will be reflected in movements of a dog. Muscles of finiteness should be constantly in a tone, and paws should be picked up in the clot. For this purpose a dog from the earliest age accustom to go by various kinds of a ground (a grass, gravel, an arable land). On walks the dog develops physically. South Russian Ovcharka is very mobile, in games with coevals, she studies to coordinate and improve the movements, and all groups of muscles receive loading. For SRO the running - needs of nature, a characteristic pace is a quiet lynx, fast - gallop. The dog then is very beautiful - she as if creeps by the ground with extreme speed, in fact in each of historical versions about South Russian Ovtcharka's origin among ancestors of this breed it has been registered borzoi. Necessary only to make completely wet a dog, and you will see a surprising metamorphosis: from large, at first sight even a clumsy dog on thick columns - legs, with very volumetric head it turns in long-legged, graceful, long-headed borzoi.

         This breed is well adapted to jumps.  But the same warning: while the dog is not generated and still is not able to expect the own forces - not any high barriers! The dog can unsuccessfully land, and then farewell walks for some months. Be patient, and all barriers will be yours.

         The permanent kind of South Russian Ovtcharka frequently is the negative factor at the choice of breed. But if you love the dog, care of long white wool of SRO will not be for you an excessive burden. The main thing - to accustom the puppy to a hairbrush and a brush as soon as possible, when still there is nothing to brush and the puppy is glad to any contact to the owner. It is better to do it after walk when the dog is tired and be not capable to perceive this procedure as the play.

         For care of wool you will need some hairbrushes: a strong hairbrush with rare long tines (it is desirable well polished on the ends to not injure wool); "rake"-brush with two lines of tines, one of which should be with tines bent on the ends (with them it is well to assort confused and felted wool), big hairbrush for removal of fluff with sparse and long  tines , but soft as far as it is possible (it is necessary, basically, for care of young dogs and at exhibitions for wool correcting on paws and on a head. Correctly picked up hairbrushes and your patience in many respects will help to keep wool of your pet in an excellent condition at any time year.

         Any skin disease and even «fighting wounds «leave the trace on white wool of a dog. In these places it gets a pink shade which is kept while the molt completely will not end. It is enough to comb an adult dog time in two weeks; during a season of an intensive molt (the beginning of spring) - once a week. However in practice many owners are engaged in it even less often, from an exhibition up to an exhibition. All this especially individually: at the dogs living in city apartments, such molt practically does not happen; quality of a wool and volume of an underfur at all dogs different. Do not wait mats of hair, in time remove prickles, make preventive maintenance against insects - and then your dog will cause admiration and to you - respect.

         To bathe a dog frequently is not recommended, only in unusual cases. It is necessary to tell about it especially. There is an opinion of professor Brauner, which is using authority at cynologists, that South Russian Sheepdog by origin stands closer to the wolf, than to a dog of a bronze age. Probably, this wolf instinct, which still not dies, is pushing dogs of this breed to bushes with bad smell. And, if other dogs will pass by the same bushes indifferently, at worst will try what under them lays, on a tooth, but South Russian Ovtcharka will roll about under them by all means and so quickly and thoroughly will be soiled... In this case it is almost useless to punish a dog, you can write off all to “bad wolf heredity” - so the dog of this breed "masks and hunts".

         If there will be a necessity to bathe a dog, it is better to use the qualitative concentrated shampoos, it costs more expensive than usual, but its quantity necessary for washing is much less. After washing the wool becomes soft, loses the volume and protective properties. The wool of dogs which bathe frequently gets a yellowish shade.

          If you all the same would like to see that your dog is pure white, moisten it slightly, rub starch or special cosmetic powder (for dogs) into dog’s wool, let to dry up and brush it out.

         South Russian Ovtcharka's ears are skintight to a head and covered with long wool. Troubles as an otitis which is difficultly gives in to treatment can arise at irregular care because of lack of ventilation. Sometimes from a dog unpleasantly smells, but it is necessary to clean its ears, carefully to wipe their internal surface, and the smell disappears.

         And one more advice - You should not be engaged in self-treatment. The success of struggle against any illness in the big degree depends from fast and correctly put diagnosis. Veterinary directories of illnesses of dogs are not less than medical directories for people, and sometimes only the expert can to identify one disease from another, and it is possible only on the basis of laboratory researches. And in fact at many infectious diseases of roads each hour!

         Constantly communicating with a dog you should be paying attention to any changes in its behavior. The most often attributes of disease are:

- Refusal of forage

- The increased thirst

- Unusual apathy

- A liquid chair

- Vomiting

- The expirations from eyes and a nose

- Plentiful expirations of saliva

- Cough

    The first, that it is necessary to make, having noticed even one of these attributes - to take temperature. If for any reason it is impossible to address at once to the veterinary, take temperature each 2-3 hours, indications write down. Your supervision very much will help to veterinary and as a result to your dog. Do not feed a dog through force. If in the house there are other animals, it is necessary to isolate them.

 translation by S. Kokonena ©