The comprehensive care and early development of Greyhound pups and their dam necessitates particular attention to specific areas, such as disease susceptibility, feeding and nutrition, and maintaining a clean and hygienic environment. Furthermore, implementing appropriate healthcare management strategies can safeguard these delicate creatures’ health and well-being.
Disease Susceptibility in Newborn Greyhounds and their Dams
Newborn Greyhound pups, along with their female parent or dam, who is feeding the litter, are susceptible to disease and illness due to their undeveloped immune systems and the physical adjustments the dam undergoes post-birth. The following measures can mitigate these risks.
Good Nutrition: Proper sustenance is crucial for both dams and pups to build robust immune defenses.
Clean Environment: Maintaining a hygienic surrounding is vital to safeguard against disease and infections.
Health Management: Having appropriate healthcare strategies in place, primarily under the guidance of a veterinarian, can help prevent and manage diverse health conditions.
Nutrition and Feeding for Growing Greyhounds
Young greyhounds undergoing rapid physical development have modest digestive capacities and require specific nutritional intake for their healthy growth. Critical factors in feeding these developing greyhounds involve:
Frequent Feeds: Pups need shorter intervals between meals due to their small stomach size and the inability to process large amounts of food at once.
Necessary Nutrients: Incorporation of additional calcium and phosphorus in their diet is essential for sturdy bone development.
Balanced Supplements: Ensuring the correct proportion of calcium to phosphorus is critical; extreme amounts or incorrect proportions could be harmful.
It’s advisable to consult with a veterinarian to establish the precise dietary balance for each greyhound.
Cleaning and Hygiene
Effective hygiene management for puppy and dam primarily involves frequent and thorough cleaning of their surroundings. Key elements include:
Disinfection Before and After Birth: Whelping areas must be scrupulously cleaned both pre and post birthing.
Housing Transitions: Both the previous pen and the new one should be disinfected before any housing transition to mitigate cross infection.
Increased Cleaning for Feeding Litters and Youngsters: Greater cleaning frequency is necessary in areas housing feeding litters or young dogs due to the pups’ increased toilet frequency.
Feeding-Based Cleaning: Cleaning should coincide with the pups’ feeding times, generally three to four times a day, ensuring a clean environment.
Ad-hoc Cleaning: Any observed soiling or dirtiness should be immediately followed by cleaning, irrespective of the predefined cleaning schedule.
Here is a table summarizing the main steps to consider when providing appropriate care and early development for Greyhound pups and their dam.
| Areas of Attention | Key Measures |
|---|---|
| Disease Susceptibility | Good Nutrition, Clean Environment, Health Management |
| Nutrition and Feeding | Frequent Feeds, Necessary Nutrients, Balanced Supplements |
| Cleaning and Hygiene | Disinfection Before and After Birth, Housing Transitions, Increased Cleaning for Feeding Litters and Youngsters, Feeding-Based Cleaning, Ad-hoc Cleaning |
Behavioral Enrichment and Socialisation of Greyhounds
To ensure the physical and behavioral well-being of Greyhounds, it is essential to provide them with consistent access to daylight, fresh air, exercise, and mental stimulation. Enrichment and regular socialisation are crucial for the development of well-adjusted, friendly, and outgoing dogs.
Types of Enrichment for Greyhounds
Providing diversified experiences is beneficial for Greyhounds’ development and overall health. The following elements contribute to behavioral enrichment:
Sensory Experiences: Exposure to various sights, sounds, smells, and textures provides stimulating environments for Greyhounds.
Toys and Games: Offering a range of non-toxic, safe toys and games, periodically rotated, maintains the interest of these dogs and presents different challenges.
Yard Runs: Granting greyhounds access to quality yard runs lets them indulge in physical exercise, contributing to overall fitness.
Interactions: Promoting positive interactions with people and other animals can foster meaningful connections and maintain mental well-being.
Mental Stimulation: Encouraging training or foraging activities offers an outlet for natural behaviors in a controlled manner.
Importance of Early Socialisation
Starting at three weeks of age, the critical socialisation period plays a significant role in the behavioral development of Greyhound pups. Exposure to diverse conditions and situations during this period equips them with essential coping and adaptability skills. Not being able to adapt can result in anxiety, fear, or aggression. Factors contributing to effective socialisation include:
Regular Handling: Interaction with humans through regular handling helps pups associate people with positive experiences, fostering trust and friendliness.
Observation of Mother: Pups learn much of their behavior by observing their mother, which contributes to the development of well-adjusted and sociable dogs.
Staff Interactions: Handlers and staff should be attentive, skilled, and nurturing towards the greyhounds, ensuring a positive and enjoyable experience.
Safety and Hygiene: Toys and play items should be routinely checked for damage, cleaned, and disinfected to maintain a safe and sanitary environment.
By combining appropriate behavioral enrichment with socialisation techniques, Greyhounds can develop into physically and mentally healthy dogs, better prepared for various environments, including training, racing, and re-homing settings.
Worming, Vaccination, and Identification for Greyhounds
For the health and safety of Greyhounds, an appropriate worming program, vaccination schedule, and identification methods (including microchipping and ear branding) should be adhered to throughout their development.
Worming Program for Greyhound Pups
Greyhound pups are typically wormed at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age, with a decrease in frequency as they reach six months. Factors involved in a worming program include:
Accurate Dosing: Pups should be weighed and dosed precisely, targeting roundworms and hookworms at a minimum.
Veterinarian Consultation: Consulting with a veterinarian can help establish an appropriate worming program, which may involve multiple brands of products.
Vaccination Requirements for Greyhounds in Licensed Kennels
A Greyhound in Licensed Kennels must adhere to specific inoculation requirements prescribed by the Greyhound Regulatory Board. The following vaccinations are mandatory:
- Distemper
- Viral Hepatitis
- Leptospira Canicola
- Leptospira Icterhaemorrhagiae
- Parvovirus
Additionally, any other required vaccinations shall be notified from time to time. Booster inoculations must occur every twelve months after the initial puppy inoculations.
Identification Methods for Greyhounds
Proper identification methods ensure traceability and record-keeping for Greyhounds. These methods include:
Microchipping: Provides a permanent and unique identifier, ensuring the ability to track greyhounds if necessary.
Ear Branding: Acts as a visible means of identification that can be easily verified.
Earmarking and Vaccination Timeline
Earmarking should only be carried out after the greyhound has completed its required primary vaccinations, as follows:
- Distemper
- Viral Hepatitis
- Leptospirosis (first dose)
- Parvovirus
This timeline ensures that the immune responses to vaccinations are more effective. Moreover, adult greyhounds presented for racing or trials without a valid vaccination record will require a primary and secondary vaccination as per the manufacturer’s guidelines for specific vaccines.
Caring for a Mother Greyhound and Her Pups
Proper care and supervision of the dam and her pups in the early days are essential aspects of Greyhound breeding. From close monitoring to ensuring a quiet and minimal-stress environment, the health and growth of pups are closely tied with their day-to-day nurturing.
Early Days Monitoring
The female Greyhound and her pups require regular checks in the first few days post whelping, particularly if the dam is a first-time mother. Some key aspects during this period include:
Preventing Hazardous Behavior: The dam may not instinctively adjust to maternal duties and may trample or lie down on her pups, necessitating close supervision.
Ensuring Fair Feeding Opportunities: Monitoring feeding sessions ensures all pups get an equal chance to suckle.
Pup Weight Monitoring: The simplest method to assess pups’ health is daily weight monitoring. It helps identify pups struggling to keep up with their litter and those requiring additional aid. Any doubts about the pups’ health should be promptly addressed with a veterinarian.
Identifying Pup Behavior: Healthy, well-fed pups will sleep most of the day, wake briefly to feed, and comfort themselves with their mother and siblings. Constantly crying pups may signal they are cold, hungry, in pain or separated from their litter.
Dam Health Check: Daily check-ups on the dam’s health, particularly for mastitis, is crucial. Look out for any discoloration or hardness in her teats that might signal the infection.
| ALERT PUP BEHAVIOURS | POSSIBLE CAUSE |
|---|---|
| Little to no weight gain | Struggling to feed |
| Constant crying | Hunger, cold, pain, or separation |
The Dam’s Health and Early Development
The dam should have access to high-quality food and enough fluids during this period. Here are some vital considerations:
Food and Water Accessibility: Food and water bowls should be placed outside the whelping box for easy accessibility.
Beware of Water Hazard: Never place water bowls inside the whelping box, as it poses a potential drowning hazard for pups.
Supplementing Calcium: If calcium supplementation is required, a calcium syrup is recommended as it’s easier absorbed and doesn’t affect food quality.
Restricted Visitors: To minimize stress and protect the pups from potential disease carriers, limit visitors to the whelping area.
Disease Prevention: Pups are susceptible to deadly diseases like Parvovirus, potential carriers of which could be human visitors. Pups may not be fully protected until two weeks after their last vaccination.
| DAM’S HEALTH ASPECTS | WHY IT’S IMPORTANT |
|---|---|
| Regular intake of high-quality food and fluids | To maintain energy and hydration |
| Daily teat checks | To detect early signs of mastitis |
| Mental well-being | To reduce stress, offer a quiet and visitor-restricted environment |
The Critical First Two Weeks for Pup Development
The initial two weeks for Greyhound pups are vital and intricately tied to their survival. Throughout this period, the pups are wholly dependent on their mother, as their sensory and motor capabilities are still developing.
Dependence on the Mother
Greyhound pups, during this period, are entirely dependent on their mother for a variety of vital needs:
Thermoregulation: The pups cannot shiver and are thus dependent on their mother and siblings for warmth, as they are incapable of regulating their own body temperature.
Vision and Hearing: Pup eyes and ears do not fully open until around the tenth day, meaning they are mostly cut off from the world and need the dam to cater to their needs.
Feeding and Toileting: Pups at this stage cannot eat or even defecate without their mother’s stimulation.
Survival Risks: Main risks include hypothermia and starvation, as pups cannot feed themselves, they can become dehydrated or hypoglycemic rapidly.
The critical role a whelping box plays is in such scenarios, as it confines the pups and prevents them from straying too far from their littermates.
Early Stage Health Interventions
If a pup shows signs of distress or weakness, immediate action is necessary:
Heat: Provide warmth by placing the weak pup on a hot water bottle covered with a cloth to prevent burns. Human body heat can also be beneficial.
Hydration and Nutrition: Rehydrate the pup using an eyedropper or syringe, giving it warm water mixed with sugar or honey. Ensure the pup is held correctly to prevent unintentional aspiration of fluids.
Vet Consultation: If the initial actions don’t produce an improvement, a vet consultation is necessary, potentially for an administered injection of fluids.
| EARLY STAGE HEALTH INTERVENTIONS | IMPLEMENTATION |
|---|---|
| Providing warmth | Using a hot water bottle or human body heat |
| Replenishing fluids and nutrients | Administer warm water with sugar or honey via syringe or eyedropper |
| Vet Consultation | If pup does not respond to initial interventions |
Daily Monitoring and Cleaning
Getting into a routine of daily pup interaction, such as gentle handling, weighing, and inspection, is an effective approach to maintain their health. Additionally, ensure the whelping box and bedding are cleaned frequently for hygiene.
Early Stress and Development
While the pups can’t fully see or hear at this stage, they do have a sense of smell. Mild stress generated by gentle handling during these early stages can be beneficial for their later developmental stages, preparing them to handle life’s challenges.
Deworming
On reaching two weeks of age, pups should be dewormed along with the dam, as roundworms can pass through the female’s milk to the pups. A liquid wormer is more suitable for pups, while the dam can be given a tablet. The dosage is based on the weight of each puppy on the deworming day.
| DEWORMING | IMPLEMENTATION |
|---|---|
| Pups | Administer liquid wormer, dosage based on weight |
| Dam | Administer regular worming tablet |
From Day 10, the pups’ world changes significantly as their eyes and ears open, and they begin their journey towards exploration and independence.
Development and Exploration in Pups: The Third and Fourth Weeks
The third and fourth weeks of puppyhood are a significant and engaging stage. This period is characterized by noticeable improvements in muscle coordination, increased activity, and the beginning of more complex interactions between the pups and their environment.
Muscle Toning and Coordination
By this time, the pups’ muscle tone and coordination begin to progress notably as the puppies make their first attempts at walking.
Social Interaction and Play
During the fourth week, playful interactions amongst the pups and with their mother starts:
Spectacle: It becomes incredibly captivating to observe the pups at this stage, with play becoming a significant component of their interactions.
Mother’s Role: The mother dog’s milk production is at its peak during these weeks, catering to the increasing appetite of the rapidly-growing pups. Consequently, her nutritional intake should be increased accordingly during this period.
| WEEKS | OBSERVATIONS | PUP ACTIONS |
|---|---|---|
| Third | Muscle Toning and Coordination | Pups start making the first attempts at walking |
| Fourth | Social Interaction and Play | Pups begin playful interactions among themselves and with their mother |
Introduction to Solid Feed
Around this period, it is also prudent to start introducing solid feeds to the pups:
First Feed: Most breeders initiate with cereal mixed with warm water (or puppy formula) or puppy food soaked in warm water until it is soft and mushy.
Pup Reactions: At first, the pups tend to walk through it, smearing it over themselves before realizing that it’s food. Over a few days, they gradually comprehend the process, responding excitedly when the food dish appears.
Beneficial for the Mother: Offering the pups a number of solid meals per day can reduce the feeding pressure on the mother dog, especially if she has started losing some condition due to nursing the pups.
Exploration and Environmental Interaction
Pups at this stage show increased curiosity and spend large portions of their day exploring their surroundings:
Escape Attempts: An obvious sign of newfound curiosity, they’ll start trying to breach the walls of the whelping box. Therefore, enclosing them in a pup run would be wise.
Outdoor Exposure: Weather permitting, brief periods outside can be introduced.
Toilet Training: Providing different surfaces can help them instinctively learn to eliminate away from their bed.
Using Their Mouths: Pups start exploring their world through biting and chewing on each other, their mother, bedding, and toys.
Toy Introduction: To stimulate this chewing behavior, consider introducing toys of different textures. Chasing behavior can be encouraged with toys on a rope or string that can be moved around.
This developmental stage is thus an exciting blend of growing physical dexterity, increasing social interactions, and profound explorations of their environment.
Pup Development: The Fifth to Twentieth Week
The fifth to the twentieth week marks a significant development phase in a puppy’s life. This phase involves increased coordination, maturing play, and the crucial ‘socialisation period’.
Maturing Play and Character Development
As the pups continue their physical development, their play starts to mature and their distinct characters begin to surface.
The Significance of the Socialisation Period
The ‘socialisation period,’ lasting from approximately the third to twentieth week, is a critical time frame where the puppies learn their ‘normal.’ Here’s what this period encompasses:
Understanding ‘Normal’: During this period, puppies learn to adapt to what constitutes ‘normal’ in their world.
Importance of Exposure: This period is crucial for exposure to experiences they will encounter later in life. After this period, they tend to be more wary of new experiences, making it a tad difficult for them to adapt.
Elements of Socialisation: It is important to note that socialisation is not limited to acquainting them with other dogs. It also requires exposing them to various people, handling procedures, and different noises and scents.
Race Life Preparation
A more specific preparation for pups bred for racing life involves gradual exposure to related stimuli:
Handling and Examination Tolerance: Pups can be gradually accustomed to being examined and handled.
Lead Training: Pups should be taught how to walk on a leash.
Simulated Race Track Conditions: Pups can be acclimatized to a simulated race track, wherein they are exposed to the kinds of sounds and sights they’d encounter at a real race track.
Examples of such stimuli preparations might include:
- Exposing them gradually to different people
- Building a ramp that resembles a veterinary examination table and placing it in their pen
- Playing a variety of radio programs so they experience various sounds
- Adding visual stimuli like flags tied to fences to flap in the wind
Chasing Games
Playing chasing games can aid the process of encouraging the puppies to chase, an essential skill for greyhounds destined for the racing track.
Disease Prevention
The vulnerability of young pups to infectious diseases like Parvovirus is a vital factor to consider:
Veterinary Advice: It is important to consult a vet on the safe time to move the pups off your property considering disease prevention measures.
Racing Rules/Code of Practice: Extra information may be needed to comply with relevant racing rules and/or a Code of Practice.
Effects of Poor Socialisation
A poorly socialised pup is likely to struggle with various challenges:
- Adapting to different environments
- Fear response interference with chasing motivation, which makes breaking them in challenging
- Distraction at the race track, affecting racing success
- Difficulty with rehoming
Poorly socialised greyhounds may appear nervous, anxious, and unsettled. They may become overwhelmed by an excess of stimuli, leading to odd behaviours like constant drinking or licking, bobbing up and down, or incessantly chewing on their bedding. These behaviours, termed as ‘stereotypies,’ aren’t healthy.
Positive Introduction of New Experiences
Ensuring positive experiences at this stage is crucial for healthy development:
Warm Baths: It’s safe to give them a warm bath using pup safe shampoo, but ensuring they are thoroughly dried off is necessary as they remain susceptible to cold.
Leash Walks: This is also an appropriate stage to introduce them to walking on a leash.
Remember, all new experiences should be controlled and as positive as possible, as negative experiences at this stage could render the pups fearful of new things.
Feeding and Weaning Pups: Transitional Phase
During this definitive period of a pups’ early life, various essential developments occur. One of the vital changes is the transition from nursing to regular meals.
Feeding Routine
The pups will now have a regular feeding schedule, which typically comprises of three or four meals a day. These meals’ constituents can gradually advance from mushy, easily digestible food towards a more solid diet.
Caution Against Sudden Dietary Alterations: It’s important to note that any abrupt dietary changes might lead to loose stools. Consequently, novel foods need gradual introduction over several days to ensure smooth digestion and absorption.
Age-Appropriate Edibles: As the pups mature, they can be introduced to raw bones to chew on or other suitable items exclusive for gnawing.
Water Supply: Always ensure that the pups have access to ample clean, fresh water. The water container needs to be non-spillable and designed such that the pups cannot fall into it or risk drowning.
Weaning Process
Weaning can either be driven by the caretaker or naturally done by the female herself.
Caveat Against Forced Weaning: It’s noteworthy that forced weaning can be a stressful experience for both the female and the pups.
Advantage of Gradual Weaning: Allowing the female to gradually wean the pups is the preferred method. This method permits her milk to dry up naturally rather than leaving her feeling engorged and uncomfortable. It also mitigates her chances of developing mastitis.
Behavioral Signs Indicative of Weaning: The female might start ‘telling off’ the pups when they use their needle-like teeth on her teats, hinting at the commencement of the weaning process.
Cleanliness Maintenance
As pups grow, cleanliness becomes a challenging but vital aspect of their care:
Waste Management: Pups toilet more frequently than adults, necessitating faecal clean-up three or four times a day.
Bedding Changes: The frequency of bedding changes will have to increase as pups are messier in their habits.
Breeder’s Checklist
Several considerations and obligations need to be managed and met by the breeders:
- Consultation with a veterinarian
- Preparation of the whelping box in advance
- Observation of the female for signs of whelping
- Supervision during the birth of the pups
- Immediate contact with a veterinarian in case of complications
- Notification of the mating result submission to GRV
- Assurance of appropriate feed, warmth, and care for the female greyhound and her pups
- Provision of opportunities to weaker pups
- Incorporation of early socialisation and enrichment in routines
- Administration of worming treatments, vaccinations, and microchips as advised by the veterinarian and as required by racing rules
- Organisation of ear-branding schedule
- Registration of the litter with GBGB
