DAY TO DAY CARE

In the day to day care for a dog, there’s more to it than just walking and feeding the dog. If you feel close to your pet you will unconsciously check every little thing about him or her to do with well-being.
We are ‘in tune’ with our dogs  and I know immediately when one of them is not 100% her normal self. Most times there’s is nothing to actually worry about. But if there is, we make sure we do something about it.

Our philosophy is to use as much natural remedies as possible.
Of course we take our dogs to the vet if they are sick, but there is so much you can take care off without having to go to the vet for medicines. Taking good care of our dog can also help to prevent the need to go to the vet.

By feeding a raw diet we feel we are giving their health a lot of advantages. There are also several natural supplements which help your dog build up extra resistance, like we humans take a vitamin-tablet.
Vaccinating, deworming and anti-tick&flea-stuff is sometimes necessary but we choose to use them only when absolutely needed.

If one of our dogs would get sick, we try to avoid antibiotics as they not only kill the unwanted bacteria but áll bacteria including the good ones in the intestines. If antibiotics are necessary, we also provide them with probiotic powder in her food.

Our dogs are titer-tested to see if they still have enough anti-bodies. Most of the time, there is no need to vaccinate after the initial puppy-shots (after maternal immunity has been shown to be low enough). We are not against using vaccinations, but there can e many adverse reactions which we would like to avoid. If there is no reason to vaccinate – if titers are high- we don’t. We also space the vaccinations as much as possible and never combine them with other treatments.

To keep a dog mentally healthy, it’s important to give them exercise. This should be both physically and mentally stimulating exercise. This may sound difficult, but even a normal walk around the block contains ‘tasks’ for the dog like waiting before crossing the street.
Giving your dog lots of opportunity to sniff during a walk, can make your dog more content then a walk with lots of running around. Braingames are a great way to entertain your dog inside.
Of course, classes and workshops at the dogschool will be much appreciated by your Barbet too!
Offering a good diversity in excersize is key.

Everyday life can cause blockages in the body, everyone who see how dogs can play and run, we think it’s nothing more than normal to take our dogs to the osteopath twice a year for a check-up, or more often if neccesary.

In general, we don’t believe in neutering dogs just because it is easier for the owners. When you get a dog, you know it’s not all fun! Dogs can get sick, just like us. Bitches get into heat twice a year. That’s nature. Cutting into a normal functioning body is not our choice. If you insist on neutring or spaying your dog, we recommend to only take the step when the dog is physically and mentally mature (keep in mind: the Barbet is a slow-maturing breed so this is around 3 years old!). Often we hear people neutering their dogs, especially males, right in the middle of puberty. This is not a solution for what is a very normal phase in the life of a dog!
Even if your dog is driving you crazy, keep up the training and eventually you’ll have a well-behaved dog. It’s all part of the decision to get a dog.
Also, please think about what can be the negatives, the things most vets don’t tell you!