Raising a Puppy: 24th week in his new home
A day in the life with Bruno the Boxer puppy. Bruno's 24th week—30 weeks old, 70 pounds, 23 1/4 inches from the ground to the highest point of the shoulders (the withers).
A day in the life with Bruno the Boxer puppy. Bruno's 24th week—30 weeks old, 70 pounds, 23 1/4 inches from the ground to the highest point of the shoulders (the withers).
7 months old
Bruno showed up again when it was time to put the Great Pyrenees over into the back woods. When I say showed up, I mean Bruno squeezed through the horse gate, walked through the horse field, through the back woods and over to the side yard. It's basically three large fenced areas (a field, woods and a large yard) which are connected by gates. The gates were open.
It was time for the Great Pyrenees's morning pig ear. It was over a pig ear that the Pyrenees and Bruno got into the fight four days before. That particular day the Pyrenees had ears and were already eating them when Bruno had showed up and tried to take one of the pig ears. I was not around to stop it. It was over by the time I heard it and ran over.
I decided once again to face the problem head on. After all, next time it may not even be me out there; it may be one of the kids, or no one at all. I did our normal routine and just included Bruno in it. The Pys went through the gate as usual, and I told Bruno to go through. All three dogs were on the other side of the gate waiting for me to give them a pig ear. The male Py, Tundra, got his first because he was, as always, very calm. Tacoma received hers next because she sat down and relaxed, something I had been requiring her to do in order to get her ear. Then I gave Bruno his ear. I gave him his ear last, because when I first got out the ears I was holding them low, Bruno tried to take one from my hand. "NO." This was new for him and he was a tad excited. The Great Pys walked a good bit away to eat their ears, while Bruno ate his pretty much where I handed it to him.
The Great Pyrenees finished their ears first and started walking back to the gate. I then walked closer to the gate.
They passed Bruno and looked at me. I didn't talk. I just stood there purposely picturing in my head that I had the power to stop anything they did. Since dogs have the ability to read human emotions, I knew I needed to think "Big."
Tacoma wanted that ear, but she kept looking back at me. She knew I was not going to allow her to fight over it. This was a very positive thing, considering just a week ago, the female Pyrenees was boss, even over me.
She waited...Bruno looked up at her, and they shot one another a look that I didn't like. "HEY!"
Bruno got up, leaving his ear behind to see what I wanted. Tacoma went over, picked up the ear...
…and left with it. Bruno didn't even know where the ear went.... I let Tacoma have it, because I didn't really want Bruno to eat an entire pig ear, and I needed to finish my feeding rounds. Bruno was pretty far away from the ear when Tacoma took it and Bruno didn't even know where the ear went. He was searching for it.
I took Bruno with me into the chicken coop, because I knew it was not wise to leave Bruno in with the Pys when there was food involved without my presence. The picture was taken as Bruno was yawning. That's his tongue you see in his mouth.
(If your pet has any type of injury or wound, call your vet.)
Bite Wound - Day 3 - Bruno's wounds must be soaked in Epsom salts daily until they heal...
Bite Wound - Day 3 - I had felt a lump on the side of the cut (not good). I massaged it out and soaked it in Epsom salts four times that day for 20 minutes each session. The next day the lump was gone.
An open wound such as this one needs to be treated in order to prevent infection. Living on a farm, I have treated many different types of wounds and have found the best treatment is soaking it in Epsom salts. From soaking the entire body of a cat that was attacked by a raccoon four times a day for two months straight (that cat was in bad shape, but it recovered) to a goats foot, to animals such as Bruno, Epsom salts have worked wonders.
Per the advice of my vet...the wound is deep, but must be kept open so it can drain and it needs air. Therefore, I cannot put any type of ointment on it. It needs to be kept open so it can heal from the inside out. If you close a wound like this up, you are asking for infection to set in and spread throughout the body.
I poured some Epsom salts into a container and add the warmest water that can be tolerated by touch. I dipped some paper towels into the solution and put the soaking wet paper towels on the wound, while Bruno constantly tried to lick it.
The salty solution sucks any infection out of the cut.
Bite Wound - Day 4 - So long as it stays pink like this, I will not put Bruno on antibiotics. Sometimes antibiotics are necessary however, I do try to avoid them until absolutely necessary, so that when they are a must, the body will respond well to them.
Dogs, by instinct, try and lick their wounds to keep them clean. Bruno cannot quite reach this one, so Allie gives him a hand.
Bruno continues to go to the door when he needs to go outside. He has not gone to the bathroom inside or in his crate since he was about 19 weeks old.
Bruno continues to leave the Christmas tree itself, ornaments and presents alone.
However, he did try to play with the bottom floor skirt a few times. We caught him once and are waiting to see if that did the trick.
Bruno continues to get anywhere from two to six hours or more of exercise a day: hikes in the woods and fields, runs alongside the golf cart, go-cart or Gator, daily rounds with the Great Pyrenees, walks on a leash in a neighboring neighborhood, down the pipeline or to a local park. I can clearly see without this much exercise, Bruno would be getting into a lot more mischief.
Caught ya, Bruno! I looked out the window and caught Bruno jumping up at the cat food table. "NO, DOWN!" Bruno looked toward the window, but you could see he was not getting it. I knocked on the window, "DOWN!" Bruno just looked toward the window. I opened the window, "DOWN!" and Bruno jumped.... YIKES, that window opens and there's a person in there! Bruno jumped down. Before I opened the window he was seeing a reflection of himself and did not understand I was talking to him until I opened the window, and his reflection was replaced by me!
I used to have this lawn ornament of a Beagle sticking his head in the ground. Apparently Bruno decided it was a toy.
Bruno! You killed my Beagle! Drop it!
