The Good Dog Pod

In this installment of the Breeder to Breeder series, Laura, Susan, and Gayle talk about what breeders can do to resuscitate puppies that seem to be fading.

The first thing you need to know is how to identify when a recently-born puppy may be in trouble. Healthy, naturally-born puppies should be rigid (not soft), and should weigh more than they look. Puppies that aren’t moving or making any sounds should be concerning - while there are variations between breeds, most newborns will be making noises and moving to find their mother. If you’re concerned about a puppy, it’s important to act immediately - in fact, it’s always best to take action rather than to wait when it comes to newborn puppies. 

When whelping, breeders are with their puppies 24/7. Susan and Gayle list some of the essential items they have with them during the entire process - from white towels to blow dryers. They also list some accessible alternatives that are great options for breeders without a lot of existing equipment.

If you’re dealing with a puppy that is still a bit limp, or a puppy that hasn’t fully cleared its lungs yet, you can gently compress and uncompress the puppy’s body with your hands (almost like puppy yoga) while angling the puppy downward. This can get the remaining fluid out of the lungs.

When assessing your puppies, checking their heartbeat is key. Puppies that don’t have a heartbeat after 15 minutes often will not make it, so it’s important to constantly monitor puppies that you’re concerned about. 

Listen to the episode for more tips on resuscitating puppies.

Laura Reeves, Susan Patterson, and Gayle Watkins begin the Breeder to Breeder series with one of the toughest topics in breeding: stillborn puppies. 

Gayle begins the discussion by reviewing a study that was published in 2019, analyzing data from 2,500 whelpings. The biggest takeaway from the study is that stillborn puppies are common in dogs, and breeders should be prepared for this. Among the dogs studied (in this case, larger breed dogs), litters with 5-8 puppies had the lowest rate of stillborn puppies. Litters with fewer than 5 actually had the highest rate, with large litters also having high instances of stillborn puppies.

The three birthing methods that have statistically the same stillborn rates are: natural whelpings with no dystocia, planned c-sections, and natural whelpings that might have uterine problems but that are resolved with calcium alone. Birthing methods that are problematic with regards to stillborn rates are: emergency c-sections (especially when oxytocin is used) as well as using mechanical manipulation to get the puppies out.

Susan gives a rundown of how to give your dogs oral calcium supplements, which can help alleviate some whelping-related issues and decrease the chance of stillborn puppies. She then follows up with situations in which using oxytocin can be useful during the whelping process.

Gayle continues her summary of the study, describing how the time in between puppies being born is correlated with the rate of stillborn puppies - the conventional wisdom of 2 hours between puppies may be too long! If you find yourself at 45 minutes between puppies, it may be in your interest to give your dog calcium. Susan also recommends regularly feeding your bitch (Susan does this through a syringe) while they are in active labor to help them maintain their energy.

Continue listening for tips on tools and techniques you can use to help ease your bitch through the process of labor!

Laura is joined by a couple of canine fitness coaches, Kristin Sandstede and Dixie Rae Sick, to discuss some fitness games and exercises that are great to do indoors.

Kristin is a professional dog trainer and owns Big Moose Dog Training. When people think of dog exercises, their minds often go to cardio-focused activities such as running, playing fetch, agility, and so on. While high-cardio exercise is important for dogs, it’s important to spend time on mental exercises. Whether it’s obedience or learning new tricks, mental exercises can tire out your dog just as well (if not better) than physical exercises.

A great way to exercise your dog’s brain is to use food puzzles during meal time. This will keep the dog occupied while you can multitask on other things, while also stimulating your dog’s brain. There are lots of other interactive toys that are great at exercising your dogs; try some out and see what your dog likes!

Kristin goes on to talk about different ways you can condition your dog to keep them physically fit. By regularly having your dog perform certain stretches and exercises, you can decrease the risk of injury.

Next, Laura chats with Dixie to get some ideas on effective exercises we can do with our dogs. The first idea that comes to mind for most people is walking. Walking your dog on a gentle incline is great at working certain groups of muscles - going both uphill and downhill. Another idea is to train your dog in going from a stand to a down, and from a down to a stand. This works the dog’s core which helps with balance and can prevent future injuries.

Listen to the full episode to get some more exercise ideas from Dixie!

This week, Laura is joined by Dr. Marty Greer, DVM, JD to discuss the prevalence of obesity in dogs. In the US, having overweight dogs has become more and more common, thus shifting the public perception of what a dog should look like. Many owners overfeed their dogs because of their love for them - their dog is hungry, so why not continue to feed them? In reality, over-feeding and under-exercising dogs can lead to many health problems, and a shorter lifespan.

Laura and Dr. Greer discuss some ways to continue feeding your dog more, while decreasing their calorie intake: replacing their typical food and treats with fruits and veggies, or giving them ice cubes to munch on are all great low-calorie substitutions.

Dr. Greer goes on to explain how you can assess your dog's weight just with your eyes and hands, making sure to check that your dog's body conforms to the relevant breed standard.

This episode features two familiar guests: Dr. Gayle Watkins and Susan Patterson! As breeders of Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers respectively, today’s episode is all about retrieving games you can play with your dogs.

How do you get a dog started with retrieving? The first step to getting a puppy trained in retrieving is finding something the puppy likes to retrieve and start retrieving in a quiet, confined place. The goal in getting your puppy used to retrieving is to make the process of bringing their favorite toy back fun (they usually don’t need any help taking the toy from you!). When starting out, also make sure to limit the number of retrievals to just 1-3, otherwise the puppy will become bored or disinterested. Another important point is to avoid touching the toy once the puppy brings it back to you. Puppies will bring the toy back to you because they want to see you - not because they want you to take their favorite toy from them. Instead of taking the toy right away, be sure to praise them and play with them before gently taking the toy.

What are some events you can do with retrieving dogs? Retrieving dogs can participate in dock diving, hunt tests, field trials, and other events that center around the act of retrieving. Before taking your dog to one of these events though, you and your dog must have a strong understanding of the rules and manners associated with participating in these events. The most important skill to have going into these events is the sit and stay. Once your dog is comfortable on and off leash and is able to stay obedient around distractions, that’s when you’re able to have all the fun that comes with retrieving at an event. Another huge skill to have is the ability to have your dog deliver the object straight to your hand, rather than dropping it in front of you. This is important to train young, as it’s more difficult for a dog to break the habit of dropping things in front of you. For sports that don’t require your dog to deliver items directly into your hand, flyball, dock diving, and disc throwing are all great options to stay active with your pups.

Listen to the rest of the episode to learn more about the details of hunt tests and field trials, including what both the dog and the handler are responsible for.

Laura is joined by Kristin Rosenbach, a dog trainer and truffle hunting expert. Kristin has been truffle hunting for 10 years with her own dogs, as well as offering training on how you can teach your dog to hunt for truffles.

In the Pacific Northwest, where Kristin is based, truffle hunting season starts in the fall and goes through the spring. Truffles are fruiting bodies of underground fungal networks and are often found near tree roots, but occasionally appear in other places as well.

Many breeds are suited to truffle hunting around the world, as long as the dogs are properly trained and physically sound. Dogs are trained to recognize and locate the scent of truffles buried underground, and in Kristin's case, they're trained to dig out the truffles as well (since they can more accurately pinpoint where truffles are than we can!).

Listen to the episode learn a bit more about Kristin's course on training your dog to hunt for truffles, or check it out here!

In this episode, Laura Reeves talks about things you can do to keep your dogs active and engaged. She starts off by talking to the founder of the Barn Hunt Association, Robin Nuttall. Barn Hunt is a quickly-growing sport that both AKC and non-AKC dogs can participate in. The sport focuses on testing the working instinct of vermin-hunting dogs, but all dogs are welcome to join in. Robin describes the rules of the game and how it has become a gateway sport for many dog owners - due to this, it's hugely important for Robin to make Barn Hunt a positive experience for both beginners and experts, and to encourage broader participation in the sporting world.

The best part of the Barn Hunt is watching how excited the owners/handlers get while watching their dogs have fun in this sport. If you'd like to learn more or want to know how you can participate, visit the Barn Hunt Association.

The next guest Laura talks to is Chelsea Murray, an expert in dryland mushing. Dryland mushing involves having a dog (or team of dogs) pull a human across a surface (other than snow or ice). This sport is great because you can participate in it year round, and it's great exercise for both humans and dogs. The barrier to entry is quite low, as there are many different ways you can participate: whether you're on foot running behind the dog, or being pulled on a bike. Chelsea discusses the required skills and training to participate in dryland mushing.

The final guest Laura speaks to is Jon Sarabia. Jon is a retired military dog trainer based in Missouri, who is now active in the scent work as a competitor and judge. Scent work is an event in which dogs are tasked with locating the sources of certain scents (in practice, these are usually different kinds of essential oils). This is a fast-growing sport in the dog world that allows dogs of all breeds to participate. Listen to learn more about how you can get involved!

Susan Patterson joins Laura today to talk about her revamped column on Good Dog, Straight from the Whelping Box! As many of you know, Susan is a renowned Labrador Retriever breeder with years of experience in showing, breeding, and whelping. Susan has spent the past year answering questions on her Good Dog column, Straight from the Whelping Box, sharing her expert advice for Good Dog Breeders.

Good Dog Breeders can see all of the past questions that Susan has answered in this new and improved hub, where content is organized by topic. In addition to having access to past answers, Good Dog Breeders can directly message Susan (and Laura Reeves & Gayle Watkins) with their breeding questions. Join Good Dog now to get access to these Email Office Hours!

In this episode of the Good Dog Pod, Good Dog has an exciting announcement! Good Dog Breeders now get free access to Avidog’s “Your Litter A to Z” course. Host Laura Reeves is joined by Good Dog’s Head of Education and Avidog founder Dr. Gayle Watkins to discuss everything this course has to offer, for both new and experienced breeders. 

What is “Your Litter A to Z”? This is Avidog’s flagship course on dog breeding, developed by Gayle over the last 25 years. With an original value of $497, Good Breeders can now access it completely free! It includes 18 modules on everything from laying the stage for a breeding, to whelping, and finally to sending the puppies to their new homes. Each module comes with instructional videos, checklists, and written chapters. 

What else is included in this course? In addition to the course itself, Gayle hosts live coaching calls twice a month for Q&A and discussions for all course users. There is also a private Facebook group for all Good Dog Breeders, where you can ask questions and receive answers from breeder community members and Good Dog’s Breeder Advisors. Don’t forget to check out Straight from the Whelping Box and Straight from the Center of the Ring for more content on breeding and showing dogs!

How should I best utilize this course? Go through the course from the beginning or jump to the module you need. This course is intended for both new and seasoned breeders, and Gayle herself uses the checklists for every litter. The checklists and breeding diary worksheets are easy to use, with clear instructions and tips. The course is updated regularly with the newest dog breeding science and recommendations, to help you produce the healthiest puppies possible. 

Good Dog hopes all Good Breeders will take advantage of this amazing course and read more about it here. If you are not yet a Good Dog Breeder, sign up at gooddog.com/join to get free access to “Your Litter A to Z” and more!

This episode of the Good Dog Pod explores canine orthopedic disorders. Host Laura Reeves is joined by renowned veterinarian Dr. Marty Greer to discuss some common orthopedic issues, as well as their symptoms, causes, and treatments.

What should I do if my puppy is exhibiting orthopedic problems? Immediately contact your veterinarian, as many orthopedic issues are time sensitive and need to be treated as soon as possible. In addition to this, Dr. Greer outlines several questions you can ask yourself to better evaluate what disorder your puppy is experiencing. The breed and age of the dog is very important, as some orthopedic problems are found mostly in large breeds and others are found mostly in small breeds. Then, recall if there is any history of trauma/physical injury in the infected area. Determine if the hurt area is in one limb, multiple limbs, or constantly changing. Finally, take your puppy’s temperature as a fever can be an indication of a certain set of orthopedic conditions. 

What are some common orthopedic disorders? First, take note that some orthopedic disorders are genetic, while others are caused by infections. Dr. Greer lays out a list of common issues, as well as a comprehensive description of each. Panosteitis is a bone inflammation commonly found in large, rapidly growing breeds marked by shifting leg lameness. OCD is an abnormal development of bone cartilage seen in shoulders, and is often difficult to pinpoint in x-rays. HOD is a very painful flare at the growth plates. Legg-Calve-Perthes affects hip joints, mainly in small breeds. Hip dysplasia is one of the most commonly known issues, and mainly affects large breeds. Some infections that can cause lameness include lyme disease, cellulitis, and strep canis. Dr. Greer recommends keeping large breed puppies on a diet specifically created for them, which has been proven to reduce such orthopedic problems.