PUPPY JOINTS AND GROWTH PLATES

Nurturing Your Growing Puppy: Prioritizing Bone and Joint Health

When you welcome an 8 week old puppy into your home, it's crucial to understand that their skeletal system is still incredibly fragile and developing. Unlike adult dogs, their bones are not yet fully formed, and their joints are still very "loose."

The Crucial Role of Growth Plates

Puppies have growth plates at the ends of their long bones. These areas are soft and cartilaginous, allowing for bone growth. Think of them as the building blocks for your puppy's future skeletal structure. These growth plates remain soft and vulnerable until they calcify and close, which typically happens around 18 months of age, often signaled by sexual maturity.

Before this closure, a puppy's joints are primarily held together by muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This is why puppies often have those adorable, clumsy, and wobbly movements with big floppy paws – their joints don't have the tight, true "socket" fit of an adult dog.

The Risks of Over-Exercise and Impact

Because growth plates are softer than the surrounding tendons and ligaments, excessive force or impact can easily cause injuries. If a puppy is injured, these strong soft tissues can actually pull apart the delicate growth plates, leading to potentially lifelong issues. Your friend's experience with her Lab puppy falling off a retaining wall is a tragic example of how a seemingly minor incident can have devastating consequences.

Therefore, it's vital to:

• Avoid high-impact activities: This includes excessive running, jumping (especially on and off furniture, beds, or vehicles like pickup beds and ATVs), and activities like frisbee. Each big jump or excited run creates impacts between bones that can damage forming joints and even cause fractures in their soft bones.

• Restrict uncontrolled exercise: Don't allow your puppy to overdo it during play. While some reasonable, normal wear and tear is expected, prolonged or intense exercise can be detrimental.

• Prevent slipping: Surfaces like tile with no traction can be very dangerous, as slipping can put extreme stress on delicate joints.

The Gift of Proper Development

You only get one chance to grow a puppy properly. A strong, well-built body in an adult dog is the result of both excellent genetics (breeding) and a thoughtful, careful upbringing.

Once your dog is fully grown and their growth plates have closed (around 18 months), you'll have a lifetime to enjoy higher-impact activities like long runs, hikes, and more vigorous play. Until then, the greatest gift you can give your puppy is a calm, protected environment that allows their bones and joints to develop correctly.

By being mindful of these developmental stages and restricting strenuous activities during their formative months, you're investing in your puppy's long-term health, mobility, and overall quality of life.

Why Harness Are So Bad for Dogs

As a fellow dog owner, I would like to share some important insights regarding the use of harnesses for our beloved pets. While marketed as a safer alternative to collars, harnesses can pose several risks to a dog's health.

Harnesses are designed for pulling. Dogs have what we call an "opposition reflex" which means, you put pressure on their chest, their instinct is to push against it. So yes. If you have a harness your dog is going to pull. There are very rare cases where the dog doesn't like the feel of the harness and won't pull, but those are rare and far between.

Harnesses give you absolutely no control. If you have a large, strong dog, you will fail every time on a harness. You are putting your "training tool" on the strongest part of a dog's body and essentially telling the dog to pull away from you. Pair that with a retractable leash (Another story for another day why I don't recommend those,) and you will fail every time.

If your dog has any sort of reactivity or aggression, it will absolutely make it worse. A dog feels safe knowing that it's human is advocating for it. When you force your dog to be out front of you while walking, you are forcing them to make decisions for your pack and they feel like they need to be the protector. They feel FORCED to make decisions. The force free community is going to love that I used that word.

Firstly, front-clip harnesses may restrict the dog's natural gait and shoulder movement. If not fitted properly, they can cause discomfort, skin irritation, chafing, and even choking hazards. Some trainers suggest that harnesses can inadvertently promote pulling behavior, complicating efforts to achieve loose leash walking skills. Look at the front legs and chest of the dog below.  With a harness and without and the comparison to what it’s done to the front of this dogs structure.

Additionally, harnesses that encircle the muzzle, often known as head halters, can lead to serious issues. The underlying anatomy of a dog's face harbors numerous nerves and blood vessels, making it susceptible to injury. Research shows that using such harnesses can impair a dog's sense of smell and may lead to neck injuries if the dog unexpectedly lunges.

I get many calls asking advise for “why is my dog always pulling, and how do I stop it”.  When training your dog to walk on a loose lead by your side, we recommend a choke chain.  When used properly, it is a wonderful training tool.  I can teach a dog to walk nicely on a leash in a matter of minutes using a slip collar or a prong collar. I am not opposed to harnesses once your dog is trained. I would argue that the prong collar or slip collar is more gentle than the harness - when you teach the dog how to respond to the pressure and release.  I started out as a "Force Free/Pure Positive" trainer. It's an absolute lie to make people feel better. When your training ideology starts interfering with the safety of humans, it's time to start re-evaluating whether it's the right plan of action.

Moreover, sleeping in a harness poses risks, as it can become entangled and present a choking hazard. Wet harnesses can also lead to skin infections when worn for prolonged periods. In our experience, the potential damages from harness use often outweigh any perceived benefits.

Harness damage

WHY YOU DON'T SPAY OR NEUTER BEFORE ONE YEAR

If you’re thinking about adding a puppy to the family, in addition to deciding what type of dog is right for you, you’ll also be making lots of lifestyle choices for the long-term health and happiness of your new best furry friend. Many of the decisions you make over the next few months will affect your dog for a lifetime: the diet you choose, the vaccine protocol, socialization and training, and decisions about when to sterilize.

Sterilization is what I want to discuss today and why it is not a good idea before 1 1/2 years of age.

Abnormal Bone Growth

Back in the 1990s, studies showed that dogs spayed or neutered before one year of age grew significantly taller than dogs not spayed/neutered until after puberty. And the earlier the spay/neuter procedure, the taller the dog.

A study published in 2000 in the Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism explains:

The hormone estrogen, which is no longer produced in spayed or neutered dogs, plays a crucial role in bone growth and development. The removal of estrogen-producing organs in immature dogs can cause growth plates to remain open. The dogs continue to grow and wind up with abnormal growth patterns and bone structure, which can result in irregular body proportions.

Hip Dysplasia

In a retrospective cohort study conducted at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, and published over 10 years ago in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, results showed that both male and female dogs desexed at an early age were more prone to hip dysplasia.

Cranial Cruciate Ligament (CCL) Injuries

Sciences Center on canine cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) injuries researcher concude that spayed and neutered dogs had a significantly higher incidence of CCL rupture than their intact counterparts. And while large breed dogs had more CCL injuries, sterilized dogs of all breeds and sizes had increased rupture rates.

Bone Cancer

In a study published in 2002, it was established that the risk for bone sarcoma was significantly influenced by the age at which the dogs were desexed. For both male and female spayed or neutered before one year of age, there was a one-in-four lifetime risk of bone cancer.

Other Health Concerns

Early gonad removal is commonly associated with urinary incontinence in female dogs and has been linked to increased incidence of urethral sphincter incontinence in males. Spayed and neutered dogs are more likely to develop hypothyroidism.

Look at the dogs before. One was spayed or neutered under 1 year of age at the other at 1 1/2 of age. Big difference.

Canine Dental Care

We are absolutely tapping into something really important here—and it's something a lot of pet owners either don’t realize or have been scared away from by mixed messaging and that is canine dental care.

Why is that wild canines like wolves, coyotes, and foxes don’t brush their teeth, and yet you rarely see them suffering from the kind of severe dental issues domestic dogs face. The big difference? Diet. These animals are eating whole prey and gnawing on bones regularly, which provides natural cleaning and flossing for their teeth. That kind of mechanical scraping is incredibly effective.

When dogs chew on raw meaty bones or cooked real knuckle bones they mimic this same natural process. The gnawing, tearing, and scraping helps remove plaque before it turns into tartar. It also exercises the jaw, massages the gums which stimulates circulation to the gums, and keeps them mentally stimulated.

We understand that some veterinarians may express concerns about pets potentially breaking their teeth on bones. However, we have been using them for over 20 years without encountering any issues. While it is true that there is always a risk in any situation, it’s worth the risk.  Would you rather spend a fortune and risk your dogs life putting them under anesthesia to have the vet clean their teeth?

Raw bones are generally safer because they don’t splinter like cooked bones, but the do stink up the house. Cooked bones, especially weight-bearing ones, can splinter and become a choking or intestinal hazard. But a large, slow-roasted knuckle bone (not brittle) works great and be safer than a small, cooked chicken bone. We use cooked knuckle bones.

• Size matters: Always offer bones that are larger than the dog’s mouth to avoid choking.

• Supervision is key and limited exposure: Like with anything, dogs should always be supervised when chewing bones.  Give it for an hour or two here and there.

• Avoid toxic chews: Some treats marketed as dental chews are full of artificial ingredients, dyes, and preservatives—or worse, can be toxic or cause GI issues, like rawhides.

It’s kind of wild (no pun intended) how far removed modern pet care can be from nature. You're living proof it works—13-year-old dogs with clean, untouched teeth is amazing.

Before and after pictures

Just because a breeder does all the testing, doesn't mean they are a quality breeder

As I have explored various breeders' websites, I have come across numerous claims regarding genetic testing and the health of their dogs. While these assertions are commendable, they represent only a fraction of what constitutes quality breeding. It is crucial for breeders to go beyond merely stating that they conduct genetic testing. For instance, do they perform OFA X-ray evaluations at two years of age on both parents to mitigate the risk of hip dysplasia? Are they diligently researching pedigrees to ensure they are breeding structurally sound and healthy Australian Shepherds? Understanding the pedigree at least four generations back is vital in identifying any hereditary health issues that may not be evident through genetic testing alone. Moreover, it is essential for breeders to be aware of the breed standard and strive to preserve and uplift the breed rather than simply pairing two dogs with clear genetic panels. The importance of thoughtful pairings cannot be overstated; it significantly impacts the quality and integrity of the breed.

Look at the first three dogs pictures. They are genetically clear, but little had gone into making sure they are pairing the two right dogs together. They are not structurally sound, nor do they meet the standard, therefore, in time will not hold up health wise. Hunch back, sway back, low front end assembly, straight stifle, muddy color. As odd as it sounds their head is not positioned correctly on their shoulders.

The 3 dogs pictures below them. They are genetically clear, but there is a great deal of energy and research into the pedigree making sure that they are breeding outstanding lineage. The pairing was carefully chosen to create an aussie with great structure and color. Can you see the difference?

I have observed a positive trend in public awareness regarding responsible breeding practices. It is heartening to see prospective owners conducting thorough research before selecting a new family member. As a breeder committed to excellence, I wholeheartedly support this growing knowledge base among dog enthusiasts. A couple of examples. In the first picture, look at its neck, short stubby, the dog below, nice longer upright neck. Second picture, look at the back, it is called the top line. It is hunched. The dogs below have a nice flat back/topline.