They may be considered as hunting dogs but they do make great household pets too. In fact, some owners even consider their weimaraners as additional members of the family in which pets are loved and taken cared of just like mothers to their children. The love for the animal is so great that some even consider having their pets insured.

Don’t think that insurance is for humans, houses or cars only. There also exist insurance companies that cater to the needs of our furry four-legged friends. Some people consider pet insurance as unnecessary expense, but come to think of it! What if Fido contacted a disease that can’t be home cured? What if you later found out that the disease is a chronic disease and will cost thousands of dollars in order to treat Fifi? Being in this situation could be so heart-breaking knowing that there is nothing you can do to save your friend or if there is, will definitely leave a very big hole in your pocket.

With the economy right now, you cannot expect everything to be cheap much more free. Medicine costs and veterinary bills can mount up faster than you can imagine. Because of lack of funds, some owners have no choice but to give up their pet or worst, have these poor creatures put down. But with pet insurance, you will never have to go through this. You will never have to sacrifice your dog’s health, your dog’s life. You will never have to suffer the guilt if you neglected your dog in times when he needed you the most.

One rule of thumb when getting insurance, understand the policy, rules, regulations and requirements. Some cover health, hospitalization, veterinary care and medicine while some include life and accident. There are lots of factors to consider when getting insurance. These factors include but not limited to breed, age, living conditions, activities and level of care provided by the owner.

Check if that insurance is accepted by your vet or if your vet is accepted by your insurance company. You also need to know if the insurance covers regular scheduled check-ups, preventive medication, vaccination, grooming and others.

Some premiums are paid monthly, some quarterly and some annually. Find out which one best suit you and your dog’s needs.

Probably by now, you have already decided the objectives of your Weimaraner training. As an all-purpose gun dog, it is expected that the Weimaraner is good in hunting at the same time protector of his family and territory. Thus Weimaraner training is usually aimed to create a hunting dog and a well-mannered four-legged member of the family.

What do you think is better than a reliably house trained Weimaraner dog? Having this elegant and noble yet with athletic appearance dog is a joy and pride to its owners. But having a reliably house trained one is way better.

Housebreaking, also called potty training or house training is one of the major concerns of most dog owners. Naturally, one cannot expect a dog to go straight to his owner and say “I need to go” or “I need to do this now or else I’ll stain your highly-valued rug you got from your last trip abroad.” As dog owner, it is your responsibility to see to it that the four-legged creature you brought home do what is appropriate, in a human’s perspective at least.

The first tip in housebreaking is to establish regular feeding schedule. So if you feed your dog thrice a day, you have to do this almost at the same time everyday. This process will help you establish your Weimaraner’s regular potty break. But how? 15 to 20 minutes after they ate or drank water, they usually pee or poop out. Thus you have to take your pet outside so as to avoid accident inside the house. Apart from every after meals, you also have to take him outside as soon as he wakes up in the morning, right after his naps, after taking him out of his crate, before bed time and if he whimpers in the night.

Another important tip is to watch out for signs indicating that he wants to do his thing. Restless behavior, heading toward a previously soiled spot, circling and sniffing the floor and/or digging at the floor are some signs indicating that it’s time you take him outside. Just be sure that you are always around to watch him to prevent the occurrence of mistakes.

And one more thing to remember, if you do not catch your puppy doing it, then you need not punish him for it. He will not understand that he is being punished for the mistake he did three hours ago. If caught in the act, do something to distract him – loud clap or the likes. Then take him out immediately to finish what he has started.

A reliably house trained Weimaraner is an indication that you successfully hurdled one important part of Weimaraner training.

Hypertrophic osteodystrophy is an extremely painful disease of the bone that usually affects large breeds such as Great Danes, German Shepherd, Retrievers and Weimaraners. If you are an owner of Weimaraners, knowing facts, treatment and prevention of this disease is an aid in keeping your beloved gray ghost in good condition.

Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy or HOD is known in other names such as skeletal scurvy, Moller-Barlow’s disease, osteodystrophy II and metaphyseal dystrophy. Apart from large breed dogs, this disease also affects young and rapidly growing dogs. It may occur to puppies two to seven months old. The causes of the disease are not currently known but it has been speculated to include decreased vitamin C, excessive vitamin other than vitamin C, increased mineral, infection with canine distemper and excessive calcium supplementation.

HOD shows up as a severe lameness and pain affecting multiple limbs. Weimaraners troubled with this disease may show reluctance to move and may refuse to stand up at all. Depression, loss of appetite, lethargy as well as fever may be experienced. Fever may not manifest in the early stage of the disease but may rise as high as 106 degrees as the disease progresses. Some symptoms resolve on their own, some causes permanent structural damage and some die from this disease.

In most cases, diagnosis is based on the history, symptoms, physical exam and confirmed by x-rays. This disease may go away on its own but since Weimaraners are affected with the severe form, immediate treatment is necessary. Treatment of HOD is supportive. It usually consists of anti-inflammatories and painkillers such as aspirin, carprofen, butazolidin, etodolac and arquel. Give proper amount of liquid and nutritious diet that is low in calcium. The dog is placed on an adult or large breed growth diet and over-supplementation with vitamins and minerals is discontinued. Good nursing care and rest on a comfortable warm bed is recommended. Some dogs will just lie down and may not be willing to move so it is important to keep them moving to prevent bedsores.

To prevent this disease, high-calorie diets should not be given to large or giant breed dogs. Over supplementation of vitamins and minerals should as well be avoided because they do more harm than good. Vaccine should be administered however, modified live vaccine should not be given to Weimaraners. Instead of modified live, killed virus vaccines should be administered instead to prevent HOD.

The health and well being of your Weimaraners generally depend on the quality of foods you are feeding them. It is important to feed them with foods that contain necessary nutrients required by the breed. Their nutritional requirement is just like those that have been passed on from their ancestors, nutrients in which sources are similar to those found in their original environment.

Weimaraners should be given the right balance of protein, carbohydrates, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Decreased in vitamin C or excessive vitamin other than vitamin C is not good for your Weim. The deficiency or the excess may cause diseases particularly hypertrophic osteodystrophy (HOD). Excessive mineral and calcium supplementation are also reasons for the occurrence of HOD.

Using commercial dog food is probably the most convenient way to feed your Weimaraner. Lots of it are readily available in any pet stores, all you have to do is simply open the package and pour it into your dog’s food bowl. Commercial dog food comes into three types: dry, semi-moist and canned. Dry food, or kibble is commonly preferred because it is less expensive compared to semi-moist and canned food. It is believed that dry food or kibble benefits your dog’s dental care because the dry bits scrape tartar from the teeth during chewing. Canned foods are recommended to old age dogs or dogs with poor appetite due to illness or medical problem. However, canned foods are usually expensive and requires refrigeration once opened. When using commercial dog foods to feed your Weimaraner, read the product label carefully. Check the ingredients and make sure that it contains the necessary nutrients in right amounts.

Despite the convenience of using commercial dog foods, some owners prefer the noncommercial foods to ensure the quality of the food. Some believe that noncommercial food is expensive and time-consuming to prepare but in fact, it is also faster and cheaper provided correct planning has been done. With this type of food, you can be sure that your pet gets the fresh and best ingredients ideal for his health. Noncommercial foods are classified into two: home-cooked and raw diets.

The frequency of feeding depends on your pet’s age and activities. Feeding one full meal a day is not advisable for it can cause bloat, obesity or other digestive problems. Instead, spread out your Weimaraner’s feedings to at least twice daily. Free feeding, feeding in which food is left out all day is not good either. Rigorous exercise and other activities should be avoided right after meals.

When your Weimaraner exhibits mild to severe scratching and has irritated skin, then he is probably infested with external parasites. Infestation of external parasites such as fleas, ticks or mites causes discomfort to many dogs such as your Weimaraner. It can even cause serious skin problems or even carry disease. Every dog owner should be aware of the facts about these parasites that could possibly affect their beloved Weimaraner.

Dog Fleas

Fleas are perhaps the most common external parasite affecting dogs. Fleas are small parasites of about 1.5 to 3.3 mm long. They are dark colored and able to move rapidly over your pet’s skin. Fleas live their entire lives on their host’s body, your pet. They bite their host and suck their blood. Animals with heavy infestation of fleas may become anemic or become infected with tapeworms if they ingest fleas carrying tapeworm eggs. Sign of fleas is flea dirt- black flea droppings you’ll find on your pet or in his bed. Killing this type of parasite requires crushing them between the fingernails because of their hard, polished body. Use insecticides to get rid of fleas. You can also wash your dog with a flea-killing shampoo.

Dog Mites

Dog mites cause an illness called mange. There are two common types of mites: demodectic and sarcoptic. Demodectic is the most common form of mange. It causes small and hairless, irritated patches on the dog’s coat. This simple skin problem can progress to a severe one especially to a debilitated dog or dog with distemper or infectious hepatitis. Sarcoptic mange or “scabies” burrow into the skin, causing severe itching and thickening of the skin along with hair loss. Mites also enter your dog’s ears and the surrounding area. Your dog can obtain ear mites through close contact with an infested pet or its bedding.

Dog Ticks

Just like fleas, dog ticks are parasites feeding on the blood of its host. Dogs usually obtain dog ticks from shrubbery or wild undergrowth. Dog ticks are often found around your dog’s neck, in the ears, in the folds between the legs and the body and between the toes. It can be removed from the body of your pet with the help of a small set of tweezers. With the use of tweezers, grab the insect by the head and then pull it gently and steadily. As much as possible, try not to crush the tick’s body because its stomach content or the saliva back-flow might increase the possibility of infecting and irritating the host’s skin.