Poodle Health

10 Poodle Health Tips

1.  Make sure the diet you are feeding has as the primary ingredient some type of meat.  You can find this out by reading the label.  The first ingredient labeled should be meat.

2. One of the biggest threat to poodle health is euthanasia from owners giving them up for behavior problems.  Start early and train your poodles properly. 

3.  When grooming poodles make sure you pluck any hairs growing in the ear canals and any excessive hair around the ears.  This will help to prevent poodle ear infections by letting more air into the ear.

4.  Have you poodle spayed before the first heat.  Doing this will dramatically decrease the risk of cancer.  If you wait and have it done after they have gone through just one heat, the chances of mammary cancer increase a lot.

5.  Obesity is one of the biggest health problems facing dogs today.  Only feed your poodle twice a day, don't leave the food out all day long.  Make sure your poodle gets lots of exercise as well.

6.  Never use human shampoo on your poodle.  Due to differences in the skin, human shampoo can cause dog skin to dry out.

7. Clean the water bowl often.  Most people do not regularly clean the water bowl, which allows bacteria to grow in a clear slim lining the bowl.  Wash is at least twice a week with hot water and soap.

8.  For the best poodle health, visit a veterinarian at least once a year.  After your poodle reaches 7 years of age, make sure they go at least twice a year.

9.  One way to help your poodle live a long life is to never allow them to run outside without a leash or outside of a fenced in area.

10.  If you take your poodle to dog shows make sure you are up to date on the Kennel cough vaccine.  It should be given intranasal at least two weeks before poodle shows.