# New Doggy Questions



## bell (Jun 4, 2008)

Here is my first question, if a puppy at 3 weeks has a dark spot on the skin of its nose would of it went away by the time the puppy was 8 weeks of age? 

Another question (I don't think she has anymore fleas, she did when I got her and I belive we picked them all off). She has a vet appoitment for Tuesday. But she keeps scratching at her ears, and her hearing does not seem to be normal, it is almost like sometimes she can not hear us. Is this normal in a maltese puppy? Or is she just being a puppy? Also the people where feeding her canned pedigree dog food and right now that is all she seems to want to eat, how can I go about switching her to the wellness dry dog food. Should I just wait till she gets settled in?

Also about coloring, around her head and ears her fur does not seem to be completly white maybe a yellow/beige tint. Does that mean she is not pure maltese but there is another breed somewhere in her line? Or could this just be staining of somesort?

On another note, when do they usually start sleeping through the night without winning. If I sleep with her she does not wine but I do not let my pets sleep in my bed so I am winding up sleeping on the floor with her.

Also what kind of human foods are ok for them to eat? She does not seem to like the wellness puppy treats. Thanks for your help


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

1. Pigment changes as puppies age. 

2. She may have an ear infection. That is very common in puppies and it can affect their hearing. You vet will be able to look down her ears and check for an infection. 
Puppies also tend to have "selective hearing" which is just part of being a puppy (I'm going to ignore you so I can keep doing what I want). Just go over to the dog and let them know that you are there (pet them) and they'll move their attention to you. 

3. Many Maltese have beige/tan around the ears and sometimes on the body. It usually fades with age. In many cases it coincides with having strong black points.

4. At her age you need to be waking up at least once to take her to potty. 3-4 hours is the max for her to hold it. I like to set my alarm and I wake the dog up so they don't get use to whining in order to get out. Try putting her crate next to your bed so you can have your fingers in it while she gets use to sleeping there at night. 

5. You can boil some white meat chicken, no skin or fat, and cut it into tiny pieces to use as a treat. Many dogs also like fruits, veggies, and cheese.


----------



## luvmyfurbaby (Feb 11, 2007)

QUOTE (JMM @ Jul 5 2008, 12:34 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=600841


> 1. Pigment changes as puppies age.
> 
> 2. She may have an ear infection. That is very common in puppies and it can affect their hearing. You vet will be able to look down her ears and check for an infection.
> Puppies also tend to have "selective hearing" which is just part of being a puppy (I'm going to ignore you so I can keep doing what I want). Just go over to the dog and let them know that you are there (pet them) and they'll move their attention to you.
> ...



Yes what Jackie said!! :goodpost:


----------



## bell (Jun 4, 2008)

She has pee pads she can pee on in the middle of the night. So how should I go about switching her food over? Oh and she is in something like a doggy play pen.


----------



## luvmyfurbaby (Feb 11, 2007)

QUOTE (bell @ Jul 5 2008, 01:24 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=600861


> She has pee pads she can pee on in the middle of the night. So how should I go about switching her food over? Oh and she is in something like a doggy play pen.[/B]



I would switch her over little by little. I usually switch mine right away and never had a problem but some pups can get an upset stomach by this and get the runs. I would add a little of the new food everyday until you totally wean out the old food.


----------



## MKLadee (Feb 26, 2008)

I'm sure your vet will check, but if she is scratching her ears, mites are a possibility. Riley brought them home when we first got him. We thought we got rid of them, but then had another go-round with both him and Tucker. I'm not sure that they didn't come from the groomer's that time, which is also a puppyday care. But it is hard to say. If it IS ear mites, whatever treatment the vet puts her on, make sure to use it correctly. That will give you the best chance of getting rid of them the first time.

To switch the food, I would replace 1/4 of the old food each day for a week. The next week, try one half of each; the third week go up to 3/4 of the new and 1/4 of the old; and the 4th week, switch to all new. That will give her tummy time to adjust and you will be able to see if she is having any digestive problems.

We were extremely fortunate, I think. Tucker was 6 weeks and he slept in a crate from day one all the way through the night. We bought him a big soft stuffed dog that was twice his size and he snuggled up to it like it was his mama. Between that, a fluffy bed, and a really soft blanket, he was quite cozy. Riley did the same thing, but he was right at 4 months old. 

As JMM said, skinless white meat chicken boiled or baked is good for them, as are veggies, fruits, and cheese (both of our dogs love all of that!). Cottage cheese and plain yogurt are also good. There are some foods they should not eat, such as corn, so make sure before you do feed something to them. At one time or another, Tucker and Riley have both had at least a bite of most of the food we eat. But we don't make that the norm.

Debbie


----------

