@rockyriverretrievers on Instagram When a puppy has matured enough, it comes time to wean them off their mother’s milk. The mother dog instinctively looks after her puppies after giving birth; they are completely reliant on her for food and protection. After a few weeks, the pups must learn to consume solid food and become less reliant…
@rockyriverretrievers on Instagram Why is it crucial to purchase from a responsible breeder? How can one differentiate between backyard breeders and responsible breeders? Unfortunately, not every dog breeder is taking the necessary measures to ensure that health is the top priority. Backyard breeders are those who breed without having prior knowledge or experience and don’t…
@rockyriverretrievers on Instagram The “Stay” command is helpful to teach your dog. The process includes teaching stay in phases and teaching the behavior in reverse, beginning at the end and moving backward for longer, more dependable stays. Establish a Beginning & End ‘Stay’ is a two-part command; after commanding your dog to ‘stay’, it’s…
@rockyriverretrievers on Instagram Check out more of our pups! Although many dog owners feel bad about crate training their dogs, enclosed areas provide a haven for dogs to rest and relax. Dogs seek such areas to build a protective shelter for themselves. Crates are excellent training tools for pups, secure havens for older dogs, and lifesavers…
@rockyriverretrievers on instagram Veterinarians, breeders, and trainers all seem to agree that too much activity is as dangerous as not enough, yet there is no universal formula for evaluating your puppy’s exercise needs. While it would be ideal if there was a chart that broke down pups by breed and age and described how much…
@rockyriverretrievers on Instagram Check out our pups! Vaccination is vital to protect your puppy’s health. During the first year, a puppy should be visiting the veterinarian multiple times to get their vaccination shots and be safe from easily preventable infectious diseases. For example, Parvo is a disease that can be fatal but can easily be avoided…
@rockyriverretrievers on Instagram When you first get a puppy, they’re adorable, fluffy and endearing. As cute as they may be, if you don’t properly socialize a puppy, they can grow up to be absolute nightmares. It’s important to socialize your puppy early, so they can learn how to coexist with humans, and other animals. It’s common…
@rockyriverretrievers on Instagram One of the essential abilities your dog should have is to come to you when called. However, because dogs find so much of the environment fascinating, training for this may be difficult. We’re asking our dogs to stop what they’re doing every time we ask them to come to us. …
@rockyriverretrievers on Instagram The Labrador retriever is a popular breed. But how much do you know about the colors of a Lab’s coat? Have you ever thought about why Labrador Retrievers have a certain coat and eye colors? It’s all because of genetics. Dog breeders must have a thorough grasp of genetics to breed for certain colors…