Domanice and vaccines

Question
Hi, thanks for getting back to me so quickly. Luke is around eight months old he was born mid last October, when I take him in will he need just one more? so I can get any sex dog as long as I have it spayed or neutered? do I need luke neutered in order to have a other neutered male?




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Followup To
Question -
Hello again, I was wondering as you said I will have occasinal spats between two male dogs will it be the same for two females? it doesnt really matter anyways.... I'm gonig to pick a good outgoing healthy puppy not just go out and get a female of which amy be domante or something like that. Also My Jack russle terrier has only ever had one vaccine at 6 weeks of age... given to him before he came home with me.... I haven't taken him out of the yard other then on car rides when he was tiny to avoid him barking /peeing in his crate but for the last while hes been yard bound, I was wondering if I could take him out and about like Haylie? does he really need other vaccines? do vaccines stop him from getting sick?
Answer -
Yes, Tara, no matter which sex you get, there will still be occasional spats between the dogs. This is completely normal in a pack setting (when you have more than one dog, you have a pack), as they constantly reinforce their places in the hierarchy. That is why I said that you must pay attention and understand which is the most dominant dog, which dog is the middle dog, and which is the more submissive dog; and treat them accordingly. Many owners of multiple dogs make the mistake of trying to treat all the dogs equally, and then wonder why their dogs are always getting into fights with each other. It is because the owner is messing things up by trying to treat the submissive dog the same way as the dominant dog, and that just doesn't work. Dogs do not see things the way they do; in their world there is no equality. There is a 'top dog,' one that is the more dominant, and everyone else has their various places beneath him (as it's usually a male, but top dog can be a female in some cases, like mine).
As I said though, it is unlikely that you will end up picking a pup that is going to be a problem as far as dominance goes. Just look for the pup that seems to be the most pushy, and don't go for that one.

How old is your Jack Russel again? Sorry I can't remember. The answer to your question, though is ABSOLUTELY YES he needs some more booster shots before you should take him out and expose him to places where other dogs might have been. I agree with the new studies that have come out, and do not believe in yearly boosters for dogs; however, puppies (and dogs that were not vaccinated as puppies) should receive a set of three initial shots, followed by a final booster at 1 year of age. Usually the three initial shots are given at around 9 weeks, then the second at 12 weeks, and the third at 16 weeks of age. The puppy's immune system needs all three of these shots, spaced out in this manner, in order to mount sufficient immunity to the diseases in the vaccine. Then, approximately 30 days after the final shot, it is usually safe to take the puppy out in public without fear that he will contract a disease he was vaccinated against. Without all three, there is a chance that he could contract one of those diseases. When the puppy turns 1 year old, he should receive a final shot, that should do him for at least 3-5 years, if not for life. His rabies shot, if you live in the U.S., should be given at around 6 months of age, and then repeated as the law states in your area. Here, the dog or puppy gets his first rabies shot, then 1 year later, he has to have another one, and then it's every 3 years after that. This is the only vaccine I keep my cats and dogs current on, because it is the law here. If you're interested in reading about vaccines, you can visit http://www.naturalrearing.com/newsandviews/articles/Vaccination_Protocol.htm. Dr. Jean Dodd, the author, is a very well-known and respected veterinarian.  

Answer
You're welcome, Tara.

"Luke is around eight months old he was born mid last October, when I take him in will he need just one more?"

If Luke has only had 1 vaccine at 6 weeks of age (that is about 1 and a half months old), and he is 8 months old now, then no, he cannot recieve just one more vaccine. He should probably get the full set of three, as if he had never recieved the first, because just the first one by itself does not boost the immune system enough to produce the antibodies necessary to fight off disease. It will take all three in order to be effective. That means that you need to take him to a vet and tell the vet that he has not been vaccinated and needs his set of three puppy shots. The first one should be given, and then the second one should be given THREE WEEKS LATER, and the third should be given FOUR WEEKS after the second one. If the shots are not spaced out exactly in this manner, they are not as effective. After the third shot, he should be fine to take out for walks and exposure to other dogs. After that third shot, he should receive a final booster when he turns 18 months (1 year and 6 months) old, provided you get his first one done this week. If he has not been vaccinated against rabies, and you live in the U.S., he should receive that sometime after the 3rd shot - ask your vet about it. Here's an example of what his shot schedule should look like:

June 24          1st shot
July 15          2nd shot
August 12        3rd shot
April 15         Final booster



"I can get any sex dog as long as I have it spayed or neutered?"

Pretty much!

"Do I need luke neutered in order to have a other neutered male?"

You need Luke neutered no matter which sex you get. All of your dogs should be fixed, to decrease the chance of fights resulting from hormonal fluctuations, and increase the likelihood that they will all be able to live together harmoniously.

Kristen