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Requirements Exercise As a working breed, the Entlebucher needs regular exercise to remain in peak condition. This should include at least half an hour to an hour a day of vigorous off-lead activity. They also thrive on mental stimulation, indulging in all the usual doggy games of fetch and chase with an enthusiasm which will usually outlast your own. With its flexibility and speed, the Entlebucher is an ideal candidate for agility or fly ball as well as other activities such as obedience and tracking. They also adore swimming and retrieving objects from water. Socialization and training Entlebuchers are intelligent dogs but they can be headstrong, sometimes providing quite a challenge to first time owners. Training should commence from a few months of age using verbal encouragement, plenty of games and positive reinforcement in the form of titbits. This will help establish a healthy relationship between you and your pup upon which future training can be built. Early socialization is very important once the puppy is up to date with vaccinations. Ideally the puppy should experience as many situations as possible outside the home. These can include busy streets and car parks. Friendly encounters with all sorts of people and other dogs will ensure a sociable, steady temperament and a companion that can cope with any new situation. Inviting friends and neighbours into your home to play with your pup and offer him treats will help him to accept non-threatening advances from strangers on his own territory. Attending puppy classes provides a good way of socializing your puppy with other dogs and people in a more controlled environment. Later on, obedience training can support ongoing and consistent approaches to training in the home. We have found that the halter-type "Gentle Leader" is a particularly effective method of early lead training. Entlebuchers that lunge on the lead are no joke and with their powerful neck and shoulders, can easily drag you along without even noticing! Grooming The breed exhibits a short, sleek coat which is easy to care for. Grooming with a bristle brush or hound-mitt once or twice a week is usually enough to maintain the coat in top condition. Feeding A high quality proprietary kibble (Eukanuba in our case) provides adequate nutrition supplemented with cooked chicken or lamb with rice as a special treat. Its important to note that the Entlebucher (like most dogs) may still appear hungry after a meal of the recommended size. This is quite normal and you should avoid the temptation to give him more, since obesity can lead to all sorts of other health problems for your dog. |