Poodle-Jack
Russell Terrier Mix Resources
Meet Cody, our 2 year old Poodle-Jack Russell Terrier mix dog. He is very good tempered, and is a very sweet dog. This page is designed to provide information and tips that we have picked up along the way, while dealing with dry skin and skin allergies, flea allergies, and proper diet. This is just what we have learned by trial and error, and is not intended to be official veterinarian advice.
When we got Cody, he was a year and-a-half old, and recovering from a bad flea infestation. The SPCA treated him by shaving the bottom of his back, in front of the tail. The hair was growing back in, and was much coarser than the rest of his coat. He scratched himself constantly, and the poor guy would be walking or running, and then stop suddenly and bite at his back, belly and legs wildly.
We received his records from his previous owner's vet, and found that he had quite a medical record (15 pages in fact!). Listed were all sorts of problems, including hot spots. He was on several types of medications, and seemed miserable. Poor guy.
Since we've had Cody, he has done wonderfully, and his skin is pink and healthy. No more hot spots, his scratching is greatly reduced, and he is a very happy dog. His coat where he was shaved is even getting soft again.
Here's what we do...
Dry Skin & Skin Allergies
We bathe Cody once a week in the bathtub. We use Sulfodene® Medicated Shampoo & Conditioner from the neck back, and use JOHNSON'S® Baby Shampoo on his head and neck. His skin problems are from the neck back, so a medicated shampoo is best there, and we like baby shampoo because it is very mild and doesn't bother his eyes when ee lather his face and neck. We rinse him thoroughly, while being careful not to get water into his ears.
TIP: When lathering his face, working on removing tear stains, and rinsing his face and neck, gently hold his snout with your free hand. This will calm him, and temper his desire to escape!
- We noticed that diet affected his scratching (obvious food allergies), so we tried several food brands/types. The brand we noticed the most improvement with is Pedigree®. We feed him Pedigree dry along with several varieties of their canned products. More specific details are below in the Diet section.
- We have noticed that he does better with Pedigree® beef products. The turkey and chicken varieties seem to cause him to scratch more.
- Small amounts of hamburger grease added to his food a couple of times a week, really helps with his skin. Don't use too much though, or it will upset his stomach.
Flea Allergies
- We were told that Cody was severely allergic to fleas, and his skin would break out if a flea even jumped on him, much less bit. So, we use Advantage® K9 11-20, which we buy from our local vet. We apply it the first of each month. The manufacturer claims this medicine kills all fleas that are on or even around your pet. From what we've seen, this is correct. Cody hasn't had any problems since we've started using Advantage®.
Heartworm Treatment
- We know heartworms are very painful and fatal for dogs, so we have Cody on a monthly dose of Interceptor® Green 11-25 Flavor Tabs®, which we also buy from our local vet. One tablet each month prevents heartworms. You first need to visit your vet for a test to see if your dog currently has heartworms, and then they will give you a prescription.
Diet
- Pedigree® Small Breed™ dry food
- Pedigree® Traditional Ground Dinner canned food
- We feed Cody twice a day, mixing approximately 1/3 of canned food with 1 cup of dry.
- Grease/oils - Cody has dry skin, especially in the winter. We add a small amount of hamburger grease to his food once or twice a week. We're also considering some of the oil additives that Doctors Foster & Smith sell. We'll keep you posted on what we think of them.
- Treats - Cody loves to get a treat. We prefer a homemade recipe, and Cody loves them...more than any store bought brand!
Take a look at the secret recipe!
General Care
We recommend:
--
AKC
Companion
Animal Recovery provides recovery services, in the event your
pet is lost.--
Doctors Foster &
Smith provides a great selection of pet supplies. 
