My Snorkie(Snouzer/Yorkie) is now 4 months old and I noticed last Friday he has a bump on his tummy. He acts fine and nothing has changed in his behavior/eating so I'm not sure if I should take him to the vet. He has his appt the 30th for routine shots but should I take him sooner?

I am no expert but here is my 2 cents. Is it a big bump? Is he constantly scratching at it? Can you tell if is red? If his behaviour hasn't changed and he is eating normal I wouldn't worry too much about it. I would bring it up with the vet on the 30th. Keep an eye on it and if it is getting worse or he stops eating and it is bothering him then take asap.

Hi, aj,
A bump can be a tumor, or might be something else. As the answer before mine said, if it isn't red, or itching, I would wait until your appointment. Be sure and ask the Vet about it.

Thanks! I've never owned a dog before so this all new territory for me. He threw up a couple times last week so I took him in and they said he was fine so I didn't want to blow another $47 if I don't have to.

Be assured that somebody that does have a good background agrees on waiting as long as there is not much change. Check things near the end of the week and don't get caught having to seek emergency care over the weekend. Most likely, it will fine.

Many 4 month olds will eat anything they find, and often have upset digestions because something didn't agree with them. It can be a tough call whether to run to the vet or not.

Thanks for the advice! Do you know how many treats are too many? The training books and in his training class they say to reward him with treats for doing something good or during training but how many is too many? I often find him getting sick of his treats and then having to switch to another kind. Also, I don't want to over feed him because a friend said having an overweight dog is one of the worse things. Is that true also?

Pay more attention to your friend. Overweight is one of the biggest health problems for dogs in the US. Treats are over used in training too. I seldom use treats. In special cases where I use treats, I usually just use a little of the dogs kibble. I will never forget the one lady at the grocery store that went on and on about what all her Springers would do for a Cheerio. The dog guide school teaches us to take a regular dog biscuit and break it down into little pieces half the size of the end of your finger.

Over the years, I have seen many questions from people that have taken their dog to obedience class, and still have little control over it. The dogs see all the people and dogs in the household as a pack with each having their own rank in the pack and a top dog. Life is much easier if the 2 legged pack members outrank the 4 legged ones. You can learn to play the role of top dog by reading some books or going to a good obedience class. A good obedience class or book is about you being top dog, not about rewarding standard commands with a treat. Start at Raising Your Dog with the Monks of New Skete.

If your dog is losing interest in its treats, it may be over fed. There are some dogs that just are not as food motivated as others. There are even Labs that aren't. Here is a good guide to feeding your dog.

September 07, link to chart replaced with LongLiveYourDog.com - Life Span Study - Rate Your Dog