JMHO ~ I do not use 'paint'. I either use colored rick-rack collars changed frequently and often, or I clip a section of fur. My puppy chart then reflects something like this:
1- YF - Left Shoulder Clip
2- YF - Left Rear Flank Clip
3- BF - Left Shoulder Clip
ETC......
I use pink and blue white out. You can order it from any office supply store online. First boy pup gets a blue dot on his head, next one on his shoulders, next one on his butt, and so on... Same for girls only pink. Lasts for many days (much longer than nail polish), no risk of choking the pup, won't fall off. Touch it up when it starts to fade.
JMHO ~ Using correction "white out" could be problematic as the water based product still contains Ammonia (Ammonium Hvdroxidel), Calcium Carbonate, and Ethylene glycol which are products considered by OSHA to be hazardous. The non-water based or more permanent "white out" contains petroleum distillates (light naptha), that OSHA considers even more hazardous. Health hazards can be either Acute or Chronic and can be caused by improper use. May cause mild skin irritation on prolonged contact or repeated contact. May cause mild eye irritation eye irritation. The effect of over exposure of fumes to the central nervous system has been noted. Conditions aggravated by exposure are pulmonary or dermal conditions.
The information above comes from the Bic White-Out Material Safety Data Sheet. JMHO ~ Given what is said there and the potential for problems on new puppies, along with having Mom ingest it too in the cleaning process, I would consider looking for another safer way to identify puppies.
Istill use what my mentor told me to use. Its the package of potholder loops that you can buy in Walmarts craft section in a bag. You get a ton of multi color loops in a bag for real cheap and a bag will last you forever......They are nylon.
Well I guess you are all very young and can't remember how we would buy that crochet hook and get the loops and create wild multicolored potholders for the kitchen? Geesh, maybe I am just too old or something HA HA
I just purchased a few bottles of "puppy" nailpolish from: www.eyeslipsface.com At a buck a bottle! And right now shipping on a $25.00 order is just $2.00. Can't beat that price and they have lots of other stuff if you wear make up, or have daughters and girlfriends that do. Good stocking stuffer items!
I remember Leeda!!
We used to make them in school, and I had a kit once that had a little "loom" to make it easier.
Wow, blast from the past, kinda like easy bake ovens and shrinky dinks!
Annie
My mom still has some of my loopy creations and I have some of my daughter's! I remember turning them out as presents for my nana, aunts, etc. I had the metal frame (red) with the teeth all around the sides. It came with the wire tool thingy that had a hook on the end that you used to weave the loops through. I loved that dang thing!
You girls need to go get some of those bags, they are antics but are still carried by Walmart...I especially love the crazy colors. If some loops are too large I just tie a small knot at a corner. Chartruese is my favorite color
Speaking of the pot holder loom - remember the wooden "spool" type weavers (with tiny nails on top) that made a small tube out of yarn. Then you could take the long tube - like yarn and make little scarfs for the dolls or "braided" rugs for the doll house.
You could make those while waiting for the Easy Bake oven to make those teeny cakes!
I use non-toxic poster paint. I like the neon colors the best. For big litters buy both regular and neon. I also buy a small jar of white if I want to make more colors, ie: dark green and light green, dark blue and light blue, etc.
Paint it up and back on both sides of the hair so it stays longer.
I paint the boys on the withers and the girls on the rumps, that way I can always tell at a glance whether it is a boy or girl pup.
Look Here:
http://www.cygnet-labs.com/folklaur/RhymerxStudyPups1Week.htm
I am nervous about putting anything around their necks in case of a freak accident.
Thanks for the ideas.
Laura that is just what I am looking for. I actually have two look-a-likes in my litter who I had no problems telling apart at first but now I am.
I am very uneasy about putting anything around the necks now that they are up and about and playing.
I assume I can get this stuff at a fabric type store like a Joann Fabric Store?
I use ric rac for the first 2 or 3 weeks, since it's not easily licked off by the dam in grooming them. After they start to "wake up" and get up and around, I switch to colored nail polish, because I don't like them to have something for their siblings to tug on around their necks. I have to say I like the idea of crayons or poster paint! Nail polish doesn't seem to stay on well.
You made me chuckle, as I thought the same thing, more or less. Oh those Brownie projects or other arts and crafts in elementary school, "back in the day".
Yep, and I had an Easy Bake oven also! And artwork made with elbow macaroni and paste. Garlands made with cutting and gluing construction paper...why do I remember all of this back in the day stuff, but can't remember what I did 15 minutes ago (yes I know, I am O L D!
Regarding the safety of White Out... I've thought this through for myself and decided that a "dot" on a pup every few days won't come anywhere near to anything dangerous. Calcium Carbonate is the active ingredient in Tums, so obviously that's not a problem. The amount of liquid that evaporates is so small as to be insignificant. The OSHA studies are talking about large quantities - overdoses or industrial spills in other words. Or kids putting it into bags and concentrating the fumes to inhale them. You'll find such things in nailpolish also. I worry too much about the pups choking on collars - or getting a leg through or tangled and cutting off circulation.
Everyone has to weigh their own feelings about the risks and benefits of the various methods of identifying (or not identifying) puppies.
Well I have to say I bought lots of rick rack, but my last litter I came to the aid of one yelping pup that had the rick rack caught on a crate (I leave crates in the area for them to choose to sleep in) and several times found a couple ripped off after playtime. I like the poster paint idea, I think I will try that this time. Nice thread.
On my little litter this past summer, my little girl got her rick rack caught under her arm pit and neck. I didn't want to get it too tight so I double knotted it, walked in to check on the pups and found her crawling around awkwardly with the rick rack stuck under her armpit.
I hate putting fingernail polish on my pups since I take lots of photos and don't necessarily want polish showing up in my photos. Wish I had a better solution to. When my pups are around 5 weeks old, I will put regular buckle style collars on them to tell them apart. Those leave the collar ring on their necks come stack time so that's not good either.
OK, I'm apparently challenged here . I have tried poster paint on the pups and it wears off by the morning. What am I doing wrong? Sorry to be so dense .
I have always used the embroidery thread....it is made of 6 tiny threads twisted together. They come in a bag of assorted colors at Walmart. I make to sure to allow at least two fingers under to assure it is not too tight or too loose. I also change them frequently. I have used this on 9 litters and so far no problem.
*JMHO ~ Using correction "white out" could be problematic as the water based product still contains Ammonia (Ammonium Hvdroxidel), Calcium Carbonate, and Ethylene glycol which are products considered by OSHA to be hazardous*
I was informed to use the coloured white out by my mentor. I certainly won't be after reading this and will tell her about it in e-mail. She is always willing to listen to me if I have something I would like to discuss.
I will continue to use rick rack as I did in the past. Thank you for this information Susan Fenwyck.