Archive for December, 2007

Do You Feed Your Dog Too Much

Wednesday, December 19th, 2007

Do You know how much food your dog really needs?

Dogs are suffering from obesity just like humans from eating the wrong food and eating too much food.

You need to control the amount of food your dog is eating and you must watch the weight of your dog
on a regular basis to make sure that he does not become overweight.

Dogs can suffer, as humans do, from a variety of ailments due to obesity, including diabetes.
There is an increasing number of dogs suffering from this disease and in most cases, it can be
avoided through the correct nutrition and monitoring the amount of food your dog eats.

A dog with diabetes will need medication to assist in the maintenance of their blood sugar
levels. Obviously, this involves additional inconvenience and expense, but there is also the
risk of death if the insulin levels are incorrect.

Just like humans, dogs should only eat what is good for them and in quantities that won’t
result in health problems later in their lives.

Dogs that work will need a bit more food for the energy that they will expend in the course of
their day, but a dog that lays around all day and doesn’t exercise much will not need to eat the
same portions of food.

Again, you should check your dog’s weight regularly and see if it is gaining or losing weight and
adjust the amount of food accordingly.

Author Info:

Patricia Reed is a successful Webmaster and publisher of many articles and newsletters involving dogs and other pets which you can browse on her website http://www.dogs.netbizconnection.com

Wireless Fences

Wednesday, December 19th, 2007

Wireless fences have been tested and proven to have made such a wonderful transformation when it comes to dealing with dog

How Healthy and Safe Is Your Dogs Food?

Wednesday, December 19th, 2007

This article seeks to give you a solid knowledge base regarding the healthiness and safety of yor dog’s food, no matter what your previous experiences on the topic.

With the issue of the healthiness and wellbeing of your dog’s food inside the last 12 months, the question still stands. How healthy is your dog’s food?

The other issue with dog food is will your dog eat it and will they get tried of eating the same food every day through out their life. I know of numerous dog owners that did just that, fed their dog the same food through out the dog’s adult life until the dog has been eating the same food for over ten years. Then marvel why their dog stops eating their food and start eating table scrappes.

Many world-renowned Doctors of Veterinary Medicine and Published “Dog Care Experts” universally allow any dog that eats commercial dog food is at a much serious threat of failing prematurely and by the time symptoms are noticeable, it’s regularly too late to stop an agonizing death excluding by lethal shot.

We hope that you have gained a clear grasp if the subject matter presented in the first half of this article.

World-Renowned vet and dog care novelist Alfred Plechner, says the meager nutritional politeties of commercial dog food inevitably advance to disease.

Raw Ingredients vs. Cooked Ingredients: People who supply their dogs raw food diets feel that nature planned for animals food vs. cooking human food. That all of the nutrients are still active in cooked food providing healthy meals for animals.

People who consider in supplying their dogs raw food feel that no additives are wanted and that their animals are receiving all of the nutrients they oblige. They feel that the commercial food companies use additives to enhance the palatability of their food effectively “addicting” a dog to it.

Commercial food advocates say that additives such as omega 3 and 6 greasy acids are central to the dog”s health system, while raw food is gone some central vitamins and minerals.

It is little things, such as this that may aid you in your search. So, sit down and decide which avenue would be best for you to take for your dog health.

Jeffrey Wolf is affiliated with: thedogfoodconspiracy.com

Some Tips When Considering a Puppy

Wednesday, December 19th, 2007

A puppy can grow to be your best friend and a dedicated companion. However, it is important to understand what you are getting into before going out and purchasing a dog from a breeder. I have worked with dogs for some time now and feel qualified to share a few pointers.

First, make sure you think things through carefully and over a long period of time. Adopting or purchasing a dog is not a decision that should be made lightly

8 Tips on Buying the Right Pet Door

Wednesday, December 19th, 2007

Every pet owner should understand the importance of buying the right pet door for their favorite pet. Here are some ideas and tips that will help you in proper decision making.

Whether you

Why 1,000’s of Dogs Suffer an Early Death Every Year

Wednesday, December 19th, 2007

Millions Of Pets Are Euthanized Every Year, Simply Because People Never Learn How To Choose And Care For A New Animal In Their Home

(New York) Dec.4 — Owning a pet is as American as apple pie. Whether people choose to bring a dog or cat into their home for companionship or protection, pet ownership is a high priority for a majority of people.

So, why is it that, according to the American Society For The Prevention of Cruelty To Animals between 5 and 9 million pets are euthanized in animal shelters every year?

Diet For Dogs — Picking The Right One

Wednesday, December 19th, 2007

While the raw diet for dogs is becoming a more and more popular topic among dog owners lately, it’s really not anything new as many pet owners might think. It has gained a renewed awareness and found its way into the spotlight recently due partly to the many recalls of commercial dog food in the past year.

Anxious for their dog’s health, pet owner’s have begun the search for healthy alternatives to commercial pet food and the raw diet for dogs has become the fervent topic.

The raw food diet for dogs, also called the B.A.R.F diet (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones And Raw Food), is relatively effortless and it basically mimics what your dog would normally eat if it lived in the wild: raw meat, raw meaty bones and raw vegetables.

If you are considering putting your dog on the raw food diet, here is some important information to keep in mind:

Changing from commercial food to the raw diet for dogs, it may be best to start with just the meat and bones for the first few days until your pet gets habituated to it.

Raw meaty bones that can be consumed include beef, chicken backs, necks, wings, or turkey necks. The chicken and turkey bones are soft enough for a dog to chew and eat and they provide and exercise for your dog’s jaw and upper-body muscle. It is very important to learn that the bones give your pet are raw. Cooked bones can splinter easily and these shards can cause severe internal damage to your pet.

After your pet has becomes accustomed to the meat and bones, you can then start adding in some of the more plain vegetables like carrots. Once your dog has become adjusted to mild vegetables, the other kinds of vegetables you want to give your dog are completely up to you. However, besides understanding the basic nutritional value of vegetables, you should make yourself conscious of any unwanted side effects they might cause.

For example, carrots are wonderful because of their vitamins, potassium and calcium. Watercress and mustard leaf help clean out the intestines. On the flip side, potatoes are not easily digested, large amounts of onions can cause stomach problems and broccoli and cabbage can increase the frequency of your dog’s gas.

Some of the rewards pet owners report as a result of putting their pet on the raw food diet for dogs include: lower veterinarian bills, better smelling breath, improved skin and coats and an improved immune system due to the balance of pure nutrients and fatty acids.

Is the raw diet for dogs appropriate for your pet? While it has its advantages, no one diet is correct for every dog anymore than any one diet is correct for every human. You should fully explore dog diets and nutritional needs and carefully weigh your options based on your pet’s individual needs.

Author Info:

Ron King For more about dogs, visit Raw Diet For Dogs. Also check out Diet For Dogs.

For Ron’s website, visit .Raw Diet.

Feeding your Dog A Raw Food Diet

Wednesday, December 19th, 2007

There are many reasons, counting all the pet food recalls last year, many animal lovers are looking for other options to commercial dog food. One of the options is raw a food diet for dogs.

The raw food diet for dogs would consist of what your dog would eat if he was a wild animal: raw meat, bones and vegetables. People who believe in this natural diet for dogs report showing tremendous improvements in their pets. Some of the improvements have been less halitosis, less tooth plaque, shinier coat and fewer visits to the veterinarian

After research into dog eating habits, I decided to try this with my own dog. I personally considered it to be more like what a dog would naturally eat. It would be much healthier for my dog then commercial manufactured dog food. It has produced many of the benefits described above. He seems to be a much happier dog.

If you want to try it here are some things that will help your dog the most

A good idea would be to start off with only meat products. I would add some vegetables a few days later and then bones last.

Raw food has a lot of bacteria. When you handle raw meat defrost it correctly and make sure you wash your hands with good antibacterial soap. Your dog can get sick like you can from bad handling of meat.

Keep in mind all the food for your dog is going to be raw. This is good to know about meat bones. Cooked bones will splinter so never give your dog cooked bones. Chicken bones are extremely bad. They can splinter and lodge in your dogs throat. They can also get in their intestines and cause damage so be careful.

Use something to chop the dogs vegetables. Since dogs are not used to having veggies in their diet it will take a while for them to get used to the texture. What chopping does is it makes it easier for your dog to get nutrition because the vegetables are broken down into digestible forms.

Pick good healthy veggies for your pet such as carrots, potatoes, parsnips, or others with high nutrition value. Never give your dog cabbage or broccoli as your poor dog will have quite a methane gas problem. This will be very bad for you and the dog

The raw food diet is a good idea but it may not be something for every dog. What I would say is go see your dog

Potty Train Your Dog In As Little As 10 Days With These 7 Secrets

Wednesday, December 19th, 2007

Isn’t your new puppy adorable? They are just precious. And it’s a good thing too. They’re lucky they’re so darned cute cuz they can be so frustrating sometimes you want to strangle them. But how can you stay mad at the little guys?

As the owner of a new puppy you have a huge and very important job. It’s your job to make sure that this adorable little ball of fur grows up to be a calm and well mannered dog. Remember the old saying “puppies are cute but they grow up to be dogs”? I’ts so true. There are hundreds of dogs our there that are exhibiting bad behavior. Of course, it’s not their fault. Dogs are very smart creatures and they learn very quickly. It is up to us humans to make sure that they do that. I’ts easy to get lazy and hope for the best, but when it comes to housebreaking your puppy it is critical that you stay focused. This training can be accomplished quickly and easily if you stay on top of things.

There are a few crucial steps to accomplish housebreaking your puppy, but the first and I believe the most important tip is that someone must be at home with the dog. At least for the first week or two he can’t be left alone. You can’t expect a puppy to be home alone all day while you’re working. Their little systems just can’t hold out that long. If you do that and put those puppy pads on the floor you’ll just be training him to go on the pads and then you’ll never be able to break the habit of going inside the house.

1. Crate the Puppy
This doesn

Safeguarding Your Pets from Parasite Infections

Wednesday, December 19th, 2007

To enjoy your pets longer, to be able to play and cuddle them, pets should be free from parasites. Of course, no pet owners would allow their children to play with pets full of ticks and fleas, and hug unsightly appearing animals. Proper safeguards on pet care starts from knowing the symptoms, treatment and prevention.

Dogs suffer from common parasites such as fleas, ticks and heartworms. Unlike fleas and ticks, heartworms are unnoticeable unless symptoms show on dogs. Veterinary reports show how to rcognize their symptoms, how to effectively eliminate sources, and to prevent them from infecting your pets.

Dogs with worm infections has symptoms of diarrhea, and sometimes blood in the stool. The dog starts to lose weight, has dry hair, loses appetite, has a distressed appearance, and shows worms in his vomit. Newly born puppies may inherit heartworms from the mother dog that has worm eggs dormant in its body and transmit it to them upon birth.

Fleas and ticks are common to dogs. Fleas stay on the animals, while the flea eggs are found in carpets, beddings, and grass. It has been reported that for every flea found, thousands of eggs lie somewhere in the house and in the yard.

To start with any preventive control to eliminate heartworms, flea and ticks, some kind of treatment must be initiated. Dog owners must make a thorough examination of their breeding places.

Heartworm infections of dogs are said to be transmitted through mosquitoes, and clearing of mosquito breeding places should first be done.

First, dogs must be examined for the presence of adult worms by a Veterinarian. If found positive for worms, treatment through medications should be done. Treatment takes several weeks depending upon the degree of infections. After treatment, two to three weeks after, the Veterinarian will initiate prevention of heartworms eggs to mature into adult eggs. Preventive medication takes about one month, while for some kind of dogs; Vets recommend continued preventive medication, for at least one year.

It is best that after 6 months, another examination for presence of heartworm in dogs be done, because the infection is not manifested in the outer appearance of the dog in its initial stage.

For fleas and ticks, dog owners should start in eliminating and controlling the eggs and larvae of the fleas and ticks in the environment and start wih treatment of the pet.

For flea control inside the house, a frequent vacuuming of places where the dog sleeps and plays should be done to remove flea eggs It should be discarded immediately into a plastic bag and properly sealed. Then use an adulticide to kill remaining adult fleas and larvae. There are many adulticide available in the market in the form of sprays, powders and foggers.

Ask a veterinarian in choosing the proper adulticide in places where there are children, sick person or other animals that may be affected.

In outdoor areas, fleas like to live in moist, warm places where there are organic rots. These are the places where dog owners should start cleaning and using adulticide to kill fleas and larvae. These places in the house are porches, patios, dog houses, and gardens. Foggers and sprayers are best used in these open areas as these can reach a larger space, cracks and corners.

Ticks can also be controlled through this method, as there are insecticides that have a combined effect to treat both fleas and ticks at the same time. Vets may recommend such solutions or may suggest available products in the market.

Moving towards prevention should first start with treatment. And once cleared, maintenance and preventive measures should be thoroughly followed to avoid recurrence.

Author Info:

Robert Thomson is writing articles about dog heartworm and heartgard on his heartworm protection website