Walking down the dog food isle of your favorite pet supply store could be intimidating. You will see row upon row of different brands and types of food. Pet food is now a multi billion dollar industry and pet food manufactures are doing their best to capture your attention. How do you eliminate the hype and find the best food for your dog?
There are several factors to consider when choosing the right food for your dog. Different dogs have different nutritional needs at different stages in their lives. Some things to consider when selecting the food youll give your dog follow.
Age: Puppies have different nutritional requirements than adult dogs just as human children have different needs than adult people. Senior dogs also have different requirements than younger adult dogs. Make sure that you select a food that is appropriate for your dogs stage in life.
Health: Does your dog have a specific medical condition? If so, the food you choose may need to be partially dictated by that condition. Diabetic dogs need low-glucose foods and dogs with specific allergies (yes dogs can be allergic to all sorts of things, just like people) may require certain foods as well. Your veterinarian can help you choose foods that are appropriate for a dog with a specific medical condition.
Size or Body Type: some dogs are overweight. Some dogs are underweight. Some have a natural tendency to get lots of exercise while others tend to prefer to lie around a lot. There are, of course, small, medium, and large dogs as well as the ultra-tiny toy dogs. All of these different types of dogs will have different requirements for the type of food they need as well as how much of it.
Budget: Dog food can be expensive, there is no doubt about it. And where dog food is concerned, the rule really is you get what you pay for. Low cost generics and store brands will lighten the burden on your wallet, but may not be the healthiest choice for your dog as they are made with cheap ingredients and lots of fillers. You should buy the best dog food you can on your budget to help ensure your dogs nutrition.
Once you take these factors into consideration, you should be able to narrow down your search for the ideal food for your best friend.
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Mar 24, 2010 | | Dogs
If the thought of clipping your dog’s nails is frightening to you aren’t alone. Most people prefer to ask their veterinarian to do this fiddly task. There’s no reason why clipping your dogs nails should be a frightening task at all. There’s no need to regard it as any different to giving your dog a bath.
Ideally you should start when your dog is young to get the dog used to having his feet handled regularly. Desensitizing your dog to having his paws handled will have a few other benefits too: it will make it easier for groomers or your vet to handle your dogs feet and will also mean if your dog is injured you will be able to examine his paws easier.
If it’s your first time clipping a dogs nails it might be a good idea to watch someone else do it first. Ask your vet or the groomer if you can watch while they clip your dogs nails.
You will need a special pair of clippers for the purpose. Human clippers of scissors could tear the nail and cause painful torn edges. Make sure you get the right size and type of clippers for your dog. You might find a nail file useful too.
You will also want to have some special clotting powder on hand just in case you accidentally cut the nails too short and it starts bleeding. You can find all these products at your local pet supply store.
You will want to clip the nails in a quiet place with minimal distractions. If your dog has never had his nails clipped or is particularly resistant you might want to ask someone to help you. You are after all poking at your dog with a sharp object and it could be dangerous !
To avoid mishaps its best to slowly desensitize your dog to having his paws handled. this part should be easy. Take your dogs paws and massage them a bit.
It makes the process easier if the dogs nails are softer. You can do this by bathing the dog beforehand, massaging some baby oil into the paws or even just dipping the paw into warm water. This has the dual effect of both softening the paws and cleaning the dirt out from under the nails.
Examine the nails closely and try to locate the cluster of veins. This is called the ‘quick’ and cutting this can cause your dog to bleed. If your dog has dark nails this can be difficult. The best policy here is to trim the nails bit by bit over a longer period of time. The quick will retreat over time.
Try to cut with the right hand and hold the paw firmly. Use a calm soothing voice while you do this. You don’t want your dog to become afraid and make the clipping more difficult. Try to cut at 90 degree angles.
If you do cut too far – don’t worry! You can use some of the powder to stop the bleeding. Just sprinkle the powder over the affected area or dip the paw into the powder. There are some other household items you can use to slow the bleeding. You can use cornflower or normal powder in the same way you use the styptic powder. You can also press the dogs nail into some soap. If the bleeding is not too bad – just simply applying pressure should slow the bleeding.
If you have cut your dogs nails too far and they bleed – this may make the dog scared of the nail clipping all over again. You will need to desensitize your dog again.
If your dog is very afraid of having his nails clipped you should gradually get the dog used to the process and the tools. Start again by praising and treating the dog while you handle his paws. Then get the dog used to the clippers. Step by step desensitization coupled with positive reinforcement should ease your problem.
If you really can’t get your dog to behave long enough for a nail clipping remember – most vets will do it for you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
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Jan 27, 2010 | | Dogs
Keeping your dog clean is an important responsibility for every dog owner. Fido depends on you for general hygiene. Clean ears, teeth and a coat free from fleas and ticks are all the conditions you check for a healthy pet. Bath time is a great time to bond with your dog as well as check his well-being.
A healthy dogs actually dont need to be washed all that often, but humans prefer to bathe them so that they smell fresh and clean and not like…welldog. Although most dogs dont like to be washed, they will appreciate the contact and attention that they receive from their owners during a bath. It is also a good time to perform some other necessary dog maintenance such as cleaning the ears, checking for ticks and fleas, and brushing the teeth. Since many dogs do not like to sit still for any of these activities, it can be a good idea to do them all at once.
Brushing your Dogs Teeth
Brushing your dogs teeth is just good dental hygiene. Most vets recommend that it be done at least twice a week to ensure your dog maintains healthy teeth and gums. If youve have been doing this, its never too late to start. The dog should have its own toothbrush and special toothpaste designed for dogs. You pick up everything you need at your favorite pet supply store. Make sure you brush the back teeth in small circles, the same way you would your own, and brush up and down the length of the pointy canine teeth. Dog toothpaste is made to have a pleasing taste, to dogs that is, and this should help make your dog willing to let you perform this activity. If you cannot brush his teeth, the next best thing would be to give him teeth cleaning dog biscuits but brushing is definitely preferred.
Checking for Ticks & Fleas
Ticks are nasty little arachnids (theyre eight-legged creatures like spiders, and therefore are not insects) that will latch onto your dogs skin and feed on his blood supply. They are most common in wooded areas, but your dog should be checked for them regularly because they can carry a number of diseases. The best place to look for these bugs in under the collar or on the dogs underbelly, buried in the fur. If you find a tick, be sure to use tweezers and remove the tick by its head.
Fleas can be found in the same places, under the fur. The presence of fleas can be betrayed by the sight of their droppings on the dogs coat. They look like flecks of pepper. The fleas themselves can vary in size, from tiny infants to larger adults, which are about an eighth of an inch long. They cant simply be picked off the dog like ticks can, they will jump before you can catch them. If you do find a flea or their droppings, you know its time to start the dog on a program to control and eliminate these pests.
Cleaning his Ears
Pet supply stores sell special solutions for cleansing a dogs ears. Dogs can easily get ear mites. These small insects live in the ears and feed of the waxy secretions there. Over time, the bodies of these short-lived creatures build up and form a black, dirty substance. Using a cotton swab dipped in a bit of this solution, gently clean the inner ear. It may be difficult to hold the dog still for this procedure, but it doesnt take long. The result will be clean ears and the avoidance of potential infection and earaches for your dog.
So you see, the quality time you spend bathing your dog will not only make him smell great to you but it will make him FEEL great.
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Dec 05, 2009 | | Dogs