Dog Food Tips For Preventing Fussy Eaters

By Rebecca Prescott

There is much to recommend feeding your dog homemade dog food if you have the time to prepare it, and make sure you have recipes that give the correct ratio of nutrients, as well as the vitamins and supplements youll need to add. These can be mixed up in a bag, stored, and sprinkled in every meal.

Dogs should have a minimum of 18% protein for maintenance when they are adults, and 22% for reproduction and growth. Fat should be a minimum of 5% for adult dogs, and 8% for reproduction and growth. But the more fat that is in the diet, the more protein there should be. Fat makes dogs, as well as people, eat less by making them feel fuller. If they eat less, and there are less of other essential nutrients like protein and vitamins and minerals, the dog will not get the nourishment it needs.

Generally, commercial pet food is made according to the appropriate guidelines, but care should be taken if significant amounts of other food is added to the diet, and it is high in fat.

But whether youre feeding your dog commercial dog food, or home made dog food, there are a few things to keep in mind so you dont end up with a fussy dog:

* dogs should be fed once a day once they are no longer puppies, or two small meals, no more. Feeding your dog too frequently when he is older can turn him appear like a fussy eater, when he is actually full.

* feeding your dog too regularly can get him into the routine of expecting to eat at those times, too, and may lead to weight gain. Letting him get hungry, and feeding sensibly, will not harm him. In the wild, dogs would eat for once a day until they were completely full.

* Dont stand and stare at your dog waiting for him to eat. He will likely think something is wrong, or something else is coming, and wont eat.

* Dont give into your dog and give him something else straight away if he refuses his meal, as hes effectively training you and not the other way around!

* Theres nothing wrong with feeding your dog a varied diet, but dont keep changing the food because he seems fussy and wont eat it. Make sure nothing is wrong with him physically first, then if he is healthy, take charge of the situation. Put his food down, leave him to it, and then 30 minutes later go and check to see whether its been eaten. If it hasnt, take it away, then at the end of the day put down some fresh food. Repeat the process, and take it away 30 minutes later if it still isnt eaten. This way youll train your dog to eat his food, and not reinforce his behaviour.

Brian Kilcommons has a very interesting method for teaching dogs to eat their food. When the above fails, he prepared the dog food in front of the dog, making lots of yummy noises whilst he did it. He made it slowly, and when the dog still wasnt interested, he put it down in front of his face, then took it straight away and threw it out. He did this first at breakfast, then at dinner. At dinner, the dog in question was more interested, but he still threw it out after putting it in front of him. The next morning, the dog was jumping up and down whilst the food was being prepared. He put it down, pulled it away, then looked at him for about a minute, then left it for him to eat. That dog now eats anything put down for him.

* If your dog suddenly goes off his food, it could be because he has dental problems, or a stomach problem. Get him checked out by the vet.

* Some dogs do actually prefer a certain type of food, just as people do. Try your dog with a variety of foods, and if he only eats one type, and will starve himself if he doesnt get it, the best solution can simply be to feed him that type of food.

* Dont feed your dog a high fat diet, or junk food, including chocolate. Its not good for them.

For more information on feeding your dog a natural dog food diet, see this article. For information on commercial vs non commercial dog food that might shock you, see this article.

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Health Alert for Dog Owners

It was just a case of allergies for 7-month old Riley. But while visiting the vet Wednesday, her owner learned about an unsettling disease. "It is concerning because you take them for walks in different places, we take them to Rock Cut hiking with us and theres alot of wild animals," said Pet Owner Andrea Rowan. Her vet, Mike Harter, told her about Leptospirosis. Its a harmful bacteria carried in wildlife feces. Dogs can pick it up by simply splashing around in a puddle. "Now is the worst time, after all the rain we had this year," Harter said. The consequences for our four-legged friends can be serious, with kidney and liver failure. And it doesnt matter the size of dog. "Weve seen several little dogs, you wouldnt expect it, they walked in the middle of a puddle that a possum peed in," Harter said. The trouble with detecting this disease is that dogs dont show specific symptoms. Theyre just sick with a fever, sluggish and dont eat. Harter says your best bet is just bring the dog to the vet once theyre under the weather. And it should help. "Its treatable with antibiotics. If we catch it at the right time we can treat it and eliminate it," Harter said. Theres also a vaccine available that Harter is just starting to use at his clinic. Even so, pet owners, like Rowan, say shell be keeping a closer watch on her pooch when Rilys allergies are gone and shes back outside.

So far this year, Harters clinic has seen at least a dozen dogs with this disease. He says it takes about five-to-seven days for Leptospirosis to kick in. Harter says this disease can be fatal. But with the right response and treatment, you can avoid a deadly outcome. He also says other pets like cats are resistant to this disease, so the concern is more for dogs.

Source: http://www.dogarticles.org

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Dog Ear Care – Keeping Your Dog’s Ears Healthy Pain Free

By Teresa James

Importance of Regular Home Dog Ear Care

Routine home dog ear care is very important to the health ofyour dog. Performed between your regular checkups with theveterinarian, it will help keep your dog’s ears healthy and painfree. If you see signs of trouble you may be able to head themoff before they require an extra visit to the vet. Excessivewax, foul odor, redness, constant scratching, excessive mattingof hair in the external ear, rubbing the ears against otherobjects, head shaking, and disorientation can all be signs ofear problems.

Inspect Your Dog’s Ears Regularly By Using Your Eyes & YourNose!

By performing a home dog ear care inspection; you will beable to detect problems early. Use both your eyes and your nose.If you need help seeing inside your dog’s ears you may want toinvest in a pet scope. A tool very similar to the kind yourdoctor uses to check your ears. Check for redness, excessive waxbuild up or any other foreign matter.

Sniffing your dog’s ears is another way to detect problemsearly. Normally a dog’s ears shouldn’t smell foul in any way. Ifyou see a dark waxy discharge this may be a sign of ear mites.On the other hand, if you see a pus-like discharge along with afoul smell this may be a sign of a bacterial infection.Allergies are also known to cause some dogs to have smelly ears.If you’re new to this and are unsure have the vet check yourdog’s ears. Right after the vet gives your dog a clean bill ofhealth make sure you inspect your dog’s ears. This way you willlearn how your pet’s ears should normally look and smell.

Is Your Breed of Dog More Susceptible To Dog Ear CareProblems?

Due to the warm, damp, and dark environment, as well as poorair circulation, your dog’s ear canal can be the prefectbreeding ground for mites, yeast or bacterial infection. This iswhy, for certain breeds, home dog ear care is even moreimportant. Some pets may require routine applications of dog earcare products to keep their ears free of mites, yeast orbacterial infections.

Some dog’s ears stand straight up which allows for more air toflow into the ear canal. Dogs with floppy ears, like spanielsand bloodhounds, are very prone to ear infections because verylittle air flows into their ear canals. There are also breeds,like the Lhasa, that have a heavy growth of hair inside theirears. This hair must be routinely removed as a preventionagainst chronic ear problems.

If Excess Ear Hair Is A Dog Ear Care Problem Learn How ToRemove It

If you suspect that excess ear hair is a problem, you mayneed to pluck the hair that grows inside your dog’s ears. Thisis a routine dog ear care task that can be performed at home andis much easier then it sounds. You will want to apply dog earpowder to the inside of both ears. Make sure that the hair iscompletely covered, especially at the base. Once the powder hasdried start plucking a few hairs at a time with your fingers ora tweezers. Plucking just a few hairs at a time will be lessirritating for the dog.

You may want to stop a few times to give your dog’s ears agood rub. Make sure you give your dog lots of praise and a fewdog treats too. Once all the inside hair has been removed,follow up by cleaning and inspecting the ears. If you are unsureabout this dog ear care procedure, have your vet or aprofessional groomer show you how to do it.

Things You Should Know About Cleaning Your Dog’s Ears

Some vets recommend that owners routinely flush their dog’sears with warm water at the slightest hint of odor. Other homedog ear care cleaning remedies include mineral oil, hydrogenperoxide, or a combination of equal parts of vinegar and rubbingalcohol. If your dog has open sores its best not to use thevinegar and alcohol because it will cause a burning sensation.

If your dog is prone to ear infections you may want to use apet ear care product that is specifically formulated to cleanand dry up excess moisture in the ear canal. A dog ear washcontaining Tea Tree Oil, which is also formulated to dry the earcanal is an excellent choice. Tea Tree Oil’s natural antiseptic,antibacterial and fungicidal properties can help keep your dog’sears problem free.

It’s also a good idea to use a pet ear-drying agent afterbathing or swimming especially if your dogs ears retainmoisture and dont dry promptly. There are many good pet earcare products available for routine ear cleaning that willdissolve wax, remove foreign debris and dry the ear canal. Thereare also home dog care treatments available that will kill peskyear mites and ear ticks.

A dog’s ear canal is L-shaped. It descends vertically and itmakes a 90-degree horizontal turn before it reaches the eardrum.Even though your dog’s eardrum is better protected than ahuman’s, you should still proceed with caution when cleaning theear canal. Many vets urge caution when inserting anything intothe ear canal, especially cotton-tipped swabs. They can actuallypush dirt and foreign matter deeper into the ear if not handledproperly. You can even lose the cotton tip in the ear canal.

Start cleaning the external part of the ear by swabbinginside the earflaps and all around the gnarled area at theentrance of the ear canal. If you choose to use a cotton-tippedswab you will need a long type since a dog’s ear canal is muchdeeper than ours. If your dog will tolerate it, gently andcarefully swab the inside of the ear canal. A much safer methodis to fill the ear canal with a pet ear cleaning solution andgently massage the outer ear. After a few minutes allow your dogto shake his head to help clear the ear canal. If you’re using acommercial pet ear care product be sure to follow theinstructions carefully.

Make Ear Inspections An Important Part Of Your Home Dog EarCare Routine

Checking your dog’s ears only takes a few minutes so make ita part of your dog grooming routine. And when your dog’s earsneed a cleaning don’t put it off. Remember regular cleanings canprevent many common ear problems. If you think a problem may bedeveloping that is beyond the scope of your home dog ear careroutine, take your dog to the vet for a check up immediately. Aninfection, if left untreated, can be very painful for your dogand could even damage your dog’s hearing.

About the Author: Article courtesy of:http://www.dog-supplies-advisor.com/home-dog-grooming.htmldedicated to providing quality dog care advice on a broad rangeof dog-related topics. Includes articles, frequently askedquestions, recommendations, and Free Ezine. Publication ispermitted so long as the resource information remains intact andthe link is live.

Source: http://www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=1733&ca=Pets

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Tips When Choosing Your Veterinary Pet Insurance

By MIKE SELVON

It should come as no surprise to learn that veterinary pet treatments and procedures are becoming more expensive. This increase in veterinarian costs has led many mammal owners to inquire about the availability and cost of veterinary pet insurance. Even though it is not as well-known or talked about as much as health care coverage for humans, pet health insurance has been available to cover family pets for the better part of two decades.

Insurance for pets has been available in some form or another for about twenty years now. However, many people even today are surprised to learn that animal health cover can be obtained to protect the animal welfare of beloved four-legged family members. As the cost of veterinary pet office visits and various procedures have increased, along with the cost of human health care in this country, more and more people are looking at this option as a financially viable and wise way to assure the best mammal care is provided when needed.

Veterinary pet insurance is very similar to the type of health care coverage that you would seek out for your family. With pet health insurance, the cost of veterinary care is covered when you purchase such a policy. The cost of the premiums will vary depending on how extensive the coverage is, but most families find the premiums to be quite affordable and easy to fit into the monthly household budget.

For many people, they want to purchase the best mammal cover that they can so that they feel confident in the level of care that their animal will receive. Animal cover policies that cover preventative measures or wellness care, in addition to the veterinary pet services that are needed in case of illness or emergency, are considered to be the premier type. Most of these policies will also cover on-going care and long-term treatments in the instance of chronic problems or conditions of disease.

However, you will find that these types of mammal cover plans, which are quite comprehensive in their coverage, come at a cost. You will pay the most in its insurance premiums for coverage that pays for routine health screening visits to your vet and for the regular vaccinations, immunizations and booster shots. Devoted animal lovers find a great deal of comfort in knowing that their family pets are covered under this type of animal health cover and are willing to pay extra for this coverage.

There are a few ways to reduce the cost of your animal cover premiums and still have very good coverage. One way to do this is to choose a higher deductible for your policy. Another is to choose to purchase a policy that has a co-payment option.

You also might be able to get a discount if you pay your premiums quarterly or annually, as opposed to monthly. Most pet insurance companies offer a variety of plans so that you can find the coverage you are comfortable with and still stay within your budget.

Before making a commitment on a specific veterinary pet insurance plan, be sure to learn about optional benefits and coverage that an individual pet plan will provide. In addition, it is a good idea to find out about the track record and the reputation of the various mammal cover companies before sending them your hard earned money. One last thing you can do in your search is to check with your veterinarian to see if they have ever encountered any payment problems or claim issues with the particular company you are considering.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/tips-when-choosing-your-veterinary-pet-insurance-301362.html

About the Author:Visit Mike Selvon pets portal for more information on veterinary pet insurance , and leave a comment at our veterinary pet insurance blog. Dont forget to claim your FREE gift.

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Dog Treats How to Choose Healthy Treats for Your Dog

By Joseph Then

Your dog is indeed your best friend and how you feed him or her is very important. Even small items like treats are very important to their health. They can be used for different purposes. Sometimes you will use them as a reward when training other times just give them something enjoyable just because you love your friend. However you use them it is important to know your choices.

How these snacks can improve and maintain your pets health: The most common way is to clean and maintain their teeth. The dog treat should be chewable and encourage your pet to use their teeth. When they do this they will be automatically cleaning their teeth. Examples of these are rawhide (like beef jerky) snacks that take plenty of chewing. Another is a bone that you can get fresh from your local butcher or again in snack form from the pet store.

Any snack you give your pet should be nutritious. For canines protein is the most common as they are primarily meat eaters. There are many varieties of these on the market. They are often in the form of strips and sometimes nuggets or biscuits. Minerals and vitamins should not be forgotten. These are also vital to your pets health, and many snacks will include these.

Dog treats come in many shapes and sizes. You can get them in grocery stores, in the pet section or your local pet store. Try to take a quick look at ingredients to be sure that your pet is receiving the best nutrition from their snack and not a whole lot of chemicals. Sometimes there are a surprising amount of chemicals in these products, and the more natural ingredients they have the better they will be for your pet.

One way to ensure your pet is getting healthy ingredients in their snacks is to make them yourself. Remember there is a balanced diet your pet should have in order to stay healthy and happy. 40 percent meat, 30 percent vegetables and 30 percent starch. Exceptions to these catagories are if they are on a vegetarian diet, which should only be done when consulting your vetenarian. There are many recepies on line for snacks and dog food.

As you can see there are many dog treats available for your pet, and even some you can make yourself. Always remember that your pet depends on you to help him keep healthy and happy.

Love your dog with treats today! Learn how to make dog treats at home and find out more about dog treats at Home-made Dog Treats

Article Source: http://www.bestdogarticles.com

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3 Fundamental Steps To Raise A Healthy Dog

By Gerald McNicholl

We all want what is best for our pet. Yet sometimes because of your hectic schedules, we tend to put our dog’s care at the bottom of the list or it just becomes a habit of chores we perform every day without giving it much thought.

We stumble out of bed in the morning, let the dog out, fill the water bowl, dump some food in the dish and go on with our daily routine. Are we really thinking about ways to make our dog healthy and happy?

There are no hard and fast rules to maintain your dog’s health but essentially it comes down to 3 main rules you need to follow:

1. A good diet
2. Plenty of fresh water
3. Exercise

A good diet is essential to your dog’s health. Be careful of what you feed your dog! Your dog has very little sense about what’s good and what’s bad for him to eat. So you have to take charge. An all natural dog food is what you should be looking for, try to avoid reconstituted foods that are packed with fillers and by-products. Remember you get what you pay for.

Although an all natural dog food may be more expensive, studies have shown that your dog will in almost all cases eat more of the “bargain brand” than the all natural, nutritious dog food. The “bargain brands” will pass through your dog more quickly because they do not contain as much of the daily nutrients your dog requires. This leads to your dog being hungrier more often and thereby eating more. Your dog will retain more of the nutrients contained in the all natural food which means they will be less hungry, have healthier coats, more energy and better overall health. Do not over-feed your dog – do not feed him between main meals, except for those small treats you reward your dog during training. Avoid feeding your dog with small bones of any kind from chicken, fish, chops etc as they can splinter in the throat or intestines and seriously hurting your dog in the process. Instead, give your dog a very large marrow or knuckle bone to chew on.

Give your dog plenty of fresh water. Change it as often as you can. A good rule to follow is that every time you get yourself something to drink, add new water to your dog’s bowl.

Exercise your dog daily. Most dogs love having playtime with their owners, take long walks, throw a ball or stick around the backyard or park. Remember your dog’s cardiovascular system, heart and muscles need exercise just like yours.

Also it is important to take your dog for regular checks and treatments with the veterinarian including things like worming, proper vaccinations and teeth cleaning. There are many diseases that you dog could face – fleas, ticks, worms, ear mites and infectious pests or parasites. While most of these afflictions are fairly common, preventative techniques and new treatment methods will reduce the discomfort or pain that your dog suffer from and ensure it leads a healthy life.

It is wise to spay or neuter your dog if you are not a breeder or do not wish to deal with a pregnancy. Neutering your male dog will make him less aggressive towards other male dogs but this reduced aggression does not mean you have impaired his ability to be a guard dog. A trained guard dog will do his job irrespective of whether he has been neutered or not. Other health benefits include eliminating crying, whining and irritability, eliminating the vaginal discharge that accompanies heat for a female dog, reducing territorial marking, minimising dominance issues with your family and reducing sexual mounting behaviour (leg-humping) in your dog.

For more information and tips on Dog advice and care, check out our website: www.dog-advice.net

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