Dogs & Puppies Blog

Archive for the ‘Dog Care’ Category

If you own a dog then you will have to do some grooming to help keep your dog well kept and to protect your dog’s health. If you have a dog with short hair then you will have fewer grooming duties than someone with a long-haired dog. However, no matter the length of your dog’s coat, there are still basic grooming tasks that must be done on a regular basis, including nail and teeth care.

Nail Trimming

Every dog needs regular nail trimming. You can trim your dog’s nail yourself, hire someone to do it or have it done at your vet’s office. If you are cutting your dog’s nails then you need to use clippers specifically designed for cutting dog’s nails.

You also need to be very careful about not cutting them too far back. If you cut the nail too much, your dog could bleed severely. If you are not sure how to cut your dog’s nails then it is a good idea to have your vet show you how to do it.

Bathing

The frequency of bathing will really depend on a number of factors. Some breeds need more routine bathing than others. If your dog goes out of doors a lot then he may need bathing more than a dog that mainly stays inside.

Obviously, when your dog gets dirty you will want to give him a bath. Every dog should get bathed regularly, so create a schedule based on your dog’s specific needs so you can be sure he is getting bathed as needed.

Brushing

Brushing, like bathing, will depend a lot on the breed. Dogs with short hair may not need to be brushed too much. Dogs with longer hair may need brushing everyday. The reason for regular brushing is to reduce shedding and to keep the fur from becoming knotted or matted.

You want to brush your dog when he needs it. Watch his fur and be sure to brush him before you see tangles or excessive shedding.

Teeth Care

Some people will buy a modified brush to brush their dog’s teeth. This is not necessarily mandatory. Many people never brush their dog’s teeth. In most cases, your dog will get adequate teeth cleaning on his own.

However, if you feel your dog’s teeth needs extra care then you may want to consider buying a tooth brush or you can try out the dental chews that are on the market. These chews are made in a special way that helps clean the teeth as your dog gnaws on it.

Your dog needs a lot of care. That is why getting a dog is considered a responsibility. Like a child, a dog can’t care for himself. You have to step in and watch out for his well being by ensuring he is getting the grooming and care he needs. Just set a regular schedule and caring for your dog will become second nature. You won’t even think about it, you will just do it as part of your regular routine.

We all love our dogs and want to give them the best life has to offer. But with so many variations of dog food in the market, it isn’t always easy to identify the best food for our dog. Who can possibly feel confident when so many brands trumpet buzzwords that hit the human aisles not long ago, such as “rich in antioxidants,” “highly digestible,” “Omega-3 fatty acids” and “Ultra Premium Formula”?

What we can do, though, is to conduct a simple dog food comparison to determine which foods best fit our dog’s requirements and our personal schedule. After all, some foods offer much greater convenience than the more natural, less processed types of food which may require freezing, thawing, cooking and preparation.

Convenience aside, the best food to give your dog depends not on the brand or the style, but rather on your dog’s age and any special requirements he might have. For example, older dogs require food containing a careful balance of protein, fat and fiber. Most commercial dog food companies address this need with offerings such as senior dog food, containing about 18% protein, and food for dogs diagnosed with renal failure, containing about 14% protein.

Dare to Compare Dry Dog Food

The vast majority of dog owners go for dry dog food. Between the supermarket and specialty pet stores, owners enjoy many brands to choose from. Dry dog food consists of kibble typically made from one primary ingredient such as chicken, beef or lamb. More specifically, the main ingredient is usually a meat byproduct that’s been processed, dried and sold in packs or bags for easy dispensing. Needless to say, meat byproducts are far cheaper than meat, so this type of dog food is not only easy to store, it’s much less expensive than other types.

Hard kibble comes with some advantages. For example, it gives your dog’s mouth some exercise, and kibble’s less likely to contribute to plaque than softer foods.

When comparing brands, it helps to remember that there are essentially two types of dry dog food on the market: premium dog food and economy dog food. A smart owner will avoid purchasing the economy food, which is made from lower grade ingredients (for example, economy dog food will often substitute cheap corn for the more expensive meat byproducts). The “end” result, as it were, is that your dog can’t absorb many nutrients but simply passes the food through his body. So in addition to enjoying less nutrition, your dog will produce larger stools — and you might find yourself with more frequent vet bills.

Other Popular Contenders: Canned, Semi-Moist and More

Other categories of dog food include the semi-moist type and canned food. Many owners like to mix in some canned food with dry food, to potentially cover more nutritional bases without taking too big a hit to the pocketbook.

Semi-moist food is attractively convenient to owners, and dogs love it. Unfortunately, it may cause dental problems in the mid-term and worse in the long term, because semi-moist food is loaded with corn syrup and other sugars, which dogs just aren’t designed to process.

Recently, more natural, “premium” dog food has been introduced to the market, in which higher quantities of quality, nutritious ingredients are used to manufacture the food — often human-grade, in fact. Since vegetables, fruits, real meat and quality grains are used as the primary protein source in the highest-quality dog foods, these foods are a fast route to healthy skin and beautiful fur. For the most part, they contain no artificial coloring and preservatives, but are chock-full of vitamins and minerals instead.

Although this food costs more, you can feed your dog less of it, because it’s more nutritionally dense. So in terms of both convenience and nutrition, a premium, natural dog food is one of the best choices available to your dog, whether off-the-shelf or purchased online.

Healthy dog treats are simply some of the ideal items that you may give to your pets. Dogs are a very important part of your family and it’s normal that you treat your precious dogs the way you take care of your own kids. I know that it is really simple to give in to your puppie’s whimpers and provide them what they want, but you must also must make certain you only give them the very best and the healthiest treats available.

There are many things that you have to realize when feeding your puppy. Your dogs are often very sensitive and there are several food items that they cannot have. Certain treats that humans love can be harmful as well as dangerous for pets.

Make certain you refrain from giving your dogs any of these treats: macadamia nuts and walnuts, chocolate, grapes and raisins, sugar and too much salt, onions, dairy and yogurt, artificial sweeteners. These treats might be toxic while some can cause a variety of health complications that you should avoid.

In fact, doggy snacks which are sold in the stores ought to be given to your pets occassionaly. There are many advertised healthy doggy treats which contain numerous additives and preservatives which may be harmful to your pets over time. Some additives include propylene glycol, BHA, ethoxyquin, Proply gallate and tertiary butylhydroquinone among numerous others.

You may think that there is nothing on this planet that could be considered a healthy dog treats with all the things I outlined above. There are actually several dog snacks which you could give to your pets which can be healthy and safe. It is possible to seek out these healthy treats or perhaps make them yourself. Many of these treats include oats, which usually make for an excellent pet food base, healthy meat which ought to be mostly salmon, tuna fish as well as buffalo, plus some vegatables and fruits.

Puppies also love peanut butter. They like smacking their lips with the flavor of this popular spread inside their mouth. While peanut butter is harmless to give to your pets, just make sure that you don’t feed them an excessive amount since peanut butter also contains sugar. Vegetables and fruits that your dog will certainly adore and will benefit from may include blueberries, bananas, cranberries, peas, green beans, carrots, pumpkin and many others.

Should you decide to buy commercial dog treats, make certain you study the product labels cautiously. Ensure that you know which additives, preservatives and other ingredients may be unhealthy for your dog. Knowing is the first step to keeping your dog healthy and away from food which might be bad for them. Not all commercial dog snacks are harmful, nevertheless, you have to make sure that you only get the healthy ones.

Your dogs are special and they’re part of your family. They’re also loving and will be there for you to make you cheerful. Make certain you always keep them healthy and happy by picking the best and healthiest doggy snacks to give to your pets.

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There are many times when a pet owner has to take their dog or cat with them so they rely on a portable kennel. Should you need to transport your pet by air you will be required to have one for them or they can’t be processed due to safety regulations. You may find it very convenient when you have to take your pet to the vet. A Car Dog Barrier is another good option for travel about your local area.

Many families travel with their pet but don’t want them running loose all over the place. Having a portable kennel they can ride in will help with this. Most pets get used to their kennel and it will help to reduce their level of anxiousness during travel as well. There are portable kennels made from a variety of materials and in assorted sizes. Car Dog Barriers adjust to the opening of your car’s or SUV’s back seat and may give your pet a little more freedom to move, while a kennel is a little more secure and cozy.

You truly need to think about the size of the portable kennel before you buy it. Your pet necessarily to have plenty of room in there to be comfortable. They should be able to sit, stand, lie down, and to turn around. You also need to have room for food and water. Many pet stores allow you to bring your pet in so you can try them in various types of portable kennels. With a Dog Car Gate you don’t need to think as much about the size of your pet and they may have a little more room to move around.

It isn’t practical to put a puppy in a huge kennel. In many instances they won’t fare well with the open space. You may have to upgrade to several different sizes of portable kennels as time goes by. This will continue until your pet is full grown. Yet they are a very important part of your family so caring for them as you would a baby is important. You wouldn’t place an infant in a toddler car seat to fend off having to buy more than one.

Ventilation is also very important when it comes to the issue of portable kennels. You need to make sure your pet has enough air circulating the right way. You don’t want them to be uncomfortable or to become dehydrated. Make sure you regulate the temperature of the area with their needs in mind. Above all, Don’t Leave Your Pet In A Closed Car.

Many types of portable kennels are also collapsible. This means you can use them at the full size but also fold them up for easy storage. The right one for your pet will depend on their size and how often you plan to be using it. Whether you use a portable kennel or a Car Dog Barrier, you are improving the safety of both yourselves and your pet.

There have been numerous posts and questions about using the various nail trimmers on the marketplace. The vast majority of people are expressing difficulty using the “pet” caliber nail grinders. Why might this be? Let’s talk a bit about clipping your dog’s nails. Dogs require a more sophisticated approach.

Clipping Dog Toenails

The pet quality nail grinders are NOT able to grind a long nail down to an acceptable length. They just do not have the power or the sandpaper strength you will find in a proper dremel tool. The pet quality grinder may (just may) work all right to keep your dog’s nails buffed back after having been properly trimmed.

First, your dog needs to have the nails trimmed with a standard nail clipper. There are several types on the market that operate by hand in a guillotine fashion on the nail. You need to trim tiny pieces of nail off at a time in order to safely get rid of the dead nail and not cut into the quick. On a light colored nail, you should easily be able to see the vein and you want to keep your cut well in front of the end of the vein. On dark nails it is best to trim slivers off at a time until you begin to see a dark circle in the center of the nail. If you trim your dog’s nails slowly, and tiny pieces at a time, you will prevent cutting the quick. Cutting the quick or vein is what causes a dog to associate nail trimming with pain; and what then causes him to fight the process, making it both dangerous and more upsetting for both of you.

If your dog will not tolerate you trimming back the nail, please make an appointment with either your veterinarian or your favorite groomer to trim the nails back for you.

Now that the nails are trimmed back correctly you can use your grinder to keep them trimmed back and short. If your dog is still fighting with you when you endeavor to use the grinder, then you will need to do some reconditioning instruction with her. Offer treats and praise for even the smallest of positive behavior. This means you may be starting from giving her praise simply for not running out of the room when you turn on the grinder…or even more basic, you give her a treat for letting you hold her paw and touch her nails with your fingertips.

The process make a take a fair amount of time and patience. You can talk to your groomer or dog trainer for more information or to show you how to do this training. As a groomer myself, I see many, many dogs each and every day that have been conditioned to react with severe behavior when having their nails trimmed due to incorrect handling earlier in their lives. I spend extra time with these dogs doing this reconditioning training, praising and gentle handling. It takes only a couple visits to our shop for these dogs to loosen up and allow us to work on their feet.

It will not pay to rush or force your dog to comply with the nail trimming. You have to establish a positive learning experience and be gentle in your approach. Pursue the assistance of your veterinarian or a professional groomer to show you the best way to trim your dog’s nails. Use the pet quality nail grinder or an actual dremel tool (you would find these in the hardware department/tools department at most stores) to file the nails on a weekly basis after having the nails trimmed using a manual clipper.

Nowadays the best canine foods nutrition is usually obtainable for your lovable pooch. You’ll find numerous brand names and good quality goods that supply a dog excellent vitamin supplements. This is not only good for your dog, but it can also be a great source for pain relief for dogs.

Now the advance ease of shopping gives a chance to purchase your complete dog items on the internet from a personal computer. There are several distinct solutions that may give the best canine food nourishment available in the current market and world wide web with various prices along with good quality. Moreover, the interactive feature of the internet to search these total solutions is very useful. Therefore, it can supply the price from one vendor and because of a much better searching process, a person can select the product whilst comparing the price of another vendor. In case you tend not to discover this approach suitable for your needs, then search the solution in the local market.

Prior to purchasing dog foods, you must consult with a veterinary doctor. The best dog meals nourishment includes a substance rich in carbohydrate, calcium, protein and minerals.

Sometimes an owner tends not to have that much time to give a second thought to what they feed their adorable pet. In these kinds of cases, owners can rely on these nourishing meals offered in the current market because they act as a supplement and fulfill the whole requirement necessary for the development of your dog’s body. Pets are member of our family also, they need special attention and specifically from the matter of foodstuff.

There are several advantages of feeding pure foods to dogs. All organic canine meals are really rich in vitamin E and C, which is quite crucial for their entire body and is essentially the very best canine food nutrition available. Vitamin E keeps their skin glowing and Vitamin C is good for their bones. All these vitamins act in the same manner as in a human body. A vitamin for example, beta-carotene is helpful in removing toxins from the body commonly recognized as free radicals.

Animals normally eat meat therefore, their system gains lots of toxic material in their body and if these toxic substances aren’t removed from their entire body, then there are lots of chances for your dog to get infected with disorders including, lung and heart ailments. It truly is very good to give a supplement of all normal food daily to keep their metabolic system safe from infection and illnesses. All organic dog foods are a great source of fiber and antioxidant.

Some from the organic foodstuff contain manganese, phosphorous, calcium and potassium all these vitamins and minerals are really very much needed in their diet. There are several vegetables rich in antioxidant including, dark green and bright orange. By feeding all normal dogs this in their meal is just like getting an insurance policy for your loving pet.

It truly is incredibly essential to provide the most complete canine foodstuff to our loving pets. They are one of the members of our loved ones. Learn more about pain relief for dogs.

Canine ownership is often a joy being had by quite a few folks, but it is also a chore if you don’t know the proper method to groom the dog. Common grooming ideas could be employed to make cleaning and caring for your dog much less difficult and time efficient, thus giving you additional time to play with your furry friend! Maintain in mind that advice may need to be altered, based on if your canine has a nail, skin, or ear condition.

Brushing

A beautiful coat is imperative to your canine, and also looks very good too! The minimum amount of brushing actually would depend on how long the dog’s coat is. Long-haired pet dogs ought to undergo daily brushing sessions for them to avoid hair tangling and matting. Medium-haired canines have to most likely be brushing about once or twice a week, but short-haired pet dogs can go as much as a full month (though it isn’t suggested to test this theory- twice a month is an excellent quantity).

Bathing

The vast majority of dogs and dog owners find bathing to be a large (albeit unpleasant) ordeal, Teaching your canine to get used to bathing even though, via regular and consistent bath timing, can greatly cut down the stress involved for both parties. He doesn’t need to enjoy it, but he will at some point acclimate to being dripping wet for several minutes after a number of baths. Baths, as much as once a week is not harmful per se, but most choose to limit the procedure to after a month. Usually use a shampoo which is soap-free and developed for canine use. Most any dog supply store will have a good selection of shampoos available.

Haircuts

Some pet dogs can get away with never acquiring a haircut, but some of the more furry breeds (for instance Poodles and ShihTzus) should likely be at least trimmed each two to four weeks. The exact quantity of time in between trimmings depends on the breed and style of cut. Unless you’re specifically trained inside the art, it really is best left to groomers- even a light trim can be a daunting task to the inexperienced.

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Any dog that has long hair needs to have it groomed every now and then or even more often. It is a big chore but it needs to be done. Many people that have these dogs with long hair take their pet to the groomer, however, you could also do it at home with a little work.

When you are giving your dog a bath you need to remember that there is shampoo and conditioner. By using both, they help remove the dirt and also prevent tangles that do happen often in long hair breeds.

Grooming tools that are used for dogs are brushes, combs, and rakes. You will need these tools to detangle your dogs hair. By having these tools, they will also help prevent super tangles in the future.

Brushing your dogs hair removes dust, dead skin, loose hair, and also tangles. It helps the coat shed every spring and fall. There are special brushes that your groomer will use on your dog. The brushes that they use cover larger matted areas and they have sharper short bristles.

Drying the dogs hair is a must after they have been groomed. When having your dog groomed a hair drier is a necessity. When the dogs coat dries quickly this will stop any mattes and tangling when the fur is still wet. Fur that is wet will tangle more easily then fur that is dry.

You will need to have good scissors to remove any hair that is around the dogs eyes and in the ears. Some breeds get mattes around the eyes that is caused by discharge so it is a good idea to have the hair in this area short preventing this from happening.

Longing over your dog’s newest hairbrush? Who can blame you! The latest in pet grooming supplies are unquestionably turning heads.

In fact, Swarovski crystal brushes are causing quite a stir. The brushes embellished with the finest Swarovski glass crystals.

They come in various sizes too, from a mini Swarovski crystal brush, measuring 4 ½ inches x 1/12 inches to a larger version Swarovski Crystal brush which measures 5 ½ inches x 2/14 inches. The larger version has Italian boar bristles on one side; and crystal masterpiece on the other.

Crystal Affair, the makers of customized Swarovski crystal dog collars, crystal dog leashes, and crystal accessories has now put the bling in grooming literally. These elegant brushes come in various, happy, poppy, colors, such as: crystal, pink, aqua, royalty pink, royalty crystal, with love black/pink, pink leopard, leopard and with Love black/aqua. Some crystal brushes hold a crown design, while others display a crystallized heart or hearts. If you are in the dog ring showing off your prized champion dog, shouldn’t your champion have a brush that befits his/her status in life? The mini Swarovski crystal brushes are perfect for tucking in your pocket along with that tasty treat!

Each brush also comes complete with its very own custom-made Crystal Affair pouch for safekeeping. While it’s unusual for the crystals to fall out on their own, keep in mind the brushes are made with real crystals and you’ll have to handle with care and avoid dropping the brush. But no worries. If one of the crystals accidentally come off, the brushes are sent with an adequate supply of replacement crystals so your masterpiece remains a masterpiece!

Like any brush, you’ll have to care for the bristles but boar bristles are easy to clean. Occasionally, hold the brush, bristle-side down over a sink and allow water to run through the bristles (not the crystals). From time to time use a dab of shampoo. Always dry the brush thoroughly before use.

Boar bristles are known to smooth, polish and condition hair… leaving your dog the envy of its friends (and yours). And if you’re really turning green… go ahead and buy yourself a brush. Crystal Affair Swarovski crystal brushes are made for people and pets. No one has to know you turned to your pup for trendy advice.