Archive for December, 2009
How you should be feeding your puppy is perhaps one of the first concerns of the new puppy owner. After all, you want the little guy to grow up big and strong, or at least as big as he will grow. So just how will this puppy feeding be carried out?
First off, realize that your puppy is not just a miniature version of an adult dog. He has his own nutritional requirements that go into puppy feeding. Pound for pound a puppy needs about twice the nutrition of the adult dog. What the requirements are for feeding an adult dog varies with breed, size, activity level, etc.
And although you may have thought dogs were carnivores, understand that they are really omnivores just like us. This means they can and will eat more than just meat. In fact to have a balanced diet, they require more than just meat. So, first off, don’t begin your puppy feeding with just meat. (Have I repeated that enough?)
Dogs, like humans to some extent, require protein, fat, minerals and vitamins. Studies have shown that dogs seem to have no need for carbohydrates although many prepared dog foods and puppy foods may be up to 50% or more carbohydrates. This is why it is very important to read puppy food and dog food labels.
When feeding puppy, realize he usually requires about 28 – 30% protein in his diet. Protein can, and should, come from more sources than just meat. Include milk, eggs and cheese along with meat when feeding your puppy.
When considering feeding fat to your dog, the amount you feed varies by the requirements of the dog. An inactive dog may only need 5% fat. A very active working dog may need up to 20% fat. Going with puppies needing generally twice what adults need, you can see you need quite a bit of fat when feeding your puppy but it does vary. Best thing to do when adding fat to your puppy food is to keep an eye on your puppy. Don’t let him start getting fat.
Just like with humans, too many carbohydrates can be bad for your puppy. Usually carbs are used to bulk up a prepared dog food with 50% or more of the food coming from inexpensive carbohydrate, and especially starchy, sources. This is not necessary for dogs and studies have found that dogs do not need carbs as an essential part of their diets.
Reading puppy and dog food labels you may find carbohydrate sources such as grains, potatoes, rice, milk and even sugar in some form. As these usually have been cooked, a dog can digest them somewhat. Give a dog a raw potato or whole grains and you will find a dog that will not be able to handle these. In other words, you will have a dog with an upset digestive system. Some uncooked starches cause diarrhea and some, such as whole grains, pass right through untouched by his digestive system. Not a good thing when puppy feeding.
So read your dog food labels and make sure the puppy food or dog food you buy has these elements within it. Don’t buy anything with too much carbohydates in it as dogs just don’t need it. But do buy puppy food and dog food with protein sources, fat and vitamins and minerals. Some green vegetables in the mix won’t hurt at all.
copyright 2005. Sandra Dinkins-Wilson
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Visit our Puppy Training website at ezpuppytraining.com/ for a free course on “Welcoming Your New Puppy Home and Puppy Training”. Find more puppy training and care tips at our website ezpuppytraining.com.
Dog Nutrition – What’s in your dog’s food? Learn why it’s important to read the lable of your dog’s food. Don’t forget to rate this video, leave comments and subscribe to my channel. You can also get my FREE ebook “101 Ways To Improve Your Dog’s Behavior” at: www.amazingdogtrainingman.com
Dog Food
As you may imagine part of dog care is the basics of dog food. Most dogs have different stages of growth like humans, so they need different foods at those different stages. Some does have trouble with their digestive tracts and need to have specialized dog food. To compare dog food you need to know what most are made of, the cost, and why they are considered best for your dog. Keep in mind that puppy food is going to be softer and have a higher nutritional value for the growing dog than some of the other foods. Larger dogs will need an increase in certain ingredients, which accounts for the adult dog food.
Most dog food is plant or animal material that has been ground up for the dog to eat. Depending on the type of dog and their system you may even find food from the grocery store or health food stores is better for them than the actual dog food you can purchase. Speaking with a vet about the dog food brands is a great way to learn what they consider to be the best for your dog breed.
You will also find a choice between dry and wet dog food. Each will have its own benefit and you may find combining them is the best way to feed your dog the appropriate nutrition. Purina, Pedigree, and Pet Pride are just three of the top dog foods you will find in the stores. The contents of these three dog foods involve meat by products, meat and bone meals, grain, and horse meat. The less expensive brands are going to have fake substitutes for the dog food with a lot of grain fillers. This means your dog is not going to have the proper amount of nutrition in their meals.
Before you purchase any dog food you need to read the ingredients of the package to find out what they have used and how much nutrition is actually to be found in the dog food. Purina and Pedigree have several different options when you consider dog food. You will find healthy dog food, their regular brands, and different levels of dog food. These two are the best brands on the market for considering nutrition.
Dog food ingredients you will find in Purina or Pedigree include chicken, wheat, corn, lamb, beef, whitefish, venison, duck, rice, barley, potato, quinoa, buffalo, fruits such as apples and berries, salmon, carrots, green beans, and sweet potatoes. Depending on your dogs need you will find that some of these ingredients are found only in the allergenic specialty foods. Specialty foods for weight management, arthritis, breeding, dental conditions, diabetes, nursing females, and senior needs are also available.
All dog food is inspected by the food and drug administration to help make sure the meat and other ingredients are good. They also make sure that drugs are not involved in the process and that the food stays healthy and clean. If you are going to raw feed your dog you need to make sure you are buying healthy food that is stamped by the Paw Naturaw symbol as they inspect the meat to make sure it is not contaminated. It is not always a large deal, but sometimes brands have been recalled due to bad batches. You will find that recently there was a recall due to wheat gluten from a Chinese company.
Dog care is extremely important and feeding your dog properly is going to determine whether they live a healthy full life or become sick. Monitoring what your pet eats and making sure to keep human food off the menu is important. There are certain products dogs can eat and others they should not touch. Dogs often suffer from cholesterol issues because of human food full of fat and grease.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Gerry Ronson – Dog Supplies, Dog Leads and <www.dog-toy.co.uk/dogproducts/?page=14″>Luxury Dog Beds.
Understanding the ingredients of your dog’s food items is a must for the dog lovers or dog owners. Whenever you feed the dog with different kinds of food items, you should always read the label and understand the contents about the dog feed types that are being used in such commercial preparations. You should understand the ingredients while buying food for your dog and also know what to look for.
Feed items include dry and fresh food. The fresh dog food that is prepared in homes generally consists of ingredients like freshly cut chicken pieces in addition to the cranberry juices, blue-green algae, etc.
If you come across any different kinds of preservatives and if the dog develops all of a sudden signs pertaining to the food allergy, suspect the unwanted ingredient in the feed items given. Similarly, understand about the moisture status. If the food item is having more moisture, then the dog may prefer this as well.
Beet pulp, pasta, Soy bean oil, wheat middlings, calcium carbonate, magnesium oxide, copper sulphate, iron sulphate, zinc oxide, choline chloride, etc. are often the ingredients in case of vegetarian based diet items offered to the pet animals like dogs.
Raw egg, chicken, beef, mutton, fish, quail etc. are often the preferred ingredients in case of dog diets that are prepared on the basis of the non-vegetarian items. Taurine is one of the essential ingredients for the dog’s nutrition. Like wise, in the case of dogs feed with frozen fish items, the vitamin called thiamine needs to be supplemented as an ingredient.
Many premium type of dog food preparations contain essential fatty acids, carbohydrates with adequate fiber contents, vitamins like A, D, E and B complex vitamins.
Furthermore, minerals like zinc, is an essential ingredient for skin health status and calcium, which is an essential ingredient for bone growth, tonicity of muscles. They should be enriched in these food items. However, the cost of those food preparations are comparatively more expensive than the food preparations with general ingredients. Though it may be better for your dog’s health.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Want to find out about bichon yorkie, lemon beagle and other information? Get tips from the Small Breed Dogs website.
In order to make homemade dog food using chicken, start with 3 cups of ground chicken with the fat, two eggs, a cup and a half of oatmeal, a quarter cup of grated zucchini, a quarter cup of grated carrots and a quarter cup of grated broccoli. Find out how to add sweet potatoes, ricotta cheese and ketchup to make a chicken meatloaf for dogs with help from the owner of a business that specializes in homemade doggy treats in this free video on homemade dog food. Expert: Joyce DiDonato Contact …
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Dogs are just like people when it comes to liking something. They have different tastes and feelings towards different things. Certain dogs may like one taste of dog food while another may not even give it a chance. The only way to know what your dog will like for dog treats is to try different ones and go from there.
There are so many different kinds and tastes when it comes to dog treats. The different flavors may not be as agreeing with all dogs. The only way to know if your dog will like a certain dog treat is to give him one and see what the dog’s reaction is. If the dog likes this particular dog treat, then he will surely let you know by wagging his tail, and licking his lips.
If the dog hates this dog treat, chances are he will drop it to the ground, sniff it and walk away all after he gives you a very dissatisfying look. This is how most dogs would react. Some dogs may even bark at you as if to say, “what were you thinking”. However, this is the only way that you will ever know if the dog agrees with your choice in treats or not.
If you have more than one dog, you may find that they all like a different treat. If this is the case, then you will have to buy more than one brand of dog treat. When this happens, it may be hard to keep them straight especially if you have a few dogs. The best way to keep the dog treats separate and know which one is for what dog, you will have to put them in separate containers and mark them.
There is crunchy, soft, sweat, and salty dog treats available. There are so many that you will be sure to find a few dog treats that your dog will love.
Keeping the dog treats in airtight containers with lids will keep them safe and secure from the dogs as well. They will not be able to help themselves when they feel like it. Use clear plastic or glass containers and write the dogs name on the outside of the container so that you know what dog treats are for what dog. This will make your life a whole lot easier because you will not be mixing up the treats. That will make your dog just as happy and satisfied as you are.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
For more about dog treats and how you can provide the best for your dog, please visit: www.1-dog-treats.info
Natural Dog Food Distributors
Your Flint River Ranch distributor can tell you all about the advantages of a dog food that is natural, about how raw dog food going into a product will give your best friend better digestive health and that natural dog food is the best food to give your pet, because your pet was designed to eat foods from nature. You can get these qualities when you shop for Flint River products, at Flint they know that your pet is an animal and that it was born to eat certain foods found in nature, just as with you and I. The River Ranch team wants your pet to be as healthy as they can be, and their products are especially designed to offer the right caloric and fat balance to enable them to have a well balanced diet and good digestive health to mimic what they were meant to eat in nature. They even have healthful snacks for your pets because, just like humans, our pets do a little snacking now and then, and it pays off to have the right foods to sate that craving. Healthy eating habits are just as important for those of us with four legs.
No pet is made the same, and health issues always arise with animals, just as with humans. With so many advances in research you can find several options to support animal health, but sometimes preventative measures on a daily basis can help keep from having to pursue remedies for severe problems gone unchecked. Any Flint River Ranch distributor can tell you that there are holistic options when you are choosing the variety of FRR foods for your pet. Holistic pet food means that your pet will find comfort from common pet ailments through the natural course of their diet. Your overweight or aging companion will appreciate the gently balanced supplements that can be found in Flint River Ranch pet food varieties. Flint Rive Ranch knows how important that it is for you to provide a quality pet food at a reasonable price, so the nutrient dense formulas reduce waste, enabling you to get more for your spending money when ordering your all natural pet food, and when you’re talking about your pet’s well being, all natural is the way to go.
The reason that you purchase food for your pet is to care for them; they are members of your family and your spiritual caretakers. The link that man has with their pets is one that extends beyond company, they are companions, and they are for some the only social support in their lives. When you care for your pet, you should treat them as the important family member that they are and insist on quality and value to enable them to live a long and happy life with you. To give a pet the best means to give them Flint River Ranch when it’s time to eat, the result of giving them a quality food that cares for them from the inside makes their life more pleasant on the outside.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Safe-T-Pet is the author of this article on Flint River Ranch. Safe-T-Pet is dedicated to providing you with only the finest in pet supply products and is proud to be an independent distributor of Flint River Ranch pet foods (distributor #353K). Find more information about this Distributor at compare dog food brandshere.
If you have not heard of Life’s Abundance All Natural Premium Dog Food the reason is not because Life’s Abundance is a no good dog food. The reason is that it is one of the best Dog Foods on the market today, and one of the most unique. Large supermarkets and even national-chain pet supply stores don’t sell the best dog food on the market. They rely on lower-cost, lower-quality products from gigantic national food makers. The benefits to the supermarkets and large chain pet supply stores are many.
Benefits to the supermakets and large chain pet supply stores to carry a lower quality of dog foods are:
The supply is reliable.
The distribution channels are well-established.
The markup is greater.
Companies who make the absolute best dog food are few. They are not able to manufacture huge amounts of their products for the chain stores. Instead, they concentrate on making small batches to insure greater quality and fresness to their customers. They do not stock huge inventories of dog food in warehouses giving you a greater chance of getting hold of out-dated dog food.
The best dog foods tend to be very expensive, so stores can’t mark them up so much to make their huge profits.
The absolute best dog foods are sold in small, individually owned “boutique type” pet stores, groomers, holistic vet offices, independent distributors and directly from the manufacturer.
People who shop at health food stores for their own food “understand” that food meticiously manufactured in small batches out of the finest ingredients, is more expensive than food that is made by huge businesses like Supermarket Chains and Pet Store Chains.
Many people who switch over from these Supermarket, large chain Pet Stores to the Individually owned “boutique type” pet stores, groomers, breeders, holistic vets and independent distributors will tell you they have seen remarkable improvement in their pet’s health, energy levels and shiney hair. They will be able to tell you: Pay more for the food now, or you can buy the cheap stuff and try to save on pet food expense but you will pay later with even higher vet bills.
Hey! I am a Boutique person. I like getting the best for every dollar I spend.
I recommend HealthyPetNet, Life’s Abundance to my customers/puppy buyers and whomever I meet that has pets.
Read the labels. Do your homework about dog food, and purchase from the boutiques, and independent distributors for better health and longer life spans of your precious companions. HealthyPetNet is dedicated to producing Dog Food from the very finest of ingredients. You won’t see this brands of dog food on the Supermarket Shelves and Huge Pet Store Chains. You can purchase them from Independent Distributors who are breeders like myself, holistic vets, and grooming shops. They are produced in small batches and delivered fresh to your door.
At Stain Glass Shih Tzu our main priority is Good Health and producing puppies who are healthy with long life spans. We would not think of purchasing anything else. Once you make the switch to a higher quality Dog Food and Treats, you will be hooked for life.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Connie Limon, Breeder of the Shih Tzu Austin, Indiana Stain Glass Shih Tzu www.stainglassshihtzus.com Independent Field Rep HealthyPetNet www.healthypetnet.com/connielimon
There is much more to feeding a dog than buying a bag or can of dog food. If you want your dog to be healthy and have a long life, then you need to put as much care into choosing what to feed your dog as you would do for yourself.
To maintain a dog’s healthy coat, eyes, teeth, and overall well being he needs to be fed good quality all natural dog food. The food that you choose to give your dog can affect his life in many ways. One of the first things that you should do is check the ingredients on the label. Dogs are carnivores and eat meat so all natural dog food should contain some type of meat.
Chicken, beef, liver, and lamb are all popular choices in many bags of dry food and canned foods. The meat should not come from a by-product. For example, some dog foods claim to have meat by adding hooves, skin, feathers, eyes, beaks, and other animal parts. It is also a good idea to make sure that the food does not contain soy. Soy is a common cause of allergies in dogs. Allergies can lead to skin conditions which are very hard to clear up.
If you are looking to add shine to your dog’s coat, then you should look for foods with healthy fats. Omega 6 is a great way to help your pet have a healthy coat. Vegetable oils are one way for a dog to gain Omega 6 fatty acids. Flaxseed oil and fish oil are good ways to help soothe irritated and troubled coats with Omega 3 fatty acids. Many vet offices and pet stores also have supplements that dogs can be given to increase the healthiness of their hair.
Proteins and carbohydrates are the best sources to give your dog for energy. These are very important to look for when feeding young or working dogs that burn many calories during the day. Older, less active dogs can benefit from healthy weight formulas that contain fewer calories. In general at least 10% of the diet should be protein while 5.5% is fat or fatty acids.
In addition to his all natural dog food diet, your dog should also be given crunchy bones. The crunchy, abrasiveness of the bones helps to keep your dog’s teeth clean and the gums healthy. Be careful when giving your pet toys or foods that are harder than his teeth, as they could cause tooth breakage.
All natural dog food will give your dog all of the benefits that he needs to be healthy, energized, and looking good. Remember this type of dog food has easy to digest, high quality proteins as well as complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Giving your dog all natural dog food will ensure you are also giving him an enhanced lifestyle and ultimately a longer life.
There is much more to feeding a dog than buying a bag or can of dog food. If you want your dog to be healthy and have a long life, then you need to put as much care into choosing what to feed your dog as you would do for yourself.
To maintain a dog’s healthy coat, eyes, teeth, and overall well being he needs to be fed good quality all natural dog food. The food that you choose to give your dog can affect his life in many ways. One of the first things that you should do is check the ingredients on the label. Dogs are carnivores and eat meat so all natural dog food should contain some type of meat.
Chicken, beef, liver, and lamb are all popular choices in many bags of dry food and canned foods. The meat should not come from a by-product. For example, some dog foods claim to have meat by adding hooves, skin, feathers, eyes, beaks, and other animal parts. It is also a good idea to make sure that the food does not contain soy. Soy is a common cause of allergies in dogs. Allergies can lead to skin conditions which are very hard to clear up.
If you are looking to add shine to your dog’s coat, then you should look for foods with healthy fats. Omega 6 is a great way to help your pet have a healthy coat. Vegetable oils are one way for a dog to gain Omega 6 fatty acids. Flaxseed oil and fish oil are good ways to help soothe irritated and troubled coats with Omega 3 fatty acids. Many vet offices and pet stores also have supplements that dogs can be given to increase the healthiness of their hair.
Proteins and carbohydrates are the best sources to give your dog for energy. These are very important to look for when feeding young or working dogs that burn many calories during the day. Older, less active dogs can benefit from healthy weight formulas that contain fewer calories. In general at least 10% of the diet should be protein while 5.5% is fat or fatty acids.
In addition to his all natural dog food diet, your dog should also be given crunchy bones. The crunchy, abrasiveness of the bones helps to keep your dog’s teeth clean and the gums healthy. Be careful when giving your pet toys or foods that are harder than his teeth, as they could cause tooth breakage.
All natural dog food will give your dog all of the benefits that he needs to be healthy, energized, and looking good. Remember this type of dog food has easy to digest, high quality proteins as well as complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Giving your dog all natural dog food will ensure you are also giving him an enhanced lifestyle and ultimately a longer life.
Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com
For further research into what to feed your dog read this review All Natural Dog Food
Human beings are not the only species that can suffer from allergies. Dogs can also have allergic reactions to objects in the home, chemicals and pollutants in the air, dog food, and their own hair and dander. Finding the source of these allergies can be difficult especially if the dog is allergic to a few things. If you have a dog that suffers from allergies, you may notice that they sneeze when around harmful chemicals, vomit after eating, have skin rashes, patches of fur missing, runny nose and eyes, or they may show signs of fatigue or restlessness.
Noticing these signs is the first step to helping your dog lead a normal, healthy life. You should monitor your dog for a month to see how it reacts to its environment, its food, and its own hair and dander. Since dogs need to keep themselves clean, they may be swallowing allergens that can cause an allergic reaction. The best way to combat a hair and dander allergy is to bathe your dog once a month and brushing the dog once a day.
If your dog has a thick undercoating, it will trap allergens and dander and keep it from falling off the body. After a while the dander will build up and fall off or be swallowed. If you have allergies, this could be one of the causes. Brushing the undercoating every day will help remove excess hair before it is swallowed or falls on the floor or carpeting. This will reduce your allergy problems as well.
Sometimes chemicals in dog food can lead to food allergies. If your dog vomits at least once a day, then they may be allergic to the food they are eating. Hypoallergenic dog food is available. The food contains fewer chemicals while providing your dog with enough nutrition. Try this dog food to see if it will reduce the vomiting. Wet dog food may also help your dog digest their foods easily. If the vomiting does not stop, you should visit the vet to see if your dog has other health problems.
Dogs that are allergic to cleaning supplies, mold, and shampoo may be more difficult to treat. You can switch to natural cleaning supplies that do not contain bleach and other harmful chemicals. This may help your dog breathe a little better. You can also have your home tested for mold, which could be causing your own allergies, and you can switch dog shampoos and try one for hypoallergenic dogs. You should not wash your dog more than twice a month as you could make the dog’s skin dry and flaky, which is why they are scratching and pulling more often than usual.
Taking care of a dog with allergies is easy once you have identified the problem. Asking a vet for advice is a good idea if you do not know where to begin. They will be able to ask the right questions and help you find the answers so you will be able to administer the proper treatments.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Find tips about poodle grooming and shih tzu grooming at the Puppy Grooming website.