Posts Tagged ‘Pet Stores’
People love ‘mans best friend’ and they in turn love us back. Dogs become part of our families. They live with us, sleep with us, eat with us, protect us and give us unconditional love. We treat our dogs like children. Just hearing dog owners calling their pets at the park, and the affection they show them make you realize just how devoted they are. Many dog owners have special names for them such as ‘baby’ and call themselves mommy or daddy when talking to their pet. It is amazing how huge the market is for dog food, toys, treats and even clothing and jewelry. Nothing is too good for our dog companions.
Special treats
Dog treats are a great way to show our dogs how much we love them. We use treats to reward our pet for doing something special. Many dogs are like children and behave better because they want a treat.
Dog treats are available at pet stores, grocery stores, department stores and specialty shops just to name a few. There are dog treats flavored like beef, chicken, pizza, chocolate and almost any other food you can think of. They come in the shape of people, sausages, bacon and steak bones plus hundreds of other shapes. There are dog Christmas stockings and birthday baskets stuffed with dog treats. People take pictures of their pooches and put them on their Christmas cards. People love their dogs and in turn, their dogs love them back.
Gourmet dog treats have become very popular. Some people make their own while others buy them. Some of the reasons people are now turning to gourmet dog treats are:
• Overweight dogs – Making your own gourmet dog treats lets you control the ingredients in the product. For overweight dogs, making low calorie treats helps the dog stay healthy while shedding a few excess pounds. Instead of commercial dog cookies with sugar and salt added, making or buying gourmet cookies and treats means you can choose a treat with no sugar or salt added, or sweeten a cookie with just a touch of honey.
• Dog Allergies – Just like humans, many dogs have allergies to certain foods and ingredients. Some vets carry gourmet dog treats that are great for dogs with allergies or you can get a recipe to make gourmet treats without using the ingredients your pet is allergic.
• Sickness- Some dogs have diabetes or other health problems so they are not able to eat regular dog treats and cookies. There are dog treats available for dogs with health problems.
• Natural Treats – Many people, when they read what is in commercial dog treats, are not happy about the fillers and preservatives used so they choose to make or buy gourmet dog treats with only natural ingredients.
People nowadays are very health conscious and feel the same way about their pet’s diet. They want them to live long, healthy lives and providing gourmet dog treats is one way to help.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
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
Dog food is essential to your dog’s health care. You have several choices on the shelves in pet stores as well as feeding them with natural foods. The choice of what to feed them is going to be determined partly by the health problems they can exhibit in life. You will also want to determine the dog food you feed your dog on the nutritional value of the ingredients. There are four types of dog food you can give your pet. These include dry food, canned food, semi moist, and raw food. Your vet or dog breeder can tell you what they prefer to use and help you find a brand that has the essential ingredients for both puppies and adults.
Dry food is one of the best choices you will have. Some of the dry food may be high in carbohydrates and processed foods, but you will find overall they contain the most nutrients you will need to provide your dog. Dry food only contains 10% of water in the ingredients making it hard to chew for some older dogs. However the nutrients provided in the dry food is best even for older dogs. You can wet the food down just a little to make it easier. You will also find that the many types of dog foods available include all natural from several vendors like Purina. They have a cheaper line that is not as healthy, but cost effective for the consumer and then they have the all natural ingredients. You will be the deciding factor for health in your pet so keep that in mind.
Semi moist food tends to taste better to your dog, but it would take twice the amount of food you supply with dry food to find the proper ingredients. Semi moist food contains about 30% water along with turkey, chicken, other meat, and vegetables in the processing. The semi food, though not as nutrient rich is often easier for older dogs to eat. It provides a soft material they don’t have to chew as much. You will also find the semi moist dog food is a little more expensive, but not outrageous.
Canned food is the worst food you can supply your dog. It is made with 75% water and the rest is natural ingredients. Like semi moist it takes at least a double dose of the food to provide proper nutrition. You may find your dog prefers the taste and texture, but you are holding back essential nutrients and vitamins they need to be healthy. You can always supply one can of food or semi moist food for a special treat, but for over all healthiness in a dog you should head towards dry food or raw foods.
Raw foods need to be handled with special care. They need to be checked just like our food for problems before feeding it to the dog. Keep in mind that raw food is not going to be cooked like we do to kill some of the bacteria. So you can also be harming the dog if not supplied with top quality raw products. You will need to incorporate vegetables and raw meat in the food dish. You can grind the food into a paste for wet food or just serve the meat. If you are choosing the raw meat option you should talk it over with a vet before doing so. They will be able to help you determine what potential dangers exist from raw meat and vegetables regarding diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Some times your vet will even ask that you change to raw foods for their health.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Gerry Ronson is a writer for the websites Dog Collars. Dog Treats and Dog Accessories.
It goes without saying that your dog needs suitable nutrition to remain healthy. Vets and pet food manufacturers often have differing views on appropriate nutrition for your dog. Although commercial pet food manufacturers are motivated in large part by profits, commercially prepared foods are routinely recommended as part of an adequate, or good, diet for your dog. Sometimes your vet or dog breeder may approve of commercially prepared foods as your dog’s sole diet. Many experts, however, tend to prefer a largely natural diet which for dogs is invariably comprised of meat and bones. Raw is preferable to cooked, as some of the minerals are definitely lost in the cooking process.
The reason why the commercially prepared pet food is so often fed to our dogs, is because, apart from the convenience, it can (depending upon the quality) actually contain many of the nutrients which are essential to your dog’s wellbeing. The key word here is quality. There are in fact very, very few commercial manufacturers which produce nutrient-rich food. And they’re not the brands you find in your supermarket, or even in most pet stores or vetinarians.
Raw bones with a little dry food as well as occasional rice or pasta, and perhaps the odd quality food scrap from your table, will generally contain most of the nutrients which your dog needs.
All dogs must obtain reasonable nutrition from their food to maintain excellent health and performance. The main nutrients required by your dog are water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. Vitamin or mineral deficiency in dogs fed a commercially manufactured diet today is not widely publicised. But then again, the slosh and dried formulae which are readily available from your vet or the local supermarket are not your dog’s natural diet. If your dog was left to fend for itself in the wild (assuming it could manage to adapt, that is), would choose raw meat. And one of the reasons why meat, and especially bones, are so good, is the chewing action and the teeth cleaning function which the bones perform. Of course, there are also commercially prepared substitutes which can also effectively clean your dog‘s teeth and satisfy his/her need to chew.
A lesser known fact is that to feed your dog only meat (with no bones and no cereals or other carbohydrate source) can cause severe deficiencies: your dog is likely to become lethargic, sick, and even death has been known to occur from an all meat diet. But what about dogs in the wild, I hear you ask? Isn’t meat a dog’s natural diet? Isn’t that what you just said, Brigitte? Well, yes and no: in the wild dogs eat the whole of their prey, not simply muscle meat – they thus obtain vegetable matter from the digestive tract of their prey, and calcium from the bones. As well, wild dogs occasionally, but routinely, add to their diet with plants, fruit and berries.
Most dogs relish some raw fruit and vegetables in their diet, so long as that’s what they’re used to. A dog who has been fed commercially prepared dog food all of its life won’t be used to the taste of fresh food, so may well turn up his/her nose if you introduce such healthy food later in life. But persevere – try hand feeding pieces of carrot or apple to begin with. And if your dog is still very young, all the better. Start as you mean to go on and feed him/her some raw fruit and vegetables from time to time. Your dog’s health will benefit!
(c) 2005, Brigitte Smith, Healthy Happy Dogs
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Brigitte Smith is a dog lover with a special interest in natural health for dogs. For your free special report, as well as weekly tips, information, strategies and resources for a healthier happier dog, click here for your dog health report.
All dog lovers want the best for their companion, and starting with proper nutrition you will give your pet the basis for a long healthy life. There is no one best dog food on the market today, but many extremely ultra premium or high quality organic dog foods that are excellent choices. Also beware that there are more really bad, low quality, low nutrition, and chemical filled commercial dog foods. The cheaper brands are generally available in the grocery store. The better organic dog foods are usually ordered directly through the company, or offered at high end pet stores.
Increasing your dog’s life span is easily achieved by feeding a properly balanced healthy organic dog food or high premium diet from puppy hood. An all natural healthy diet is as beneficial for your dog as it is for yourself. Improper or poor nutrition can cause diseases, allergies, obesity, and shortened life spans in your dogs.
There are many commercial grade dog food products available at the grocery store, and care must be taken when choosing one. Becoming more diligent in all facets of our lives is quickly becoming the norm, and we should include our pets in our education and improvement of lifestyle.
Here are a few general guidelines to follow when looking at the ingredients on a dog food bag:
Choose a food with high meat content. The first ingredient must be a specified meat. Another one or two meats or meat meal listed in the top 5 ingredients is a bonus, but not necessary. (Meat meal is meat with the moisture removed.)
If the same grain ingredient is used two or more times in the first five ingredients (i.e. “ground brown rice”, brewer’s rice”, “rice flour”, are all the same grain), this is not a well balanced, nutritious product. It is loaded with “filler” and made to look like it is healthy by separating the one ingredient into sub categories, but rice is rice so it should be listed once.
Using high quality grains has become the standard for the premium quality dog food manufacturers, such as barley, brown rice and oatmeal. If the grains are organic, then all the better. Wheat and corn are inferior and useless as a nutritional element in dog food, and used as filler only. Dogs are known to be highly allergic to wheat and corn.
If there are any by-products at all on the ingredient list, pass this dog food by.
There should not be any fillers.
Carcinogenic preservatives do not need to be used, and if they are don’t buy the product. (They will be listed as BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin.)
Artificial colorings are also cancer causing, and completely unnecessary. You’ll be surprised to see how many products still contain this dangerous ingredient. The dyes will be marked as such – e.g. Red, Blue and Yellow dyes.
No added sugars or corn syrup should be in the ingredient list.
The more organic ingredients listed, the better.
Added glucosamine, chondroitin, pro and prebiotics, flax seed oil, barley, oats or oatmeal, and sunflower oil, are a good thing.
Slowly baked, not extruded, retains the minerals, vitamins and essential goodness of the food.
Hormone free, antibiotic free, pesticide and herbicide free, chemical and preservative free would indicate a high quality premium organic dog food.
And finally, no mystery meats should be in the list. Mystery meat will be listed as simply meat or poultry, rather than chicken or venison. The mystery meat will probably be some horrible rotten road kill, old euthanized animals, and parts of animals that are not edible.
Although the higher quality food might seem more expensive initially, it will work itself out and become cheaper in the long run. The savings in vet bills alone over the life of your pet will pay for the food.
I use a lazy homemade dog food tactic of using a high end organic dog food, and add just a few ounces of poached chicken, or broiled venison every day. The best of both worlds is then achieved for my dogs.
Always be aware, educate yourself and know that the big business of dog food manufacturing is in it for the profit, not the health and welfare of our pets. That is up to us. Just do the absolute best you can for your pet and it will be returned with more doggie love, which is never a bad thing.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
This dog food rating scale will help you determine if your dog food is nutrtionally acceptable, or possibly dangerous to your pet. Try it here, it is enlightening!
There are hundreds of choices of dog food on the market today. Everything from wet, dry, high protein, high fat, low protein, and low fat foods fill the aisles of our pet stores. So how is one to choose the right one for their dog?
But before we talk about food, let’s talk about something even more important – water.
All the beneficial ingredients that go into the best dog foods will not help your dog if he is not drinking enough water. Water is the most important nutrient. Adult dog’s bodies are 60% water and a puppy’s body is 84% water. Dogs can lose all of their fat and half of their protein without adversely affecting their health, but a 10 % water loss can cause significant problems. Dog owners should place as much attention on the importance of the quality of the water their dog drinks as they do on the ingredients that go into the best dog foods; not all water is the same.
A criterion for clean drinking water for dogs is similar to the criteria for clean drinking water for people. Tap water generally provides the best nutrients and least contaminants; however, if the tap water contains high amounts of nitrates, magnesium and iron it can cause long term health risks. For those who fear their tap water may be contaminated bottled water is a better choice.
Stainless steel and stoneware dishes are safe choices for food and water bowls. Plastic bowls may scratch giving contaminates an ideal place to live. Water should be cool in the summer and room temperature in the winter. The dogs bowl should always be clean; if you think it may need changing ask yourself if you would drink the water; if the answer is no-change the water.
Dogs should have access to fresh water all the time. This is even more important than buying the best dog foods on the market. Dogs need three times more water than food every day. They need even more if it is extremely hot, the dog is lactating, or the dog is exercising more than normal. Dogs that eat canned dog food do not drink as much water because of the high amount of water contained in the canned food.
In addition to better health, proper hydration also contributes to the performance of a dog. Many owners of working dogs flavor their dog’s food in order to make sure they are drinking the appropriate amounts. Studies have proven that proper hydration increases working ability by 80%. The next time you pour one of those best dog foods into your dogs bowl, remember if the dog doesn’t have the right amount of clean water the food is useless.
Okay, now let’s move on to dog food
First you need to have one basic goal in mind: Feed your dog the brand that keeps your dog looking and acting the best. This is the most important thing to remember when choosing food for your dog. You may have to try several brands of dog food over a stretch of time before you can determine which is the best choice.
Another important factor is likeability. You need to choose a food that your dog likes to eat. You’ll want it to be easily digestible, which is indicated by a small to moderate stool volume. Ideally, you should check a week after switching. After a few weeks of the new food, check the dog’s coat and see if there is any improvement, such as it being shiny and healthy looking. In addition your dog’s skin should be a healthy color, without sores or trouble spots. Your dog should have a healthy look overall.
Lastly, many consider the cost when making your pet’s food choices. One simple rule to remember is SPEND MORE TO SAVE MORE! Why you ask? Well, the principle is simple: the better quality, more expensive foods usually cost you less per feeding than inexpensive foods because you feed your dog less of these highly digestible foods, costing you less in the long run.
Whether you choose dry dog foods which are soybean, corn, or rice based, and are recommended for animals that are larger, or canned types that contain meat products and water for moisture for dogs smaller than 30 lbs., remember, dog foods contain fats and carbohydrates which are necessary for your pet’s energy.
Article Source: http://www.hobbyarticledirectory.com
Mike Long runs a dog training website that focuses on educating people about the different ways of training your dog or puppy. If you would like to learn more, including additional articles, and training tips, tricks, and ideas, check out his site at dogtraininginfo.wordpress.com.
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