Dog Care: How to Choose Healthy Dog Food

Feeding your dog is not an easy thing to do, if you consider your dog as part of your family, you will take into consideration your dog?s health and choose healthy dog food to prolong your canine friend?s life.

Dog food must contain balance proportions of nutrients needed for growth and development. For your dog to remain healthy, choose healthy dog food with nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, fats and minerals. Too much or too little nutrients will put your dog?s health in danger. Commercially available dog foods are usually processed with a lot of preservatives so you must know how to choose healthy dog food to keep your pooch in shape and in good health.

Protein is one of the most important nutrients that dog food must contain. Choose healthy dog food that contains enough protein that your dog need. A dog?s diet must contain about 40% protein. The amino acid in protein is essential for dog?s muscle development and regulation of antibodies. Some sources of protein are meat, fish and soy beans.

You also need to choose healthy dog food with carbohydrates. A 40-60% of carbohydrates are essential for your dog?s health. Carbohydrates also include starches and sugar that can be converted into usable energy. Too much carbohydrates is not healthy and will be stored as fat and may cause obesity and maldigestion and other health problems. Sources of carbohydrates are oats, sweet potatoes and yams.

Fat is also needed when you get to choose healthy dog food. Good sources of fat are vegetable oil, fish and meat. Omega-3 fatty acids are important for keeping a healthy skin and may help in the restoration of other health problems like inflammation and blood clotting.

Like humans, dogs need vitamins and minerals. Choose healthy dog food rich in vitamins and minerals which are essential in dog?s development and for fighting diseases. For instance, Vitamin A is important for proper vision and for bone and teeth development. Vitamin D is important for the absorption of calcium and Vitamin E has anti-oxidant properties to eliminate toxins in the dog?s body. Minerals like calcium and magnesium are good for teeth and bones strength as well as for the normal functioning of the heart.

Water is also essential for the digestion and transportation of nutrients; it also helps in the regulation of body temperature.

Knowing how to choose healthy dog food will not only prolong your pooch life, but it also gives you a peace of mind knowing your pooch as a member of your family is healthy and well protected against diseases brought by unhealthy dog foods.

Did you know that a well balanced home-made diet increases dog lifespan by up to 134%? Discover the step-by-step guide that makes your dog live a longer, healthier life, so you enjoy up to 8.3 more yrs. of happiness and companionship with your dog visit Dogs’ Corner

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Dog Care: Top 10 Ways to Keep your Dog Forever Young

There is a large disparity between the life spans of dogs and humans. After having loved a pet and lost one, it seems unfair. The best we can do is to keep our friends as healthy as possible and “forever young.” Here are My Top 10 Ways to Keep Your Dog Forever Young:

1. Know When Your Pet is “Old.” The time when your dog is considered a “senior” depends largely on his or her breed and size. According to Dr. Johnny Hoskins in Geriatrics and Gerontology of the Dog and Cat, small breed dogs (less than 20 pounds) are in their senior years around nine to 13 years of age. Medium sized dogs (21 to 50 pounds) around nine to 11. 5 years; large breed dogs (51 to 90 pounds) around 7.5 to 10.5 years and giant dogs (more than 90 pounds) between six and nine years. In general, smaller breed dogs live longer.

2. Wellness Exams. When your pet is considered a senior, you should bring your dog for regular geriatric examinations. These examinations help identify early diseases or problems in older pets. Exams should include a history and physical examination with evaluation of the teeth, listening to the heart and lungs (by stethoscope), abdominal palpation (feeling of the abdomen) and inspection of your dog’s ear and eyes. Weight monitoring, parasite check (fecal examination) and blood work and urine tests are also often recommended. Other tests may be indicated depending on your pet’s symptoms.

3. Watch for Illness. Careful observation at home is extremely important. By nature of survival, dogs are very good at hiding their illness until it is too late. Take time to examine your pet. Feel him or her for masses and indications of weight loss or loss of musculature. Things to watch for include changes in water consumption or patterns of urination, poor appetite, weight loss or gain, coughing or difficulty breathing, changes in activity level, vomiting, diarrhea and skin lumps or masses. If you have questions or concerns about your pet, play it safe and have him or her evaluated by your veterinarian. Early diagnosis is vital to the success of treatment.

4. Weight Control. Obese dogs have shorter life spans than non-obese dogs. Obesity may lead to a number of health problems. Excess weight puts excess stress on your dog’s heart. When the heart doesn’t function properly, other organs may suffer including the brain, lungs, liver and kidneys. Over time, these problems may become severe enough to cause life-threatening conditions.

5. Keep Close Tabs. In general, “outdoor” free roaming dogs have shorter lives than indoor animals. Infectious diseases, poisonings and trauma are common killers. Senior dogs have decreased reflexes and may not see and hear as well as they used to. This makes them vulnerable to outside dangers such as predators or cars. Keep dogs on leashes or in fenced-in yards.

6. Monitor Your Environment. Keep poisons up and out of your dog’s reach. Common toxins include antifreeze, rat poison and slug bait. Keep trash out of reach. Don’t count on your pet to “know better.” It doesn’t take a large amount of a dangerous substance to make your dog seriously ill.

7. Nutrition. Feed your pet a premium high quality diet supplements such as Hill’s Science Diet®, Iams® or Eukanuba®. Feed low fat and high fiber foods since high fat and/or low fiber foods are thought to decrease life expectancy. Minimize treats and make them nutritious and low in calories. Air-popped popcorn is often a good treat for dogs. With your veterinarian, you should discuss the merits of a diet formulation for your senior dog.

8. Exercise. Exercise helps to maintain a healthy body weight, strengthens joints and muscles and provides mental stimulation for your dog.

9. Spay and Neuter. Spayed and neutered dogs tend to have fewer health problems. Spaying is the removal of the ovaries and uterus. Without these organs, ovarian cysts, uterine infections and cancer of the reproductive tract are no longer a concern. Studies have shown that dogs spayed before puberty have a significantly lower chance of developing breast cancer than unspayed dogs, or dogs spayed later in life. Health problems that can be associated with birthing are also eliminated with spaying. Neutering is the removal of the testicles. Without these organs, testicular cancer is no longer a concern and the risk of prostate problems is reduced. In addition, the desire to “wander” is diminished, which lowers the chance of your dog running away and suffering trauma, such as being hit by a car.

10. Mental Stimulation. Provide your pet with toys, games and quality time. Most pets are never too old to play. Encourage mental stimulation. It is never too late to teach old dogs new tricks. Follow these top 10 tips, and you’ll keep your dog forever young.

Dogs Care Tips

Dogs are the most sensitive and affectionate pets. They are not only part of your family but the most loyal and loving companions that you will ever have. They stay by your side when you are happy or sad and love you unconditionally. If you go out for as little as ten minutes, they let you know how much they missed you when you come back. Your responsibility, as a dog owner, is to provide your dog with everything it requires, to live a healthy, happy life.

Dog Gromming and Skin care:

Dog?s skin is very sensitive. The dog?s skin is shining, healthy and free from dandruff if it is taken proper care of. Its skin depends on the diet it has. Its skin will be in good condition only if it has correct weight. An underweight or an overweight dog may have health problems. Knowledge, precaution and proper attention will surely keep the dogs healthy. Regular vaccination ensure dogs from getting affected from any infection. The most common disease is allergy in dogs.To keep them away from allergy the surroundings should be clean.

Grooming can be a special bonding time between you and your dog. You can also use this time to check your dog?s health. Look carefully for signs of fleas, ticks, skin irritations, lumps or painful spots. Check your dog’s eyes, ears and teeth regularly. Consult your veterinarian if you find anything unusual or concerning.

Dog Gromming and Skin care

Long-haired dogs generally need to be groomed daily while short-haired breeds may only need to be groomed weekly.

Selecting a time when your dog is calm and you have adequate time will help make grooming a pleasurable experience for both you and your dog.

Get your puppy accustomed to grooming early in life by handling your puppy often and touching its ears and paws. Be gentle and reassure your puppy constantly.

Some areas of your dog?s body may be more sensitive to combing and brushing than others. Be aware of these areas and be gentle.

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Brushing and Combing

Regular brushing and combing will remove loose and matted hair and help keep the skin free of disease. Natural oils will be more evenly distributed to give your dog a nice shiny coat. Comb in the direction of hair growth to remove tangles.

Fine-toothed dog combs are used for soft, thin or silky coats. Medium-toothed combs are used for normal coats. Wide-toothed combs are best for heavy and thick coats.

Flea combs are very fine and are used for removing parasites and flea dirt from the coat. They may also be used to comb the hair around the eyes.

Rakes are ideal for removing dead undercoat hair in larger dogs with coarser, thicker coats.

Pin brushes, with rounded tips to prevent damage to the skin, are good for dogs with long, fine hair such as Silky Terriers.

Bristle brushes are good for dogs with very long coats, such as the Afghan, and help add shine to the short coat.

Grooming mitts are also good for short-haired breeds to add polish and shine once the loose hairs are removed.

Tips For Senior Dog Care

Having a dog that is starting to advance in years needs special care that is different from that of a much younger dog or puppy. A dog that has hit its senior years often has lost a lot of its former spunk and energy. Someone who owns a senior pooch has to pay much closer attention to their dog’s health needs in order to keep the dog healthy. Here are a few tips to help you along with the process of learning how to care for your older puppy.

The first thing that you need to know is that each breed of dog is different in its determination of senior years. A lot of your smaller breeds tend to be around 10 years old or so when they are considered seniors. This changes up a lot so do your research on the breed of dog you currently own so that you can know roughly when to expect these changes to take place. Bigger dogs are usually considered seniors at five years of age.

If you can’t find any information concerning the aging of your particular dog’s breed you should call up your local vet and ask him or her if they can tell you that information. If the vet tells you your dog falls into this category you need to make sure you pay close attention to how your dog behaves and how he moves. Older dogs like this get sick a lot more often than younger dogs so don’t be surprised if your trips to the vet seem to increase. You may start to see your dog start moving a lot slower than he used to, which is a definite indication he is officially a senior dog.

One important aspect of caring for an older dog is his diet. As your dog ages you will need to change up the type of food he eats in order to make sure he is getting all the vitamins, nutrients, and protein he needs to be strong and healthy. Buying food that is specifically designed for older dog is a must. This food will not only give your dog nutrients but will also help your dog to maintain the correct weight.

Something most people tend to neglect is taking their senior dog out for some good healthy exercise. Just because your dog is getting older doesn’t mean he’s dead! Your dog still wants to play and have fun with you so feel free to take your dog out for a walk and play with him or her. They will enjoy it and it will help keep them healthy and in shape.

A lot of older dogs are prone to getting arthritis in their joints, which makes it very difficult for them to move around. You may start to notice that your dog has a hard time keeping up with you when you take him out, or that he is looking a little stiff at times. There are two things you can do to help reduce his pain during this time. One of them is to help your pooch slim down and lose a few pounds. You can also take him to the vet to checked out and get some medicine that will help with the pain.

An older dog needs even more attention, love, and special care than a young dog or puppy needs. This means that you will have to sacrifice a bit more of your time to try and watch your dog’s health so that you can make sure he or she is getting properly cared for. Remember to keep a close eye on your senior dog’s diet as well.

Tips For Senior Dog Care

Having a dog that is starting to advance in years needs special care that is different from that of a much younger dog or puppy. A dog that has hit its senior years often has lost a lot of its former spunk and energy. Someone who owns a senior pooch has to pay much closer attention to their dog’s health needs in order to keep the dog healthy. Here are a few tips to help you along with the process of learning how to care for your older puppy.

The first thing that you need to know is that each breed of dog is different in its determination of senior years. A lot of your smaller breeds tend to be around 10 years old or so when they are considered seniors. This changes up a lot so do your research on the breed of dog you currently own so that you can know roughly when to expect these changes to take place. Bigger dogs are usually considered seniors at five years of age.

If you can’t find any information concerning the aging of your particular dog’s breed you should call up your local vet and ask him or her if they can tell you that information. If the vet tells you your dog falls into this category you need to make sure you pay close attention to how your dog behaves and how he moves. Older dogs like this get sick a lot more often than younger dogs so don’t be surprised if your trips to the vet seem to increase. You may start to see your dog start moving a lot slower than he used to, which is a definite indication he is officially a senior dog.

One important aspect of caring for an older dog is his diet. As your dog ages you will need to change up the type of food he eats in order to make sure he is getting all the vitamins, nutrients, and protein he needs to be strong and healthy. Buying food that is specifically designed for older dog is a must. This food will not only give your dog nutrients but will also help your dog to maintain the correct weight.

Something most people tend to neglect is taking their senior dog out for some good healthy exercise. Just because your dog is getting older doesn’t mean he’s dead! Your dog still wants to play and have fun with you so feel free to take your dog out for a walk and play with him or her. They will enjoy it and it will help keep them healthy and in shape.

A lot of older dogs are prone to getting arthritis in their joints, which makes it very difficult for them to move around. You may start to notice that your dog has a hard time keeping up with you when you take him out, or that he is looking a little stiff at times. There are two things you can do to help reduce his pain during this time. One of them is to help your pooch slim down and lose a few pounds. You can also take him to the vet to checked out and get some medicine that will help with the pain.

An older dog needs even more attention, love, and special care than a young dog or puppy needs. This means that you will have to sacrifice a bit more of your time to try and watch your dog’s health so that you can make sure he or she is getting properly cared for. Remember to keep a close eye on your senior dog’s diet as well.

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