I get questions on dog grooming all the time. I found this article that goes into some detail on the subject of dog grooming and health. It also helps when you are dog training that you have a nice clean dog to work with.
A dog’s coat is his armor. It keeps him warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It protects his skin from scrapes and scratches, provides much-needed buoyancy in the water, and retains essential oils.
For all its benefits, however, a dog’s coat is also an ideal breeding ground for parasites that can threaten both canine and human health, and excellent transportation for the seeds of enterprising plants. Luckily, with a few simple steps, dog owners can maintain healthy, glowing coats without the need for expensive groomers.
Grooming is a natural part of a dog’s life. Mother dogs clean and massage their pups to combat skin-borne diseases and promote blood flow to developing bones and muscles. As the pups become more and more self-sufficient, they take on the task of grooming themselves. For the most part, they are very successful; living in a home environment, however, requires a little extra attention that dogs just won’t give themselves.
The best thing an owner can do for their dog’s coat is frequent brushing. Using a soft-bristled brush, stroke his coat with light pressure, always with the coat. This clears small tangles before they become big tangles and removes shedding hair that would otherwise end up ingested or covering your clothes and furniture. Follow up with a fine-toothed flea comb, again with light pressure and with the grain of the coat.
Snarls and tangles are a constant problem for dogs with long or thick coats. Nobody likes their hair pulled, so don’t try to clear a tangle with the brute-force method. You can soften caked mud or fecal matter with water; burrs and hopeless tangles are going to require scissors or clippers.
Brushes, combs, scissors, and clippers raise unnatural fears in many dogs, but you can avoid the rancor and nipping without resorting to sedatives. Grooming should be relaxing not traumatic, so you have to place your dog in a calm, submissive state. Take him for a good, long walk or a run in the park before the dog grooming session, and introduce him to all the grooming implements in a non-threatening way before you apply them to his coat.
While you are brushing his coat, take a close look at the skin under the coat. Be alert for dry, irritated skin, ticks, fleas, and bacterial or fungal infections. Infections require a trip to the vet for treatment and antibiotics, but you can remedy other dog skin problems yourself.
Dry or irritated skin is an indication that your dog is lacking a certain amount of lipids in his diet. Adding a teaspoon or two of vegetable oil to his food will usually provide just enough oil for a dog's healthy skin and a glowing coat. Frequent bathing or swimming (especially in a chlorine-filled family pool) contributes to dry skin; swimming is fun and healthy, so don’t restrict this exercise, but keep bathing with shampoo down to a minimum.
The easiest way to deal with ticks and fleas is prevention. Make sure you regularly apply a flea and tick medicine appropriate for your breed. If a tick still finds its way into your dog’s coat, grasp it with a pair of tweezers by the head and jerk it straight out so the jaws come with the head. Never use your bare fingers on a tick, don’t grasp a tick by the body, and wash your hands thoroughly after removing and disposing of the tick.
Signs of a flea infestation include scratching, biting, broken skin, and hair loss. By the time you notice these signs though, the fleas have probably already been carried into your house. If you see what look like salt and pepper granules around the house, you may be experiencing a full-blown infestation.
Cleaning the dog is the easy part. Give him a bath with doggy shampoo, followed by a flea dip approved for his breed. The house, on the other hand, will take some work.
Vacuum over, under, and around all carpets, baseboards, curtains, and upholstered furniture to remove the flea eggs and larvae. Immediately remove the vacuum bag and dispose of it in an outside trash bin. Then, treat all surfaces with an insecticide specifically formulated for fleas. Keep your dog and children separated from treated surfaces as insecticides are toxic, and, if you own more than one dog, keep them separated from each other.
Grooming is like a day at the spa for your dog. It keeps his natural armor healthy and protects your family, home, and wallet from the nasty surprises that can lurk within it.
Brock Lorber provides helpful tips for the care and feeding of your dog.
Learn about the amazingly simple trick he uses to train dogs at MyOtherKids.com.
Tuesday
Sit Stay Fetch!
Yip,that's right, I'm growling at you mate! If you've ever been to one of those gung ho types who tries to show you how much of a man he is while teaching your miniature poodle to kill grown men, then you know what I'm talking about.
Dog training can be the most amazing experience for you and your pet. It can also be traumatic for both of you. It all depends on your instructor and the type of people who are training with you.
I've seen the good the bad and the ugly in dog training. We have Pyrenean Mountain Dogs, and anyone who's had one will tell you that 60 to 100kg's of guard dog is not easy to train. They are also very intelligent and have a mind of their own. If they don't trust you, the trainer or anyone around, no-one is gonna be happy. It takes a skillful and patient trainer to get the best out of our dogs.
As I do tons of research on the net, I come across plenty of people who think they know what they are talking about when they train dogs. Not many meet our high standards. However, the guys at Sit Stay Fetch are tops in my book. Daniel knows his stuff and it doesn't matter what problem you may currently have with your dog, Sit Stay Fetch will help alleviate or cure it.
You'll have an obedient and trusting dog who loves to listen to what you want. The whole process will be stress free for both of you. I can highly recommend that you have a look at Sit Stay Fetch.
train you later ;-)
Dog training can be the most amazing experience for you and your pet. It can also be traumatic for both of you. It all depends on your instructor and the type of people who are training with you.
I've seen the good the bad and the ugly in dog training. We have Pyrenean Mountain Dogs, and anyone who's had one will tell you that 60 to 100kg's of guard dog is not easy to train. They are also very intelligent and have a mind of their own. If they don't trust you, the trainer or anyone around, no-one is gonna be happy. It takes a skillful and patient trainer to get the best out of our dogs.
As I do tons of research on the net, I come across plenty of people who think they know what they are talking about when they train dogs. Not many meet our high standards. However, the guys at Sit Stay Fetch are tops in my book. Daniel knows his stuff and it doesn't matter what problem you may currently have with your dog, Sit Stay Fetch will help alleviate or cure it.
You'll have an obedient and trusting dog who loves to listen to what you want. The whole process will be stress free for both of you. I can highly recommend that you have a look at Sit Stay Fetch.
train you later ;-)
Frequently Asked Questions About Dog Health Problems
There are many dog health questions for which suitable explanation is required for the pet owners. They may be caring their beloved pet animal, dog as informed by the neighbour or friend etc. The best thing that they can do is to get their doubts cleared from the veterinarian. Here is the discussion about few dog health questions.
How deal with constipation of a puppy?
It is the normal behavior of the puppy not going to the toilet for couple of days as he/she will be nervous when they have moved in to a new place. If the puppy is drinking and eating normally, there is no need for tension. The pet owner can wait for another twenty four hours. In the mean time, make the pup walk for some time. Try to give natural laxative like banana. Also make sure that you are giving the same food that the breeder was giving. Even after all these, constipation persists, and then takes the dog to the veterinarian to find out the cause and get the animal relieved from constipation.
What should I do incase my dog is constantly licking his rectum area?
The dog licking at the rectum area indicates that there is some problem with the anal gland. Anal gland infections are very common in pet animals especially dogs. Impaction of the anal gland is possible if the stool is soft or if the gland is overactive. The pet owner must understand that some dogs needs expression of the anal sacs while some other dogs do not require that in their life time. Excessive licking in the rectal area is the indication that the dog requires anal sac expression. Bad smell and disturbance in the bowel movements are the other indications that inform us that the dog require anal sac expression.
Do the dogs really need exercise?
The dogs do require exercise for healthy life. The duration of the time required for exercise varies from breed to breed. In general the younger dogs can manage exercise better than the older dogs as they will fitter and healthier than the older ones. Besides the heart problems and other health problems will be much less in younger dog. But the point to be noted here is that the younger dogs will damage their joints and ligaments if the exercise is excessive and wrong. The pet owner must feed the dog extra when they are under exercise regime. These dogs will need extra salt as the same will be lost more during workouts.
The list of dog health questions is ever burgeoning one, for more information it is better to get in touch with the veterinarian.
To learn more about dog health sickness problem, visit our resources on how Dog's eye care health and see puppy health problems. AboutDogHealth.org is a comprehensive resource for dog lovers to identify symptoms, prevention and treatment options for dog health problems.
How deal with constipation of a puppy?
It is the normal behavior of the puppy not going to the toilet for couple of days as he/she will be nervous when they have moved in to a new place. If the puppy is drinking and eating normally, there is no need for tension. The pet owner can wait for another twenty four hours. In the mean time, make the pup walk for some time. Try to give natural laxative like banana. Also make sure that you are giving the same food that the breeder was giving. Even after all these, constipation persists, and then takes the dog to the veterinarian to find out the cause and get the animal relieved from constipation.
What should I do incase my dog is constantly licking his rectum area?
The dog licking at the rectum area indicates that there is some problem with the anal gland. Anal gland infections are very common in pet animals especially dogs. Impaction of the anal gland is possible if the stool is soft or if the gland is overactive. The pet owner must understand that some dogs needs expression of the anal sacs while some other dogs do not require that in their life time. Excessive licking in the rectal area is the indication that the dog requires anal sac expression. Bad smell and disturbance in the bowel movements are the other indications that inform us that the dog require anal sac expression.
Do the dogs really need exercise?
The dogs do require exercise for healthy life. The duration of the time required for exercise varies from breed to breed. In general the younger dogs can manage exercise better than the older dogs as they will fitter and healthier than the older ones. Besides the heart problems and other health problems will be much less in younger dog. But the point to be noted here is that the younger dogs will damage their joints and ligaments if the exercise is excessive and wrong. The pet owner must feed the dog extra when they are under exercise regime. These dogs will need extra salt as the same will be lost more during workouts.
The list of dog health questions is ever burgeoning one, for more information it is better to get in touch with the veterinarian.
To learn more about dog health sickness problem, visit our resources on how Dog's eye care health and see puppy health problems. AboutDogHealth.org is a comprehensive resource for dog lovers to identify symptoms, prevention and treatment options for dog health problems.
Monday
7 Secrets To A Healthy Pet Food
The ongoing saga over dog food is due to the current dog health problems we are experiencing. Almost daily I get questions related to dog health and dog health problems. The root cause is the food that they eat. You don't need to be a food scientist to know that if you feed junk you will get problems. I came across the article below which answers some of your dog health problem questions with reference to the dog food that you buy in the shop.
I never feed commercial food to my dogs, I just love them too much. It's like giving your kids quick TV dinners every day instead of proper healthy food. Read it and be amazed at what the manufacturers are getting away with...
The on-going pet food recall has pet owners shaking in their boots! What food is safe for my pet? What food is REALLY healthy? Keep reading to learn seven valuable secrets to finding the absolute best food for your dog or cat.
Secret #1… All pet foods use descriptive words like choice and premium, though few of them actually use premium or choice ingredients. The ‘secret' is per the rules of the pet food industry, no pet food can make any references on their label or advertising as to quality or grade of ingredients. When related to pet food, the word 'premium' or 'choice' DOES NOT imply that the ingredients in the food are premium or choice. With pet foods, premium does not (can not) describe the food nor does it (can it) describe the quality of the food. It is a marketing term and that is all. Per the industries own rules regulations, "There are no references to ingredient quality or grade" (regulation PF5 d 3). So, words like premium, or choice, or quality are just marketing or sales terms, don't use them to influence your buying decisions.
Secret #2… If I can compare ‘people' food to pet food for just a second, we all know there are different qualities of people food. There is White Castle (I love 'em!) and there is Outback Steak House (another favorite). Both restaurants serve meat and potatoes. At White Castle for under $3.00 you get a couple of hamburgers and fries. While at Outback you can get a steak and baked potato for around $16.00. Both serve beef and potato - yet you already realize that there are huge nutritional differences between a fast food hamburger and a steak…right?
The problem in the pet food industry – is that most pet owners don't think in the same terms when it comes to pet food. They don't think in terms that there are fast food types of pet foods and there are sit down restaurant more nutritious types of pet foods. Now, imagine your pet eating this fast food type of food its' entire lifetime.
OK, so back to our two meals…if a chemical analysis of your meal at White Castle was compared to a chemical analysis of your meal at Outback – both would analyze with a percentage of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. The choice cut of steak at Outback and the hamburger from White Castle both analyze as protein. The analysis doesn't measure quality of protein.
So here is the secret…All pet foods come with a Guaranteed Analysis stating the percentage of protein, fat, fiber and moisture in the food. The REAL secret lies in the quality of the percentages of protein, fat, and so on.
In a chemical analysis of a pet food – chicken feet would analyze as protein, although granted it provides very little nutrition. And as well, a cow that was euthanized (put to sleep) because of a disease that made it unfit for human consumption – would analyze as protein although that could be considered dangerous for consumption. Both of those things – chicken feet and a euthanized cow – are allowable ingredients and commonly used in pet food. You see the secret within the pet food industry is manufacturers have a WIDE OPEN door to where they obtain their ingredients. The only strict rule they must follow is an adult dog food must analyze with 18% protein and an adult cat food must analyze with 26% protein. Sources to acquire those particular percentages range from a ‘human grade' meat, to chicken feet, to euthanized animals, to grain proteins, to even man made chemical proteins and many variations in between.
So how can you know if your pet's food uses chicken feet or euthanized cows or if it contains human grade ingredients?
Secret #3… This big secret is found in ingredient definitions. All ‘people' food must meet particular USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) guidelines. The same is not true for pet food. Chicken feet and euthanized cows are NOT allowed in people food for obvious reasons – they have no nutritional value or they could be dangerous to consume. The same is NOT true for pet food. The only way to know if those chicken feet or euthanized cows are in your pet's food is to know what ingredients they can be used in.
The common pet food ingredient ‘Meat and Bone Meal' is basically a combination of many different discarded left-overs from the human food industry. Components of ‘meat and bone meal' can be anything from cow heads, stomachs, and intestines, to (horrifying but true) euthanized animals including cows, horses and dogs and cats. ‘Meat and bone meal' can also contain left-over restaurant grease, and diseased (including cancerous) meat tissues cut away from slaughtered animals. In other words, this commonly used ingredient is a mix of highly inferior and potentially dangerous left-overs from the human food industry.
The pet food ingredient ‘Meat By-Product' or ‘Meat By-Product Meal' is pretty much the same thing as ‘meat and bone meal'. Another similar ingredient to the above is ‘Animal Digest'.
As to the chicken feet I mentioned earlier – this item can be found in the ingredients ‘Chicken By-Product' or ‘Poultry By-Product' or ‘Chicken By-Product Meal' or ‘Poultry By-Product Meal'. Any left-overs in the chicken or poultry division – including but not limited to chicken feet, skin including some feathers, chicken or poultry heads, and intestines are found in these ingredients. BEFORE you purchase any pet food, flip the bag over and closely examine the list of ingredients. The above mentioned ingredients would be listed within the first five or ten ingredients. If you see ANY of those ingredients – it is my suggestion to NOT purchase that food. Remember – chicken feet and euthanized animals do analyze as protein. That is all that is required in pet food – just the correct analysis.
Secret #4… A very well kept secret of the pet food industry is the common use of chemical preservatives. BHA/BHT are very popular chemical preservatives used in pet food and science has linked them to tumors and cancer. Another common preservative is ethoxyquin which has known risks to cancer. You want a pet food that is preserved naturally – common natural preservatives are ‘natural mixed tocopherols' or ‘vitamin E'.
Secret #5… The very best food to provide to your pet is a well made food using human grade ingredients. That should be simple enough…How do you find that? Pet food manufacturers that are APHIS European certified assures you that ALL ingredients in their pet food are human grade. APHIS – Animal Plant Health Inspection Services – is a division of the USDA. APHIS European certification provides this pet food manufacturer with the opportunity to ship their foods/treats to Europe. When importing pet foods from the US, European countries demand that all ingredients are human grade and thus require this certification. Most pet food manufacturers that have APHIS European certification do not ship their products to Europe – they simply use this as a means to assure their customers to the higher quality of their ingredients.
Again, you WON'T see this listed on the label – it's not allowed. You must call the manufacturer and ask.
Secret #6… Minerals are a required ingredient in human diets as well as diets for our pets. Copper, Iron and Zinc are common minerals found in pet foods. Just as they are – copper, iron, and zinc are basically rocks, very difficult for anyone or any pet to utilize. Science has developed several ways to introduce minerals into the body (human and pet) for better absorption thus benefiting the individual far more. This scientific development is called chelating or proteinating and it's been around for years. Through the chelating or proteinating process minerals are absorbed about 60% better than just the minerals alone.
This secret is spotting the minerals in your pet food to see if they are chelated or proteinated. Notice the minerals on your pet food label, way down on the list of ingredients. You are looking for minerals that read ‘copper proteinate' or ‘chelated copper'.
Secret #7… This secret is called ‘friendly bacteria'. Although ‘friendly bacteria' sounds a little scary, the reason for it lies in your pets' intestinal system. A large portion of your pets' immune system is found within the intestinal system, thus keeping the intestines working properly keeps the immune system working properly. Looking at the fine print on your pet food label, this time you are looking for lengthy, scientific words like Lactobacillus Acidophilus or Bifidobacterium Thermophilum. If you do NOT see these words or some very similar, that pet food is not addressing the care of your pets' immune system.
Best wishes to you and your pet!
To learn more visit http://www.TruthAboutPetFood.com
I never feed commercial food to my dogs, I just love them too much. It's like giving your kids quick TV dinners every day instead of proper healthy food. Read it and be amazed at what the manufacturers are getting away with...
The on-going pet food recall has pet owners shaking in their boots! What food is safe for my pet? What food is REALLY healthy? Keep reading to learn seven valuable secrets to finding the absolute best food for your dog or cat.
Secret #1… All pet foods use descriptive words like choice and premium, though few of them actually use premium or choice ingredients. The ‘secret' is per the rules of the pet food industry, no pet food can make any references on their label or advertising as to quality or grade of ingredients. When related to pet food, the word 'premium' or 'choice' DOES NOT imply that the ingredients in the food are premium or choice. With pet foods, premium does not (can not) describe the food nor does it (can it) describe the quality of the food. It is a marketing term and that is all. Per the industries own rules regulations, "There are no references to ingredient quality or grade" (regulation PF5 d 3). So, words like premium, or choice, or quality are just marketing or sales terms, don't use them to influence your buying decisions.
Secret #2… If I can compare ‘people' food to pet food for just a second, we all know there are different qualities of people food. There is White Castle (I love 'em!) and there is Outback Steak House (another favorite). Both restaurants serve meat and potatoes. At White Castle for under $3.00 you get a couple of hamburgers and fries. While at Outback you can get a steak and baked potato for around $16.00. Both serve beef and potato - yet you already realize that there are huge nutritional differences between a fast food hamburger and a steak…right?
The problem in the pet food industry – is that most pet owners don't think in the same terms when it comes to pet food. They don't think in terms that there are fast food types of pet foods and there are sit down restaurant more nutritious types of pet foods. Now, imagine your pet eating this fast food type of food its' entire lifetime.
OK, so back to our two meals…if a chemical analysis of your meal at White Castle was compared to a chemical analysis of your meal at Outback – both would analyze with a percentage of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. The choice cut of steak at Outback and the hamburger from White Castle both analyze as protein. The analysis doesn't measure quality of protein.
So here is the secret…All pet foods come with a Guaranteed Analysis stating the percentage of protein, fat, fiber and moisture in the food. The REAL secret lies in the quality of the percentages of protein, fat, and so on.
In a chemical analysis of a pet food – chicken feet would analyze as protein, although granted it provides very little nutrition. And as well, a cow that was euthanized (put to sleep) because of a disease that made it unfit for human consumption – would analyze as protein although that could be considered dangerous for consumption. Both of those things – chicken feet and a euthanized cow – are allowable ingredients and commonly used in pet food. You see the secret within the pet food industry is manufacturers have a WIDE OPEN door to where they obtain their ingredients. The only strict rule they must follow is an adult dog food must analyze with 18% protein and an adult cat food must analyze with 26% protein. Sources to acquire those particular percentages range from a ‘human grade' meat, to chicken feet, to euthanized animals, to grain proteins, to even man made chemical proteins and many variations in between.
So how can you know if your pet's food uses chicken feet or euthanized cows or if it contains human grade ingredients?
Secret #3… This big secret is found in ingredient definitions. All ‘people' food must meet particular USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) guidelines. The same is not true for pet food. Chicken feet and euthanized cows are NOT allowed in people food for obvious reasons – they have no nutritional value or they could be dangerous to consume. The same is NOT true for pet food. The only way to know if those chicken feet or euthanized cows are in your pet's food is to know what ingredients they can be used in.
The common pet food ingredient ‘Meat and Bone Meal' is basically a combination of many different discarded left-overs from the human food industry. Components of ‘meat and bone meal' can be anything from cow heads, stomachs, and intestines, to (horrifying but true) euthanized animals including cows, horses and dogs and cats. ‘Meat and bone meal' can also contain left-over restaurant grease, and diseased (including cancerous) meat tissues cut away from slaughtered animals. In other words, this commonly used ingredient is a mix of highly inferior and potentially dangerous left-overs from the human food industry.
The pet food ingredient ‘Meat By-Product' or ‘Meat By-Product Meal' is pretty much the same thing as ‘meat and bone meal'. Another similar ingredient to the above is ‘Animal Digest'.
As to the chicken feet I mentioned earlier – this item can be found in the ingredients ‘Chicken By-Product' or ‘Poultry By-Product' or ‘Chicken By-Product Meal' or ‘Poultry By-Product Meal'. Any left-overs in the chicken or poultry division – including but not limited to chicken feet, skin including some feathers, chicken or poultry heads, and intestines are found in these ingredients. BEFORE you purchase any pet food, flip the bag over and closely examine the list of ingredients. The above mentioned ingredients would be listed within the first five or ten ingredients. If you see ANY of those ingredients – it is my suggestion to NOT purchase that food. Remember – chicken feet and euthanized animals do analyze as protein. That is all that is required in pet food – just the correct analysis.
Secret #4… A very well kept secret of the pet food industry is the common use of chemical preservatives. BHA/BHT are very popular chemical preservatives used in pet food and science has linked them to tumors and cancer. Another common preservative is ethoxyquin which has known risks to cancer. You want a pet food that is preserved naturally – common natural preservatives are ‘natural mixed tocopherols' or ‘vitamin E'.
Secret #5… The very best food to provide to your pet is a well made food using human grade ingredients. That should be simple enough…How do you find that? Pet food manufacturers that are APHIS European certified assures you that ALL ingredients in their pet food are human grade. APHIS – Animal Plant Health Inspection Services – is a division of the USDA. APHIS European certification provides this pet food manufacturer with the opportunity to ship their foods/treats to Europe. When importing pet foods from the US, European countries demand that all ingredients are human grade and thus require this certification. Most pet food manufacturers that have APHIS European certification do not ship their products to Europe – they simply use this as a means to assure their customers to the higher quality of their ingredients.
Again, you WON'T see this listed on the label – it's not allowed. You must call the manufacturer and ask.
Secret #6… Minerals are a required ingredient in human diets as well as diets for our pets. Copper, Iron and Zinc are common minerals found in pet foods. Just as they are – copper, iron, and zinc are basically rocks, very difficult for anyone or any pet to utilize. Science has developed several ways to introduce minerals into the body (human and pet) for better absorption thus benefiting the individual far more. This scientific development is called chelating or proteinating and it's been around for years. Through the chelating or proteinating process minerals are absorbed about 60% better than just the minerals alone.
This secret is spotting the minerals in your pet food to see if they are chelated or proteinated. Notice the minerals on your pet food label, way down on the list of ingredients. You are looking for minerals that read ‘copper proteinate' or ‘chelated copper'.
Secret #7… This secret is called ‘friendly bacteria'. Although ‘friendly bacteria' sounds a little scary, the reason for it lies in your pets' intestinal system. A large portion of your pets' immune system is found within the intestinal system, thus keeping the intestines working properly keeps the immune system working properly. Looking at the fine print on your pet food label, this time you are looking for lengthy, scientific words like Lactobacillus Acidophilus or Bifidobacterium Thermophilum. If you do NOT see these words or some very similar, that pet food is not addressing the care of your pets' immune system.
Best wishes to you and your pet!
To learn more visit http://www.TruthAboutPetFood.com
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