Puppies Dogs Canines

Many animals have a difficult time adjusting to a new home. A new dog may have an easier time transitioning if you use a dog crate. Crates help because they give your dog a safe place to go when everything around them is new. They also make house training your dog much easier. To have the best experience with a dog crate you need to buy the right kind. Since they come in many sizes you will need to find one that fits your dog. 
 
The crate should be large enough to accommodate growth for a puppy. Don’t get a crate with too much extra room or the dog may make a small part of the crate to use as a bathroom. Your dog will like the crate better if you add certain items to make it more comfortable. One important part of this is to add a soft dog crate bed. This helps to turn the crate into a special and safe place where your dog can snooze. 
 
A regular dog crate bed will suit most dogs just fine. You many need orthopedic dog crate beds if you have an older dog. Older dogs should not be left in the crate for too long as it can make their muscles cramp. You should make sure that your older dog comes out of the crate every few hours or so to walk around and stretch his legs. A great addition to your dog crate is some nice squeeze toys. Place a couple of toys in at a time and rotate them to keep your dog from becoming bored. Some people find that they like to keep the dog’s food and water dishes next to the crate. Once the dog is fully house trained you can take off the door and give your dog freedom to enter and exit the crate whenever he wishes.

The correct coat for your dog to wear will be determined by its age, breed, and size. Small dogs tend to quickly lose body heat, especially short haired breeds. You will need to give smaller dogs or those with short hair some type of protection when going for a walk on a cold day.
 
 While a coat will not be a necessity for a larger breed dog it may still appreciate the extra warmth that it offers. Approach buying a dog rain coat for your dog much like you would making a purchase for yourself. Look for one that is warm and well made. Dogs who live in cold climates will need a lining made from either fleece or wool. The coat should cover enough of your dog so that your dog is protected.
 
 Make sure that the dog coat is loose enough around the neck to be comfortable. There is a large price range when it comes to dog raincoats. While some cost as little as $20 others can cost several hundred dollars. Additional cost does not always mean that the coat is of higher quality so be sure to carefully inspect it. High quality materials will make a raincoat cost more, but so will designer labels.
 
 The protection of a dog raincoat is especially important for a small dog. A dog which is wet and chilled will usually be very unhappy. A dog with a chill can take a while to warm up. You will want to invest in a high quality dog rain jacket if you have a small dog and live in an area where it rains frequently.
 
 There is a wide array of dog raincoats from which to choose. A great addition to a dog raincoat is a matching hat for wearing in the rain. They are more than just an adorable accessory they will prevent body heat from leaving through your dog’s heat. It is a great way to help your dog retain body heat when the weather turns cold.

In order that your dog grows properly and remains healthy, he needs access to certain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. They provide him with energy and help support his metabolism. They also help his body repair itself when his muscles are stressed or inflammation occurs. In effect, nutrients are the building blocks of your canine’s overall health.

The good news is that most of them can be found in high-quality dog foods that you can buy at nearly any pet supply store. There’s no need to prepare special meals, despite what many owners believe. Below, I’ll provide an overview of the most important nutrients that your pooch requires in order to stay healthy.  Proteins

Amino acids are a component of proteins. Some of them are produced within your dog’s body, but most of them must be acquired by eating meat and plant products. They’re important for turning food into a source of energy; if your canine is active, he should have a regular supply. Chicken, turkey, fish, and many types of vegetables are great sources of protein.

Carbohydrates And Fiber

Carbohydrates - including fiber - are an important ingredient for the health of your dog’s tissues and intestinal tract. The key is fermentability. If it is too low, the fiber will not provide sufficient coverage of the intestines. On the other hand, if the fermentability is too high, the fiber can produce flatulence as well as mucus-related issues. Corn and soybeans are excellent sources of carbohydrates for your pooch.

Fats And Fatty Acids

Fats are the contributing factor to your dog being overweight. While it is true that fats can lead to excess weight gain in inactive dogs, they are also a potent source of energy (more so than proteins and carbohydrates). Also, fats are the element in your dogs processes to produce hormones.

Fatty acids are also considered important. They can help heal your pooch’s inflamed skin and protect him from dealing with a number of health issues (for example, inflammatory bowel disease).

Vitamins And Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are essential for your dog to absorb fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. They cannot be produced in sufficient amounts organically, so you must provide them in your canine’s diet. The key is to provide them in the proper amounts. An excess of vitamins can also lead to other health related problems. Plus, they need to be properly balanced with minerals to provide the most benefit. Commercial dog food is normally made with the proper ratios.

Water

Of course, water is one of the most important nutrients; every living organism needs it. These must be constantly available at all times for your dog. Even a small decrease in the percentage of water in his body can have long-lasting health impacts.

You’ll notice that each of the nutrients above is necessary for humans just as they are essential for dogs. Make sure your canine has access to them every day. As noted, you don’t need to prepare special meals for him. A high-grade commercial dog food will contain everything he needs except water. Keep you dog healthy and happy.

A puppy’s growth rate depends on what type of dog breed you have. You will find different puppy weight estimates with each breed. To find out how much your dog should be growing by the year or month you should check out information about your breed of dog.

You can check out many different websites that have information on your specific breed of dog and how much he or she should weigh. Many sites publish a puppy weight chart you can use as a general guide. The weight of the dog is all determined on the age and size of the dog. If you have a large breed dog, you might notice their weight and growth to be fast. They should be getting the right amount of weight by a certain age, because for one bigger dogs eat more.

Many sites will publish a separate chart for each dog breed, or you can ask your vet for a puppy growth rate guide. If you are at all unsure whether your puppy is a safe weight, simply pop into the vet’s office for a check-up. If anything is wrong, your vet will be able to advise you of the proper foods your puppy should be receiving, and in some cases recommend a diet food brand or issue a nutrition supplement for under-nourished puppies.

It’s a good idea to understand the breed of a dog before taking on the care of one. Larger breed dogs will usually put weight on more quickly than a smaller dog, and breeds which are particularly athletic may weigh more due to their muscularity. For instance, a hunting dog, such as an English Springer Spaniel won’t put on as much weight as an English mastiff, because Springer Spaniels are wiry/athletic where mastiffs are extremely large and less active. Each dog growth rate depends upon the ultimate size of the breed.

If you can’t seem to find any information on your dog’s growth rate, ask your vet if they would be willing to give you a guide for your pup’s first two years of growth, make a record of it, and keep it somewhere visible where you can check up often. A good place would be near your dog food storage area or on the refrigerator.

In todays news there is so much bad publicity when it comes to dogs, you wonder about how people are raising their animals. Recently though, there was a great story about a brave dog coming to the rescue of another. What kind of dog was it? A German Shepherd dog. Known for their superior traits the GSD is loved as a family dog and guard dog, this story stole the hearts of many who saw it.

The incident took place on the highways of New York City and show how the German Shepherd is truley a dog that lives up to its iconic past. An unfortunate but familiar situation unfolded. A German Shepherd dog was struck by a car and left injured and helpless. But to the supprise of many who witnessed the scene another German Shepherd approached the injured dog and began to stand guard over his injured friend. Snaping and barking at any who came near, he protected his fellow canine even holding off rescue personell for a short while. After things calmed down a bit, the injured dog was able to be reached and was taken to the vet for medical assistance.

This breed of dog possesses a unique instinct that has enabled them to become loyal companions and perform valiant acts of heroism for their owners, many of them treated like members of the family. There are many stories told of Shepherds jumping in water, pulling victims to safety and protecting their owners from attacks from thugs. But the most unique was the one in Argentina where a female saved a newborn child that was abandoned in a field by its 14 yr old mother, took it to its own litter of puppies and kept it warm until discovered by its owner. Another was in Florida where the canine chased a 200 lb bear that invaded their property up a tree.

When we became owners to a very unfriendly German Shepherd, I was a little skeptical at ever letting it near my children or myself. Each day I spoke gently to him whenever I went near his fenced area and especially so when I fed him. Finally the weather was so cold and he looked so pitiful out side that I decided to bring him inside the house. He cautiously stepped just inside the door and lay down beside it. No further. After a few nights spent there by the door, he ventured over to the fireplace when he came inside. I felt better and so each night we all said good night and left him by the dying embers. One night when we went upstairs, Fonzie (I know) went with us as far as the stairs and slept there. I gave it no thought when, another night or so, he slept on the landing where the stairs turned.  Nor did I give much thought to his move to the top of the stairs a few nights later, nor the move to outside my door. It was a few nights later when he scratched on my door and I let him inside and he promptly lay down beside my bed. It was then that I realized I’d been duped. Never under-estimate the intelligence of a German Shepherd and never let it go to waist. trained German Shepherd program|Learning how to train a German Shepherd] can mean the difference between a great dog and a disaster.

For expert advice on how to train my dog see our link.

As man’s best friend, and a member of your family, finding the right neck collar and flea and tick control collar for your dog should be a top priority.

It is important for all dog collars to be comfortable and fit properly.Your dogs collar should not be so tight as to cause coughing or restrict breathing. It is important to check the collar size frequently on growing puppies. It’s not simply a case of going to your local pet store and picking up the best looking collar. Today there are so many types you need to know what to look for and how to use it.  Traditional dog collars are available in a variety of materials, and are typically buckle-type collars, with a buckle similar to a belt buckle, or the quick-release type.  Fashion should be secondary after safety and convenience when it comes to the collar you place on your dog.

Do you keep a collar on your dog at all times? It is a good idea to keep a dog collar on your dog and only take it off when you give him or her a bath. You just never know what could happen, your dog could get out  and journey to far and get lost.

There is a far greater chance that your lost dog will be returned if he or she is wearing  a dog collar with a pet ID tag. A microchip is also a very good idea.

  A suitably fitted dog collar is used for control, identification, fashion, identification tags and medical information.A common alternative to a dog collar is a dog harness, best used with smaller breeds out in public or in car travel.  It’s imperative that a telephone number and address be on the ID tag and not the dog’s name. Having the pet’s name on the ID tag can give wrongdoers an advantage with your dog.

As a member of our family, we all try to keep our dogs  healthy and happy.  Using flea & tick collars as the best way to prevent flea and tick exposure when your dog  is in the out-of-doors.

There are various products available in the market to keep fleas and ticks away from your pets. You can also opt for collars that are available in many sizes, colors and patterns. These specially designed collars are made in such a way that fleas will not come close to your dogs. They also have the capacity to kill the germs that could cause Lyme disease. The best flea and tick collars are long lasting, but not all of them are. That would depend on the brand you buy. Most offer around eight months of protection, but some others may offer more or less.

The benefit of using a flea and tick collar is that it would entirely kill the fleas and ticks that exist on your pet’s body. In general when you use lotions and shampoos, the effects will only be short-lived. The eggs of these fleas would not die using just shampoos and lotions, but by using a flea and tick collar you can be sure that the cycle would be broken. This makes sure that your dogs are free from such insects. 

It is extremely important to read the ingredients carefully and check the chemicals for safety on flea and tick collars.  According to the Cancer Prevention Coalition (CPC), ingredients on selected flea collars are carcinogens, neurotoxins, or both.

 An effective and natural collar can be prepared using repellent essential oils. One way this can be done is by choosing an absorbent collar for your pet, such as the widely available heavy-duty woven nylon collars. The collar will captivate essential oils, and no additional collar is needed. Essential oils that wort off fleas and ticks include rosemary, citronella and rose geranium. Buy only 100 percent pure essential oils, and using an eyedropper, put just one or two drops on the collar. Each week repeat. Some animals are very sensitive to the strong smell of essential oils, so start with just one drop and increase to two if they seem to tolerate the smell. If ticks are the leading problem, use rose geranium; for fleas choose citronella if for a dog, but not for cats.

Your constant travel companion is your pet. You can go to a lot of places with your pet but he has to have to be ready and equipped for it. One of these tools is the pet ramp which any dog owner should not leave without. Why is that? You will find this tool useful when you have a small pet like a Chihuahua or a big one like a German shepherd every time he wants to climb up the bed, couch, or the bed or any elevated area. This will be your way of keeping them away from injuries.

Veterinarians advise their pet dogs to jump up or down from areas that will too much effort, especially for those that have small size and not too large built. Any pet that has long spine and short legs are susceptible to joint and spine injuries when they are made to jump from heights. It even becomes more dangerous to the heavy-set pets. That’s the reason why a pet ramp is a required tool to keep your pet protected from injury.

Some dog stairs are intended for domesticated pets. Most of the pet ramps sold in the market have fixed structures that are intended only for certain heights. When you are constantly traveling with your pet, you better choose the multipurpose and expandable type that you can use for any height. Remember that pet ramps are necessary for aging, arthritic, and injured pets.

Some ramps are cushioned or foam covered and they are best suited for your pet cats at home. Feline pets like to watch out your apartment window or curl up with you on the couch. A lightweight and portable pet ramp is just what you need which will allow you to move it from one place to another. You have to choose a pet ramp that has thick cover and cushion to avoid scratching the furniture.
Several varieties of pet ramps are made up of plastic or aluminum and some of them are either folding or telescoping. Some of these lightweight ramps can be easily stored and used as half ramps for your pets when they go swimming in the pool. These ramps are made of high quality material that can hold enough weight for pets up to 200 lbs heavy. Pet ramps are meant to save lives of pets if they accidentally fell off the pool.

No matter what ramp you choose make sure that both edges are steadily attached which will prevent movement or slippage that are major causes of injuries. Sometimes you need to support it with your foot for your pet to be able to cross the ramp. There may be times when nonskid pads should be used for vinyl and tiled floors.

Because of a pet ramp’s significant use, it helps to train your pet in using it while he is still young and highly trainable.

I’m sure most of you have suffered through the puppy phase where they will basically chew on anything that they can get their mouth around. Of course there are the typical favorites like shoes and the legs of kitchen stairs. Our Australian Shepherd, Mittsy wasn’t much different in the early days. This chewing phase lasted about 8 months.

Even after the teething phase wore off, she would always find something new to chew on. We were only able to control what she had available to her by using pet gates to limit her access.

I have to believe that Mittsy’s stomach was stronger than most dogs, because many of the things that she wolfed down are considered very dangerous to the health of a dog.

One example of this was about a week or so after the Easter holiday. One of my daughters had left her chocolate Easter egg stash on the floor in her room. Mittsy devoured I’m guessing about a pound or more of chocolate Easter eggs, wrappers and all.

Oh yes, she would be ill the next day, but she would shake that off in no time and be back on the hunt soon after. I guess the short lived stomach pains were worth the taste treat.

Mittsy’s next favorite food was lipstick, the redder the better. Mittsy had mostly black fur, except for around her paws and face. Needless to say, it was real easy to spot when she had found a lipstick tube to chew on. Our daughters never seemed to learn, as they would always leave their lipstick somewhere that was easy access for Mittsy.

I don’t know how many times we had to try to remove red lipstick from our beige carpets. It would often take more than a few passes of the carpet cleaner to get it all out. The question for my wife and I was whether we should be trying to train Mittsy or our kids about the issues with lipstick and chocolate. Of course there is always the handy pet gate.

Mittsy’s crowning  moment was yet to come.

Our family was invited to spend a week-end at a friend’s cottage one year, dog included. This cottage was fairly remote and had several acres of bush land around it, so it was a very special outing for all of us. Fortunately for Mittsy there would be other dogs there to play with.

The majority of this infamous weekend was absolutely fabulous. Unfortunately, on the day we were to leave for home, Mittsy decided that she would need lots of food to tide her over on the four hour trip home. She searched high and low looking for any kind of eats she could find.

The first course was a rare find for Mittsy, a full French loaf. The tradition for the weekend was always to have the departing meal to be an Italian feast. One of the families had brought the french loaf and had left it sitting on their bedroom night table. Unfortunately Mittsy was now ready for the entree.

We had been out playing around and in the water, and I was sent to find a frisbee that was in the cottage. Unfortunately I found more than just the frisbee. Out the back window of the cottage, my eye caught some movement. There was Mittsy filling herself on the gourmet treasures in the cottage compost heap.

Not long after pulling Mittsy away from her feast, she became very ill. Go figure!!! Soon she was unable to lift her head off of the ground where she lay. Each breath she took came out as steam even though it was 90 degrees outside that day.

This cottage was in the middle of nowhere, so we would need to travel for four hours to get to the nearest vet. We decided to make a run for it and so said our goodbyes and jumped in the car. My wife drove and I sat with a blanket on my lap and Mittsy laying on the blanket.

She was sick at least a half dozen times before we got home. It was the most unpleasant trip our family has ever experienced.

When we arrived home everyone was feeling ill, except for Mittsy. Somehow the events of the trip home had been enough for her to gain the upper hand. When the car door opened, Mittsy jumped out and wanted everyone to chase her around the yard.

We kept her water bowl filled with fresh water, and watched her closely, but there were no obvious health related danger signs. Mittsy would look us in the eye with what seemed like a smile on her face. I’m sure if she could talk she would have said something like “ I told you I could eat anything”. All we could do was to marvel at the dog with the cast iron stomach.

At around three weeks old, your puppy is readily able to adapt to new situations and because they are one of the smartest creatures by nature, potty training puppies will not be too difficult for anyone.

When you're a new pet owner, you can make a choice about whether or not you want to confine your puppy. Crating is what many puppy parents prefer for accident prevention overnight night or when they have to leave their puppy for a period of time. However, some people would want to train their puppy to become more responsible by giving the dog access to everything but with limitations and restrictions. This may sound a little harder than the other considering their playful behavior and uncontrollable urges, but if you choose to apply this, here are the tips you may consider:

You may get your puppy to learn to do its business indoors or outdoors on news papers. Nevertheless, whichever method you choose, you have to be very consistent. You may also apply paper training for a short time or until your puppy is learning to go potty to the acceptable areas outside or inside the house, but you must teach him/her step-by-step until he finally masters his potty routines.

It doesn't matter whether it's inside or outside, you must designate a spot for your pups potty time. Get your puppy to sniff that spot and wait until it finally relieved itself and take the puppy to the same spot each time. The scent that remained will help stimulate him/her to use the spot again the next time he needs to eliminate.

With young puppies, you must carry them or take them out on a leash to the designated location within 20 minutes or right after each meal, play session, and rest time. Scheduling is the key factor for effective house training of a puppy so again, you have to be consistent. Make sure you use the same routine each and every day but don't forget to watch for the clues that your puppy needs to do its business.

During each and every potty break, give your puppy a command such as "go potty" or "go pee" to establish an association between the command phrase and the dog's potty break. Repeat it quietly as many times necessary until your puppy gets familiar with it. By doing this, it will be easy for your puppy to understand and follow the same command when its given next time.

When potty training puppies, you can expect that there would always be mistakes and accidents. Puppies are just like babies because they can hardly tell if they need to go or not. So you better watch out for the warning signs like sniffing or squatting then immediately distract them by stamping your foot or clapping your hands while leading them away from the restricted zone.

Finally, it's a good idea to praise your puppy with an encouraging phrases such "good puppy" or "good job" when it does its business in the right spot. Allow your puppy to know you are delighted by giving it some small reward such as allowing it to play inside. As soon as he becomes more dependable and responsible, you can allow him to move freely inside the house.

It’s true.Oh dear. Your best friend stinks.Your dog? Still your favorite friend.  Loyal.  Uncomplicated.  Dedicated.Completely True.  Undemanding (well, most of the time!).  (Question)  What more could a friend want from another?Here is the answer…A fragrant dog-friend.

How did this dilemma come to pass.  Once upon a time, man’s best friend was also a hunter-friend, a fetching-food-friend, a needed asset to carry small loads to and fro.Almost everyone smelt bad, so one more smelly dog was not even noticed.  Fast forward to today, and a dog’s life is so different as to be ludicrous.The owner brings food to the dog nowadays.  may carry dog-friend to the store as good company, may play ball with dog-friend.The major difference between then and now is…the owner takes baths regularly!Except for a good swim…dogs don’t generally like a bath.In fact , your best freind may immediately find a very smelly place to roll around in.  But, the dog who sleeps in MY bed can’t smell like a goat. 

So, what is the owner to do and why?  Is it important to a dog’s health to be fragrance-free?  The answer is YES!  Dirt, especially smelly dirt is associated with bacteria, germs, viruses, insects, and the list goes on and on.When brought into the home, these same germs, bacteria and viruses contaminate furniture, clothing, carpets and other household items.  In homes where elderly people reside, where children live, where adults may be allergy prone, it is very important to not only keep these contaminants our of the living environment, but also off the poor pup.

That answers the why part of the question above.  Now, let’s examine the how.

You can obtain a product called Nok-Out that gives new meaning the the smelly life of the dog.  It will eliminate all odors in carpet, floors, upholstered furniture, beds, cars, clothing, kennels, and most importantly, on the dog’s coat.The subject is Nok-Out.Nok-Out really does destroy odors, germs, bacteria, viruses, even mold and mildew on contact, and is completely harmless to you, your personal things, and most important of all, to your dog!  Nok-Out can be applied to any hard or porous surface simply by spraying, wiping, sponging, or mopping.Spray Nok-Out on your dog’s coat, dip him, soak him, or just spray it on him.Nok-Out is EPA Registered to kill all pathogens of importance in your environment. It will not harm you, your pets, or your family.

Try it today!  You are sure to get relief from dog-smells in your home, in the car, anywhere you go with your best friend.