Want to learn more about having a perfectly trained, happy and healthy pooch? Check out this link good dog feeding

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are essential for keeping your dog's energy levels high. They also aid in the digestion process and supply glucose to the body cells. Rice, pasta, vegetables and cereals all contain good amounts of carbs, which help to balance out the predominantly meat-based meals that dogs generally tend to be fed.

Protein

Although it is ideal that dogs should be given diets that are designed according to their breed, size age and activity level, protein is a vital part of every dog's diet. Protein aids growth and helps to build strong muscles. It also gives your dog a healthy, shiny coat and strong nails. Good sources of protein are contained in whole meat, fish, eggs and dairy foods. Many commercial canned varieties of dog food also carry high amounts of protein.

Vitamins and Minerals

Dog food nutrition would not be complete without a proper balance of vitamins and minerals. These are essential for good eyesight and bone growth and they assist in the processing of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Vitamins and minerals enable nutrients from the food to reach the the vital organs and tissues in the body.

Feeding the pet with all natural home-made pet food can offer the same benefit or sometimes even more. Pets like humans also become highly vulnerable as a result of their nutritional choices. So the choice is yours what you want for your beloved pet click dog food secret review

Original Post: Dogs Advice

Ignorance Of Nutrition Food Is Harmful For Your Pet’s Health

A good dog food for your dog meets with a specific, high quality ingredient base that provides a high level of optimum nutrition for your pet. Dog food ingredients are selected based on their quality, and are human grade, meaning that they are also used for human consumption.

Usually a greater price tag goes along with the purchase of premium dog food as the cost to find, evaluate and test a high quality ingredient can be more expensive, and because of this, some dog food manufacturers substitute quality for quantity and opt for the cheap alternative.

They do this because they know that the uneducated public will, often times, opt to buy the cheaper alternative when given the choice. Also, it is more convenient to purchase your dog’s food as you are buying your own groceries.

When you select the best dry food for your dog, is it better to go with the chicken meal than the pure chicken?

Chicken meal is better because it is simply chicken that has been baked to remove bacteria and other toxins. Chicken is simply pure chicken.

What you might not know about chicken, is that it is made mostly of water. If a label on a bag of dog food says 60% whole chicken that is quite misleading as that does not take into account how much of that 60% of chicken is left after baking it to remove unwanted substances!

When you read the label on the bag of dog food and it says 60% of chicken meal, you are getting more of the chicken because the product has already been baked to remove unwanted affects such as bacteria.

Original Post: Dogs Advice

Do You Know What Is In Your Dog Food

It is a responsible dog owner’s job to select a balanced and nutritious dog food for your dog.

The simplest way to make a good determination on which dog food is best, read the label through and through. Don’t just glance at it, be sure to read each and every item.

The label on a bag of dog food will list the ingredients from greatest weight to least. This is important to know because you will learn what components are present in the food in their specific amounts.
- If the first ingredient is whole meat of any kind, don’t accept it as this measurement is taken before the meat is rendered.
- Animal by-products present in dog food indicate a cheap low quality alternative.
- Read the moisture level, if it is anything over 11, this indicates that the dry matter basis is of a low quality.

Things to look for:

- If Whole meat is not the first ingredient and Chicken or beef Meal is, this is good. This tells you that the amount of meat protein is a lot higher than it would be with whole meat as the listed first ingredient.
- Premier dog food don’t contain any animal by-product. This is good.
- Premier dog foods will usually contain less or equal to 10% moisture. This is ideal.

Chicken meal is simply chicken that has been baked to remove bacteria and other toxins. Chicken is simply pure chicken.

Chicken is made up mostly of water. If a label on a bag of dog food says 60% whole chicken that is quite misleading as that does not take into account how much of that 60% of chicken is left after baking it to remove unwanted substances! So beware!

When the label on the bag says 60% of chicken meal, you're getting more of the chicken because the product has already been baked to remove unwanted affects such as bacteria.

Dog food will come in so many different ways, shapes and sizes so being aware of what ingredients are used to provide your pet with proper nutrition is the only way to go.

Keep in mind that if your dog is not eating healthy, or if your choice of dog food does not carry the prescribed, needed ingredients, your dog will not be able to maintain proper health and can become sick.

A sick dog will not be playful, will be lethargic and will generally portray poor behavior. When a dog is receiving proper nutrition their coat is shiny and thick and they are happy.

You might feel happy about spending less on your dog, think you are getting a good deal but if it is not the proper nutrition, both your pet and you will pay for it in the end. Select the good, nutritious dog food and have a healthy, happy pet.

Get your FREE report "Keep Your Pet Healthy"

Original Post: Dogs Advice

Choosing The Right Dog Food

Most dog owners allow their pups to eat directly from the mother's bowl as soon as they are able to do so. This enables them to learn, by observation, how to eat. However, continuing this practice for more than a few days after the puppies begin to eat has several objectionable features.

First, the mother usually is not eating the same diet that her puppies should be eating. Second, the mother often resents her puppies eating from her bowl and will snarl and snap at them when they start to investigate or experiment with her food. Such behavior is hardly conducive to an atmosphere for teaching little puppies that the food pan is one of the best places to know. Finally, feeding containers for mothers are seldom fitting for tiny pups, and vice versa.

If the suckling puppy's diet has contained some solid food beginning three to four weeks after he was whelped, he will be weaned by six to seven weeks of age. If the pup has been orphaned and hand-fed, he will have to be trained by hand to eat solid foods. Similarly, if the pup is abruptly snatched from his mother at six or seven weeks of age and has had little or no solid food beforehand, he too will need to be taught to eat solid foods.

Teaching the young puppy to eat can be a very funny experience. To some dog owners, it may also seem like a time-wasting step in raising a dog. By individually hand-training each pup, however, you can ensure that no pup will fall behind nutritionally simply because he does not know how to eat food from a pan.

Infant puppies should get their first lesson in eating from a pan on an individual basis and without the distraction from littermates. Place the pup up to the pan of food and stick his muzzle in. Try not to get his nose in, if that's possible. Some puppies tend to splatter and fuss when milk hits them in the face for the first time! Repeat the dunking several times. Once the puppy gets the idea, let him have his own way to explore and experiment with the pan full of food. Some puppies get the hang of pan-feeding almost instantly. One lick of their tongues and they are after the milk mixture as if it was their first meal in a week.

After a few minutes, or before your patience runs out, pick the puppy up and wipe off the excess milk with a damp cloth. Dry the dampened hair and put the pup back with his litter mates. Then try another, until every pup in the litter has had a turn. Once you have succeeded in training one or two pups to become proficient eaters, it may help to put a slow learned pup up to the bowl with one of the good eaters. Puppies learn by example, and since an empty stomach is one of the greatest motivating forces known to them, the "see and do" method often does the job.

Read more about natural dog food, dog food treats and how to house train dog.

Original Post: Dogs Advice

Discover How to Take Care of of How to Wean Puppies

The best means of offering a pet dog healthy living is to hold him on a healthy diet. The foundation of sound health is nutritious food and when a dog is fed well, he keeps good health too. The best diet for a dog is very much like a diet that nutritionists advocate for us humans, consisting of a variety of fresh healthy foods rich in vitamins and minerals. This type of diet can work out wonderfully for your pet dog which would even make him live longer.

Dog Grooming Articles

begin feeding your dog with some natural and innovative food ingredients if you wish him to eat the best foods. Fresh foods have very little processing; the less processing, the healthier the food is because fewer nutrients such as vitamins and minerals are lost. Such diets can also include some home-made dog foods, some raw foods as well as foods which are dehydrated. Doctor Richard Pitcairn, a veterinary surgeon who has done extensive research in natural pet dog care, advocates feeding pets a healthy diet of homemade foods produced to the particular needs of the animals.

Dog Types

Raw food is becoming fashionable among pet owners and breeders and although there is a lot of controversy on the subject, many pet dog-owners are finding that the health benefits of the raw food diet. In fact such foods are helping the dog get rest from conditions like chronic allergies and several other debilitating ailments. The best part of this is that you no longer have to depend on Fido the raw bone fresh from the butcher store but can easily access several frozen raw foods from specialty shops which are nutritious and hygienic too. Raw foods are now made in freeze-dried form which means that the foods have undergone 'cold processing' and this ensures that some of the more essential components like enzymes, amino acids and probiotics stay untouched.

Another source of natural dog food is the dehydrated diet and this type of food is preserved by a process of low temperature drying out, just like those healthy soup mixes we buy at the health food store. Because the procedure is carried out at very low temperatures, the built-in enzymatic activity is temporarily kept on hold till the food is hydrated again. The dehydration action only loses about 3% to 5% of the nutrients as opposed to other processes such as canning and the making of kibble which may cause the food to lose of up to sixty percent of its nutritional value.

Homemade meals are another choice to a healthy diet but this isn't always easy since pet dogs need a special balance and proportion of meat versus vegetable products. Be glad to know that there are pre-mixes that take the guesswork out of making homemade dog food and all a pet owner needs to do is add some H2O and fresh meat to make a tasty treat for their four legged friend. A good meal is a pleasurable experience for humans and it should be the same for our animal companions. What is needed from us is a bit of care and concern to see whether the food served is fresh, whether there is adequate variety in his meals and whether we are providing the right kind of food, and if we do this, our best friends can live happily ever after.

Original Post: Dogs Advice

Dog Care

Remember, dogs are like children in that they look up to us for guidance, love, support, and their care that is needed. They do not have the ability to ask for the right foods for their little bodies so it is up to the owner to do what is best for them. A well balanced diet doesn't cost the owner as much as one may tend to think and it certainly gives many benefits to both the animal that gets the food and the owner who is buying it.
By spending a little bit of extra money upfront, you will save yourself thousands of dollars in vet bills. The lack of nutrition tends to lead to yeast infections in their ears, along with thyroid, kidney, and liver problems. And then there is also the hot spots and the itchy and flaky skin that can come about because the lack of proper Pomeranian nutrition. These problems, even if fixed with the help of a vet can continue to creep up again and again if the diet of the animal is not changed.

There are many dog foods available on the market that contain a lot of the nutrients that your Pomeranian needs. These nutrients are those that would normally be found in the breed's native environment that their ancestors roamed. These nutrients are best for your pet as they are not a foreign diet for their glandular and digestive systems. Every Pomeranian needs to have the right amount of fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals within their diet and your local vet can help point you in the direction of manufactured dog food that is best for your pup.
Another way to help save money but to make sure that your dog gets the proper Pomeranian nutrition is by making your own dog food at home. A lot of people tend to think that this is very time consuming and they can't be making dog food everyday. A lot of people also believe that by making food from scratch that it will actually end up costing more then just buying the more expensive brands at the store. But these thoughts and fears are wrong, as it is not only the cheapest way but also possibly the safest.

By making your own dog food you are able to control the environment where the food is made and with the health concerns over dog food contamination that has happened in the past, it is no wonder that people are starting to seek other options. There is not a lot of time needed either as most Pomeranian dog food recipes can be made a week in advance and only take a couple of hours. This little bit of extra effort may be all that is needed in keeping your Pomeranian safe and healthy.

Pomeranian care and nutrition are what stands in the mind as being one of the most important things for owners to learn about. Finding Pomeranian dog food recipes is as easy as doing a small search on the Internet or talking with your vet.

Original Post: Dogs Advice

Pomeranian Nutrition: Know What To Give

Why Is It Important?
Many dog owners believe that they can feed their dog whatever they like and their dog will not be hurt. But, the food that your dog eats is incredibly important – which is why the dog food health is so critical. The food that your dog eats is very important – because the food is the only thing that your dog has that goes into his body. When a person eats, they can eat a variety of foods and they can also take things like supplements in order to maintain their health. But, your dog only has the food that you feed him, and if that food is not enough to keep him healthy he will not be. Therefore, the dog food health is very important for you to think about.

First of all, you must check the ilist of ngredients in your dog food to determine the dog food health of it. The ingredients should be as much pure meat and vegetable as they can be. You want to avoid foods that have ingredients such as meat meal in them, because meat meal can mean any type of animal product, including hooves and feathers, and other parts that are not suitable for humans to eat. If you can avoid meat meal, and steer clear of as many preservatives and by-products as you possibly can, you will find that your dog's dog food health only goes up.

The ingredients are important, but you also have to look at the way that the food was processed and what this might mean for your dog's health. You want to make sure that the food was processed in such a way to create strong bonds between the various ingredients and that you won't have to worry about things like bacteria coming into the food making process.

Another important thing that you have to do for your pet is to make sure that it is properly housetrained.
house training dogs
Toilet training puppies
Potty training puppies
This task need not be an ordeal if you follow the advice in the articles.

Original Post: Dogs Advice

Let’s Look At Dog Food Health: Essential Dog Care Info

Below are two important dog feeding tips if you have two or more dogs:

Tip 1: Uneaten food should not be left around in their feeding bowl for more than 30 minutes. If you feed only one or two dogs, removing the uneaten food within 30 minutes should offer no problem. You should begin to pick up the food containers just as soon as you have completed feeding the last dog. Pick up the feeding containers in the same order that they were put down. Don't get in such a hurry to get them, however, that you forget to record each dog's feeding intake.

Tip 2: Dogs should have regular elimination times. Dogs that are kept in relatively close confinement should be taken out for eliminations immediately after feeding. This will establish a regular pattern. Such a pattern promotes regular eliminations, stimulates better digestion, and increases food utilization. Perhaps equally important from the multiple dog owner's viewpoint is the fact that a regular elimination time allows you to keep your dog well-trained to know when it is time to go, and without having accidents inside.

Original Post: Dogs Advice

2 Important Dog Feeding Tips If You Have Two Or More Dogs

Give your dog healthy diet, click here to get sation obesity in dogs

Feeding your dog requires your attention. For sure, you only want to give your pet the best possible care. Each breed of dog needs to follow a certain diet to keep them strong and healthy. And so you need to provide healthy dog food recipes for them. Here are good suggestions: 1. Sautéed Liver. Dogs love flavorful meals. Liver suits their taste buds well. Cut the liver into small pieces and sauté them in a teaspoon of corn oil. Fry the liver on each side until cooked but not dry. Serve accordingly. Then watch your dog savour the healthy dog food recipes you prepared. 2. Chicken Stew. Dogs may not like the taste of boiled chicken, but they also need it to stay healthy. When preparing chicken stew for dogs, make sure you carefully remove the bones and chop the meat coarsely. Add chicken liver and heart for better flavor. Don't put any salt. Dogs don't need salt. The ones naturally present in foods are sufficient. 3. Mackerel Treat. Do you know that dogs love fish too? No doubt that this, along with other healthy dog food recipes is good for cats as well. Fry one small mackerel in a teaspoon of corn oil. The mackerel is cooked when it flakes easily. Remove the bones. Add half a cup of hot water into the skillet where the mackerel is fried. Scrape the brown bits and add the juice to the meal.

Click here for more details healthy food for dog

The easiest place to find some good healthy homemade dog food recipes is online. There you'll find cookbooks and recipes of all types. Just go to one of the Internet search engines and type in "homemade dog food recipes" and you have more than enough sites to visit. But watch out because some recipes are not as nutritious as others. You may want to take any recipes you download to your local vet and get their recommendations before you start feeding it to your pet. If you're at all concerned about your dog's health, try switching to homemade food today.

Original Post: Dogs Advice

Information On Dog Food Ingredients

But how? After all it’s very easy to get lost in big pet store. There is a bewilderment of products available today. Ailse after aisle of products. It is very confusing and also time consuming. However,all we need to use is a little commonsense and good information regarding the breed and age of your dog.

Let’s divide the dogs into two categories – small & adult. It has long been established and proven that small dogs have a different metabolism as compared to large dogs, due to physiologic effect of their body mass. For instance a Great Dane weighing 100 pounds needs to consume about 23 calories per pound of body weight Pomeranian weighing 6 pounds needs to consume 47 calories per pound of body weight every day-more than twice as much!

As owner of a small dog, you need to be sure that your dog’s energy requirements are being met. Make sure you select a diet that's been formulated properly with optimal balance of highly digestible nutrients. Digestibility determines how much your dog can actually utilize each nutrient in its food.

Puppies need almost two or three times as much food as adult dogs per pound of weight. To keep up their energy levels, they have to be fed as often as three to four times till they are six months of age.

Just as with children, diet is an important element in raising your puppies. A dog’s dietneeds to be balanced, nutrient rich, should contain high levels of phosphorous and calcium and be highly digestible. It should also contain high-quality proteins and should adhere to Association of American Feed Control Officials' (AFFCO) procedures. This helps ensurea that the puppy develops strong bones, muscle and tissue.

Adult dogs need a combination of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and water in a balanced diet to meet their daily requirements. A lot of dog food bags claim they are in themselves complete food. However, this can end up as null if the nutrients cannot be absorbed by your dog’s system. Major companies take great care in this aspect by trying to provide the nutrients in an absorbable form.

Dog foods must also consist of mineral and vitamin supplements in a balanced form. The proportions should be accurate so that they do not interfere with each other in your dogs system. This helps to provide maximum benefit to your dog. If the food consists of one ingredient in overdose and the other in lower doses, it could have an adverse affect on your dogs health.

Below are some feeding tips:
1 - Always keep the food dish clean.
2 - Feed adult dogs twice a day to prevent hogging at one single meal and lessens the chance of your deep chested dog developing bloat or stomach torsion.
3 - The feeding schedule should be within a set windowframe so that your dog knows the meal time but will not bother you if you are just a little late.
4 - Keep your kids away from your dog while feeding, so that he does not get insecure and feel a need to defend his food.
5 - Never let your dog have free access to food, or they risk they have constant activity in their digestive systems.
6 - Make sure your dog sits and has his food, in which case there is less chance of food spilling all over the floor.

If you have just got a puppy then one of your first tasks will be to house or potty train it. Make sure you do it right by checking out these articles
Toilet training puppies
House training dogs
potty training dogs

Original Post: Dogs Advice

Essential Dog Food Advice

If one wants to find out all they can about dog food facts, then the internet can provide a wealth of information. One of the best sites on the net is dog-food-facts.com This website is perfect for finding what goes into dog food products and how they are made. A dog owner can also learn what types of human foods are good and bad for their animal. No matter what a person is looking for, with regard to educating themselves about dog foods, this site will provide a ton of knowledge that can only help a person be a better dog owner.

A search for dog food facts returns several other informative websites such as api4animals.org. This site can help a person to find out all they need to know about dog food ingredients and what each one means. The information on this site also goes into detail about how the dog foods are made. One can learn how dry dog food is processed and also learn that they should never mix dry food with wet food or other wet ingredients.

This is a practice that many dog owners do with their dog food, but this practice can make a dog extremely sick. Valuable information is available for a variety of dogs and the food that they need to stay healthy, many you will have heard of such as Wainwright Dog Food and others you probably won't have. You should also keep an eye open for recalled dog food info on a regular basis.

Thanks to the internet, a person can learn all they need to know about dog food facts. The above mentioned sites can keep a person well informed and educated about all aspects of production by the dog food companies. The key is to take the initiative to find out all one can about their animals food intake. Dogs are family members that many people cannot live without, and finding the best food possible can ensure that a healthy dog lives to enrich their owner's lives for years to come.

Original Post: Dogs Advice

Finding Dog Food Facts Through The Internet

Shaped Ginger Doggie Digestive Cookies

1/2 cup powdered milk
1 egg, well beaten
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp garlic salt, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 cup water
6 tablespoons gravy
Baby food meat

Mix all ingredients well. Roll out on a floured board about 1/2" thick. Cut out cookie shapes with floured cookie cutters. Bake the cookies at 350F for 25-30 minutes. Cool, leaving them in the oven to dry. Cookies should be hard. Store the cookies in an airtight container.

To grow your own canine herb garden for you Homemade Dog Treat Recipes, find a small sunny patch of earth near your kitchen door. Once the danger of frost has passed in early spring, plant the following seeds: parsley, rosemary, mint, chives, wheat (for cats), catnip, and maybe some spinach or Swiss chard. The following year you will almost certainly have volunteers and can replant whatever you need inexpensively. (Mint can be invasive so you may want to plant it in its own separate space.)

Original Post: Dogs Advice

Dog Treat Recipes

Learning about the ingredients that go into your dog’s food can certainly be enlightening. Good dog food contains ingredients we humans wouldn’t mind eating, while bad dog food includes things we wouldn’t feed to our worst enemies’ pet rat. Feeding your dog the most nutritious dog food is crucial for maintaining his or her health. The wrong food can cause problems as minor as allergic itching in the beginning, but can lead to heart, vision, and joint issues later in life. Below are guidelines you should follow when buying your furry best friend’s kibble. Don’t be blindsided by the fancy claims that cover the package. Read the dog food label with ingredients and specific percentages because this information is regulated by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, and they care more about the facts than selling you the food.

Know Your Percentages

A good diet for a dog consists of 40% meat, 50% vegetable, and 10% grain. A lot of cheap dog foods up the grain percentage because feed corn is so cheap. This is not healthy for your dog.

Read the Guaranteed Analysis

This will tell you how much protein, vitamins, and other nutrients are in your dog’s food. But in order to reach a correct percentage you must do a little math. If the dog food has 12% moisture then the dry consistency is 88%. So if the guaranteed analysis lists the protein at 24%, you actually have to divide this by 88. We come up with 27, which is the actual percentage of protein in the dog food.

Read the First Five Ingredients in the Food

This is where the whole experience can get a little scary. Finding out what exactly is in your dog’s food is not always a pleasant experience. Of the first five ingredients at least two should be animal protein, not including animal by-products. This can become quite a challenge when trying to buy food, especially at a grocery store where the selection is more limited. But these top five ingredients comprise the majority of what your dog is eating, and these ingredients really need to be quality products in order for you to maintain your dog's health.

Know What Grains are Good for your Dog

This really relates strongly to the above topic, because most cheap dog foods will list corn in their top five ingredients. Grains that are bad for your dog include corn, cornmeal, wheat, and soy. Because these are cheap grains, they often are added to dog food, but in reality your dog’s stomach finds these grains very hard to digest. Good grains include rolled oats, barley, quinoa, millet, and brown rice. If any of these are a major ingredient of your dog food then you most likely have a quality product for your furry friend.

Know What Ingredients to Avoid

Certain ingredients are extremely bad for your pup. Avoid the preservatives BHA and BHT like the plague. Also, if the words “mill-run” are on the ingredient list, run screaming for the door. Mill run is the product left over on the floor of food processing factories. Everything from wood shavings to peanut shells are included in this category. You wouldn’t feed that junk to someone you hated, let alone let a beloved pet eat it.

Check Your Dog’s Feces

Finally, follow your dog as he takes a potty break in the back yard. If his stool is bloody or contains mucus, then something is amiss in his digestive system. Low quality food can be the cause of this problem, and if so, it’s time to switch your friend to some better chow immediately.

Ultimately your dog relies on you to take good care of him and ensure he leads a long, happy, and healthy life. It’s a great responsibility, but the joys are endless.

Original Post: Dogs Advice

What Is Your Dog Eating?

Ingredients that are common in dog food can cause a reaction in any dog, and they do not have to be present from birth. Many dogs will develop dog food allergies later on in life. It may be chicken, beef, dairy, corn, wheat or another ingredient that triggers the allergic reaction but your dog will suffer all the same. If your dog is allergic to the protein in dog food then it may be necessary to come up with a different diet for them.

The first step to identifying Dog food allergies is to watch them closely when they are eating and notice any slight changes in behaviour or reaction. If they remain for a period of a few days then you should consult your vet for a diagnosis of the allergy and follow that up with a change of dog food. This is completely necessary because it prevents discomfort and unease in the future!

Original Post: Dogs Advice

What We Should Know About Dog Food Allergies

So what is 100% Complete and Balanced Nutrition?

This distinction has more to do with marketing than with nutritional value. It’s merely a representation of the percentage of protein, fat, fiber, and moisture in the Guaranteed Analysis, plus added vitamins and minerals.

100% Complete and Balanced Nutrition and Guaranteed Analysis does not qualify the nutritional value of pet food! To determine the true nutritional value you need to examine the ingredients used.

Price vs. Value

You should question the nutritional value of a 50 lb bag of pet food that sells for $18 at the local supermarket and even less at super stores. Can you really trust it to have 100% Complete and Balanced Nutrition as the bag claims?

If price is a fair representation of value, is it reasonable to expect price to increase with better value?

Unlike a Rolls Royce automobile or Cartier diamond, which command premium prices because of the prestige of who sells them, there is no pet food manufacturer who has achieved the prestige to command premium pricing. Therefore, you should expect higher prices and more nutritional value in better pet foods.

Grain Protein vs. Meat Protein

Cheaper pet food ingredients have grain-based proteins like corn, wheat and soy to satisfy the Guaranteed Analysis. Pet food manufacturers will argue that grain protein is just as nutritious as meat protein.

Although grains do provide nutrition, many pet experts agree grains are a poor quality source of protein. Some pet health experts believe grains like corn, wheat and soy, put undue stress on the digestive system resulting in illnesses that normally develop later in a pet’s life.

Cats and dogs are meat eaters. Their digestive systems are designed for meat, not grains. Consider this, on the TV program Animal Planet, have you ever seen the big cats or wolves… hunt, stalk and kill… corn, wheat, or soy fields.

People vary their diet and meals every day to satisfy their desire for what they want to eat. Pets are usually fed the same food every day. Knowing the true nutritional value of your pet’s food is critical because they have no option but to eat what you feed them.

A Common Sense Solution for Choosing Pet Food

As you learn more about pet food nutrition, it’s reasonable to expect you to be confused and overwhelmed with all the information that is available.

I believe using the common sense approach that… In the marketplace, value and price work harmoniously together. Thus, we can reasonably conclude a 20 lb bag of $18 pet food has more nutritional value than a 50 lb bag of $18 pet food.

Cheaper pet foods use the ingredients corn, wheat, soy, by-products, and meat and bone meal. These ingredients are very inexpensive and thus are of the poorest nutritional quality. Better foods use less of these ingredients and the best use none.

Cats and dogs deserve the best pet food nutrition possible!

Original Post: Dogs Advice

How Nutritious Is Your Pet Food?

Dog training is an Art not a science. Many trainers and facilities develop a training method. Dogs will always be dogs and humans will continually try to make their dog into a furry person. Dog Training is just as important as feeding and watering. That 5lb adorable, cute, huggable, kissable, loveable puppy, could turn into a 60lb nightmare if not shown the proper guidance.

dog training certification is a tremendously rewarding career. One should remember first of all that, for the most part, training is a "service" profession and that one is usually working with people who happen to have dogs. Dog training is more than just telling your dog to stop doing what he's doing, it is the process of teaching a dog to exhibit certain desired dog behaviour in specific circumstances. Proper dog training is not a "quick fix" - it is an ongoing, life-long process.

Dog training is not necessarily a difficult process but it is a process which requires a great deal of patience as well as the ability to interpret which types of training techniques are most effective for the particular dog you are training. There are a number of different methods which can be used to train a dog.

One of the main needs for dog training is aggression. Aggression related dog behaviour problems include biting, jumping, barking uncontrollably and not obeying commands. Once a dog ages from a puppy to an adult, it will become much harder to train. Aggression includes any behaviour that is meant to intimidate or harm another animal or person. Snarling, snapping, barking and growling are all examples of aggression.

Obedience training would have prevented many of these problems and can help solve the bad behaviours that exist. Many people think that obedience training is something that is done to a dog to make it perform some artificial activity on command. Obedience is a part of the social setting defined for your dog in your home. Changes in the setting and how the dog perceives his pack position brings about desired behaviour changes. Obedience is about you having a relationship with your dog and the dog responding to you. It doesn't matter if the dog trainer can train your dog; what matters is that the dog responds to you.

The process of training a dog is something we do with our dogs not to our dogs. You can find many dog training collars resources everywhere. Both you and your dog will enjoy the reward-based training methods you will learn together. Dog training is definitely not rocket science and is easier than you would expect particularly if you can get help from a good dog training book or guide. Perhaps the most important point with dog training is to keep a level head.

Believe it or not, dog training is supposed to be a fun process.

Dog training is vital to teach a dog what is acceptable and what is not. A dog that hasn't been given any instructions or limitations can't know what is to be expected of him. Both you and your dog will enjoy the reward-based training methods you will learn together.

Obedience is more than just commands - when taught correctly; it becomes the common language between you and your dog. It transforms your relationship from one of frustration, to one of harmony.

Have fun with your pet-friend!

Original Post: Dogs Advice

Resources About Dog Training

But, what is true is that animals that have been neutered and spayed will use less energy and therefore should need fewer calories in their diet. With that thought kept in mind, realize that all pets that have had this done should also see a small reduction in their calorie intake needs.

When you talk to your vet about this procedure, learn what your dog will need to have done afterwards. It is important to realize that pets will likely consume slightly less in terms of food naturally, but again that food needs to be based on a healthy diet.

Provide your dog with the nutrition that it needs but ensure that the calories are less after they have been neutered and spayed. This will help them to continue to burn off stored fat as well.

Every dog will have a diet that is the healthiest for them. That means that every type of dog will have a unique diet requirement, though.

You can find advice on the internet as well as through your dog's vet to help you to determine the best foods for them to eat, based on their weight, type and dietary needs. Most importantly, you will know they are getting a healthy diet of foods that will keep them healthier.

Most diets that are made of high quality foods specific to their dietary needs will not cost nearly as much as you think, and likely are about the same in costs as what you currently feed your dog.

Many dog foods are based on healthy, whole foods. Many are not. If you flip over the package of dog food, for example, what are the first words in the ingredient list? If you cannot say them, it is very likely that they are less than whole foods.

The ingredients at the top of the list have the largest percentage in the food packaging. With that thought in mind, realize that some will contain fillers, non natural foods and even chemicals.

Change your dog to a diet that is based on whole foods, keeping within their dietary restrictions. You will find that this allows your dog the best nutrition in their diet and takes out a lot of the fattening qualities of the food, too. Many dog owners find that this is the best way to keep a dog healthy: whole, natural foods.

You can buy these foods on the web or in quality pet stores. Again, they likely do not cost as much as you believe they do and they may even be within your current spending amounts.

Another important aspect of being a dog owner is to house train your puppy. Learn more here:
Potty training puppies
House training puppies
House training puppies

Original Post: Dogs Advice

Practical Help For Dog Owners: Healthy Diet

Depending on your budget you may or may not be able to feed your dog a larger proportion of fresh meat, but at least be prepared to spend enough for a good dry food. Here are a few things to look for...

All dog foods are labeled with the ingredients in order by proportion. That is, the material that forms the largest percentage is listed first, followed by the second and then others.

Although most people are unaware of it, one of the attributes that makes cheap dog food less preferable is the
high percentage of 'waste' animal parts. When you see 'by products' on the label, it's better to avoid these brands. If it does appear on higher quality dog food, which is rare, it will be listed near the bottom indicating a small proportion.

Those 'by products' consist of parts that were not considered usable for human consumption. That fact doesn't by itself make the product dangerous, but the lower quality will have a long term effect on coats, muscles and bones, and overall health.

Some experts put the proper ratio of meat, vegetables and starch at about roughly 40%, 30%, 30% respectively.
Common meats used are chicken, lamb and beef. These provide readily digestible sources of protein - essential to healthy coats, muscles, etc.

Vegetables provide minerals and vitamins that help produce proper hormone and enzyme types and amounts, as well
as compounds for good bone health and other functions. Carrots and squash, for example are both excellent for almost all dogs.

Before you feed your faithful companion his next tin of dog food, make sure you check out this spectacular video report on dog food secrets.

I can guarantee you’ll never see a tin of dog food the same again.

Original Post: Dogs Advice

Essential Dog Food Facts

There are several easily noticeable symptoms of nutritionally caused deficiencies: allergies, hot spots, lack of energy, joint problems, arthritis and poor behavior.
Nutritional balance is the key to a healthy pet and not giving the dog bad pet food will help with the inflammation of arthritis and other major health problems.

Quality Of Good and Bad Pet Foods

Poor quality pet foods are common in grocery stores and pet supply stores. The low price tag may be tempting and seem like a bargain for what is often advertised as a “premium” product, but the items really contained in your pet's food may be surprising.

Dogs need meat and protein, being carnivores, and they also need carbohydrates, vitamins, fat, minerals, and water. Essentially, they need all six of the basic types of nutrients. Manufacturers of pet food have the choice of the types and amounts of proteins, minerals, and vitamins that they put into their products. Chicken, lamb, and beef, which contain higher amounts of protein, are needed by active dogs. Plants or grains such as corn, soy, wheat, and rice have enough protein for less active dogs.
Most dog food is made with ingredients that are edible by humans, such as rice, chicken, liver, vegetables, etc, which is not bad pet food.

Dogs have specific nutritional needs, but most pet owners do not realize that all dogs and most good or bad pet foods are not alike. Many commercial dog food brands are lacking in key nutrients, which are edible for humans, and even other species of animals, can pose hazards for dogs because of their different metabolism. Some may cause only mild digestive upsets, whereas, others can cause severe illness, and even death.

However, there are a few common food items that are bad pet foods to give to dogs. Chocolate, for instance, is very toxic to both dogs and cats. Baking chocolate contains more toxins than milk chocolate does, but both forms are potentially lethal. Two or three squares of baking chocolate could prove fatal to a smaller dog. Tea and coffee are likewise toxic, as they contain the same chemicals. Warning signs of food poisoning in dogs are excitement, nervousness, muscle spasms, seizures, and increased body temperature. Veterinary treatment is recommended as soon as possible.

Caroline Bourke is a full time beauty therapist in Florida. Check out these great Dogs Advice resources and articles or the more general Pets Advice advice and info.

This Article May Be Reproduced as long as the author info is kept intact including the hyperlinks.

Original Post: Dogs Advice

Tips On Avoiding Bad Pet Food