Complete Dog Guide | Dog Training Advice

Swimming – Give Your Dog A Break From The Heat

Joanne Gallagher — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 07:32:56 +0000

Beautiful summer weather is a perfect excuse to enjoy the great outdoors. Some of us are “water people” and just like some dogs are “water dogs”. Sometimes a dog breed that doesn’t typically make a splash will enjoy the water if they are encouraged or just want to join in the fun!

There are many breeds that do enjoy swimming, fetching floating toys or simply splashing in the water. In fact, many breeds have are bred to love the water. A list would include: Labrador Retrievers, Newfoundland, Golden Retrievers, Irish Water Spaniels, Portuguese Water Dogs, and Chesapeake Bay Retrievers.

Dogs need exercise daily. Exercise will not only improve their health, but make them calmer when indoors. Taking your dog along on your day at the beach can provide hours of fun for you and your dog.

Another great idea for your water outing is a floating dog toy. Many floating dog toys come attached to rope handles that make it easy to play toss and tug games in or out of the water.

Drowning can be a side effect of dog swimming when they are exhausted. Therefore, pet life preservers are available at many pet stores and come in a range of sizes and styles. This will help dog owners enjoy their day at the beach, knowing their dog will not drown

If a lake or pond is not conveniently located to your home, try letting your dog swim in your pool. This may not be an option if your pool does not have filters that make allowances for dog hair. Even if your dog does not have a shedding problem, dog owners may not allow their dogs in their pool on account that liners can get ripped or dogs can damage the pool equipment.

An easy resolution is to acquire a pool made specifically for your dog. Most dog pools are very durable, transportable, easy to fill and empty and made of tough PVC. These pools are easy to setup in the backyard, on deck or patio. These dog pools fold up making them easy to take on a summer trip and easy to store during the cold winter season.

When the hot months of Summer are upon you. Provide your pet some relief from the heat. Have an excellent summer and share your water fun with your pet.

Like humans, dogs also need relief from the hot summer days and a refreshing swim with your dog is the perfect solution. Joanne suggests visiting a store where Dog Supplies are sold and purchase a dog pool or dog pool ramp made especially for your dog which will provide relief from the hot sun as well as exercise your pet.

When is Home Made Dog Food Your Best Option?

Juliette Crane — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 16:31:48 +0000

More and more people today are realizing the benefits of using home made dog food for their pet?s nutritional requirements. When planned carefully, this alternative is healthier and can be pretty economical for the average dog owner. Read on to find some important points to keep in mind in how to make dog food the proper way.

1. Consult your veterinarian first. There are many canines that have special needs and some food might be particularly harmful to them. Get your dog a thorough check up to find out their present condition and prepare the necessary food and nutrients into their meals.

2. Study the food that are dangerous to canines. Not everybody knows that chocolates are dangerous when ingested by dogs. You need to learn about this so that you can keep the toxic food locked away where your pet can?t reach them. Some of these include onion, caffeine, grapes, baby food, macadamia nuts, mushrooms and citrus oil.

3. There are several who will recommend serving animal food that are raw and as close to their natural form as possible; however, for safety reasons it is best to cook all served meals as thoroughly as possible to avoid any potential infections. You can store the cook the doggie meals in advance and store them in the refrigerator for around 3 days.

4. Feed the dog the right amount of starch, meats and vegetable. Some use the 50-25-25 ratio, with starch making up for most of the meals. Start with this and change it as to what ratio your canine responds best to. Potato and rice are excellent sources of starch while tomatoes, peas, carrots and green beans are vegetable fare that will benefit the dog greatly. Any kind of meat is acceptable; however, take care on the volume you use. An excess of liver or any organ meat is detrimental to the canine?s health. Also, chop small pieces of fruits for your pet to snack on.

5. Animals have different lifestyles, as preordained by their breed or their owner?s personal practices. Some have a more active routine and will need a larger quantity of high protein food; while others have to watch their weight. Consult the vet on the appropriate portion size and the best feeding schedule for your dog.

6. When you are in the process of transitioning the dog from processed food to home made dog food, remember to do so slowly. Introduce the new cuisine gradually by giving him small amounts daily while decreasing the regular store bought pet food in his diet. If there seems to be no harmful physical reaction to it, then increase giving him the home made food until it is his new normal food.

It is good practice to change the meal menu frequently to provide your dog the nutrients and vitamins he needs?as well as keep his interest. Learning how to make dog food is not always easy; but seeing the happy wag of the healthy pet always makes it worth it.

About the Author:

Discovering how to make dog food competently can spell the difference between a good and great pet. Seek a variety of Home Made Dog Food recipes at this site.

Diabetic Dogs: Keeping The Disorder Under Control

Robert Runkel — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 06:10:20 +0000

In the same way that millions of people cope with diabetes, so too, does the disease affect canines. Specifically, the disorder is called diabetes mellitus (DM). An insulin deficiency prevents your pooch’s body from metabolizing glucose effectively. There are two varieties of DM: Type I and Type II. The former is the most prevalent type (99% of dogs with DM suffer from this type) and occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin. The latter occurs when insulin is manufactured but your pooch’s body isn’t able to use it properly.

In this article, we’ll describe the warning signs that may suggest your canine has developed diabetes mellitus. It’s a potentially life-threatening condition, so catching it early is critical. We’ll also explain how the disease is diagnosed and treated as well as what you can do at home to help your dog manage the disorder.

Possible Warning Signs

The most common symptoms of DM include a marked increase in the amount of water your canine drinks and as a result, the frequency with which he urinates. You might also notice that he is losing weight even though he maintains a strong appetite. Other signs include a general apathy or decrease in physical activity and the sudden onset of blindness.

Treatment After Diagnosis

The health of your pooch can decline rapidly once diabetes mellitus develops. His body’s inability to process glucose effectively can lead to severe dehydration and other health issues. It is important that you have a veterinarian perform a full physical exam if you notice any of the warning signs described in the section above.

The veterinarian will ask you about your dog’s eating routine as well as his elimination activity. You’ll also be asked to describe any changes in his weight and disposition. Then, a urine analysis is performed to identify possible infections and review glucose levels.

Once diabetes mellitus has been diagnosed, your veterinarian will teach you how to administer daily insulin injections for your pooch. He or she will also create a diet and exercise routine that will help your canine manage his weight. During the first several weeks of treatment, the amount of insulin administered will likely change. Most veterinarians prefer to start cautiously with small doses and increase them gradually.

What You Can Do At Home

Providing care for your dog involves administering daily insulin shots (sometimes, twice daily) as well as any other medications that your veterinarian has recommended. You’ll also need to be vigilant regarding your canine’s eating and exercise routine in order to ensure he maintains a healthy weight level. If your dog experiences an insulin overdose (he might seem weak or disoriented), give him food right away.

As noted, diabetes mellitus can be potentially deadly. However, once it has been diagnosed, you can help your dog live a healthy, happy, and problem-free life.

About the Author:

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Effective Dog Training in Less Than a Week

John Henderson — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 18:52:08 +0000

One of the challenging responsibilities that a dog owner faces is to be able to implement a program on dog training in the shortest amount time possible. This is necessary to be able to achieve the desired dog behavior without going through a very rigid and time-consuming process. Some dog owners spend too much time on puppy training because of ineffective strategies based on hunches and myths. The best approach for effective dog training program is to go through a systematic approach that can provide results in less than a week. The only way to do this is to follow a step-by-step approach that will guide you through the dog obedience and behavior training with defined goals and behavior changes.

Step by step approaches for dog coaching in simply a matter of a few days can be implemented in any of 2 approaches.

Approach #1 – Use the Internet as source of program.

You can simply check on available programs from the Net that you can implement for your obedience program. By spending time in getting the right sites as source of info, you can get the program that you want but you may not be certain to get a program that may generate fast results. The sole obstacle is that you may not be terribly sure about the completeness of the program on dog training in the sites that you\’ll find. There could be some areas that will be neglected if you\’ll get free programs from the net.

Approach #2 – Get a step-by-step program intended for quick dog training.

With the right site, you can get the right resource which will offer a methodical approach in helping you train your dog. You might need to invest a little amount on the resource but you may be warranted the most impressive results you need in merely a matter of a couple of days.

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Easy Tips To Make Bathing A Dog Easy!

Cliff Stone — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:58:29 +0000

Most people have one of two opinions about dog bathing. Some believe that dogs only need to be washed every year or so. Others believe that they should bathe their pets once a month.

Bathing is very good for dogs, but it shouldn’t be done too often or it could cause some real health problems.

Just like us, dogs naturally have oils in their fur and skin. Bathing your dog too often will cause drying of the skin, which means itching, scratching and possible sores and injuries. Remember that the natural oils have some benefits, since they provide protection from bacteria and other elements.

With care, you can make bathing entertaining for you and your pet. Just watch for a few things.

1. It’s important to provide protection for your dog’s ears. Soap and water, if they get into the ear canal, can cause significant infections. This is often temporary, but infections can cause real damage, up to and including deafness. If you think your dog may have an ear infection, look for frequent head shaking and discharge from the ears to be sure.

If you want to make sure this doesn’t happen, plug your dog’s ears with cotton. Do this gently – never force the cotton into the ear. Just place it securely at the entrance of the ear to keep water out. Dry the ears gently when the bath is over, too. This can be done using a cloth on your finger. You can also use a cotton swab, but don’t do this too deeply. You could cause damage to the ear drum.

2. Remember to use a shampoo that’s been made for dogs, since they’re formulated to protect the fur and skin of your pet. Soaps made for humans are often harsh or irritating, plus dogs may be allergic to the scents used in them.

3. How frequently you’ll need to bathe your dog will depend on breed. Dogs that have longer hair need to be washed more often than dogs with short hair. Spaniels and other hairy dogs may need to be washed as often as every two months. Some other breeds can go as long as eight months. Outdoor dogs get dirty more quickly and will need more frequent bathing.

Starting your dog off right with routine bathing is important. Be compassionate and patient, since scaring your dog makes it a lot harder to bathe him. Make bathtime fun if you can, since lots of dogs enjoy swimming or being sprinkled with water.

If you can, set the bath up outside and encourage your dog to play in it. Distract your dog from water with toys. When the dog calms down, you can start the bath. A leash may help with this process.

When you bathe your pet, get the shampoo, towel, soap and other tools together early, and avoid using the hose. Water from the garden hose is usually too cold. Use a bowl with water from the bath instead – it’ll be warmer.

If you teach your dog that bathing is to be enjoyed, you and your pet will enjoy the next session.

It’s also important to look into the best dog training tools to make sure your dog behaves the way you want him or her to. Click Here for a top-notch dog training program that you can start using today to improve your dog’s behavior!

Why to Choose a Fancy Dog Collar

Jim Witt — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:25:28 +0000

If you have an adorable dog it only makes sense to buy an adorable dog collar to go along with it. But where can you find a fancy dog collar to buy for your dog or pet? Where can you find the perfect collar choice?

There are a lot of dog collars out there to choose from. More and more dog owners are becoming bigger fans of designer dog collars. Designer dog collars have a lot to offer, for both the dog and the owner.

You can often find dog collars at your local pet store, but only a small amount of them offer fancy dog collars. You can find a wider variety of designer and handmade dog collars online. Homemade craft sites offer a lot of handmade items for you to choose from.

Designer dog collars come in a variety of themes and types. Find a unique and special dog collar that your dog will be able to call his own. Dog collars don\’t have to be boring.

More and more popular fashion designers are now designing fashionable dog collars. These designers design their dog collars to be laced with diamonds and gold. The wealthy class really enjoys being able to have these types of dog collars for their pets.

You don\’t have to spend thousands of dollars to get a fashionable dog collar, however. Many designer dog collars can be found at affordable prices, and can be made in a variety of different collar materials. You don\’t have to settle with the normal leather or nylon dog collars. You can now get them made with ribbon material.

By getting a designer dog collar or a handmade dog collar you are ensuring that your dog is wearing an accessory that is one of a kind. Fashionable dog collars are there to fit your tastes and desires. They are now meant to fit your dog, and not the other way around.

A dog collar is a fun accessory. A fancy dog collar can easily show off your dog\’s fun personality. Show off your fashion sense by dressing your dog in a fancy dog collar today.

A designer dog collar can be a fun accessory for you and your canine companion They can showcase your dog\’s personality as well as show the tasteful side of its owner. Jim Witt has been manufactoring Handmade Designer Dog Collars since 2003 and recommends browsing to Country Brook Design for a vast assortment of unique collars.

Stop Your Dog From Pulling on His Leash

Jim Witt — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:31:02 +0000

The other week my mother-in-law asked me to walk her dog. While her dog is a relatively small dog, I ended up spending the majority of the walk struggling to get her dog to go where I wanted her to go. It was a frustrating experience, and somewhat embarrassing when others saw our struggle.

If this sounds similar to something you yourself are experiencing, there are things that can be done to fix the leash problem. First, be sure that you actually are using the right type of leash and walking equipment. Some leashes will work great, while others are pretty useless.

It is good to remember that a dog naturally walks faster than humans do. They don’t like having to stand around while we visit with neighbors either. This is a normal, natural tendency that all dogs have so it is up to you to train your dog how to use the leash and keep slack in it.

A standard nylon buckle collar or a Martingale Collar is the best type of collar for training a dog how to stop pulling on a leash. Don’t try to use a choke collar because they can cause damage to your dog. Find a leash that is not too long, or too short, to give you apple of room to train. A standard six-foot dog leash should work great for this type of training exercise.

If your dog is constantly pulling away from you, a retractable lead can really help. Body harnesses are not meant to be a training tool, so don’t use them. They are especially a bad idea if you own a bigger dog.

Train your dog to keep the leash slack by standing stiff whenever they pull on the leash. The best way to keep your dog going where you want them to is to positively reinforce the times where they follow your direction. Training collars are also a good training device.

Be sure that your dog has very little distractions. It may be good to start training your dog inside. If you can’t do that, find somewhere where your dog will be able to listen to you without being distracted by animals or people walking by.

The luckiest dog owners are ones that train their pets while they are still puppies. However, if you aren’t one of those lucky ones don’t fret. Luckily, you can still teach old dogs new tricks.

Being walked by your dog as opposed to walking your dog can be very annoying and sometimes embarrassing. Jim Witt is an expert on dog training supplies. Jim recommends visiting Country Brook Design for an excellent assortment Dog Training Collars and Dog Leashes.

How To Find The Right Homemade Dog Food Recipes For Your Pet

Mario Del Sol — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:56:43 +0000

Because of the recent economic conditions many of us have had to find ways to fine tune our budgets. One way to save money is to stop buying food for our dogs. Dog food can get quite expensive, and as our dog grow the more money will be spent. That expense can double or triple depending on the number of pets we have.

Here’s an idea. Instead of feeding your canine those expensive formulated, with who knows what dog foods, you can make your own homemade dag food. If you have never done this before, don’t worry its really not difficult. Making your own dog food is easy and can be fun as well as rewarding.

Furthermore, you would find more than enough dog food recipes from different resources online to entice your imagination and keep your dog satisfied. In fact, there are hundreds of websites offering a collection of various delicious-sounding recipes for your dog. I could list them down for you, but that would take so long and it would also be impractical since for sure, you would not get to visit every site included. Thus, it is better for you to choose on your own, which recipes are the ones you want.

To begin, use a search engine and type in dog food recipes as the keywords. Of course, this is very general and you would find yourself faced with thousands of results. To limit your search, try using more specific keywords.

By specifying words like puppy, vegetarian, diabetic or senior dog food recipes will produce better results. You can find such tempting concoctions as peanut butter puppy treats, dog style pretzels, brownies and donuts by using the right keyword phrase. In reading through some of these recipes you may be tempted on making them for yourself.

Feeding your dog need not be expensive. By trying to do something homemade for them, you get to save up money, try something new, and add a touch of yourself to the food they eat!

Since the pet food recall of 2007 dog owners have been more aware of what they feed their dogs. homemade dog food gives the dog owner more control over what their canines eat. Finding and compiling a collection of the right dog food recipes is the best way to maintain your dog properly fed. Visit www.onlinedogfoodrecipes.com to learn more about proper dog food nutrition.

The Value Of Fitting A Dog Collar On Your Pet

Jim Samposzi — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 23:29:10 +0000

A dog collar can be made of plastic, leather or a cloth and must be placed circumnavigating a dog’s neck to prevent the dog from escaping. A dog collar is used by many for a variety of unique uses. Some individuals use a dog collar to leash the dog and take him/her for a romp outside; individuals adore canines and therefore desire to keep them from getting out of the yard. It can be mortifying to deal with the death of a pet for this reason.

People who own larger animals (Great Danes, Bulldogs, or German shepherds, for instance) would want to get a leather collar because leather is extremely durable. Also, many like the look of leather when put beside other materials. As long as the canine does not yank the chain, which is tied to the collar, the leather collar should not become frayed. Also people who have smaller pups like a Pomeranian would be more well suited with a cloth or nylon-webbed pup collar. These are usually cheaper and available in smaller sizes for smaller breed canines such as the Pomeranian. Due to the fact many small canines don’t have the power to tear through a collar, for more petite pups, these nylon or cloth collars are something that should probably work. These collars come in different colors, designs, and sizes. Not only are there a myriad of colors but there are also florescent collars that are visible in the dark so that the person can see his/her pup without fail.

Collars are not just available in unique styles and sizes made to fit certain breeds; they are also constructed to handle other reasons. a couple of collars are adorned with studs or other decorations that can add a sparkly look; especially if the dog is a female. These studs, however, are not just for decoration purposes. Studs are sometimes used to ensure the health of the pup in case another pup tries to bite the canine that has the studded collar on.

In addition to colors and decorations, canine collars can also come with pesticides on them. Typically, these medicated collars are dipped in a solution that kills fleas. Additionally, medicated collars are used to ease a dog’s pain from several dermal conditions. The pesticides that are given out through the color is in small amounts and hangs on for one or two months.

Canine collars may be used for educational purposes. These collars are usually used specifically for coaching and taken off during other activities. These collars should always be worn lose; there have been deaths due to an over-tightened collar around the dog’s neck. It is important that this collar be used in conjunction with training only. If you have questions about how to use the collar, you should talk with a dog trainer on the internet or at a specialized training facility.

Canine collars are an essential component to dog ownership. Not only is it a good idea for your dog to be on a leash, it is also safe for friends. Frequently, collars are made to attach a tag on the dog that displays their owner’s address and phone number in the event the dog gets lost. This very benefit has given the ability for many pups to be found and returned home with their owners after getting disoriented.

Jim is a publicist with more than twelve years of editorial experience. Jim is consulting as a freelance writer for our b2b site and has become the resident guru on pet products. Take the time to visit our very useful website for more information on Dog Collar and Pet Collars.

Dog Training Tips To Have A Well Behaved Dog

Robert Brown — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:35:20 +0000

Some dogs are not easy to train. Some people believe that such dogs are often stupid and dumb. This is not the truth. Such a dog may actually be more intelligent than others. There are many reasons why a dog may be hard to train.

Some dogs are too intelligent and dominant too. These traits make your training tasks a bit difficult sometimes. They are good in hunting and fighting from their birth time. Some of them can even guess our moods and change their actions according to our mood.

Some dogs have a high level of dominance. Once they have their attention onto something, they do not give up easily on that. So you should not stop them from doing something. They will stop when they feel like.

If the dog starts chewing something or digging up something buried underground, it may be difficult to divert his attention. This shows that the dog has a lot of determination to achieve what he wants to.

If you are trying to get your dog to exercise and he comes upon something that interests him, you should better let him do it no matter how long it takes. Once he is done, you can continue the exercises.

You can make the dog training sessions interesting. Hide the toys and do the exercises that stimulate the dog to use his brain. You should find out what he likes and do it more often for training him.

It is also advisable to join a local kennel club. You and your dog will learn a lot from various shows held regularly and you will have an incentive to train your dog. Kennel club membership will be very useful for you as a pet owner.

Thus you can successfully train your dog to do the right things. But make sure you never use force on him for any reason.

Read expert tips on American Bulldog Training. Also read about Alaskan Malamute Training. You are welcome to reprint this article – but get your own unique content version here.