Tips Every Dog Owner Should Know
Taking good care of your family dog should be like second nature to any pet owner. It’s important that we take care of our pets because they often become like one of the family and they deserve to be taken care of with all the joy they bring into our lives. There are a lot of important aspects of proper dog care, but in this article we will be examining three tips that every person who owns a dog should know.
The first tip we’ll be looking at is the use of vitamin E to treat your dog’s common skin diseases and disorders. These pills can be purchased practically anywhere and are pretty non expensive. There are several different ways that you can give these pills to your puppy. One way is to just give the dog the pill whole. The other option you have is to slightly pierce the outer shell extract the oil and just rub it on your dog’s skin yourself. Whichever method works for you is the one you should stick with. Dogs often get dry skin so this is a great way to put the moisture back in your pup’s skin and to keep him from itching so bad.
The second tip we’re going to be looking at is the use of a common household item known as Pepto Bismal. Believe it or not this is actually a great way to help treat your dog when he or she has a slight case of diarrhea. Most people may not realize that this is perfectly safe and won’t harm your dog at all. You should still contact your vet before giving your dog any Pepto to see what the recommended dosage is. Another common side effect of diarrhea is dehydration. If your dog happens to get dehydrated you can always use Pedialyte to help your dog recover.
The third tip that every person who owns a dog should know is a tip to help prevent certain medical problems that may occur in your dog’s lifetime. Many people don’t know that acidophilus, which is found in yogurt is actually really good for your dog. Acidophilus actually helps aid your dog’s digestive tract and helps your pooch to avoid contracting a yeast infection. The only kind of yogurt that is recommended for your dog is plain white yogurt.
Another outstanding tip for every dog owner knows how to treat and prevent ear mites. Ear mites can do a lot of damage to your dog’s ear and cause a lot of discomfort. In order to treat ear mites you need to take an eye dropper and put two drops of corn oil into your dog’s ears. After that you need to gently massage your dog’s ears and wash them out using a few balls of cotton. You will probably have to repeat this process for several days in a row before all the mites are actually gone.
We all know how constipation can make a person feel, so imagine your dog being constipated. It’s not a very pleasant experience. There are ways we can help our pooches become regular again. This remedy varies depending on the size of your dog. If you have a pretty big dog you’ll need to add 3 or 4 tablespoons of mineral oil into his food. A smaller dog only needs 1 tablespoon; maybe 2 so don’t overdo it. After a day or two your dog should be as good as new again.
These are just a couple of helpful hints to help you take care of your favorite four legged friend and help your dog to live a happy healthy life.
The Author is the happy owner of a pet health and insurance site called Pet Insurance Pro where he shares a lot more information on pet health, pet fitness and pet longevity. Read the latest article on VIP Pet Insurance.
Basic Dog Training Tips : How to Train a Dog to Sit
Learn how to train your dog to sit on command in this free video. Expert: Jim Leske Bio: My name is Jim Leske, Animal Behaviorist & Trainer. Filmmaker: Louis Nathan
Dog Weight Loss Tips
Tips for Overweight Dogs
An overweight dog does not look healthy, and this only occurs because of overfeeding, not because they choose this lifestyle. It is only through overfeeding that we make this happen to our pets.
DISEASES CAUSED BY DOG OBESITY
If you want to learn about weight loss for dogs, the first thing you should do is consult your vet and get his approval and advice. That said and done, there are many reasons and tips to help you achieve the goal of a healthy pet.
Obesity in our pets is ultimately our responsibility. After all we are in control of their nutrition. It has become an epidemic that is associated with our own “couch potato” lifestyle. There are many problems that can be caused by obesity in our dogs which can be prevented if they are fed an all natural healthy organic diet. Some of these ailments (which mimic our own problems with over indulgence) include:
JOINT AND WALKING DIFFICULTIES – this is due to added weight and stress put on joints, bones, and muscles. This can cause back problems, hip dysplasia, lethargy, and aggravation of arthritis.
HEART AND RESPIRATORY DISEASES – Obesity causes extra stress on the heart and lungs, making them tork harder than a dog that is physically fit.
DIABETES – This is more prevalent in obese pets.
LIVER DISEASE – This is also associated with obese pets.
SKIN PROBLEMS – Being fat causes difficulty in your pet’s grooming ability. Just as overweight humans have trouble reaching their feet to tie their shoes when a fat belly is in the way, a dog can’t reach all areas that need self cleaning. Dirt and bacteria can become embedded in fat rolls and cause infections.
STOMACH PROBLEMS – There is a painful and life threatening condition, called pancreatitis, which is seen more and more in obese pets.
Just as the above diseases mimic our own obesity related problems, they are curable or preventable if you keep your dog healthy, active and fed nutrionally premium dog food.
WEIGHT LOSS TIPS FOR DOGS
Putting your pet on a fat reducing diet and increasing exercise, as prescribed by your vet, is the best way to show your love to your pet. There are many excellent healthy organic dog foods available that are high in protein and low in fat. Check the labels carefully and make sure you buy the best organic dog food you can afford, with the highest amount of organic ingredients and low fat content.
Elimination of bad high calorie treats and table scraps is the easiest weight loss for dogs tip there is. Extra calories from treats pile up quickly. Choosing the wrong type of high fat, high calorie treat for your dog is not a good practice, so be aware of the difference between good and bad treats. Choose healthy!
TREATS
At 40 kcals is KARMA ORGANIC DOG TREATS
Bonz treats for small dogs 70 kcals
Milk Bone Dog Biscuit – one large 115 kcals
Fresh Carrot – baby size 3 kcals
Green Beans – 1 cup canned (this in my girls favorite) 25 kcals
Air popped popcorn (1/2 ounce) 54 kcals
1 slice Pizza Hut Cheese Pizza (NOT RECOMMENDED) 259 kcals
20 Dorito brand chips (NOT RECOMMENDED) 260 kcals
At 17 kcals is: MOTHER NATURE NATURAL DOG BISCUITS
At 45 kcals is: SOLID GOLD NATUR-BONE BISCUITS
At 50 kcals is: INNOVA HEALTH BARS – SMALL SIZE
Oreo Cookies – 2 (NOT RECOMMENDED) 130 kcals
McDonalds Quarter Pounder with cheese (YUCK!) 525 kcals
A kcal is a kilo calorie per unit or calorie as we call it in every day terms.
(A 20 pound dog needs 690 kcals daily for optimum health.) A few Doritos here, a Oreo cookie there and sharing a Quarter Pounder will equal your dogs total calorie need for a whole day. This on top of his regular dinner is simply unhealthy and easy to change.
Sometimes, just eliminating the unhealthy treats and going on a daily walk is all that is necessary is helping your pet become fit and energetic again.
Our bond with our pets is extremely special, so always remember that you speak for your pet and give him the best that you are able.
Animal and pet lovers will find important information to extend their pet life along with tips and recipes here: http://www.recipes4gourmetdogs.com
Dog Training – Problem Training Your Dog? Try These Tips
Do you have a problem dog that you can’t seem to train? Expert dog trainer Eric Letendre explains nine training tips for problem dogs. Don’t forget to rate this video, leave comments and subscribe to my channel. You can also get my FREE ebook “101 Ways To Improve Your Dog’s Behavior” at: www.amazingdogtrainingman.com (more)
Dog Care Tips With Dog Training Tips
A dog is considered to be “a man’s best friend”. The companionship between a pet dog and the owners is priceless. Imagine how delightful it is seeing your own dog behave so good, that you don’t have to yell or scream at him, ever again.
The best way to train dogs remained a perpetual concern for the dog training enthusiasts. Before training your dog, there are some things you might want to know in order for you to be an efficient trainer. This will also help your pet dog on how to adjust with all the new tricks you will give.
Whether you have a puppy or an older dog for an instance, you can still teach them new tricks. Dogs are intelligent creatures thus they can always be taught new things. It is helpful to start training a puppy, between the age of six to eight months. In this stage, the dog is a lot eager to learn things. Somehow, a dog is more receptive between these ages.
It is best that you understand how to use reinforcements so that your dog can really absorb the new tricks you teach. A positive reinforcement is favorable in training dogs. Like what most people want, dogs appreciate it much when they are praised and fed with dog treats. When dog is able to perform commands in a correct and precise manner a treat must be given. This can be in a form of food.
Dogs are brilliant companions and are very trainable. Their gregarious nature sets them aside from other pet animals. They can interact and attach emotionally with their owners. While training your dog, you will soon appreciate the connection that you have both made.
Be firm but friendly in dealing with your dogs. Like when you are dealing with toddlers you have to be firm in giving those orders but in a very positive tone. This approach in teaching dogs fosters learning and being friendly towards your dog avoids intimidation. When you start to give command try a calm voice coupled with a little tone of being friendly.
Make use of your voice to give commands. Learn when to use high pitch voice and low pitch voice. This will also enable the dog to get familiar on the usual voice usage that you might implore.
Punishment is a type of reinforcement. It is classified as a negative reinforcement which is unfavorable when training dogs. It is imperative that you should not punish the dog in any manner. Otherwise, the dog will develop that fear and will be distracted along the course of the training. Be consistent in all your commands. Consistent training techniques can hasten learning of the dogs due to the fact that they are familiar with the sounds, words used in the command given. In addition, it is important that the command must be given by the same person. This will also help the dog to associate the commands to who is giving the commands.
The dog must not be confused in any manner.
On top of these, you might want to solicit an advice from a dog trainer, better if it is a certified dog trainer. Yes, there are many dog training resources out there, including dog training videos and dog training e-books, but nothing compares with the advice you will get from a certified dog trainer professional.
Increase the happy years of your dog by checking out my free dog training cd. In it, I reveal all the secrets I’ve used to develop a happy, well behaved dog. Visit Dr. Alfonso’s dog training blog right now!
Dog Training Tips – Teaching Your Dog to Sit
Many people’s experience with dog training can be described like this; when their dog is six months to a year old, they sign up for a dog obedience class; some make it through the six or eight week course and some do not; but for many, that is the end of their dog’s education, and they describe their pet as “an obedience school dropout.”
To these people, I say, “Let’s be honest.” The dog didn’t drop out. You did. After all, who didn’t drive to the class or decided to skip the session?”
The Problem with Obedience School
But in fairness to dropouts, let’s also admit that a dog obedience class can be a frustrating experience for both dog and owner if this class is the dog’s first experience with training. Obedience classes traditionally begin with the heel command, which is actually one of the more complex things you can ask a dog to understand. It’s like expecting a child to learn algebra when they haven’t had basic arithmetic.
When you give a dog the heel command, what you’re asking him/her to do is not one specific thing. What your dog is supposed to do depends entirely on what you’re doing. Should your dog walk when you walk, turn when you turn, and stop when you stop. Add to that the fact that, if this is the first training experience, your poor dog doesn’t even understand that training is what is going on. The dog is not a bad dog, and is not a stupid dog, but he/she not only doesn’t know what you’re asking it to do, your dog also probably doesn’t even understand that you’re asking it to do something.
An Easier Way
It doesn’t have to be this way. There is a simpler way to train your dog, so relaxed that you can begin training your puppy the day you bring her home.
The “sit” command is the most universally useful command you can teach your dog. The new dog owner might wonder why. “How is this useful? The dog is not doing anything!”
Exactly! A dog that is sitting is not jumping all over your grandmother, or whatever other obnoxious behavior you want it to stop doing. And more importantly, a dog that is sitting when told is a dog that is under control and doing what you want.
The traditional method of teaching the sit command is to have the dog on leash at your side, repeat the command “Sit” while you pull up on the leash and push down on her butt. You’re forcing the dog into the correct position, but this is not enjoyable and can be stressful and frustrating for both you and the dog.
But why force the dog into position when you can coax? Start with a treat, something yummy like dried liver, or even a piece of kibble if he/she hasn’t been fed yet. Call the dog, get his/her attention, and make sure your dog knows you have a treat.
It won’t take long. Within seconds your dog will be there, his/her nose right at your fingertips. From this position, all you have to do is move the treat back over his/her nose and the top of it’s head.
Keep your hand only an inch or two over the dog’s head; too high and she’ll rear up on her hind legs. But, with the treat moving right back over her head, the nose will follow it, up and back… until… he/she… SITS!
Say good doggie, and reward him/her with a treat.
Do this a number of times every day. When you feed your dog, he/she will probably be jumping and frisking when your dog sees you coming with the food bowl. Tell your dog to sit, and when your dog sits, tell him/her is a good dog and set down the bowl.
You don’t need to give the dog a treat now every time you tell him/her to sit. But do give your dog a praise! Your dog is doing what you asked it to do, acknowledge that, let your dog know how pleased you are, and what a good dog he/she is.
These exercises are not just useful in themselves, your dog is also learning to learn. Your dog is learning that sometimes you want it to do something, that there is a word associated with the thing you want her to do, and that if he/she pays attention, he/she can figure it out.
Above all, never consider that you’re “done” training your dog. There’s always something new to learn, and new ways for you and your dog to have fun together.
Derrick Madison has two wonderful dogs, and shares his dog training methods on his blog. For more information on dog training techniques, and how to deal with problem dog behavior, you can visit his blog at: Dog Behavior Training 101
Dog Grooming Tips
Many people overlook the importance of grooming their dog to their overall health and well-being. Grooming is an essential part of caring for your dog, and should be done on a regular basis for the best results. Some of the benefits your pet will reap are increased skin oils resulting in a beautiful, healthy coat, a decrease in skin problems, less shedding around the house and car, and a more obedient pet, just to name a few.
You will need plenty of patience to groom and style your dog if you plan to do it on a regular basis, especially if it does not like this type of treatment. You will need to learn a few tips, ideas, and professional hints on grooming your pet if you ever want your pet to have show quality care by you. A knowledgeable professional pet groomer will be able to give you advice on not just how to groom your dog, but on how to care for your dog as well. You will be pleased to find out that qualified, experienced pet groomers offer seminars for advice and trimming demonstrations for your dog.
It is a good idea to start using environmentally safe and animal friendly (non-toxic) substitutes when grooming your dog. You must groom your dog’s whole body including the legs, tail, and underbody if you want to do it right. You must groom certain dogs from the skin outward to truly be effective in taking care of their coat of hair and keeping it healthy. Comb through the unseen healthy hair and remove the shedding hair; this is what most groomers do first before cutting your pet’s coat. You must groom some animals all at once, while some other animals have so much hair that it is easier to do a little at a time each day.
You know your dog is well-mannered when it will sit still and allow you or a professional to perform regular grooming and maintenance without any fuss. The more often you groom your dog, the better he will be at receiving your attentions and responding to your commands. This will also strengthen the bond between you.
Last but not least, you might want to rethink your choice to get a dog if you are not ready to handle all the responsibility of grooming and feeding one. If you don’t have the time or the desire to do it yourself, than its time to call the professionals. Yours dog will love you for it, and you’ll feel great about it too.
I own both dogs and horses, and have shown both. You can get more pet grooming tips by visiting my site at Pet Grooming Tips
The Chinese Shar-Pei Dog Breed Essential Tips And Info
The Chinese Shar-Pei is a great family dog that has an expensive, exotic look. She is loving toward the family yet she makes a great watchdog and guard dog. She was originally bred to fight so she may fight other dogs. Take care to have her under control when walking her.
Good With Children?
They are good with older children, especially if they have been socialized at an early age. As a reminder, never leave a young child unsupervised with a puppy or dog.
Good With Other Pets?
They can tend to fight. Some are good with other animals if they are socialized with them early on.
Trainability
They are highly intelligent but may be manipulative. They really require an experienced owner.
Approximate Adult Size
The approximate adult size (two years old or older) of the Chinese Powder Puff is 18 to 20 inches to the withers (highest point of the shoulder) and 35 to 45 pounds.
Special Health Considerations
Most dog breeds have certain inherited health problems associated with that specific breed and the Chinese Shar-Pei is no exception. Be on the look out for skin problems, fevers, and amolydosis (kidney failure). This disease list is an informative guideline only. Other diseases may also be significant threats, please contact your veterinarian for a complete list.
She should visit the veterinarian several times in the first year for shots, boosters and check up. Then, as an adult, she should visit the veterinarian yearly for shots and check up. As she gets older, six years and on, she should visit the veterinarian twice a year for check ups and shots. Remember; avoid feeding your dog sweets.
Grooming
The Chinese Shar-Pei has a short, harsh coat with plenty of loose skin on the head and body. You should check folds of skin regularly to insure that there is no irritation. Brush daily if possible to help her maintain a clean and healthy coat, help you keep a closer eye on her health and strengthen your emotional bond with her.
Her teeth should be brushed at least twice a week with toothpaste and toothbrush designed for dogs. Brushing removes the accumulation of plaque and tartar which can cause cavities (rarely) and periodontal disease. Dog periodontal disease can lead to pain, loss of teeth, bad breath and other serious disease.
Her toenails may need to be examined for growth and clipped regularly. The toenails of the rear feet grow slower than the toenails of the front feet. Generally a guillotine type trimmer is the best for this chore and competent instructions to accomplish this can be found on the net.
Life Span
The Chinese Shar-Pei can live between 7 and 12 years with proper nutrition, medical care and excellent living conditions.
Chinese Shar-Pei History
They are an ancient breed from China dating back to 200 BC. They were first registered by the American Kennel Association in 1991.
For more information on the Chinese Crested or a complete list of dog breeds visit this Dog Behaviour website.
Dog Training Tips : How to Train a Dog to Use the Litter Box
Train a dog to use the litter box by supervising and encouraging the proper behavior. Train a dog to use the litter box with tips from an experienced dog trainer in this free video on dog obedience. Expert: Ty Brown Contact: www.communicanine.net Bio: Ty Brown has been a dog trainer for over 10 years. Filmmaker: Michael Burton