Aside from entertainment purposes, dog agility training makes your dog vigorous and alert. This fun-filled activity even sharpens his mind and teaches him to make his own strategy on how to finish the course efficiently.
Agility training will also allow your dogs to perform obstacles. With this kind of training, dogs can improve coordination through the basic training exercises used to teach jumping and ramp work.
More importantly, you and your dog will build a better bond. This training teamwork nurtures a good communication between the pet owner and the dog which improves their working relationship.
In line with that, there are different kinds of dog agility equipment such as dog training crates and dog exercise pens that will complete your dog’s obstacle training course. Every piece of equipment provides excellent improvement to your dog’s whole being and attitude.
Below is a list of benefits that you and your dog can get from agility training.
Benefits to Dogs:
º Keep your dog healthy.
º Allow your dog to perform his needed exercise.
º Establishes trust and confidence to you as their friend and owner
º Learning to follow basic obedience and instructions
º Develop flexibility
º Sharpens your dog’s mind
º Increases your dog’s endurance and confidence
º Develops your dog’s speed and accuracy
º Improves his communication skills
º Allows your dog to form his own strategies
Benefits to Pet Owners:
º Keep you in shape, healthy and alert
º Develop flexibility
º Helps to lose unwanted fats and gain muscle
º Increase your perseverance
Indeed, agility training gives your dog a great and exciting bonding time with you and other members of the family. Including it in your daily or weekly activities will surely strengthen your relationship with your dogs.
The act of chewing seems to be a matter of individual preference among dogs: some have an innate desire to chew as a pleasurable activity in itself, and some seem to have no need to chew whatsoever unless they’re driven to it out of sheer boredom. In any case, when chewing is destructive – it’s a problem that NEEDS to be address quickly.
The phrase “destructive chewing” may sound redundant, because – by its very nature! – all chewing is destructive. Your dog has strong jaws full of sharp, pointy teeth: just about anything she starts to chew on is probably going to show the effects of it inside of a minute. So just to clarify, when I use the phrase “destructive chewing”, I’m referring to inappropriate chewing: the kind of chewing that’s focused on your own possessions and household items, instead of on your dog’s own designated toys and chews.
The 3 Main Reasons Why Dogs Chew:
1. Most dogs have a natural desire to chew. It’s fun, it passes the time, and it’s a self-rewarding, self-reinforcing activity (for example, if she’s chewing on something that tastes good.)
2. Chewing provides a nervous, bored, or lonely dog with an outlet for her emotions. To an anxious dog, the repetitive act of chewing is soothing – it’s the doggie equivalent of comfort food.
3. Under exercised dogs often use chewing as a way of burning up nervous energy and giving themselves something to do.
6 Ways to Prevent Destructive Chewing
Dogs are perfectly capable of learning not to chew your stuff – you just have to put in a little effort first, that’s all.
1. Doggy-Proofing: Take control of the situation: manage your own possessions. Your first step should be to dog-proof your home. Even if you have the best-behaved dog in the world, there’s still no reason to test her self-control – after all, dogs explore the world with their mouths.
Dog-proofing your home means taking whatever you don’t want to end up in her mouth, and making it unavailable. Consider her size and agility when deciding whether something’s out of reach: can she jump? Can she climb, or leap onto something else to reach the desired object? How tall is she when standing on her back legs
Common targets in the home include books, eyewear, clothing, shoes, garbage, and small crunchy appliances like cameras, cell phones, and remote controls.
It should go without saying that all food needs to be put securely away: don’t leave snacks on low tables (or even countertops – you’d be surprised how acrobatic she can be when there’s food at stake!), put all food into containers or the pantry. Rinse your dirty plates clean of any food scraps before leaving them by the sink.
2. Prevention: Prevent her from learning the joys of illegal chewing. The more times she manages to snatch a jawful of a forbidden substance – a chair-leg, a pillow, a running shoe – the more readily she’ll target those items in future. If you can prevent her from chewing your stuff in the first place, it’s a lot easier for her to understand what you expect of her. Practically speaking, this means confining her in a dog-proofed area until you’re confident of her understanding of the house rules.
3. Rule Setting: Don’t set her up for failure by blurring the boundaries between her stuff (OK to chew) and your stuff (not OK to chew). Don’t offer your dog cast-off clothes, shoes, or towels to chew and play with: realistically, you can’t possibly expect her to be able to tell the difference between your current shoes and the one she’s got in her mouth that you gave her five minutes ago.
4. Provision: Provide her with lots of tasty alternatives to your stuff. If her environment is relatively barren of attractive, appropriate chewing objects, you can hardly blame her for targeting your possessions. Remember, most dogs need to chew; if she’s an adolescent (under three years) or a puppy (under one year), her needs will be even more pronounced. Go on a toy and chew shopping spree, then give her two or three to play with at a time. Rotating the available toys every few days will keep things novel and interesting for her.
5. Supervision: Spend lots of time in active supervision. Yes, it might be easier for you to just keep her penned up in her dog crates, run, or the yard – but that’s boring and horrible for her, and hardly much fun for you either (if you wanted a pet that you don’t need to interact with, you’d have got a goldfish, right?) She can’t learn what you expect of her if she’s spending all her time boxed up in the dog-proof zone: she needs the opportunity to explore the boundaries of your expectations, so she can understand what’s appropriate and what’s not.
6. The Switcheroo: When you catch her chewing something inappropriate, interrupt her by making a loud noise: clap your hands or make an “Ah-ah-aaaah!” noise. Then, immediately hand her a tasty and dog-appropriate alternative (a rawhide bone or other chew toy); as soon as her jaws close around it, praise her lavishly. There is no better way to get your dog to understand that chewing “her” toys equals praise from you, but everything else equals trouble.
Maintain a Positive Attitude
Above all, remember to keep your expectations realistic. You’re not perfect, and neither is your dog: there’s likely to be at least one incident where a cherished item is damaged by her curiosity.
Particularly in the early stages of your relationship, she’s still learning the ropes: it’ll take awhile before she’s completely reliable (and even then, if she’s left by herself for too long or feels neglected, she may choose your stuff over hers to occupy her time and jaws with.) Remember to give her time to learn the rules, and plenty of ‘you-time’ to help her learn faster – and don’t forget to take precautions and keep things out of reach until she’s got the hang of the chewing rules!
If you REALLY want to end your dog’s excessive chewing problem, you NEED to establish yourself as the Alpha Dog of the house. To discover the FASTEST way to accomplish Alpha Dog status, check out the step by step tutorial at http://www.Dog-Training-Works.com. There, you’ll learn how to finally get your dog to listen to you and follow your command the first time around. Check it out here!
Jason Ellis has been helping people train their dogs and newborn puppies for years. His expertise deals with applying proven, effective techniques that train your dog to be the obedient companion you’ve always wanted in a matter of WEEKS. You can find Jason’s complete dog training course at http://www.Dog-Training-Works.com
If you need to stop your new puppy chewing you out of house and home take a look here at some of the great anti-chew products available…
Necessity Of Good Nourishment For Your Dog
February 16, 2010
Good nutrition is a primary necessary for your dog. It influences their health and long life by contribution a vital balance of proteins, fats, complex carbohydrates and the draw nutrients and minerals their bodies must for growth, fix and maintains of sound resistant system.
Nutrition is a composite and essential part of your dog’s talent to think plainly, inferior strain levels and create soother activities.
To think takes so much force. Dogs mixed up in a training program, use wonderful intellectual power focusing on the responsibilities existing to them. If your dog begins with minimum nutrition, they become tired, anxious or hyper active when asked to carry out the simplest of tasks. They cannot focus and loss attention after a short time or become puzzled. If the dog is frequently asked to do something they cannot realize, uncertainty can guide to a hostile form of acting out.
Prestige undertaking dogs, the nonpareil organization I beholding at the dog’s nourishment. I do operation from the inside foreign. Job becomes fruitless if the fundamental basis owing to the activities is not distorted. Hyper, distracted further exterior of direct dogs recurrently are eating foods with sterling levels of cornflakes foods alike now wheat, corn, and corn meal.
Aggressive dogs eat chuck containing upper levels of variant spring protein. countless of these proteins are imperfect derbies of amino acids which win not offer befitting rack further repair of tension fiber and cell tissue.
Shy further haggard dogs get done not digest their foods positively at undivided besides oftentimes suffer from intestinal complications such because diarrhea. Their coats are usually ever desert again shed heavily.
One drawing near to dare the foods you are feeding is to permeate the ration mastery humidify as about 30 toilet paper. If legitimate swells significance size and becomes mushy, evident is primarily cereal.
Are you dog’s stools oftentimes softhearted and hospitable or is the grisly gassy? They are not digesting the mess properly.
By looking at their food, you leave carry out more to succor bill their behavior, because in fact as, hype to their health and longevity. Dash Abundance offers the cool society of larder now unbroken dogs concerned. The proteins are score besides digest easily.
The carbohydrates are streak also wind up not temperament curiosity wearisome sugars effectual life swings of highs besides depressed behaviors. The Proboscis influence the menu tally also digest additional easily, which is not characteristic follow through for the weird or throw dogs, but ensures faultless dogs are recipient the cuisine they appetite from food.
PetSmart was founded in 1986 and opened its first dog bed Warehouse stores in the Phoenix area. Through several mergers and acquisitions, PetSmart expanded in the early- and late-1990s across the U.S. and into Canada, and entered dog bed online retailing through a partnership with Idealab in 1999.
In premature 2000, PetSmart remodeled most of its store in a plan they called “Eagle” which changed varied of its stores from a front-half dog bed storefront, back-half warehouse feel to an all-over standard retail market, in hopes of not intimidating customers.
In August 2005, the company announced that it was rebranding its name from PETsMART to PetSmart. This move is designed to accentuate its evolution from a pet supply store to a solutions-oriented company.
As of November 2007, PetSmart operated nearly 1,000 stores and about 150 locations with PetsHotels and Doggie Day Camps. Some PetSmarts are dog bed co-located with Banfield Pet Hospital veterinary offices.
Although the dog was dog shoes mostly associated dog shoes with The Shoe it is also recorded that it made appearances througout the parish of North Wraxall. The dog shoes village of Ford has a parish make a notation of from April, 1794 that claims the dog was heard secondary the vicarage immediately in advance of the expiry of Richard Wooley, the vicar. http://www.lovelonglong.com
Choosing a Name for your Dog
February 24, 2010
So, you have a new dog and you’re looking for a name. Choosing a name for your dog is something that many people enjoy but others find it to be rather frustrating. It is usually best if they try to find out what the popular dog names are in order to give them a little bit of direction. Not only can they save them some of the frustration of deciding on a dog name, they may actually be able to think of one that they would not have considered otherwise.
According to some websites, the most popular dog names are Buddy, Max, Sadie, Jack, Daisy, Lucy, Lady, Charlie, Rocky and Duke.
Of course, there are thousands of dog names that you can choose from, one of which is sure to make you happy. There are several different things that many people take into consideration whenever they are choosing a dog name. Although this may take them away from deciding on one of the popular dog names, it can fit the breed or the particular dog very well.
It is very important for your dog to be named early in life. This will help it to be able to recognize its name, which many of them will do very quickly. It still doesn’t hurt for you to have the dog around for a little while before you finally settling on a name. Some people have a name in mind and they may have been waiting for many years to call a dog by that name. Other people, however, like to watch the dog and learn a little bit about its personality before finally deciding to settle in and name the dog. It really is a personal choice on your part but by giving the dog an interesting name, one that fits in well with its breed and personality, you can draw back on that every time you call it.
You should also keep in mind that you will be using the name multiple times every day. In fact, many people use the name of their dog more often than they use the name of their own children. If you avoid giving your dog a very long name, you can avoid using a nickname which you will eventually do anyway. So, it’s a good idea to look at the popular dog names in order to choose a name and use it as a guide to find the perfect name for your pet.
4 Amazingly Effective Tips on How to Stop Dogs That Eat Poop From Indulging in This Behavior !
February 24, 2010
Dogs that eat poop often seem to be mentally ill but what we don’t remember is the fact that canines have entirely different sensibilities to us and what may seem disgusting for the dog owner is often considered fun for his pet. However, because eating feces is very unhealthy and may significantly reduce the amount of time you spend with your pet (e.g. because of his stinky breath) it is necessary to stop this bad habit as soon as it surfaces rather than wait till it becomes a real issue.
How To Stop Dogs That Eat Poop From Indulging In This Behavior Part 1 – Show Him Some Alternatives
Your pet may eat poop because it is his way to entertain himself. You can eliminate this bad habit by providing him with something to do. First, try purchasing a few different toys such as Kong toys which can be stuffed with dog food and snacks and will make your dog busy for hours (he will have to work really hard to get the treat out piece by piece).
How To Stop Dogs That Eat Poop From Indulging In This Behavior Part 2 – Make Him Tired
Another great way to stop dogs that eat poop from consuming feces is to make them as tired as possible so that the only thing they can think of is sleeping. You can do that by taking your dog on regular walks where he will get a chance to socialize with other animals and play-fight with them or signing him up for an obedience class. You won’t believe how exhausting for your four-legged friend can a short training session be (due to the combination of mental and physical efforts).
How To Stop Dogs That Eat Poop From Indulging In This Behavior Part 3 – Change His Diet
Some canines will eat poop in order to supplement their diet because it lacks certain minerals and vitamins. If this is the case you need to start paying attention to the food you give to your dog. First of all, invest in a big pack of dry kibble as it is very nutritious and well balanced and will help your pet to keep his teeth healthy. You can then add a bit of canned food in order to make the meals more varied. Never feed your four-legged friend with the food you eat as dogs need entirely different set of nutritional elements than humans.
How To Stop Dogs That Eat Poop From Indulging In This Behavior Part 4 – What If Nothing Works?
One of the most effective methods to stop dogs that eat poop from indulging in this behavior is to add a bit of strong smelling spices to your pet’s stools so that he can’t stand sniffing them (dogs have very sensitive sense of smell). You can use cayenne pepper or tabasco sauce, just make sure it is something that effectively repels your canine.
Now, I know how annoying it is when your dog jumps on you with a breath that’s far from being fresh. You can’t stand him licking your hands because he might have been eating his own feces a second ago. You can stop this craziness! There is a great guide dedicated to solving this problem and you can access it instantly at http://www.IWantToTrainMyDog.info This is the exact method I used to stop dog from eating poop and I vouch for it.
We have a few products which will also help with this problem including Mark & Chappell’s Stool Repel-UM Coprophagia Aid which is suitable for puppies and dogs, helps eliminate stool eating, is a behaviour aid and is non toxic and is safe and effective.
Dog Treats: Should You Use Them In Dog Training?
February 28, 2010
By: Keith Gilbert
There’s always been some controversy over whether you should give treats (i.e. dog biscuits or Milk Bones) when you are training a dog. There are advantages and disadvantages to giving treats to a dog when you are training him. This article will hopefully clear up any confusion you might have.
Now, some people say, “Of course! Give the dog treats so he’ll obey you. After all, you won’t get his attention if you don’t give him anything he enjoys.” On the other hand, some other people will say, “No, don’t give the dog treats! He’ll be only obeying you for the food.”
There is truth to both the opinions stated above. The dog does need some incentive to obey you, right? But also, what if they dog does begin to work only for the food? What then? If he’s not hungry and doesn’t really want the food, then he doesn’t have any reason to obey you!
So should you use dog treats? The answer is YES, but in moderation. Don’t give the dog a biscuit every single time he obeys you; instead, sometimes just praise him excessively instead. Also, don’t make the “prize” too big or you’ll be overfeeding him. For example, break a biscuit in half or even cut it into three pieces so you’re not feeding your dog too much when you train him.
Here’s another idea for training young puppies. Don’t feed them biscuits at all – just use adult dog food pellets. The pellets are big enough to be a treat for the young puppy’s tiny mouth, but small enough that it won’t overfeed the puppy.
Another very important point I’d like to make is that you shouldn’t train your dog to obey you only for the food as a reward. Although you might not consciously be doing this, it’s easy to slip into the habit of just rewarding your dog with a treat every single time he does anything remotely good.
Instead, you want your dog to think of you as the “strong master,” or the “alpha” over him, so that he obeys you because you’re the master and because he wants to please you, not just because you have a treat. You can do this by praising him a lot in a high voice when he does something good and in a deep, “you’re in trouble” voice when he does something bad. You want him to distinguish between the voices and figure out that a high voice means “good” and low means “bad” and whenever you do the low voice; you are not pleased with him.
How To Teach A Dog Not To Bark-Top 3 Tips On How To Teach A Dog Not To Bark
April 12, 2010
Out of a few common questions that dog owners are forced to address is how to teach a dog not to bark. Dogs simply love to bark. It is a completely normal thing for a dog to do, just as it is normal for humans to speak. It is only when a dog barks excessively it becomes a big nuisance for dog owners and everybody in the neighborhood as well.
Although, you would certainly want your dog to stop barking excessively but you would also want him to bark when he needs to warn you of something suspicious. So our aim should not be how to stop a dog from barking, rather it should be how to stop a dog from barking excessively.
Mentioned below are the top 3 tips on how to teach a dog not to bark -:
Step 1: Ignore Your Dog When He Barks For Attention
This step is very important folks, when your dog is barking and you start yelling at him asking him to stop barking, you are just unknowingly reinforcing his bad behavior. Your dog will pretty quickly understand that he can get instant attention by barking.
So, when your dog is barking just to gain attention, pay no attention towards him. Do not say anything to him, not even a “no”. Avoid eye contact, turn away from him and use your body language to help get the message across to him that you do not want to be bothered right now.
Teaching a dog not to bark for attention will take some time, but you should never give in or your dog will learn to bark louder and longer!
Step 2: Give Your Dog Daily Attention and Exercise
Dogs that spend much of their days alone have got a lot of stored energy in them that shows itself in excessive barking. Well exercised dogs are more happy indoors and less likely to have such barking problems.
Take some time out of your busy schedule to spend it with your dogs, play with them, and take them out for a walk daily to provide them the required physical exercise. When you have to leave your dog alone at home, give him some nice dog chew toys so that he doesn’t start to bark out of boredom.
Step 3: Train Your Dog to Be Quiet on Command
When your dog barks for a correct reason but does not stop barking on his own, you need to teach him to stop barking. The best way with young and obedient dogs is to gently hold their muzzle shut to stop their barking and then giving them a command for “quiet”. The choice of word used is yours and doesn’t really matter if the same word is used every time you command your dog to stop barking. If your dog stays quiet after releasing the muzzle give him a treat or just gently caress him and say “good dog”.
As you can see here teaching a dog not to bark can be a slow and frustrating issue to deal with. When trying to learn how to teach a dog not to bark, a good dog training
course can be very useful. You will want to look for the one that includes a free consultation with a skilled dog trainer
.
Pets Pantry
April 12, 2010
If you need help with your dogs barking take a look at some of the bark collars and barking deterrents we have on our website. There are plenty to choose from in our dog training department with prices to suit all pockets.
Hills Science Plan Dog Food – How it all started
In 1928, Dr. Mark L. Morris Sr. established Raritan Hospital for Animals in Edison, New Jersey. At the time, this was one of only two small animal hospitals in the United States. By 1939, Dr. Morris believed managing nutrition could have a positive effect on the health of companion animals. In the late 1930s, Morris Frank, a young blind man, was touring the country with his guide dog Buddy promoting Seeing Eye dogs. However, Buddy, a German Shepherd Dog, was suffering from kidney failure and Mr. Frank asked Dr. Morris for help. Dr. Morris believed the illness was a result of poor nutrition, and began developing a new pet food to help Buddy. With his wife, Louise Morris, in the kitchen, Dr. Morris formulated the dog food. Louise and three other women continued making the food in the Morris family basement, storing it in Ball jars. Raritan Ration B was the forerunner of Hill’s Prescription Diet k/d Canine and is developed for dogs with renal failure and insufficiency. Dr. Morris mailed the food to Mr. Frank, who was on tour across the country with Buddy. However, the jars often broke in transit. The U.S. was in World War 2 and glass was scarce. Morris Frank arranged for delivery of several thousand cans and a hand-operated canning machine to Dr. Morris. His staff then started canning food. So, in 1948, Dr. Morris contracted with Burton Hill of the Hill Packing Company in Topeka, Kansas, to can the food with a new name, Canine k/d, and licensed Hill to produce his pet food formulas. In the following years, the partnership between Dr. Morris and the Hill Packing Company evolved into Hill’s Pet Nutrition, and it continued to grow and add formulas of therapeutic pet food to its Prescription Diet line of products. Dr. Morris established a research laboratory in Topeka in 1951, when four Prescription Diet pet foods for dogs were available. Dr. Morris’ son, Dr. Mark Morris Jr., continued to help grow Hill’s Pet Nutrition over the next several decades. Dr. Morris Jr. noticed a demand for consistent, high-quality pet food for use in research. As a result, he developed a food for healthy pets. In 1968, the food line was made available through veterinarians and pet professionals as Hill’s Science Diet. The line has continued to expand, and today includes more than fifty pet foods formulated for many life stages and special needs in healthy pets. In 1976, the Colgate-Palmolive Company purchased Hill’s Pet Nutrition. Today, Hill’s pet food products are available in 86 countries around the world and company sales reached $1 billion in 1999. Today, Hill’s product lines include more than 60 Prescription Diet brand pet foods and more than 50 Science Diet brand pet foods. Research and product development for Hill’s takes place in Topeka, Kansas at the Hill’s Pet Nutrition Center. This center houses veterinarians and board-certified specialists in nutrition and internal medicine that are responsible for working with companion pets to develop products meeting veterinarian-quality standards for nutrition and taste. Each companion pet has a team to provide it clean living quarters, exercise areas, an agility course and other human and animal companions. The facility also houses a fully equipped veterinary hospital certified by the American Animal Hospital Association. This means the hospital conforms to the standards of small animal veterinary hospitals. Today, Hill’s manufactures Hill’s Prescription Diet brand pet foods, therapeutic pet foods available only through veterinarians, and Hill’s Science Diet brand pet foods sold through veterinarians and pet specialty stores.
New food needs introducing gradually. Start by mixing 25% new food with 75% old food. Then slowly change the proportions over the next three days or so.
Feed your dog according to their size, age and level of activity.
Keep treats to a minimum to ensure your dog does not become overweight.
Dogs need routine so feed them at the same time and place every day to encourage a comfortable eating pattern.
Your dog must have plenty of fresh, clean water available at all times.
Caring for your Dog
They are your friend, your companion, your confidant, your dog. You are their life, their love, and the leader of their pack. With big happy, smiley faces; ears pricked, tongues always at the ready for big licks, and tails on standby to wag ten to the dozen at any given opportunity. They love nothing more than big hugs, a ball to chase, rolling in smelly things that they shouldn’t roll in and hearing the word ‘walkies’ (they can even spell the word walkies!).
They never say ‘no’ – but don’t be fooled – they have an uncanny ability to play deaf when it suits! And why is it they will joyfully jump into the nearest stinky, muddy pond in one second flat, but, give them a bath in lovely clean water and they look at you as though you have just stolen their favourite toy?
They will be yours, faithful and true, every day of their life.
Nutrition
Dog are like us
The domestic dog evolved very closely with man and so it’s unsurprising that their nutritional needs resemble ours in many respects. Like us they are omnivores which means they can eat a broad spectrum of food including, meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, cereals, legumes and fruit.
Dogs can be vegetarians
Dogs can be quite happy on a vegetarian diet provided it’s correctly balanced and supplemented with the right vitamins and minerals. This is because certain essential fatty acids they would normally get from animal and fish products can be manufactured in their bodies from other nutrients. But generally a healthy diet should contain good quality meat or fish for protein, supplemented with vegetable proteins such as soya, grains or peas.
Fish Oil is good for your dog’s skin and coat condition
Dogs can tolerate both saturated and unsaturated fats and both should be present in your dogs diet. Small quantities of fish oil high in unsaturates are beneficial for skin and coat condition. For healthy skin and a glossy coat for your dog try Burgess Supadog.
Dogs can tolerate high levels of fat
Unlike their owners dogs can digest quite large quantities of fat in the diet and do not seem to experience the health problems this would cause humans. However, eating large quantities of high-energy foods, unless taking a lot of exercise, can cause obesity in dog and owner alike. It is important to keep your dog in a lean condition and light or lower energy diets, such as Supadog, are available to help with this.
Dogs need vitamins and minerals
Dogs need a careful balance of different vitamins and minerals and require food which includes zinc and copper supplements. A complete diet, such as Supadog, will include the necessary vitamins, minerals and amino acids in their correct ratio, either derived from the raw materials themselves or from an added supplement. Good manufacturers, like Supadog, use protected vitamins to prevent them being degraded by processing. Your dog should obtain all it needs from the food he eats, there should be no need to give your dog extra vitamins or minerals and over dosing vitamins can be harmful.
A little bit of fibre is good for your dog
Your dog will also benefit from some fibre in his diet as well. Although the diseases which fibre apparently protects man from are not generally recognised as severe problems in dogs the inclusion of fibre in the diet helps the passage of food through the gut and has a positive impact on gut bacteria and wellbeing. Sugar beet, pea fibre, chicory and whole grain cereals are all included in dog foods to provide different types and blends of fibre. Many manufactures also include fructooligosaccharides to aid gut health and maintain a healthy balance of “good bacteria”.
Dogs need plenty of water
Your dog also needs a supply of good clean water available to him throughout the day. Bowls should be kept clean, washed daily and regularly topped up so your dog can drink ad lib. This is particularly important when the weather is hot or when feeding dry food.
It’s important to find the right balanced diet for your dog
To help you find the right food for your pet have a look at our product range or simply fill in the details below and we can point you in the right direction. Alternatively you can call Burgess Pet Care free consumer care line on 0800 413 969 between 9am and 5pm, where our dedicated team of pet experts will help you make the right choice.
For what is probably one of the widest range of Leather Dog Collars available to buy online, take a look at Pets Pantry’s newly expanded leather dog collar section, where you will find all the latest designs from the very best manufacturers and if its a collar for your Staffy you’re looking for, check these out!
Whether it’s fun, luxury and sophistication or something a little more practical that you’re looking for, our Leather Dog Lead section has a great range to choose from.
Now that the days are getting shorter and the temperature is definitely starting to drop, maybe it’s time to treat your dog to a new soft and warm dog bed. Dog bed design has come a long way in the last few years, gone are the clashing colours and patterns of a few years ago. Dog beds are now considered more as a home furnishing and thus are designed to fit seamlessly in with your home décor.
But how to decide which bed is right for your dog? Firstly, and most importantly, it needs to be the correct size for your pet. Watch how they like to sleep, some will curl up while others will love nothing more than stretching out and taking up as much room as possible. Take a rough measurement of the space your dog uses whilst resting this will give you a good idea of which size to consider. Also consider the bed’s position within your home, your dog may love his new extra large bed however you will not enjoy constantly tripping over it!
If your dog prefers to curl up then the traditional oval shaped basket style maybe suitable, with a high back it also keeps out draughts, choosing a slightly larger size will enable you to add a blanket if your dog prefers to sleep with one. For those which would rather stretch out then a duvet style bed would be more appropriate, the box duvet beds keep their depth right up to the edge allowing your dog to get the same level of comfort wherever he decides to lay his head. As these beds have no back part to them it is advisable to place them away from draughts preferably against a wall or in the corner of a room.
Another factor to consider when choosing a dog bed is the kind of wear it will receive. Some of the cream fur lined beds can be beautifully soft and luxurious but, although machine washable, may not be quite as durable if your dog likes nothing more than getting as muddy as he can before slumping into bed. If this is the case then it could be wise to choose one of the harder wearing waterproof dog beds that can simply be wiped clean with a damp cloth and ideal for active or working dogs.
25 Comments
Aside from entertainment purposes, dog agility training makes your dog vigorous and alert. This fun-filled activity even sharpens his mind and teaches him to make his own strategy on how to finish the course efficiently.
Agility training will also allow your dogs to perform obstacles. With this kind of training, dogs can improve coordination through the basic training exercises used to teach jumping and ramp work.
More importantly, you and your dog will build a better bond. This training teamwork nurtures a good communication between the pet owner and the dog which improves their working relationship.
In line with that, there are different kinds of dog agility equipment such as dog training crates and dog exercise pens that will complete your dog’s obstacle training course. Every piece of equipment provides excellent improvement to your dog’s whole being and attitude.
Below is a list of benefits that you and your dog can get from agility training.
Benefits to Dogs:
º Keep your dog healthy.
º Allow your dog to perform his needed exercise.
º Establishes trust and confidence to you as their friend and owner
º Learning to follow basic obedience and instructions
º Develop flexibility
º Sharpens your dog’s mind
º Increases your dog’s endurance and confidence
º Develops your dog’s speed and accuracy
º Improves his communication skills
º Allows your dog to form his own strategies
Benefits to Pet Owners:
º Keep you in shape, healthy and alert
º Develop flexibility
º Helps to lose unwanted fats and gain muscle
º Increase your perseverance
Indeed, agility training gives your dog a great and exciting bonding time with you and other members of the family. Including it in your daily or weekly activities will surely strengthen your relationship with your dogs.
Pet Article courtesy of http://pet-articles.blogspot.com.
If you are looking for dog agility equipment to help train your dog or any dog agility training aids then here would be a good place to start…
The act of chewing seems to be a matter of individual preference among dogs: some have an innate desire to chew as a pleasurable activity in itself, and some seem to have no need to chew whatsoever unless they’re driven to it out of sheer boredom. In any case, when chewing is destructive – it’s a problem that NEEDS to be address quickly.
The phrase “destructive chewing” may sound redundant, because – by its very nature! – all chewing is destructive. Your dog has strong jaws full of sharp, pointy teeth: just about anything she starts to chew on is probably going to show the effects of it inside of a minute. So just to clarify, when I use the phrase “destructive chewing”, I’m referring to inappropriate chewing: the kind of chewing that’s focused on your own possessions and household items, instead of on your dog’s own designated toys and chews.
The 3 Main Reasons Why Dogs Chew:
1. Most dogs have a natural desire to chew. It’s fun, it passes the time, and it’s a self-rewarding, self-reinforcing activity (for example, if she’s chewing on something that tastes good.)
2. Chewing provides a nervous, bored, or lonely dog with an outlet for her emotions. To an anxious dog, the repetitive act of chewing is soothing – it’s the doggie equivalent of comfort food.
3. Under exercised dogs often use chewing as a way of burning up nervous energy and giving themselves something to do.
6 Ways to Prevent Destructive Chewing
Dogs are perfectly capable of learning not to chew your stuff – you just have to put in a little effort first, that’s all.
1. Doggy-Proofing: Take control of the situation: manage your own possessions. Your first step should be to dog-proof your home. Even if you have the best-behaved dog in the world, there’s still no reason to test her self-control – after all, dogs explore the world with their mouths.
Dog-proofing your home means taking whatever you don’t want to end up in her mouth, and making it unavailable. Consider her size and agility when deciding whether something’s out of reach: can she jump? Can she climb, or leap onto something else to reach the desired object? How tall is she when standing on her back legs
Common targets in the home include books, eyewear, clothing, shoes, garbage, and small crunchy appliances like cameras, cell phones, and remote controls.
It should go without saying that all food needs to be put securely away: don’t leave snacks on low tables (or even countertops – you’d be surprised how acrobatic she can be when there’s food at stake!), put all food into containers or the pantry. Rinse your dirty plates clean of any food scraps before leaving them by the sink.
2. Prevention: Prevent her from learning the joys of illegal chewing. The more times she manages to snatch a jawful of a forbidden substance – a chair-leg, a pillow, a running shoe – the more readily she’ll target those items in future. If you can prevent her from chewing your stuff in the first place, it’s a lot easier for her to understand what you expect of her. Practically speaking, this means confining her in a dog-proofed area until you’re confident of her understanding of the house rules.
3. Rule Setting: Don’t set her up for failure by blurring the boundaries between her stuff (OK to chew) and your stuff (not OK to chew). Don’t offer your dog cast-off clothes, shoes, or towels to chew and play with: realistically, you can’t possibly expect her to be able to tell the difference between your current shoes and the one she’s got in her mouth that you gave her five minutes ago.
4. Provision: Provide her with lots of tasty alternatives to your stuff. If her environment is relatively barren of attractive, appropriate chewing objects, you can hardly blame her for targeting your possessions. Remember, most dogs need to chew; if she’s an adolescent (under three years) or a puppy (under one year), her needs will be even more pronounced. Go on a toy and chew shopping spree, then give her two or three to play with at a time. Rotating the available toys every few days will keep things novel and interesting for her.
5. Supervision: Spend lots of time in active supervision. Yes, it might be easier for you to just keep her penned up in her dog crates, run, or the yard – but that’s boring and horrible for her, and hardly much fun for you either (if you wanted a pet that you don’t need to interact with, you’d have got a goldfish, right?) She can’t learn what you expect of her if she’s spending all her time boxed up in the dog-proof zone: she needs the opportunity to explore the boundaries of your expectations, so she can understand what’s appropriate and what’s not.
6. The Switcheroo: When you catch her chewing something inappropriate, interrupt her by making a loud noise: clap your hands or make an “Ah-ah-aaaah!” noise. Then, immediately hand her a tasty and dog-appropriate alternative (a rawhide bone or other chew toy); as soon as her jaws close around it, praise her lavishly. There is no better way to get your dog to understand that chewing “her” toys equals praise from you, but everything else equals trouble.
Maintain a Positive Attitude
Above all, remember to keep your expectations realistic. You’re not perfect, and neither is your dog: there’s likely to be at least one incident where a cherished item is damaged by her curiosity.
Particularly in the early stages of your relationship, she’s still learning the ropes: it’ll take awhile before she’s completely reliable (and even then, if she’s left by herself for too long or feels neglected, she may choose your stuff over hers to occupy her time and jaws with.) Remember to give her time to learn the rules, and plenty of ‘you-time’ to help her learn faster – and don’t forget to take precautions and keep things out of reach until she’s got the hang of the chewing rules!
If you REALLY want to end your dog’s excessive chewing problem, you NEED to establish yourself as the Alpha Dog of the house. To discover the FASTEST way to accomplish Alpha Dog status, check out the step by step tutorial at http://www.Dog-Training-Works.com. There, you’ll learn how to finally get your dog to listen to you and follow your command the first time around. Check it out here!
Jason Ellis has been helping people train their dogs and newborn puppies for years. His expertise deals with applying proven, effective techniques that train your dog to be the obedient companion you’ve always wanted in a matter of WEEKS. You can find Jason’s complete dog training course at http://www.Dog-Training-Works.com
Pet Article courtesy of http://pet-articles.blogspot.com.
If you need to stop your new puppy chewing you out of house and home take a look here at some of the great anti-chew products available…
Good nutrition is a primary necessary for your dog. It influences their health and long life by contribution a vital balance of proteins, fats, complex carbohydrates and the draw nutrients and minerals their bodies must for growth, fix and maintains of sound resistant system.
Nutrition is a composite and essential part of your dog’s talent to think plainly, inferior strain levels and create soother activities.
To think takes so much force. Dogs mixed up in a training program, use wonderful intellectual power focusing on the responsibilities existing to them. If your dog begins with minimum nutrition, they become tired, anxious or hyper active when asked to carry out the simplest of tasks. They cannot focus and loss attention after a short time or become puzzled. If the dog is frequently asked to do something they cannot realize, uncertainty can guide to a hostile form of acting out.
Prestige undertaking dogs, the nonpareil organization I beholding at the dog’s nourishment. I do operation from the inside foreign. Job becomes fruitless if the fundamental basis owing to the activities is not distorted. Hyper, distracted further exterior of direct dogs recurrently are eating foods with sterling levels of cornflakes foods alike now wheat, corn, and corn meal.
Aggressive dogs eat chuck containing upper levels of variant spring protein. countless of these proteins are imperfect derbies of amino acids which win not offer befitting rack further repair of tension fiber and cell tissue.
Shy further haggard dogs get done not digest their foods positively at undivided besides oftentimes suffer from intestinal complications such because diarrhea. Their coats are usually ever desert again shed heavily.
One drawing near to dare the foods you are feeding is to permeate the ration mastery humidify as about 30 toilet paper. If legitimate swells significance size and becomes mushy, evident is primarily cereal.
Are you dog’s stools oftentimes softhearted and hospitable or is the grisly gassy? They are not digesting the mess properly.
By looking at their food, you leave carry out more to succor bill their behavior, because in fact as, hype to their health and longevity. Dash Abundance offers the cool society of larder now unbroken dogs concerned. The proteins are score besides digest easily.
The carbohydrates are streak also wind up not temperament curiosity wearisome sugars effectual life swings of highs besides depressed behaviors. The Proboscis influence the menu tally also digest additional easily, which is not characteristic follow through for the weird or throw dogs, but ensures faultless dogs are recipient the cuisine they appetite from food.
Pet Article courtesy of http://pet-articles.blogspot.com.
For a huge range of dog foods including Hills Science Plan, Arden Grange, Royal Canin, Pro Plan, and many more for your puppy, adult or senior dog have a look at the Pets Pantry’s dog food department.
PetSmart was founded in 1986 and opened its first dog bed Warehouse stores in the Phoenix area. Through several mergers and acquisitions, PetSmart expanded in the early- and late-1990s across the U.S. and into Canada, and entered dog bed online retailing through a partnership with Idealab in 1999.
In premature 2000, PetSmart remodeled most of its store in a plan they called “Eagle” which changed varied of its stores from a front-half dog bed storefront, back-half warehouse feel to an all-over standard retail market, in hopes of not intimidating customers.
In August 2005, the company announced that it was rebranding its name from PETsMART to PetSmart. This move is designed to accentuate its evolution from a pet supply store to a solutions-oriented company.
As of November 2007, PetSmart operated nearly 1,000 stores and about 150 locations with PetsHotels and Doggie Day Camps. Some PetSmarts are dog bed co-located with Banfield Pet Hospital veterinary offices.
Although the dog was dog shoes mostly associated dog shoes with The Shoe it is also recorded that it made appearances througout the parish of North Wraxall. The dog shoes village of Ford has a parish make a notation of from April, 1794 that claims the dog was heard secondary the vicarage immediately in advance of the expiry of Richard Wooley, the vicar. http://www.lovelonglong.com
So, you have a new dog and you’re looking for a name. Choosing a name for your dog is something that many people enjoy but others find it to be rather frustrating. It is usually best if they try to find out what the popular dog names are in order to give them a little bit of direction. Not only can they save them some of the frustration of deciding on a dog name, they may actually be able to think of one that they would not have considered otherwise.
According to some websites, the most popular dog names are Buddy, Max, Sadie, Jack, Daisy, Lucy, Lady, Charlie, Rocky and Duke.
Of course, there are thousands of dog names that you can choose from, one of which is sure to make you happy. There are several different things that many people take into consideration whenever they are choosing a dog name. Although this may take them away from deciding on one of the popular dog names, it can fit the breed or the particular dog very well.
It is very important for your dog to be named early in life. This will help it to be able to recognize its name, which many of them will do very quickly. It still doesn’t hurt for you to have the dog around for a little while before you finally settling on a name. Some people have a name in mind and they may have been waiting for many years to call a dog by that name. Other people, however, like to watch the dog and learn a little bit about its personality before finally deciding to settle in and name the dog. It really is a personal choice on your part but by giving the dog an interesting name, one that fits in well with its breed and personality, you can draw back on that every time you call it.
You should also keep in mind that you will be using the name multiple times every day. In fact, many people use the name of their dog more often than they use the name of their own children. If you avoid giving your dog a very long name, you can avoid using a nickname which you will eventually do anyway. So, it’s a good idea to look at the popular dog names in order to choose a name and use it as a guide to find the perfect name for your pet.
Find thousands of dog names and more popular dog names at http://www.favorite-puppy-names.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_McVey
Dogs that eat poop often seem to be mentally ill but what we don’t remember is the fact that canines have entirely different sensibilities to us and what may seem disgusting for the dog owner is often considered fun for his pet. However, because eating feces is very unhealthy and may significantly reduce the amount of time you spend with your pet (e.g. because of his stinky breath) it is necessary to stop this bad habit as soon as it surfaces rather than wait till it becomes a real issue.
How To Stop Dogs That Eat Poop From Indulging In This Behavior Part 1 – Show Him Some Alternatives
Your pet may eat poop because it is his way to entertain himself. You can eliminate this bad habit by providing him with something to do. First, try purchasing a few different toys such as Kong toys which can be stuffed with dog food and snacks and will make your dog busy for hours (he will have to work really hard to get the treat out piece by piece).
How To Stop Dogs That Eat Poop From Indulging In This Behavior Part 2 – Make Him Tired
Another great way to stop dogs that eat poop from consuming feces is to make them as tired as possible so that the only thing they can think of is sleeping. You can do that by taking your dog on regular walks where he will get a chance to socialize with other animals and play-fight with them or signing him up for an obedience class. You won’t believe how exhausting for your four-legged friend can a short training session be (due to the combination of mental and physical efforts).
How To Stop Dogs That Eat Poop From Indulging In This Behavior Part 3 – Change His Diet
Some canines will eat poop in order to supplement their diet because it lacks certain minerals and vitamins. If this is the case you need to start paying attention to the food you give to your dog. First of all, invest in a big pack of dry kibble as it is very nutritious and well balanced and will help your pet to keep his teeth healthy. You can then add a bit of canned food in order to make the meals more varied. Never feed your four-legged friend with the food you eat as dogs need entirely different set of nutritional elements than humans.
How To Stop Dogs That Eat Poop From Indulging In This Behavior Part 4 – What If Nothing Works?
One of the most effective methods to stop dogs that eat poop from indulging in this behavior is to add a bit of strong smelling spices to your pet’s stools so that he can’t stand sniffing them (dogs have very sensitive sense of smell). You can use cayenne pepper or tabasco sauce, just make sure it is something that effectively repels your canine.
Now, I know how annoying it is when your dog jumps on you with a breath that’s far from being fresh. You can’t stand him licking your hands because he might have been eating his own feces a second ago. You can stop this craziness! There is a great guide dedicated to solving this problem and you can access it instantly at http://www.IWantToTrainMyDog.info This is the exact method I used to stop dog from eating poop and I vouch for it.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pawel_Kalkus
We have a few products which will also help with this problem including Mark & Chappell’s Stool Repel-UM Coprophagia Aid which is suitable for puppies and dogs, helps eliminate stool eating, is a behaviour aid and is non toxic and is safe and effective.
By: Keith Gilbert
There’s always been some controversy over whether you should give treats (i.e. dog biscuits or Milk Bones) when you are training a dog. There are advantages and disadvantages to giving treats to a dog when you are training him. This article will hopefully clear up any confusion you might have.
Now, some people say, “Of course! Give the dog treats so he’ll obey you. After all, you won’t get his attention if you don’t give him anything he enjoys.” On the other hand, some other people will say, “No, don’t give the dog treats! He’ll be only obeying you for the food.”
There is truth to both the opinions stated above. The dog does need some incentive to obey you, right? But also, what if they dog does begin to work only for the food? What then? If he’s not hungry and doesn’t really want the food, then he doesn’t have any reason to obey you!
So should you use dog treats? The answer is YES, but in moderation. Don’t give the dog a biscuit every single time he obeys you; instead, sometimes just praise him excessively instead. Also, don’t make the “prize” too big or you’ll be overfeeding him. For example, break a biscuit in half or even cut it into three pieces so you’re not feeding your dog too much when you train him.
Here’s another idea for training young puppies. Don’t feed them biscuits at all – just use adult dog food pellets. The pellets are big enough to be a treat for the young puppy’s tiny mouth, but small enough that it won’t overfeed the puppy.
Another very important point I’d like to make is that you shouldn’t train your dog to obey you only for the food as a reward. Although you might not consciously be doing this, it’s easy to slip into the habit of just rewarding your dog with a treat every single time he does anything remotely good.
Instead, you want your dog to think of you as the “strong master,” or the “alpha” over him, so that he obeys you because you’re the master and because he wants to please you, not just because you have a treat. You can do this by praising him a lot in a high voice when he does something good and in a deep, “you’re in trouble” voice when he does something bad. You want him to distinguish between the voices and figure out that a high voice means “good” and low means “bad” and whenever you do the low voice; you are not pleased with him.
I hope this article has helped you in training your dog. I hope you have much success in developing a well-behaved, friendly dog!
Author Bio
100% Free Dog Training e-Course! http://www.dogobediencetraining123.com/freetips
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com – Free Website Content
Well whether you decide to use dog treats or not to train your dog, here at Pets Pantry we have a huge selection of chocolate dog treats, dog chews, puppy treats as well as training treats. We also have plenty of the natural dog treats available.
Out of a few common questions that dog owners are forced to address is how to teach a dog not to bark. Dogs simply love to bark. It is a completely normal thing for a dog to do, just as it is normal for humans to speak. It is only when a dog barks excessively it becomes a big nuisance for dog owners and everybody in the neighborhood as well.
Although, you would certainly want your dog to stop barking excessively but you would also want him to bark when he needs to warn you of something suspicious. So our aim should not be how to stop a dog from barking, rather it should be how to stop a dog from barking excessively.
Mentioned below are the top 3 tips on how to teach a dog not to bark -:
Step 1: Ignore Your Dog When He Barks For Attention
This step is very important folks, when your dog is barking and you start yelling at him asking him to stop barking, you are just unknowingly reinforcing his bad behavior. Your dog will pretty quickly understand that he can get instant attention by barking.
So, when your dog is barking just to gain attention, pay no attention towards him. Do not say anything to him, not even a “no”. Avoid eye contact, turn away from him and use your body language to help get the message across to him that you do not want to be bothered right now.
Teaching a dog not to bark for attention will take some time, but you should never give in or your dog will learn to bark louder and longer!
Step 2: Give Your Dog Daily Attention and Exercise
Dogs that spend much of their days alone have got a lot of stored energy in them that shows itself in excessive barking. Well exercised dogs are more happy indoors and less likely to have such barking problems.
Take some time out of your busy schedule to spend it with your dogs, play with them, and take them out for a walk daily to provide them the required physical exercise. When you have to leave your dog alone at home, give him some nice dog chew toys so that he doesn’t start to bark out of boredom.
Step 3: Train Your Dog to Be Quiet on Command
When your dog barks for a correct reason but does not stop barking on his own, you need to teach him to stop barking. The best way with young and obedient dogs is to gently hold their muzzle shut to stop their barking and then giving them a command for “quiet”. The choice of word used is yours and doesn’t really matter if the same word is used every time you command your dog to stop barking. If your dog stays quiet after releasing the muzzle give him a treat or just gently caress him and say “good dog”.
As you can see here teaching a dog not to bark can be a slow and frustrating issue to deal with. When trying to learn how to teach a dog not to bark, a good dog training
course can be very useful. You will want to look for the one that includes a free consultation with a skilled dog trainer
.
If you need help with your dogs barking take a look at some of the bark collars and barking deterrents we have on our website. There are plenty to choose from in our dog training department with prices to suit all pockets.
Hills Science Plan Dog Food – How it all started
In 1928, Dr. Mark L. Morris Sr. established Raritan Hospital for Animals in Edison, New Jersey. At the time, this was one of only two small animal hospitals in the United States. By 1939, Dr. Morris believed managing nutrition could have a positive effect on the health of companion animals. In the late 1930s, Morris Frank, a young blind man, was touring the country with his guide dog Buddy promoting Seeing Eye dogs. However, Buddy, a German Shepherd Dog, was suffering from kidney failure and Mr. Frank asked Dr. Morris for help. Dr. Morris believed the illness was a result of poor nutrition, and began developing a new pet food to help Buddy. With his wife, Louise Morris, in the kitchen, Dr. Morris formulated the dog food. Louise and three other women continued making the food in the Morris family basement, storing it in Ball jars. Raritan Ration B was the forerunner of Hill’s Prescription Diet k/d Canine and is developed for dogs with renal failure and insufficiency. Dr. Morris mailed the food to Mr. Frank, who was on tour across the country with Buddy. However, the jars often broke in transit. The U.S. was in World War 2 and glass was scarce. Morris Frank arranged for delivery of several thousand cans and a hand-operated canning machine to Dr. Morris. His staff then started canning food. So, in 1948, Dr. Morris contracted with Burton Hill of the Hill Packing Company in Topeka, Kansas, to can the food with a new name, Canine k/d, and licensed Hill to produce his pet food formulas. In the following years, the partnership between Dr. Morris and the Hill Packing Company evolved into Hill’s Pet Nutrition, and it continued to grow and add formulas of therapeutic pet food to its Prescription Diet line of products. Dr. Morris established a research laboratory in Topeka in 1951, when four Prescription Diet pet foods for dogs were available. Dr. Morris’ son, Dr. Mark Morris Jr., continued to help grow Hill’s Pet Nutrition over the next several decades. Dr. Morris Jr. noticed a demand for consistent, high-quality pet food for use in research. As a result, he developed a food for healthy pets. In 1968, the food line was made available through veterinarians and pet professionals as Hill’s Science Diet. The line has continued to expand, and today includes more than fifty pet foods formulated for many life stages and special needs in healthy pets. In 1976, the Colgate-Palmolive Company purchased Hill’s Pet Nutrition. Today, Hill’s pet food products are available in 86 countries around the world and company sales reached $1 billion in 1999. Today, Hill’s product lines include more than 60 Prescription Diet brand pet foods and more than 50 Science Diet brand pet foods. Research and product development for Hill’s takes place in Topeka, Kansas at the Hill’s Pet Nutrition Center. This center houses veterinarians and board-certified specialists in nutrition and internal medicine that are responsible for working with companion pets to develop products meeting veterinarian-quality standards for nutrition and taste. Each companion pet has a team to provide it clean living quarters, exercise areas, an agility course and other human and animal companions. The facility also houses a fully equipped veterinary hospital certified by the American Animal Hospital Association. This means the hospital conforms to the standards of small animal veterinary hospitals. Today, Hill’s manufactures Hill’s Prescription Diet brand pet foods, therapeutic pet foods available only through veterinarians, and Hill’s Science Diet brand pet foods sold through veterinarians and pet specialty stores.
Tips for Feeding Your Dog
New food needs introducing gradually. Start by mixing 25% new food with 75% old food. Then slowly change the proportions over the next three days or so.
Feed your dog according to their size, age and level of activity.
Keep treats to a minimum to ensure your dog does not become overweight.
Dogs need routine so feed them at the same time and place every day to encourage a comfortable eating pattern.
Your dog must have plenty of fresh, clean water available at all times.
Caring for your Dog
They are your friend, your companion, your confidant, your dog. You are their life, their love, and the leader of their pack. With big happy, smiley faces; ears pricked, tongues always at the ready for big licks, and tails on standby to wag ten to the dozen at any given opportunity. They love nothing more than big hugs, a ball to chase, rolling in smelly things that they shouldn’t roll in and hearing the word ‘walkies’ (they can even spell the word walkies!).
They never say ‘no’ – but don’t be fooled – they have an uncanny ability to play deaf when it suits! And why is it they will joyfully jump into the nearest stinky, muddy pond in one second flat, but, give them a bath in lovely clean water and they look at you as though you have just stolen their favourite toy?
They will be yours, faithful and true, every day of their life.
Nutrition
Dog are like us
The domestic dog evolved very closely with man and so it’s unsurprising that their nutritional needs resemble ours in many respects. Like us they are omnivores which means they can eat a broad spectrum of food including, meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, cereals, legumes and fruit.
Dogs can be vegetarians
Dogs can be quite happy on a vegetarian diet provided it’s correctly balanced and supplemented with the right vitamins and minerals. This is because certain essential fatty acids they would normally get from animal and fish products can be manufactured in their bodies from other nutrients. But generally a healthy diet should contain good quality meat or fish for protein, supplemented with vegetable proteins such as soya, grains or peas.
Fish Oil is good for your dog’s skin and coat condition
Dogs can tolerate both saturated and unsaturated fats and both should be present in your dogs diet. Small quantities of fish oil high in unsaturates are beneficial for skin and coat condition. For healthy skin and a glossy coat for your dog try Burgess Supadog.
Dogs can tolerate high levels of fat
Unlike their owners dogs can digest quite large quantities of fat in the diet and do not seem to experience the health problems this would cause humans. However, eating large quantities of high-energy foods, unless taking a lot of exercise, can cause obesity in dog and owner alike. It is important to keep your dog in a lean condition and light or lower energy diets, such as Supadog, are available to help with this.
Dogs need vitamins and minerals
Dogs need a careful balance of different vitamins and minerals and require food which includes zinc and copper supplements. A complete diet, such as Supadog, will include the necessary vitamins, minerals and amino acids in their correct ratio, either derived from the raw materials themselves or from an added supplement. Good manufacturers, like Supadog, use protected vitamins to prevent them being degraded by processing. Your dog should obtain all it needs from the food he eats, there should be no need to give your dog extra vitamins or minerals and over dosing vitamins can be harmful.
A little bit of fibre is good for your dog
Your dog will also benefit from some fibre in his diet as well. Although the diseases which fibre apparently protects man from are not generally recognised as severe problems in dogs the inclusion of fibre in the diet helps the passage of food through the gut and has a positive impact on gut bacteria and wellbeing. Sugar beet, pea fibre, chicory and whole grain cereals are all included in dog foods to provide different types and blends of fibre. Many manufactures also include fructooligosaccharides to aid gut health and maintain a healthy balance of “good bacteria”.
Dogs need plenty of water
Your dog also needs a supply of good clean water available to him throughout the day. Bowls should be kept clean, washed daily and regularly topped up so your dog can drink ad lib. This is particularly important when the weather is hot or when feeding dry food.
It’s important to find the right balanced diet for your dog
To help you find the right food for your pet have a look at our product range or simply fill in the details below and we can point you in the right direction. Alternatively you can call Burgess Pet Care free consumer care line on 0800 413 969 between 9am and 5pm, where our dedicated team of pet experts will help you make the right choice.
Pets Pantry has a wide selection of the best Dry Dog Food available. Continually updated to bring you the best dog food from the best manufacturers with brands such as Hills Pet Nutrition,Arden Grange,James Wellbeloved,Pro Plan,Royal Canin to name just a few.
At Pets Pantry we have a vast selection of Dog Medicines and Dog Health Care Products including treatments to help with Dog Anxiety, Dog Skin Care, Dog Joint Care, Dog Travel Sickness plus much more. To help keep your dog fit and healthy we also have plenty of Vitamins for Dogs and Puppies and Dog Condition Tablets to choose from in Pets Pantry’s dog medicine department.
With one of the biggest ranges of Dog Beds available online, you won’t be disappointed at the choices. Whether you want a Designer Dog Bed, Luxury Dog Bed, Dog Mattress, Dog Duvet or just a Dog Igloo Bed Pets Pantry’s got the lot!
Get ready for winter with a new Dog Coat for your best friend. We have a great range of Fleece Dog Coats, Waterproof Dog Coats and Reflective Dog Coats To mention just a few.
For what is probably one of the widest range of Leather Dog Collars available to buy online, take a look at Pets Pantry’s newly expanded leather dog collar section, where you will find all the latest designs from the very best manufacturers and if its a collar for your Staffy you’re looking for, check these out!
Whether it’s fun, luxury and sophistication or something a little more practical that you’re looking for, our Leather Dog Lead section has a great range to choose from.
Now that the days are getting shorter and the temperature is definitely starting to drop, maybe it’s time to treat your dog to a new soft and warm dog bed. Dog bed design has come a long way in the last few years, gone are the clashing colours and patterns of a few years ago. Dog beds are now considered more as a home furnishing and thus are designed to fit seamlessly in with your home décor.
But how to decide which bed is right for your dog? Firstly, and most importantly, it needs to be the correct size for your pet. Watch how they like to sleep, some will curl up while others will love nothing more than stretching out and taking up as much room as possible. Take a rough measurement of the space your dog uses whilst resting this will give you a good idea of which size to consider. Also consider the bed’s position within your home, your dog may love his new extra large bed however you will not enjoy constantly tripping over it!
If your dog prefers to curl up then the traditional oval shaped basket style maybe suitable, with a high back it also keeps out draughts, choosing a slightly larger size will enable you to add a blanket if your dog prefers to sleep with one. For those which would rather stretch out then a duvet style bed would be more appropriate, the box duvet beds keep their depth right up to the edge allowing your dog to get the same level of comfort wherever he decides to lay his head. As these beds have no back part to them it is advisable to place them away from draughts preferably against a wall or in the corner of a room.
Another factor to consider when choosing a dog bed is the kind of wear it will receive. Some of the cream fur lined beds can be beautifully soft and luxurious but, although machine washable, may not be quite as durable if your dog likes nothing more than getting as muddy as he can before slumping into bed. If this is the case then it could be wise to choose one of the harder wearing waterproof dog beds that can simply be wiped clean with a damp cloth and ideal for active or working dogs.
Courtesy of http://www.dogsandpuppies.co.uk