Pampering the Pets

If your dog is your best friend, then shouldn’t you do everything you can to maintain their health at the optimum level? Doesn’t your best friend deserve the same good care you give yourself? Your dog is probably a member of your family and needs the same attention to health and nutrition as you do in order to stay healthy and live longer.

When you go shopping in a big pet store, you can lost in the sea of products that are available. Every aisle is loaded with products that makes it very confusing and also time consuming to select the best products to buy. However, purchasing the best products to keep your dog healthy is important. All you need to use is a little commonsense and good information regarding the breed and age of your dog in order to select the appropriate choices.

It is best to think of dogs as falling into two categories – small & adult.

For Small Dogs & Puppies

Small dogs have a different metabolism as it has been proven compared to large dogs. This is a function of the physiologic effect of body mass. Think about a labrador retriever versus a chihuahua when it comes to their size and frame.

A Great Dane that weighs a 100 pounds consumes about 23 calories per pound of body weight than does a little Pomeranian that weighs 6 pounds that needs to consume 47 calories per pound of body weight every day. The little dog needs more than twice as much!

As owner of a small dog, you need to be certain that your dog’s energy needs are being satisfied. Be sure to choose a diet that’s been formulated properly with optimal balance of highly digestible nutrients. The digestibility of the dog food determines how much your dog can actually utilize each nutrient that he eats.

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

The diet for both children and puppies is always important to their overall health. The diet should be balanced, nutrient rich, should contain high levels of phosphorous and calcium, and be highly digestible. It should contain high-quality proteins and adhere to official standards. This would ensure that your puppy or puppies develop strong bones, muscle and tissue.

For Adult Dogs

A dog’s diet needs a combination of fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water to be balanced to meet their daily needs. A lot of dog food claims to be a complete food. This does not matter if the nutrients cannot be absorbed by your dog’s system. Dog food companies take great care to provide the nutrients in a form that can be easily absorbed.

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

Here are some feeding tips to make feeding time fun and more pleasant:

1. Always keep the food dish clean.

2. Feed adult dogs twice a day to prevent gobbling the food at one single meal to lessen the chance of your deep chested dog developing bloat or stomach torsion.

3. Feeding Schedule should be relaxed so that your dog knows the meal time but will not bother you if you are a little late.

4. Give your dog space away from other dogs while feeding so that he does not get insecure and feel a need to defend his food.

5. Never let your dog have free access to food because this will create constant activity in their digestive systems.

6. Make sure your dog is calm when he has his food to create less chance of food spilling all over the floor.

7. Never play with your dog with his dish in order to teach him manners.

8. Give him sufficient time to clean his dish so that he has time to lick it clean.

Just love your healthy dog and enjoy every minute with him.

Is there anything cuter than puppies and kittens? Aren’t they adorable when they are sleeping?

Ever since President Obama told the nation that he was going to get his daughters a dog, everyone waited to hear about their choice. It had to be a breed that was known to be hypoallergenic because one of the girls was allergic. The Portuguese Water Dog won and Bo joined the Obama Family.

Obama's Bo

This breed is considered a hypoallergenic dog. While this breed is not as common as other breeds, if you want to dog that is hypoallergenic, lively, and enjoys companionship, then this breed may be the one for you. The Portuguese Water Dog is not as common a breed as other breeds of hypoallergenic dog. You will have to search for a breeder online, in the newspaper, or by calling breeders in your area until you find one.

Generally happy dogs, the PWD needs to stay busy or it will get bored. You should have plenty of toys for it to play with and you may want to consider crate training when you are not at home. This means that the dog will stay in a crate when you go out so it does not destroy your home. When the PWD gets bored or lonely, it will chew on anything it finds.

Crate training should begin right after you bring the dog home. By placing a blanket, toys and water into the crate, you will make the dog comfortable while you are away. You should not use the crate when punishing the dog or it will not want to go in it when you leave for the day. After training the dog, you will have to keep up the routine. This will give the dog structure and will also keep your possessions safe. Keeping the dog in a crate when you are not at home will also reduce allergens.

Portuguese Water Dogs need to be groomed every two months or so. There are two patterns that most groomers follow, the retriever cut and the lion cut. The retriever cut means that the hair is cut evenly on the body. The lion cut leaves that front half of the dog’s body covered with hair, while hair on the hind legs is cut short. You should take the dog to be groomed if you are not comfortable grooming it yourself.

If you are considering buying a PWD, you should be prepared to have a dog that wants to be your constant companion. This is a breed that needs to be walked and entertained throughout the day. If you need to travel on vacation or for work, you should board the dog so it will not be lonely.

Portuguese Water Dogs are easy going and get along with children and most adults. If you are looking for a breed that does not shed and will fit in with your family, then the PWD is the breed for you. While most Portuguese Water Dogs are black, some are white or a mix of both. Their hair is curly or wavy and similar to that of the standard poodle. Portuguese Water Dogs typically live between twelve and fifteen years. You will have a great companion to love as long as he is alive.

Now is a great time to stock up on those cat and dog products that you use on a regular basis. Cats and dogs also love getting new toys, bedding, and treats.

Whether you have recently been blessed with a new puppy in your home, or you are a seasoned dog handler, it is wise to speak with a veterinarian about the best diet for your dog. With so many ideas, diet plans, and dog food varieties on the market, how do you know where to start?

Begin with your vet. A trusted veterinarian wants only what is best for your dog. Just like you, he or she wants to find and discover what is perfect for your dog’s diet. Talk about all aspects of your dog’s diet.

Your veterinarian can advise you on the basics of a dog’s diet. Often, your vet will recommend a dry dog food. Dry food as the main component of your dog’s diet, will increase the likelihood of good dental health for your pet, but this varies depending on specifics.

To read the complete article, go to dogdiets.pamperingthepets.com