A dog will be fit throughout his natural life and will be constantly healthy if you give him the proper food. Nutrition is a vital aspect of a canine’s life. There are hundreds of dog food products on the market today each brand claiming they are they new and improved dog food, so which one shall you choose? Expert opinions are as varied as the type of foods we have mentioned and every single one claim he is the most qualified to know about the right things you should feed your dog. You have the final say. As the proud dog owner that you are you have to make a decision in the interest of your dog’s health. We are here to provide assistance in making the right responsible choice.

Becoming a responsible nutritionist

The Internet is home to many opinions most of which make an interesting read but not so many provide you with a practical solution to the nutrition of man’s best friend. The sources are not to be trusted most articles having been rewritten so many times that the information has been diluted and is in fact unreliable. The best method to reach you goals is to get some professional help by consulting a vet which will in turn introduce you to a nutritionist.

- The Holistic Commercial Diet

- Diets Prescribed by your Vet

- Economy and Generic Dog Food Brands

- Homemade Foods

Diets are available for your pet in both wet and dry food. You will need to consider which type suits your dog depending on his breed and to proceed with securing some proper food for your pet. You will find the necessary information by surfing the net.

The Label must be read at all times

All the pet food you plan to feed your animal must be approved by the AAFCO prior to him receiving it. The American Feed Control Officials is the most qualified to determine what assortments of foods are best for your house pet. The standards enforced by the AAFCO are present on each dog food label. The information on these labels is pretty straightforward but there may be cases where it may mislead you into choosing the wrong type especially if this is the first time you own a pet. The labels need to be in line with the AAFCO guidelines and you should search for the ones which state to have the highest quality human-grade ingredients. Other food types which are known to contain chemicals and preservatives are to be avoided at all times. Some ingredients to filter are corn, wheat and soy.

Ask for a specialized opinion

Having done some proper research will lead to you making a more qualified decision when it comes to the life and health of your pet. You should search for opinions from various breeders, dog trainers, veterinaries and even from groomers who have been dealing with the animals they love for a long time and can give you a lot of useful tips. You can find the right type of information and foods at the local pet store as well. If you are lucky the store will be qualified to market high-quality diets for you dog. All the sources presented above will help narrow the field when making a decision about how to feed your pet.

A Dog needs to have Choices

Until you decide what the proper course of action is when it comes to helping your furry friend have a great meal and in turn a healthy life experiment with the dog food. Several dog food companies are willing to give free food samples and you may test them to see which ones your dog loves. To make the transition a lot faster you will have to mix the old food with the new so the dog will adjust to the taste during the course of a few days. You should then proceed to increase the amount of the new food you place in his bowl and he will eat that kind exclusively in not time.

Consider the Long-term Effects

A dog will not enjoy the same type of food for prolonged periods of time. Just like a person he will require some variety in his diet. Using the same type of food on him may cause him some unpleasant allergies. Most people use commercial dog food so it is recommended that a dog’s diet be switched every 2 to 6 months to avoid causing him health problems. Rotating the food may be done by opting for different brands or changing the mix of the current formula. If your dog relies on a homemade diet then you should give him various cooked meals.

Article written by Larry Cooley of www.ohmydogsupplies.com, where you can find a fantastic selection of ceramic treat jars online.

I am sure that most dog owners have seen the movie “Marley and Me” by know; if you haven’t its worth checking out. For those dog owners living with older pets it’s not far from reality. Like our human children, we think of our dogs as always being puppies with seemingly endless amounts of energy.

The truth of the matter is that sometimes our dogs forget they cannot do what they use to or for as long. They continue to try to please us biding for our attention only to find that sometimes our increasingly busy schedules offer little. As pet parents we need to understand that this time is precious and worth spending every extra moment.

The old adage of seven dog years’ equals one human year starts to ring true when your dog turns four to five years old. At that age, they are more like a 28 to 30 year old human and depending on the breed by the time they turn seven they should be considered a senior citizen. The age expectancy for small to medium dogs is anywhere from 12 to 18 years, for large breeds 10 to 15 years while extra large breeds is 7 to 10 years.

The most important thing you can do for your senior dog is have your vet give a senior seven blood work up. This test will screen for a host of issues affecting older dogs. Next would be to realize the limitations of your dog while playing and exercising. Cut the time you use to spend by half finding other activities and reasons to offer your affection.

Expect some “accidents” to happen in the house; do not treat this as you would when your dog was a pup. If your dog was properly housebroken then these accidents are an embarrassment for your dog. Punishment or a stern voice will only make them feel worse as well as confused. On the other hand, do not offer a condolence saying, “that’s okay” or you will begin to un-do previous training. Instead, let your dog outside more frequently and if it gets worse place some Wee Pads down encouraging their use instead of the carpet.

Other signs are weight lose, loose of sight and hearing, and weak and tender joints.  There are several types of dog food and dog treats available to pet parents that contain natural ingredients formulated to relieve the pain of aging joints. For sever joint pain and arthritis consult your vet; new medications are now available with little side effects that will offer your aging dog a higher quality of life.

Be sure to give extra attention to teeth and gums. Broken or loose teeth are common for older dogs requiring professional cleaning from your vet. Dogs are susceptible to certain types of cancer and like humans; some are operable will others are not. You can find several specialty veterinarian hospitals throughout the country that offer complete oncology departments for pets.

It is sad to say but most pet parents have yet to embrace pet health insurance and the price of treat becomes the concern leaving some the only option to euthanize their pet. At the end of the day, living with an older dog is about quality of life. Purchasing pet stairs to help them get to their favorite spot and consulting with your vet will help extend those precious moments. However, when their quality of life can no longer be maintained then euthanizing is the best choice.

Do you remember when you had your first baby? Or if you can’t relate to that, how about when you had a baby brother or sister for the first time? That baby had no teeth, right? And all he or she had to consume was milk, milk and just milk!

You see, dogs are like that, too. They require various dietary and nutritional needs at different ages. That means, your pet does not have to be fed with vegetables and a lot of meat or fish the moment he was born in the world. Like humans, your dog needs more of a certain nutrient than anything else, and as he grows, his nutritional needs progress and go a lot higher.

Puppies

To explain this further, let’s take a look at a puppy first. A young puppy that has yet to learn habits, traits and other ‘rules’ at home is at a young, development stage, where everything about him has yet to grow and develop – in terms of his physical traits, emotions, intelligence and physiological functions. In this stage, a puppy needs to consume lots of milk, because he is still growing. In fact, your pup needs lots of protein, fat and carbohydrates for his body and its organs to develop further and also because they move a lot more than adult dogs. Moreover, puppies have to be fed more frequently because they are at a stage where their bodies require more and more nutrients in order to grow. Remember your baby? Babies and pups are not that different from each other at this stage.

Adult Dogs

Adult dogs, on the other hand, need some amounts of nutrients, too. Of course, they do. It’s just that, they are less demanding than those puppies since they are already grown. But it does not mean you can relax. Elder dogs can be fed with boiled eggs, some protein-based source like meat or fish, and some veggies to supply their bodies with nutrients they need every day. However, excess amounts of protein are not advisable because it might harm his renal structure and eventually, his kidneys.

Likewise, nutrients like the water-soluble variety, thiamine, zinc, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and essential fatty acids should be in his meals each day. To ensure that he has the right amounts of these nutrients daily, it is advised that you feed him organic dog food.

Commercially-made dog food has ingredients which may be harmful to your pet, has artificial colorings and preservatives, trans fat, salt and other ingredients which are not only useless, but may cause your dog to have food allergies and other serious health consequences. And besides, homemade dog food are easy to make and much more delicious than canned ones.

Your Dog’s Feeding Times

How often you should feed your pet depends on age. A puppy that is just one to six weeks old needs to be provided with milk five to seven times a day. When he turns six weeks old, you can feed him less often.

He might also begin feeding on solid food.  Hence, mix the solid food with water in majority and feed your puppy once or twice in the beginning and if the dog develops some diarrhea, then delay the feeding.

There is no fixed amount or number of times you must feed your pet. It is basically trial and error. However, you are advised to change the feeding frequency two or three times after the pet turns eight weeks old. If you see him hungry, though, you’re free to feed him more than usual.

When the dog turns three to six months old, he will begin teething. Limit the feeding times to two while balancing the nutrition and prevent any deficiency.

In addition, when your pet becomes anywhere between six months and one year old, you can provide him with canned food. Onwards, the feeding times can be less frequent. This is true with elder dogs that need to be given food less often because of their restricted movements. Pregnant and nursing dogs, on the other hand, must be given proper attention by feeding her often.

This is only some helpful advice to remember when feeding your dog. Remember to visit your vet for additional advice when you have questions about feeding your pet, and be sure to always feed your dog meals with the right nutrients.

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Our dogs are quickly following in the footsteps of their human companions in consuming a junk food diet. It is estimated that around 30% of dogs in the United States are obese. There is no strange coincidence that overweight people own obese dogs while healthy fit people own slim healthy dogs. The old adage of you are what you eat holds true for dogs as well.

The most important reason your dog needs a healthy diet and life style is obesity. Like their human owners, obesity in dogs can lead to the same afflictions such as diabetes, heart disease, and joint pain.  While exercise is vital to good health if your dogs diet remains the same then the effort may be for not.

Three basic issues, table scrapes, improper portions, and a lack of exercise cause dog obesity. The first thing to understand is that your dog’s digestive system is not the same as yours. Foods you eat do not react the same in pets; in fact, some of them are toxic to dogs. Most dog owners know chocolate can be deadly but did you also know onions and garlic fall in the same category. Chicken bones can splinter and tear the inside of their throat. .

The cheap inexpensive commercial dog food contains mostly filler all of which contribute to weight gain and none of which provide any nutritional benefit. Couple this with most pet owners just filling the dog bowl when comes to feeding time with no regard to the correct amount and you have just increased their chances for obesity exponentially.

Investing in an all-natural dog food given in the correct amount coupled with plenty of exercise will reduce your dogs’ weight curving their chances for obesity and the bonus, pet owners benefit from increased activity themselves. Skin and coat are another reason for a healthy diet for your dog.

Have you ever noticed some people just do not look healthy? Their skin is pale and off colored maybe blotchy, well the same is true for dogs. Improper diet reflects in coat color, texture, and overall sheen; their fur is dull looking and course in texture. Their skin has irritations that cause itching and in some severe cases, the fur just falls out.

Dogs that eat well with highly nutritious dog food have a shiny coat with vibrant colors and soft texture. Their skin is bright pink with no signs of irritation. Lastly, dogs that consume a healthy diet live longer.

Several breeders and veterinarians state that dogs eating an organic dog food diet have less disease and live longer happier lives well into their senior years. With this result we all benefit from our dogs on healthy diets, we save on vet bills and have the opportunity to spend more time with our four-legged family members.

Let us reverse the trend and help our dogs shed the gain, livelonger and look better with providing a healthy diet. Remember that we speak for our dogs, they will eat whatever we give them so make it nutritional dog food and forget that pizza crust or French fry. Get up, get out that dog leash, and take your dog for a walk. A brisk walk for 30 minutes a day and you will cover almost two miles…great for the dog as well their human companions.

There are many resources and books to find recipes for homemade dog food online. The issues you face are really two fold. First, do you have the time to commit in making your own dog food? Secondly, you will need to research which is the best balance of protein to carbohydrates to veggies & fruit. What you will find on the subject is that most Vets and experts cannot agree on the best balanced diet for your pet.

In order to get a better understanding of organic dog food let us go back to the beginning. Ancestrally, our canine companions hunted and ate raw meat absorbing the nutrients such as grass, grains, and veggies from their prey. Therefore, some experts will tell you certain parts of raw chicken, raw beef bones, as well as turkey and pork is great for your dog. Yet others will say; only cooked food and never cooked fowl bones are best with the occasional raw egg.

Understanding what evolution has done for humans, we tend to believe in the later. One thing Vets and exerts do agree on is that your dog’s diet is not the same as a humans. Many foods we consume are deemed dangerous to dogs; such as chocolate in any form, onions, salt, garlic, raisins, & grapes to name just a few. So if you are thinking of just making an extra plate of your dinner for the dog think again.

There is definite time commitment involved in deciding to make your own dog food. Consider your personal schedule and preparing meals for your human family daily; can you find the time to prepare a meal for your dog as well. As a routine, switching from commercial dry/canned dog food and fresh homemade dog food is not a good idea. Your dog’s digestive system is delicate and trying to incorporate both will cause stomach issues and accidents in the house.

Gradually and slowly, blend their diet to avoid any problems when switching from commercial dog food to homemade dog food until the diet is all homemade (usually within 15 to 30 days). As with humans, variety is the spice of life and your dog will need some variety in their diet as well. Diversity in your homemade dog food recipes will help ensure their dietary needs are being met. Bring your recipes to your vet and ask them if your dog’s nutritional needs will be realized.

Commercial organic dog food can be a great alternative for those pet owners who cannot devote the time but still wish to give the very best to their dog. In our previous article, we discussed more on this subject. Do not be fooled by all the commercial hype on organic dog food. The pet food industry is spending millions on advertising and will tell you homemade dog is wrong and not what your pet needs.

At the end of the day, what your pet needs is a balanced diet. Whether buying organic dog food or making your own homemade dog food, it can be the healthiest choice provided pet owners do their research and invest the time.

By Remarkable Dogs

This confusion over terminology is most unfortunate since organic pet foods have a variety of nutritional advantages compared to their non-organic competitors.  If you wish to maintain the health & longevity of your family pet, you should be aware that certified organic pet foods are significantly healthier and more nutritious than any other available alternative.

Standards for organic pet food ban the use of synthetic chemicals during manufacture for certified organic pet foods and their individual ingredients making them safer than conventional pet foods. Most of these synthetic chemicals, aside from being harmful to the environment, are also known to be toxic to both humans and pets. Also, unlike convention pet foods, certified organic pet foods prohibit highly toxic pesticide residues, which in of its self is a substantial health advantage for your pet.

Unlike the ingredients in conventional pet foods, organically grown ingredients contain higher levels nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants thereby offering a greater health benefit. If you are a pet owner or breeder who has raised a litter of pups solely on organic pet food, then perhaps you and your Vet have noticed these pets have maintained their health throughout their lives; rarely if ever developing any chronic ailments common to most pets. A good benchmark to excellent health is not only a shiny soft coat till old age, but most noticeably is the far fewer development of allergies as well as other diseases i.e. diabetes, obesity and arthritis.

With all that said, you still need to do your homework on organic pet food manufactures. Depending on the process of manufacture, some organic ingredients can lose their nutritional properties. Organic pet foods rely on raw and dehydrated ingredients for their content and the temperatures used during the method of production determine the value of the nutrients. Read the labels to see whether refined sugars and refined flour are listed. These ingredients can cause weight gain as well as the related issues that go along with an overweight pet.

So, what are organic pet foods? For those pet owners that have done their due diligence in investigating quality manufacturers, they are the safest healthiest choice for your family pet, improving their overall wellbeing and longevity.

By Remarkable Dogs

by: Remarkable Dogs

This article will be a first in a series providing some insight on organic pet food and the impact on your pets overall health. We will be covering questions like- will organic dog food extend your pet’s life, what is the impact on immune system, buy organic dog food or make your own, to name a few.

Will Organic Dog Food Increase Your Pets Life?

The answer is a resounding yes. It should come as no surprise that our canine family members will benefit as much from natural and organic pet food and less processed food as people. Like pet owners, pets need a well balanced diet coupled with regular exercise to maintain a healthy disposition.  A mixture of protein, carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables is important to your pet’s health whether you choose to develop your own special home-made pet food or purchased from a store.

There are a number of benefits from natural organic dog food. There have been many studies undertaken by various government organizations that found that organic dog food has more antioxidants and is a far better source of minerals and vitamins. The Association of American Feed Control Officials or AAFCO insures that any organic dog food meets the required guidelines set out by the agency.

You will begin to notice some positive changes when you introduce organic dog food in your pet’s diet. Their eyes will appear brighter, their teeth and coat will be stronger and shiner compared to other dogs who consume commercially produced dog food. Not only that, but your dogs general wellbeing will be noticeably brighter with more bounce and vitality in their step. You will notice less to pick-up in your yard as they will retain more of the vitamins and nutrients.

If consider to making your own pet food although extremely healthy, you must invest some time first and foremost, and read and learn about a dog’s nutritional needs. Just throwing your dinner leftovers in a bowl each day is not healthy for your pet. This could actually cause more problems and cause you dog to become sick.

When you begin the process of switching from processed dog food to all natural & organic pet food do so gradually. This will prevent a shock to their system which could cause nausea and diarrhea. Start with organic dog treats and begin to blend their old food with the new. Use 25% new and increase slowly over the next several weeks to finally all organic.

Always do your very best for your family pet as we speak for them. A word of warning though, there are many, many commercially purchased dog foods that can be harmful for your dog. In fact over the years there have been numerous dog food recalls due to accidental poisoning and others. This is why organic dog food can be very beneficial. Couple a new diet with regular exercise and your pet will reap the same benefits of longevity as the owners.