Caring for your canine’s teeth is something that’s often overlooked, but also a practice that should be much more commonly practiced. As a dog can run into all sorts of problems later in life from improper dental care. Buying your dog bones to chew, even of the dental variety, is all well and good, and does benefit your dog’s teeth greatly, but you really want to be brushing your dog’s teeth at least every few days as well. And the best way to do that, is first by getting your dog accustomed to tooth care at an early age. That way later in life you won’t find brushing your dog’s teeth to be the hassle you might think it will be.
What you want to do is either use a soft cloth, or a soft bristle toothbrush, like one designed for a child, and lightly rub a baking soda and water combination on your dog’s teeth. You want to gently clean, so as to not harm or alarm the puppy, and to show that brushing your dog’s teeth is not an experience that your dog should in any way, be frightful about.
As your dog gets older and larger you’ll want to switch to a kit specifically made for canine dental care. Any pet store will sell a doggie toothbrush/toothpaste combo, oftentimes with weird concoctions like chicken flavored toothpaste for the dog’s benefit. But you’ll want to continue the same routine as during the puppy phase, doing the same things before and after you brush your dog’s teeth, giving them the benefit of a routine to make the experience as easy and quick as possible for your dog.
There are also a few factors you’re going to want to pay attention to concerning your dogs teeth. You’ll want to watch for any swelling or bleeding of the gums, tartar buildup at the gum line, or broken/cracked teeth. Any of which could be a sign of a bigger dental problem and you should consult your veterinarian.
Tags: Baking Soda And Water, Bristle, Canine Dental Care, Concoctions, Cracked Teeth, Dental Problem, Dog Bones, Dog Teeth, Dogs Teeth, Gum Line, Gums, Hassle, Pet Store, Puppy Phase, Soft Cloth, Tartar Buildup, Tooth Care, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Veterinarian
Spend time at any pet store and the choice of dog foods to feed your dog is in abundance. How do you know which to choose and which is good for your dog? The answer to that is simply, you do not, let your dog choose. Although there are some basics that are recommended.
If you have purchased your dog from a breeder, ask the breeder what they recommend to feed your new pet. A good breeder should be able to tell you what has worked best for their dogs. This is a good place to start. However, if you have adopted your new dog, then it will be up to you to figure out what is good for your dog and what is not. The dog will certainly help you in determining the right food for him.
Always read the labels on a dog food package. What you want to look at is the first ingredient. You do not want to see meat meal, this can be anything within the food including road kill. Chicken Meal or Lamb Meal is a good start. You also always want to see the word meal; whole meat without the Meal is mostly water. Most nutritionists prefer chicken based dog foods as they are easier to digest.
You may see corn or a type of corn product in the dog food. Corn is a protein source the dog food makers use to keep the price reasonable. Some dogs like corn and others do not. If you see your dog start itching, licking his feet, scooting his butt, or getting frequent ear infections, this could indicate a lack of tolerance for corn. Beware of wheat in a food. Wheat tends to be more of an irritant in dogs than corn is.
You need to inspect the label for the sentence “AAFCO feeding trials confirm that (dog food brand) is complete and balanced for adult dogs or all life stages”. This sentence alone will tell you that the dog food was fed to any number of dogs and was determined to meet the nutritional needs for all life stages of a dog.
When it comes to feeding your dog there are certain guidelines that should be followed depending on the age of your dog. For instance, puppies should be fed more regularly than adult dogs. Puppies should be fed as often as four times per day and with a quality dog food geared towards puppies specifically. Adult dogs should be fed twice a day.
In general, feed puppies and adult dogs separately so you can be sure the amount they are eating each time and to prevent fighting. Set a feeding schedule for your dog, but not one to where they become anxious if you happen to be late. It is a good idea to teach your dog to sit before placing the dog food in the bowl; this will prevent them from jumping to get the food.
Nutritionists suggest only allowing your dog 15 to 20 minutes to eat then removing and disposing of the remainder.
Tags: Abundance, Adult Dogs, Chicken Meal, Corn Product, Dog Food, Dog Foods, Food Brand, Food Corn, Food Makers, Food Package, Frequent Ear Infections, Irritant, Lack Of Tolerance, Lamb Meal, Meat Meal, New Pet, Pet Store, Protein Source, Puppies, Wheat
Choosing the right kind of food for your dog can be a DAUNTING task… with so many pictures of smiling puppies and fancy labels staring back at you, how do you make an informed choice?
Well it’s not that hard really, if you know what you’re looking for. Here are my 5 essential tips for choosing the right of food for your dog:
1. Forget about brand names.
A bigger name brand does NOT equal better quality. In fact, the reverse is probably more true, but we won’t get into that right now.
2. Put Your Emotions Aside!
What do I mean by this? Simply, ignore the cute little dogs licking their lips and the ones with big grins on their faces. Do not buy based on how NICE or CUTE the packaging is. I know it sounds stupid to buy dog food based on the cool packing, but it’s so easy to do. I’ve been guilty of this myself more than once.
3. Look at the ingredients
A dog’s diet typically consists of 40% meat, 30% fiber and 30% starch. Next time you’re in a store, pick up a tin of dog food (or look at one you’ve brought previously). Then take a look at the ingredient list.
The first ingredient on that list is the primary ingredient – so make sure it’s a form of meat protein such as chicken, beef, etc (NOT meat by-products) Make sure the rest of the ingredients include a good amount of fiber and starch.
Also, the fewer preservatives the better.
4. Choose Super Premium Brand dog food or Premium Brand.
Do NOT choose Economy Brand dog foods. These are the ones you’ll see in your general store. Go to pet stores and buy the quality stuff there. Buying a Premium or Super Premium dog food can literally add years to your dog’s life.
I was in a big supermarket yesterday, one of those monster chain types, and I ventured down the pet food isle. (I always buy my dog food at the pet store).
Follow these rules next time you’re shopping for dog food and I guarantee your dog will thank you for it!
Tags: Big Grins, Brand Names, Daunting Task, Dog Food, Dog Foods, Fancy Labels, Informed Choice, Lips, Little Dogs, Meat Protein, Monster, Packing, Pet Food, Pet Store, Pet Stores, Premium Brand, Preservatives, Puppies, Starch, Supermarket
