Are All Dog Foods The Same? By Lori Matthews

Your dog is a part of your family and you want your pet to live a long and very healthy life. Your dog is always there for you, ready to play, snuggle, always loyal. Your pet relies on you, as their owner, to take care of them, give them a warm place to sleep, water to drink and healthy dog food to eat. They are not able to choose what is best for them.

Are you looking to buy the generic brand to save a few dollars? Are all dog foods the same? The answer is no, they're not. There are so many ingredients put into dog food that you can't even pronounce. Saving a few dollars now could cost you later at the vet’s office when your baby starts to have some health issues. Surprisingly some premium pet foods are comparable in price because you actually feed less as they are more nutrient dense than their cheap counterparts. So many dog foods have mainly fillers that they label as protein. They are things such as soybean meal, corn meal, corn gluten meal, and maize wheat. These may be sources of protein, but they are not enough for your dog’s health. They need meat.

There are also food colorings in dog food, and oddly enough, the dogs don't care what color the food is, all the marketing is for us, the pet owner. Food dyes can be made from chemicals. There have been many dog trainers that correlate food dye with hyperactive dogs, as it has been associated with hyperactive children. Chemical preservatives like BHA and BHT should not be on the ingredient list and should be avoided.

Another form the pet food manufacturers use is the by-product protein. These include necks, feet, intestines, lungs, ligaments, head and undeveloped eggs. Some pet foods contain no active cultures and other digestive aids. This is why some dogs have bloating, gas and bowel issues. Without this very important ingredient you pet might not be absorbing what nutrition is in the food! In the long run this can be very unhealthy.

The first ingredient should be a meat as it the most natural protein source for dogs. As do humans, animals benefit from fruits and vegetables and proper carbohydrate consumption. The free radicals that affect are health; affect your pet’s health as well. That is why to neutralize them antioxidants are so important to have in their diet.

Nutrition or lack of can affect your dog’s health which can include their coat, teeth, ears, nails, breath, energy and brain. Unfortunately it can also affect how long they live and the quality of life they live. All too many times I have seen dogs that have eaten not so healthy food. At first nothing seems wrong but just as humans if you keep eating “junk food” it will eventually show some sign of distress like high cholesterol, lack of energy, hair dry and falling out, bad teeth, moodiness, obesity and more.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=201086&ca=Pets

What Kind Of Benefits Can I Expect When Adopting A Pet By Ronny Sikes

Are you thinking of getting a new pet? Have you ever considered pet adoption? Adopting a pet is a wonderful option for adding a canine friend into the family. Here are 5 simple reasons why you should choose pet adoption:

1. You’ll save a life

Saving a life just may be one of the most rewarding actions in a person’s life. Some pet shelters have to put down animals if they do not get adopted. If you choose to adopt a pet from an animal shelter or animal adoption agency, you are not only saving a precious animal’s life, you are also greatly increasing its quality of life.

2. You’ll save money

When you adopt a pet, you are actually saving a lot of money. Animals that have been placed in shelters or taken to animal adoption agencies are almost always spayed or neutered and vaccinated. Those preliminary, but necessary procedures add up when all is said and done. Also, it is relatively inexpensive to adopt a pet from an agency or shelter in comparison to purchasing dogs or cats from a local pet store.

3. You’ll receive a healthy pet

As was mentioned above, pets from shelters and adoption agencies are almost always spayed or neutered, and have received their vaccinations as well. This ensures the health and happiness of your future pet. Also, in contradiction to popular belief, many pets who have been placed in shelters have not been mistreated or “done something wrong.” Many pets have been taken there because of people problems, such as divorce, a big move, or they are simply too busy to adequately provide care for a pet.

4. You won’t be supporting puppy mills

Many pets that are sold in pet stores or newspaper ads sometimes come from puppy mills. Puppy mills are mass dog-breeding businesses that are harmful to the health of their bred puppies. These facilities sometimes house up to several hundred dogs at a time, thus compromising the health and well-being of a precious puppy. By adopting a pet from a shelter or a pet adoption agency, you are not supporting these often inhumane businesses.

5. You’ll have a large selection

Because pet adoption agencies and animal shelters have many pets, there is a wide selection for you to choose from. To make pet shopping easier on potential parents, many pet agencies and shelters have websites that allow people to search for possible pets by their age, sex, size, and breed. This enables families to search from the comfort of their own homes; the hassle of going to noisy and overwhelming shelters and agencies is eliminated.

The satisfaction you will acquire when you adopt a pet is like no other; you will have received a healthy pet, you will save money, you will be supporting a healthy and just cause, you will get the perfect pet for your family, and you will have saved a life. Adopting a pet has lifelong benefits that you will not regret. Give these animals a second chance by allowing them to join your loving family.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=202009&ca=Pets

Afghan Hound Dog Breed Explained By John E Adams

Afghan Hound. Royal heir to the throne!

Afghan hounds, also known as Tazi in their homeland, is a particularly beautiful breed of dog whose history dates back thousands of years.

It is considered the national dog breed of Afghanistan and for many years, Afghan hounds were not permitted to leave the country.

It is only within the last hundred years that Afghan hounds have come to the attention of American and Europe dog breeds.

It wasn't until the 1930s that they were recognized by the AKC and CKC as a distinct breed.

The Afghan hound is easily distinguished by it's long, sleek coat, which may come in any color or pattern, and its feathery, curly tail.

This points to its long history as a hunting dog in the mountains of Afghanistan, where it was used to hunt down local predators and pests like wolves and foxes as well as food animals like gazelle.

Though these dogs are quite tall, they are also fairly light and thin; their fur, which is quite thick although fine, can give them a larger appearance.

Afghan hounds are considered to be sighthounds, which hunt by seeing their prey rather than by scenting it.

Like most sighthounds, they are very fast, but lack the endurance that is seen in Scenthounds. They are bred for speed to capture they prey as quickly as possible, without the need to waste energy.

Afghan hounds are prone to allergies and cancer, cancer being one of the main cause of death among this breed. It also important to remember that due to their sleek appearance and slender build, Afghan hounds are also more prone to other health problems.

Like other sighthounds, they are prone to suffering from cataracts and like other breeds of their size, older dogs often develop hip dysplasia.

Their coats do require regular care and maintenance to retain the smooth texture as well as to prevent dead hair and skin from clumping unattractively.

When considering an Afghan hound as a pet, there are quite a few things to keep in mind.

First, this breed is known for a low obedience intelligence; while the dog itself can be quite bright, they are almost catlike in their independence.

Thorough training is necessary to make sure that an Afghan hound understands commands that are given to it, but the owner should keep in mind that sometimes even that won't be enough!

Despite their aristocratic appearance and the care this is required to keep their coats in top shape, Afghan hounds originated as working dogs, and thus need a great deal of exercise.

Ideally, Afghans should be walked at least a mile every day and have some more interaction on top of that.

Afghan hounds are very sensitive to their owner's moods, so care should be taken to treat this breed gently. Without proper care and if subjected to an environment that is too stressful, this dog can easily become neurotic or destructive.

The Afghan hound is a beautiful breed of dog. However, many considerations need to be made before choosing one as a pet.

While Afghan's are fine companions for the right people, care should be taken into ensuring that they are the right dog for you, your family and the environment in which you live.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=201112&ca=Pets

How Owning A Pet Teaches Your Children Responsibility And Builds Confidence By Elise Rogers

Some people say that every boy should own a dog. It certainly agrees with the classic American family: Dad, Mom, Son, Daughter, and their dog. Though not all families are able to own a pet, children benefit in many ways because of this canine familial addition.

To begin, owning a dog benefits the physical health of children. How? Scientific studies have shown that when a person pats a dog or strokes a cat, their blood pressure lowers. This helps relax the child and relieves stress after a long day at school. Some studies have also shown that children who own a pet, particularly a dog, have more highly developed immune systems than children who do not own a pet. This is most likely because children are not afraid to hug their dog and smother their face in the not-always-clean coat of their dog; by doing this, children are able to slowly build and strengthen their disease and sickness fighting abilities.

Next, children whose families own pets have been shown to display higher levels of empathy and kindness in comparison to children who do not have a pet. Children with pets also display higher confidence levels; this may be because dogs are confident, non-judgmental creatures, and children unconsciously copy their dog’s finest traits. Also, studies have shown that children who own pets possess an affinity for understanding and communicating non-verbally. This is most likely because children talk to their dogs, and Rover in turn communicates through his body language, which kids learn to understand.

Here is a positive benefit to owning a pet that may interest parents: owning a cat or dog teaches children responsibility. When owning a dog, a child realizes that dogs have needs that must be met. Mom and Dad can help by teaching the children to put dog food in Rover’s bowl, let the him out into the fenced backyard to do his business, and taking him on walks for exercise. Kids realize that responsibly includes taking care of others, not simply brushing their teeth at night, doing their homework, and cleaning their room. Eventually, children will have families of their own to take care of; start them early by helping them take care of the family dog. Also, children are able to understand that if they do not take proper care of their pet, they will lose their best friend. The responsibility of caring for a pet fosters lifelong benefits for growing children.

Finally, many parents believe that owning a pet simply increases the quality of life for their children. Children who have pets often grow up with them because the dog acts as a member of the family. A pet provides an at-home friend, someone to greet them when they get home from school, someone to play catch with, watch TV with, and someone who is there for them when they are sad or hurt. Dogs certainly are a comfort and a joy for children. The benefits of owning pets for a child’s sake are endless. Who doesn’t want their child to experience the best life has to offer?

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=201276&ca=Pets

Chihuahua. The Heart Of A Lion In A Tiny Dog Breed By John E Adams

The Chihuahua is the world's smallest dog breed.

And though sometimes it seems that their popularity stems from this single trait, Chihuahuas are excellent pets for the right people.

They were discovered in and named after the Mexican state in the middle of the 1800's.

Though this was the first time that this distinctive breed was seen by Europeans, the Chihuahua actually has a long history in the Americas.

'The Chihuahua dog breed is thought to be descended from the breed known as the techichi, an ancient breed that can be dated back to around 500 AD'

There is some speculation that these small dogs were used for religious purposes by the Mayans and the Aztecs.

In both cases, Chihuahuas have been found in graves all over Mexico and South America, letting us believe that these dogs had a position of importance in some households.

Unfortunately, not a lot is known about the role that these dogs played. In 1850, Europeans saw their first Chihuahuas in the ruins of a palace thought to be built by the famed emperor Montezuma.

Chihuahuas themselves are excellent house pets, but they are easily startled and prone to biting, something that makes them unsuitable for young children.

It is often suggested that children be slowly introduced to this slightly nervous dog breed, and only after some time spent learning how to handle them.

They are known to be somewhat insular, and though they may bond strongly with their human family, there is a chance that they'll be prone to fight with other dogs.

One of the most remarkable traits of the modern Chihuahua is its bravery; these dogs often confront much larger animals in an extremely aggressive pattern, something that can lead to injury if the encounter is not closely monitored.

The world's smallest dogs breed is also known to be fairly long lived as well.

Chihuahuas can live for sixteen to eighteen years if given good care. Due to their size, however, chihuahuas must be monitored by an experience veterinarian during events like dental cleaning and birthing.

This breed of dog can be prone to epilepsy and problems with seizures, things which can strike at any time. If you decide to get a chihuahua, you should take some time to speak with a breeder or a veterinarian about the health problems that you might encounter.

For instance, Chihuahua puppies are born with incomplete skulls, and care must be taken that their soft spot, known as the molera, is not damaged during the first months of their lives.

When caring for this dog breed, remember that care should be taken to make sure that they exercise regularly. Overweight Chihuahuas suffer from joint issues, heart problems and eventually a shortened lifespan.

Because they can be picky eaters, care must be taken to ensure that your dog gets all the nutrition it needs from its meals.

With their bright personality and energetic nature, Chihuahua are excellent pets if they can be given the proper care and socialization.

Take a look at a Chihuahua's needs and what you are able to provide before adopting a member of this tiny dog breed!

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=202148&ca=Pets

Ringworm Is The Common Dog Illness By Wade Robins

A common dog illness is ringworm and can be prevented and treated if your dog has the problem. Many illnesses affect dogs, some are very common and happen no matter how well cared for your dog is at any time. Dogs are creatures of the outside, and they can get into anything. Ringworm seems to be common in puppies and older dogs. Other common dog illness can be prevented with proper vaccinations and proper health care. Ringworm is a fungal infection that targets the overall health of the dog.

Diagnosis of Ringworm Infection

The common dog illness ringworm has several different ways to be detected and diagnose. The common way to detect ringworm is with a black light. The ringworms glow in the black light when the light hits them. Sometimes this practice does work and a vet will perform another test to detect ringworm.

Signs of Having Ringworm

If you see small areas of the body without hair, chances are your dog has ringworm. The skin will appear scaly and display pus in the area. After time the areas become larger when they receive no medical treatment. You will notice this parasite on the tail, head and legs.

Treating the Common Dog Illness Ringworm

If the health of the dog is healthy then the ringworm will clear up by itself in about four months. However, when severe cases exist, medical treatments are required. If your dog has the lesion, clipping the hair around the area is needed, but do not touch the lesion or it will spread. Apply a tropical anti fungal cream after clipping the hair away. Such creams like miconazole and lotrimin creams are used for this purpose. Do not let the dog lick the area where you apply the cream. A dog funnel collar may be required to prevent the dog from reaching the area.

If the cream alone does not work, antifungal shampoos and antifungal dips will benefit your dog and help the area to heal faster. Some other antifungal agents are griseofulvin and itraconazole, which work well on a dog.

Common Dog Illness Issues

Keeping your dog in perfect health and protected from bacterial, fungal and viral infections is your responsibility. The number one need of the dog is regular vaccines and proper care. Dogs need vaccines against rabies, parvovirus and distemper. Dogs also need to be checked yearly for heartworm, which can cause death to the dog if not properly prevented. Keep in mind that rabies vaccinations are given every two years and distemper vaccinations are received yearly.

Many conditions result in health problems and in some breeds of dogs, the breed is prone to more health problems then others. Joint problems and heart problems account for some of these more serious health problems. When looking for a dog, you need to be aware of some of the problems that can arise in a dog’s life. Besides the everyday parasites and injuries from rough play, some dogs are prone to eye infections, ear infections and mange.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=202172&ca=Pets

How To Get Your Dog To Ride In The Carrier: Top 3 Tips To Get You Started By Lisa Albanese

These days, toy dogs are the new fashion. Gone are the days when the dogs of the minute belong to bigger, tougher breeds. This is the day and age of the Shih Tzu, the Yorkie, and the Chihuahua. Although these dogs may suffer for lack of stature, they tend to make up for it in heart and personality and although they may not be able to maul an intruder they do have their benefits. For one, smaller dogs ride well in totes and dog carriers.

Paris Hilton made the idea famous, and people have been trying it ever since but it must be said that trying to carry willful dogs in a carrier can have its dangers. Luckily, there are some ways to help ease the transition from riding in your lap to riding in your purse. Although it won't be an easy thing by any means both you and your pet will be rewarded with the wonderful bonding that can occur when you are able to hide them away in your bag and carry them from place to place with you throughout the day.

For those out there who are finding it rather difficult to get their dogs to cooperate with the carrier, it is perfectly normal for there to be a few problems but it will take some getting used to. To help make the transition easier for you and your pet, here are a few great tips to help get you started.

Treats Always Do the Trick

If all else seems to fail you, never forget that your pet's life revolves around a few basic necessities: you, sleep, and food. In this case, treats should do just the trick when it comes to getting your pet to venture into the carrying case. Half the battle with getting your dog to ride in the carrier is getting them to go anywhere near it, but a few fake bacon strips or a bone-shaped biscuit later you and your pet should be one step closer to mastering the dog carrier.

Do a Dress Rehearsal

Keep in mind that a dog carrier should be just for dogs and nothing else so there should be no harm in allowing them to explore the carrier when it's not high off the ground, at least from their perspective. Set the carrier on the floor or lay it on its side, and put their favorite toy in it or the blanket they always sleep with. The familiar scent on these items and their love for them should draw them to the carrier, hopefully enticing them to step in for awhile, perhaps even relax for a few minutes. The more comfortable your pet is with the idea of the carrier, the easier it is going to be for you to get them to ride in it while you cart them around town.

Don't Push the Issue

There are several reasons why your pet may be uncomfortable with the dog carrier idea. Perhaps they are afraid of heights. Perhaps they do not appreciate small spaces. Either way, there are several ways to go about making sure that they get with the program, but understand that with dogs things are going to happen in their own time.

Rushing them into the dog carrier idea is a good way to push them away from the idea at all, and you certainly don't want to instill a fear of something so silly and potentially useful to you.

Dogs trained to ride in the carrier are great; the better your dog is with riding under your arm, the more time you are going to be able to spend together but understand that things will not always come as easily as you would like them to and that just like a child, dogs have a learning curve too. Take your time and consider the personality of your dog and in time the carrier will allow you and your pampered pooch to spend more time together than you probably ever thought possible.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=202150&ca=Pets

Online Pet Solutions to Help You to Teach New Tricks to Your Old Dog By Jeff Nenadic

You can teach your dog to enjoy playing with the pet products ordered online; however, you cannot teach your old dog to play dead/roll over. Whenever you order online from e-commerce websites, you get a variety of goods to choose from, plus save time and gas which would be lost when you drive down to the pet store to order. When you place an order online, you shall get the product at your door step without any extra charges.

For instance, you want to buy a raised bowl for your dog and don’t know where to look for it at the market, just don’t bother, open the net, go to any top search engines (Google) and type in keywords Raised bowls for dogs. Click on search, within a wink of your eye hundreds of listings come wherein you can buy your dog bowl, then just go ahead and bookmark the pages and shop as many times you want.

Consider the following good points regarding online shopping:

a) You can get the desired required items like storage containers for dog food without visiting stores in your vicinity. This saves time spend in driving and searching plus the gasoline costs. Besides, you get better and genuine quality goods and not the cheap duplicates.

b) You can purchase tough to find items like beds for orthopedic dogs. Although, regular dog beds are available at local pet stores but a special order is required for the orthopedic dogs, even if available.

c) You can gain from wonderful specials that are available only online such as bonuses and/or discounts and free shipping for your purchases. There are no queues for checking out. Simply select and place desired goods in your online shopping cart, and check out, it is so simple and fast.

Some Safety Tips for Online Shipping
It is known that shopping online is risky and we need to know and deal with them. The most feared are theft of identify, lack of communication as to whether you will receive your order or not, and cheating by the online company.
Theft of Identity

Make sure that your browser is safe and secure while checking out. The URL seen in the browser should have https:// (secure connection) and not http:// (insecure). You should check out the complete contact information like mailing address with street address, contact numbers, email address for Support Desk/complaints/information. Never give out your private information like SSN.

Cheating / Follow Up
You need not worry about the contact information as you have checked it out. You can make a test purchase to check out your comfort level and confidence before actually purchasing. Contact them through emails, contact numbers, support desk and check out their replies and response times.

Regarding cheating, you are safe paying with credit card via PayPal. Doubly check with the issuing bank. Go through the protection policy of your financial system like PayPal

You shall be fine if you retain copies regarding receipts, communication, and delivery tracking information. Hence, go ahead; teach your dog old tricks and share the ordered dog goodies.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=375580&ca=Pets