Choosing Natural Homemade Dog Food

February 7, 2009 by Pat  
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Pet owners must realize that the health of their pets is in their hands. Pets rely on the owners to provide them nutritious food and enough exercise. It is important to know what goes in your pet’s mouth, and best way to ensure it is to give them natural homemade dog food. There are all kinds of readymade pet foods available in the market claiming to be providing best for your dear pet, but make your choices wisely.

Why Choose Natural Homemade Dog Food

These days, pets are not starving for food, but they are surely not getting enough nutrition. Pets eat garbage, stools and vomits, because they are looking for additional nutrition, which they are not able to get from their regular diet. It may seem yucky to us, but it is a fact. Once, the pet starts getting wholesome food on a regular basis, these problems go away.

There are other health problems associated with poor nutrition. It can be quite difficult to search for natural homemade dog food recipes. Most of the pet food manufacturers tell pet owners that dogs cannot survive without readymade pet foods, and depriving dogs of these foods can be detrimental for their health. Pet owners are also told that feeding their pets with scraps from home cooked meals can be harmful to them.

However, it is now believed that natural homemade dog food is best for your canine, if ingredients are chosen carefully. There are various recipes that can be used to provide wholesome meal to your pet every time.

Most of the best homemade dog food recipes use ideal combination of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and fats, in right proportions.

One healthy natural homemade dog food recipe is to use one-cup turkey, two cups white flour, one-cup cornmeal, one egg, 3 tbsp vegetable oil, water and 2 tbsp tarragon. In a pan, cook turkey and crumble it to small pieces. In a large bowl, mix cornmeal and flour. In another bowl, mix egg, oil and water, and beat. After it has blended, add tarragon. Combine all the ingredients, fold in ground turkey and turn this dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead till the dough is thoroughly mixed. Roll out the dough and cut into various shapes. Bake them for 15 minutes till they turn firm. Serve at room temperature.

Another healthy natural homemade dog food recipe is to take one-cup turkey, one-cup brown rice, one-cup kidney beans, one tbsp vegetable oil, and one tbsp soy sauce. Boil two cups of water, add rice and simmer for almost half an hour. Mix other ingredients and serve at room temperature.

These recipes are great for the health of your pet as these are homemade, and are natural. It is in your hands to save your pets from the dangers of commercial foods by using some natural homemade dog food recipes.

Choosing Homemade Dog Food Ingredients

February 5, 2009 by Pat  
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Recently, many famous commercial dog foods have been recalled, as they caused food poisoning, which was fatal in few cases. If owners are concerned about the overall health and well-being of their pets, it is important to ensure that they get healthy and uncontaminated food. A good combination for dog food should have 75% carbohydrates and 25% meat.

A simple recipe for a healthy homemade dog food would be to combine and cook ground meat, brown rice and vegetables in water. As dogs are not able to digest the vegetables well, it is advisable to grind them in the food processor thoroughly before adding to the food. The dog food should always be served at the room temperature and amount of water added to it may vary as per the dog’s liking.

Ideal Homemade Dog Food Ingredients

Rice is a good source of carbohydrates, and brown rice is better than white rice as it contains more nutrients. Some grocers and health stores have brewer’s yeast, which is good for dogs. Corn flour, whole-wheat flour and soy flour make good homemade dog food ingredients. Flaxseed oil and codliver oil should be used in small amounts to keep their coats shiny. Meats that should be included are beef, liver, tuna, chicken and lamb.

Other important homemade dog food ingredients that are enjoyed by the dogs are biscuits and peanut butter, and they can be made at home using wheat flour, powdered milk, carrots and brewers yeast. Peanuts are one of the very few nuts that can be safely given to your pet.

Vegetables like broccoli, carrots and spinach are great homemade dog food ingredients, but they must be put through the food processor so that dogs can easily digest them. Bonemeal can also be added to the dog food to ensure enough calcium in their diet.

Some food items that must be avoided as homemade dog food ingredients are chocolates as they can cause seizures in dogs, coffee and tea can also cause seizures, grapes and raisins can cause kidney failures, macademia nuts can cause tremors in dogs, onions interfere with blood circulation and nutmeg can also cause seizures. Raw meat and poultry may contain certain bacteria, parasites or salmonella that can cause poisoning in dogs.

If you are not sure about the healthy homemade dog food ingredients, talk to your vet, as they will be able to guide the ideal diet as per age and weight of the dog. Some people these days are also opting for natural homemade dog food, which is of good quality, and offers minerals, vitamins and enzymes that are required by the pet’s good health. There are no-preservatives added making them absolutely safe for your pet.

A Guide To Healthy Homemade Dog Food

February 3, 2009 by Pat  
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Most of the veterinarians agree that healthy homemade dog food is ideal for your pet in the long run. Recently, many pet foods were recalled from the market, and now, most of the pet owners are looking for nutritional guidelines for healthy homemade dog food.

For many years, it was believed that canines were carnivores, but when dogs fell ill from eating all meat diet, it is now believed that canines are omnivores. This means that they need both plant-based food and meat in their diet to remain healthy. Readymade pet food has always been in controversy, as it is believed that there is minimum, or no research done in canine nutritional requirement.

Basics Of Healthy Homemade Dog Food

Healthy homemade dog food must be based on the age and health of your dog, and it should be able to give a shiny coat, bright eyes and energy to your pet. It is important to keep in mind that dogs need protein containing ten amino acids. Corn is the main ingredient of most of the commercial pet foods, but though it is a protein, it has only four of these amino acids. A healthy homemade dog food must be meat-based, along with good quality proteins such as chicken, beef, egg white and fish, and some carbohydrates such as oats, corn, rice, wheat, soy and barley. It is also important to add some vegetables for energy, minerals, fats and vitamins. Such food can be easily prepared at home using human quality foods. And the ingredients can be varied so that the dogs get array of nutrients.

There are few foods that can cause some serious health problems in your dog, and hence must be avoided. These foods include chocolates, macadamia nuts, avocados, garlic, grapes, mushrooms, onions, and all kind of spicy and greasy foods.

How To Make Healthy Homemade Dog Food

If you have been giving your dog readymade food, it is wise to check with your vet before switching over to the healthy homemade dog food. The dog’s diet must consist of 40% meat, 30% vegetables and 30% starch. Following this formula will ensure that your canine is getting a well balanced diet. Always cook the meat before giving it to your dog. Organ meat such as kidney, livers and eggs are very good for the health of your dog. It is believed that commercial dog food is unhealthy for dogs as the meat used in those foods is considered unfit for the human consumption. Homemade dog food ingredients must be chosen carefully so as to provide a well-balanced diet.

Grind eggshells, and add this to the dog’s food. Do not use the refrigerated food after three days.

 

A Guide To Homemade Dog Food

February 1, 2009 by Pat  
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It is important to know what goes into your dog’s mouth, and the best way to ensure this is to make the food at home. Lately, there have been many pet food recalls, and many pet owners are resorting to homemade dog food to make sure their pets get a healthy diet.

Canines have some specific nutrient requirements, and many veterinarians believe that homemade diet is best for your dog. It is however important that if your dog has been on the commercial food for a while, change is done slowly, so that digestive upsets can be avoided. It is a good idea to consult the veterinarian who will be able to guide you regarding nutritional needs of your pet.

Make sure that you don’t feed bones to your dog, especially the cooked bones as fragments can easily become lodged in their digestive tract. Canines who live in the wild consume hide and hair as well, which can pad the fragments of bones and aid their passage through the digestive tract. Other foods that are best avoided for canines are avocados, chocolates, macadamia nuts, onions, raisins, garlic and grapes.

Some Homemade Dog Food Recipes

A good homemade dog food recipe is a doggy hamburger, and it can be made by using one cup hamburger meat, 1 tbsp canola oil, half cup plain cooked oatmeal, two chopped boiled eggs, 2 tbsp cottage cheese, one jar baby food green beans and one jar baby food carrots. Mix all the ingredients together and serve it at the room temperature. Add a good mineral/multivitamin supplement for your doggy to make it a complete diet. Refrigerate the unused portions in a covered container, and discard the leftovers after three days.

Another healthy homemade dog food recipe is doggy casserole. You need one cup boiled and chopped poultry, half cup cooked brown rice, 3-4 tbsp unsalted chicken broth and half cup boiled mixed vegetables. Boiled poultry can sometimes be replaced with Salmon. Stir together all the ingredients and serve at room temperature. Doggy mineral or multivitamin supplement can be added. Refrigerate any unused portion, and discard the leftovers after three days.

Doggy fish dinner is yet another healthy homemade dog food recipe that dogs will enjoy. You need a can of salmon, three tbsp cornmeal, one egg beaten, one carrot, one potato, one tbsp peanut butter and one stick of celery. Combine eggs, salmon and cornmeal, form into patties, and coat them with some more cornmeal. Fry these patties in little amounts of canola oil till they are brown on both sides. Chop these patties in small bites and stir together with boiled vegetables. For moisture, a spoonful of cottage cheese can be added if desired. Peanut butter can be given as a dessert after the dinner.

Dry Dog Food Recipe Ideas

January 30, 2009 by Pat  
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You can follow a dry dog food recipe if you want food that is convenient to give your dog and keeps longer in storage.  Homemade dry dog food is better than commercial dry dog food because it doesn’t contain any artificial ingredients or preservatives.  However, is dry dog food made at home nutritious?   Generally, a dry dog food recipe will be grain-based and consist of ingredients like powdered milk, whole wheat flour, oats, wheat germ, soy flour, egg, and yeast.  There are some protein sources in this dry dog food recipe but the bulk of it consists of carbohydrates.

Your dog needs a lot of carbohydrates but too much is not good either.  For an optimum diet, give your dog dry food from a dry dog food recipe along with some meat.  Dry food alone will not provide your dog with enough protein.  You should make small quantities of dry food when following a dry dog food recipe to ensure freshness.   If you are too lazy to use a dry dog food recipe and make your own dog food at home, you can give your dog all natural commercial dry food.

You can find some at natural food stores, veterinary offices, or feed stores.  Look for dry foods that are free of preservatives and that come in vacuum-sealed packages.  Look at the ingredients to make sure that they are truly natural.   The Optimal Dog Diet Although dry dog food is convenient, you are better off giving your dog home cooked food to provide him with an optimal diet.

You can make doggie treats at home that are grain-based and save them for special occasions.  You can also follow dry dog food recipes and use them as a supplement to a meat-based diet.   The best homemade dog food should consist of raw or lightly cooked meat, some carbohydrates, and some fruits and vegetables.  You can also supplement your dog’s diet with a multi-vitamin multi-mineral.

Don’t rely on dry food alone if you want your dog to thrive.   In conclusion, following a dry dog food recipe is a good idea if you want to provide your dog with some healthy, preservative-free carbohydrates.  However, don’t rely solely on dry food to feed your dog.  Even though it’s convenient, you need to make sure your dog’s diet is balanced by providing him with enough protein from meat and vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables.

Your dog needs a lot of carbohydrates but too much is not good either. For an optimum diet, give your dog dry food from a dry dog food recipe along with some meat. Dry food alone will not provide your dog with enough protein. You should make small quantities of dry food when following a dry dog food recipe to ensure freshness. If you are too lazy to use a dry dog food recipe and make your own dog food at home, you can give your dog all natural commercial dry food.

You can find some at natural food stores, veterinary offices, or feed stores. Look for dry foods that are free of preservatives and that come in vacuum-sealed packages. Look at the ingredients to make sure that they are truly natural. The Optimal Dog Diet Although dry dog food is convenient, you are better off giving your dog home cooked food to provide him with an optimal diet. You can make doggie treats at home that are grain-based and save them for special occasions.

You can also follow dry dog food recipes and use them as a supplement to a meat-based diet. The best homemade dog food should consist of raw or lightly cooked meat, some carbohydrates, and some fruits and vegetables. You can also supplement your dog’s diet with a multi-vitamin multi-mineral. Don’t rely on dry food alone if you want your dog to thrive. In conclusion, following a dry dog food recipe is a good idea if you want to provide your dog with some healthy, preservative-free carbohydrates. However, don’t rely solely on dry food to feed your dog. Even though it’s convenient, you need to make sure your dog’s diet is balanced by providing him with enough protein from meat and vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables.

Just Say No To Protection Dog Training Videos

January 29, 2009 by Pat  
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If you want to turn your loving, goofy pet dog into a vicious, paranoid attack machine, then by all means, follow the advice on protection dog training videos. Although there definitely are guard dogs and police dogs that can figure out only to attack the bad guys and leave everyone else alone, this is only because of intense, specialized training that they receive every single day. The average pet dog receives sporadic training, at best. There is nothing wrong with watching a protection dog training video. Just don’t try and mimic it.

Aggressive Abandoned Dogs

The most dangerous dog anyone in professional dog training faces is that of the aggressive pet dog. Aggression is one of the biggest reasons why dogs are abandoned in the millions every year. Granted, many shelters are discovering that many dogs abandoned for aggression actually have no aggression problems at all and that the previous owner lied. But there are many that do have aggression issues, often from someone trying to mimic a protection dog training video.

Despite the trend in America for no-kill shelters, many millions of unwanted dogs and cats are euthanized for lack of a home. The dogs that are euthanized right away and never go up for adoption are incredibly sick dogs and incredibly aggressive dogs. By teaching any dog with the methods in protection dog training videos, you are guaranteeing that your dog will be automatically put down if he should stray.

Dogs Are Not Weapons

If you really are worried about your personal protection, carry a weapon on you like a knife or a gun. Don’t rely on a dog as a four-footed weapon substitution. Despite the claims of some protection dog training videos, all dogs make really lousy personal protection.

If someone wants to rob you or beat you up, your dog is not gong to be any kind of obstacle to that criminal whatsoever. You will have the horror of watching your dog get killed in front of you and then you will get robbed or worse. No dog can outlive a gun. This fact usually isn’t mentioned in protection dog training videos.

In dog society, the leader of the pack is the one who does any attacking of intruders, while the members protect any youngsters and pick up the pieces. If you let your dog be the attacker, then you are not the dog’s pack leader. Your dog is the pack leader. Your dog has no reason to follow any instruction you give, because you are an underling.

Guard Dog Training Videos Don’t Help

January 28, 2009 by Pat  
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There are many guard dog training videos available that make some pretty outlandish claims. They state things like any dog can be turned into a guard dog, that your dog will always be safe to be around after he’s learned the training and that a dog makes the best home protection in the world. All of these statements are false. A guard dog training video will not make your dog able to stop a determined thief. All you will get from these protection dog training videos is a dead dog.

Not All Dogs Have What It Takes

Guard dog training videos often claim that any dog can be turned into a four-legged attack weapon. Anyone who has been around dogs for more than ten minutes will know that this claim is baloney. The most popular dog breed in the world is the Labrador Retriever. They are notorious for being incredibly friendly dogs and have been known to absolutely delight in a visit from a thief or intruder. The most they can do is bark to let you know that a stranger is on the property.

Dogs Are Not Light Switches

Although some dogs are far more intelligent than people, most other dogs make generalizations. If some people are to be respected and never bitten, then all people need to be treated like that. Despite the claims of guard dog training videos, many dogs cannot turn the attack training on and off at a verbal command. If you want them to attack an intruder, then you are merely training your dog to attack every other human being on the planet.

How Thieves Work

Guard dogs are absolutely useless against thieves, despite what the makers of guard dog training videos would have you believe. If a thief knows there is a dog on the property, all they do is throw poisoned meat into the property or carry a loaded gun. The dog is quickly and often quietly killed in one way or another. And then the thief burgles your property anyway.

So, in conclusion, training your dog to be a guard dog with the help of guard dog training videos is a waste of time and money. Attack dogs like those in police forces undergo intense, specialized training and are often never sent to bring down a bad guy without backup from an armed officer. Please leave any attack dog behavior to the professionals and let your dog be a love bug.

Vegetarian Dog Food Recipes and Nutritional Supplements

January 28, 2009 by Pat  
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Dogs are omnivores like humans.  In the wild, they eat a lot of plant-based foods.  Sure, they also eat meat in the wild but they generally eat mice, birds, and other small animals.  With good, nutritious vegetarian dog food recipes and nutritional supplements, your dog can get all of the nutrients he needs from a vegetarian diet.

Making the Adjustment to a Vegetarian Diet Your dog may be very used to eating commercial food so it could be hard for you to wean him.  You can start by incorporating vegetarian food into his diet and then taking out the meat-based products little by little.

Use vegetarian dog food recipes that include tomato sauce, olive oil, powdered kelp, and nutritional yeast, which are food items dogs tend to enjoy.  Veggie burgers, mashed chickpeas, and melon are also very popular with dogs.   The health of most dogs improves after switching to vegetarian dog food recipes but watch your pet closely regardless.  Not any changes in his skin, fur, or gastro-intestinal problems.

There are times when dogs do not thrive on vegetarian diets so if that is the case, put some meat back into his diet.   You can prepare vegetarian dog food recipes for your dog by yourself or you can buy commercially prepared food.  If you choose to prepare food on your own, make sure to read about the nutritional requirements of dogs and follow them carefully when preparing meals.   A dog can get sick if he doesn’t receive enough Vitamin D, protein, or calcium in his diet.

Look for a supplement that contains these nutrients as well as essential amino acids to ensure that your dog gets enough of the nutrients he needs.   You can buy a book with vegetarian dog food recipes or come up with your own.  Remember to use a variety of different ingredients and use a lot of protein-packed grains and legumes.  Chickpeas, quinoa, amaranth, and kidney beans are examples of healthy, protein-packed ingredients you can give to your dog.  If you want to use a dry dog food recipe, try mashing together ingredients like beans, corn, and potatoes and then baking small biscuits.   So there you have it.

A vegetarian diet may not be right for every dog out there but it is possible to have a healthy vegetarian dog.  Remember to study the nutritional needs of your dog carefully and consult a veterinarian for advice.  It’s possible for your dog to get all of the nutrients he needs from a carefully planned vegetarian dog food recipe.

Your dog may be very used to eating commercial food so it could be hard for you to wean him. You can start by incorporating vegetarian food into his diet and then taking out the meat-based products little by little. Use vegetarian dog food recipes that include tomato sauce, olive oil, powdered kelp, and nutritional yeast, which are food items dogs tend to enjoy.

Veggie burgers, mashed chickpeas, and melon are also very popular with dogs. The health of most dogs improves after switching to vegetarian dog food recipes but watch your pet closely regardless. Not any changes in his skin, fur, or gastro-intestinal problems. There are times when dogs do not thrive on vegetarian diets so if that is the case, put some meat back into his diet. You can prepare vegetarian dog food recipes for your dog by yourself or you can buy commercially prepared food. If you choose to prepare food on your own, make sure to read about the nutritional requirements of dogs and follow them carefully when preparing meals. A dog can get sick if he doesn’t receive enough Vitamin D, protein, or calcium in his diet.

Look for a supplement that contains these nutrients as well as essential amino acids to ensure that your dog gets enough of the nutrients he needs. You can buy a book with vegetarian dog food recipes or come up with your own. Remember to use a variety of different ingredients and use a lot of protein-packed grains and legumes. Chickpeas, quinoa, amaranth, and kidney beans are examples of healthy, protein-packed ingredients you can give to your dog. If you want to use a dry dog food recipe, try mashing together ingredients like beans, corn, and potatoes and then baking small biscuits.

So there you have it. A vegetarian diet may not be right for every dog out there but it is possible to have a healthy vegetarian dog. Remember to study the nutritional needs of your dog carefully and consult a veterinarian for advice. It’s possible for your dog to get all of the nutrients he needs from a carefully planned vegetarian dog food recipe.

Police Dog Training Videos: Kids, Don’t Do This At Home

January 27, 2009 by Pat  
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Police dog training videos have been an invaluable tool to help train these magnificent canines to help protect and serve. Part of the reason that many police stations do not have a dog officer is that it costs so much to train a police dog and to get them further training sessions. With police dog training videos, the overall cost of acquiring a good police dog has gone down. But, anything on videotape or digital recording often gets viewed by people who really shouldn’t see it.

Not For Household Pets

Unless you are in the police force or a security company, please do not train your pet dog to do the things a police, army or guard dog can. Dogs have a tendency to see everything as a great game. When playing with each other, dogs like to play very rough, using their teeth. In guard dog training videos and police dog training videos, dogs are encouraged to use their sense of play and their instinct to play with their teeth.

Police and guard dogs are trained to aim for a person, knock them down and clamp their teeth on an arm or leg and then not let go until they hear their master’s command. These dogs are also trained to know when they are on duty and that when they are off-duty, some behaviors like biting are not allowed. These facts are usually not part of police dog training videos, because they would be superfluous information to people who work and live with these dogs every day.

Big Trouble

If a pet dog learns how to take a human being down with his or her teeth thinking that it was a game, they will play this game with everybody. Inevitably, the dog is put down and the owner sued into bankruptcy. The police dog training videos themselves are not to blame. Unsupervised kids or stupid pet dog owners are to blame.

If you have a child and a dog in your home, you need to supervise them regularly, just to be sure that the dog isn’t picking up any bad habits from the kids. If your dog has begun to pick up on potentially dangerous behaviors learned from mimicking police dog training videos, positive reinforcement and professional training can often help get rid of these habits. When in doubt, please muzzle your dog before going out in public. Old dogs can and do learn new tricks, good and bad.

Animal Lovers Should Be Shocked By Hunting Dog Training Videos

January 26, 2009 by Pat  
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In many modern hunting dog trials, no animal is actually hunted. A hunt is simulated and a pistol used only by a judge is shot into the air, but usually no animals are killed. Since the dogs are not judged on killing an animal, there’s no need for the prey animal to be killed. But hunting dog training videos often show grotesque actual hunts far away from field dog or gun dog trials.

Unnecessary Suffering

Hunting dog training videos focus on the things dogs do to assist a humans in the hunt. It is always the human that actually does the killing. In fact, the killing bite instinct has been bred out of a lot of breeds of dog, including the retriever breeds. Instead, depending on the breed of dog, the clever canines find the prey, flush it out into the open for the human to shoot and then bring back the killed prey.

Sadly, today’s sport hunters are not very good shots. They nick or maim their prey rather than kill them outright. This means that the dogs often wrestle and bring back agonized prey in hunting dog training videos. The trainer and camera person are often laughing about the feeble attempts for the prey to get away. A real animal lover – and someone who has to hunt for food – considers it a duty to minimize any suffering. Death for the prey is to be as quick as possible.

You also should never kill a prey animal just for the sake of shooting a hunting dog training video. Although there is an incredible outcry over the abuse of animals in television and movies, there needs to be just as much outrage over the suffering and death of prey animals in hunting dog training videos. If the dogs don’t need to kill animals as part of their training, then why bother killing them for dog hunting training videos?

What If?

Some proponents of dog hunting training videos showing actual deaths of animals claim that this merely is a picture of real life. But what about police dog training videos? Police dogs are trained to take down prisoners with their teeth. But the people used for practice are always in larger protective suits.

If you wanted to show real police dogs in real work, then why don’t they make videos with real prisoners without protective gear being taken down by dogs? It’s the same thing. If you don’t like real prisoners being used to train police dogs, then you shouldn’t use real animals to make a hunting dog training video.

Dogs and Vegetables and Fruit Diet

January 26, 2009 by Pat  
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You can give your dog most vegetables and fruits but you should avoid onions, avocadoes, and mushrooms because they can cause health problems.  You can make a healthy dog food recipe based off of a protein source like eggs, fish, lamb, beef, pork, chicken, pheasant, etc.  Add a carbohydrate like oats, barley, wheat germ, or quinoa to the meat.   A healthy dog food recipe should be served at room temperature.  Don’t serve your dog food that is hot from the stove or cold from sitting in the refrigerator.

Adult dogs only need one meal a day.   Examples of Healthy Dog Food Recipes It might seem expensive to feed your dog home cooked food.  It is certainly time-consuming but it doesn’t have to be expensive.  You don’t have to give your dog prime cuts of meat.  Chicken parts like veal, liver, and neck for example are very palatable for your dog and cheaper for you.   A healthy dog food recipe can consist of sauted liver or different animal parts made into a stew with some vegetables and wheat germ added.  You can also blend liver and mix it with honey, dried milk, and wheat germ and bake it in the oven to make liver cookies for your dog.

Instead of following a particular healthy dog food recipe, you can also just make a little more of the food you feed yourself and family to give to your dog.  Human food with meat, vegetables, and grains is perfect for a dog.  It contains the antioxidants that commercial dog food lacks and that your dog needs in order to maintain good health.   Wash all of the produce well that you feed your dog.  You can cook the meats or you can feed them to your dog raw.

Some pet owners swear up and down that a raw meat diet is the most natural diet for dogs.  Make sure to seek variety when preparing food for your dog so your dog gets a wide array of nutrients from his food.  Give your dog organic foods when possible and make sure he gets plenty of fresh, filtered water to drink. Your goal?  Take this information as a guide and use it to help you come up with healthy dog food recipes for your dear pet.  You can help your dog live a healthier, happier life by giving him home cooked food.  Remember to be creative and use a variety of ingredients in your dog’s food so he gets plenty of nutrients.

Examples of Healthy Dog Food Recipes It might seem expensive to feed your dog home cooked food. It is certainly time-consuming but it doesn’t have to be expensive. You don’t have to give your dog prime cuts of meat. Chicken parts like veal, liver, and neck for example are very palatable for your dog and cheaper for you.

A healthy dog food recipe can consist of sautéed liver or different animal parts made into a stew with some vegetables and wheat germ added. You can also blend liver and mix it with honey, dried milk, and wheat germ and bake it in the oven to make liver cookies for your dog. Instead of following a particular healthy dog food recipe, you can also just make a little more of the food you feed yourself and family to give to your dog.

Human food with meat, vegetables, and grains is perfect for a dog. It contains the antioxidants that commercial dog food lacks and that your dog needs in order to maintain good health. Wash all of the produce well that you feed your dog. You can cook the meats or you can feed them to your dog raw. Some pet owners swear up and down that a raw meat diet is the most natural diet for dogs.

Make sure to seek variety when preparing food for your dog so your dog gets a wide array of nutrients from his food. Give your dog organic foods when possible and make sure he gets plenty of fresh, filtered water to drink. Your goal? Take this information as a guide and use it to help you come up with healthy dog food recipes for your dear pet. You can help your dog live a healthier, happier life by giving him home cooked food. Remember to be creative and use a variety of ingredients in your dog’s food so he gets plenty of nutrients.

Where To Find Dog Agility Training Videos

January 25, 2009 by Pat  
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As space and money for sports and hobbies dwindle, more and more people are discovering the joys of competing in dog sports. Dogs love it, too, because they are incredibly intelligent animals that need a job to do. They also need social interaction with other people and other dogs in order to stay calm and happy. One of the most popular dog sports in Europe, Canada and America is dog agility. Watching and studying dog agility training videos can help you teach the sport to your dog.

The Personality Of Your Dog

The best dog agility training videos will stress that agility is not a sport for all dogs. Some dogs are too ill to compete in all of the physical events required. Some dogs, due to past abuse, are either terrified of other dogs or terrified of strange people. But you can still use the tips from dog agility training videos to help your dog have some fun and gain confidence in the safety of your own back yard.

Young puppies or young big dogs with a growing skeleton should not be asked to the jumps in agility. Putting too much strain on their growing bodies – especially for medium to giant-sized breeds – makes them prone to injuries and hip dysplasia. Please talk with your vet to see if your dog is healthy enough to compete in dog agility.

Ask For Help

If you go into a pet supply store or go online looking for dog agility training videos, it can seem like you’ve been hit by a tidal wave of choices. You could try just any dog agility training video, but that can become an expensive experience. There are a lot of poorly made videos on dogs out there.

One of the best places you can go to ask for help in selecting any kind of dog videos, from agility to basic training to hunting dog training videos, is to go to an active internet forum about dogs in general or about agility in particular. Dog people are usually very vocal and free with their opinions and recommendations.

Other Tips

If you have small dog or a short-legged dog like a Pembroke Welsh Corgi or a Standard Dachshund, be sure that the dog agility training video actually talks about the special challenges presented to your dogs. The obstacles like jumps or hoops need to be positioned much lower to the ground than for dogs like Border Collies or Australian Shepherds, which seem to dominate the sport.

How To Use Dog Training Videos In Real Life

January 24, 2009 by Pat  
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Although they could be YouTube, DVD or videotape, instructional tips of dog training that you can watch over and over again are usually called dog training videos. There are many specialty videos or DVDs made for specific jobs your dog may have, including being a police dog, show dog or drug-sniffing dog. But the majority of dog training videos are made for the average dog owner in mind.

Like Recipe Books

Dog training videos are to be used a merely suggestions and helpful hints and not followed like gospel. Your dog will often not behave like the dogs in dog training videos. If you have a toy dog, it will be very hard to find dog training videos just for toy dogs. So, you have to get videos of trainers working with large dog breeds and have to improvise. It’s a bit like a cookbook, where following a recipe to the letter is merely optional, not a requirement for a good meal.

But there are some basic ingredients that should be a part of every dog’s life to help any advice from dog training videos to work. Your dog needs to have regular exercise, eat quality food (and not too much of it), have only occasional human food as treats, needs regular vet check ups and really needs to be spayed or neutered. Without the sex hormones running amuck in a dog’s brain, they are more ready to pay attention to you and to let you be the boss.

Positive Reinforcement

Whether you are looking for a video on housebreaking, general obedience or for dog agility training videos, you need to pay the most attention to those which feature positive reinforcement as the main training method. If you are given dog training videos featuring punishment or the use of gadgets like prong collars, chuck them in the trash. All you are learning from those videos is how to terrorize and abuse your dog. Your dog then becomes terrified of you and is more prone to bite and disobey.

Methods of positive reinforcement include clicker training and shaping. This is where undesired behavior is ignored and positive behavior rewarded with a click (or other marker noise) and a treat. Eventually, you won’t need to give a treat every single time you give a command. But in the beginning, it sure helps. You need to be patient, persistent and have a big sense of humor.

Home Cooked Meals for Your Pet

January 24, 2009 by Pat  
Filed under Dog Food

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You knew you loved your pet so much that you went to the effort of preparing home meals for it. You done a bit of research on what recipes to make to keep them up and running but did you consider the fact that there is a big difference from a natural dog food recipe to a healthy dog food recipe.   You can pick and chose from any natural dog food recipe, it does not mean it is going to be totally healthy. Without doing proper research you could be doing more harm to your pet than good. Even though you are feeding your pet a natural dog food recipe you pet should be in better shape soon.

You knew you loved your pet so much that you went to the effort of preparing home meals for it. You done a bit of research on what recipes to make to keep them up and running but did you consider the fact that there is a big difference from a natural dog food recipe to a healthy dog food recipe.   You can pick and chose from any natural dog food recipe, it does not mean it is going to be totally healthy. Without doing proper research you could be doing more harm to your pet than good. Even though you are feeding your pet a natural dog food recipe you pet should be in better shape soon.

However, there are no guarantees to this statement, and you should follow instructions rather from your vet than from just anyone else regarding your natural dog food recipe.  Your vet should know your dog and guide you what is required in the diet for a healthier pet.

If your dog has special requirements regarding allergies and so forth then the vet would be able to let you know what not to put in the natural dog food recipe and what could help with the allergy too. Your vet will also make sure that you making a healthy dog food recipe for optimum health and well-being.   Monitor Your Dog For Any Changes   As with any food on the market, we too are allergic to certain foods, your pet could also be allergic to some, none or most of these ingredients that are required in the natural dog food recipe. You would have to monitor your pet to see if they are having any allergic reactions from this newfound natural dog food recipe. You would also need to know what to do if something serious is wrong with your pet from you making the natural dog food recipe.   Always keep your vets contact number close on hand if you have decided to go with a new diet, and remember you dog’s stomach would also have to adjust to the ingredients in the recipes used.

If your pet’s stomach is runny and slimy, dehydration could be setting in. Get the dog to the vet immediately, as they would put him on a drip to rehydrate. The food would need to be changed probably back to what is used to being eaten. The best thing you could do is just adding a multivitamin supplement to your pets original diet once he or she returns home from the vet.

Finding Used Dog Training Equipment

January 23, 2009 by Pat  
Filed under Dog Training

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If you’re looking to train your dog, there’s no need to buy brand new dog training equipment. You do need dog training equipment, and in some cases dog training videos, so that you know that you’re training your dog correctly. However, there is no rule that says you must go out and buy all new dog training equipment. The used equipment works just as good as the new, you just have to know where to look for it. You can get used dog training equipment, you can train your dog effectively and you can save money in the process. What could be better than that?

The Internet

The first place you should go for used dog training equipment is online. You can find anything on the internet these days, and used dog training equipment is no different. Log on and do a search using your favorite search engine. You should be able to find websites that sell used dog training equipment. Or, you can try an online auction site, where you can bid on used equipment. Another idea is one of the free classified ad sites where people are selling and even bartering used equipment.

Know What You’re Buying

Just like when you buy anything used, make sure you know what you’re getting when it comes to buying used dog training equipment. Pictures can be deceiving so make sure you see pictures at several angles if you’re going to buy online. Also, talk to the seller to make sure you trust who you’re getting the items from. The used dog training equipment should be in working order and should not be damaged in any way. If you want to train your dog correctly, make sure you’re absolutely certain that the equipment you’re getting is in good working order.

Pet Training Facilities

If you can’t find what you’re looking for online, you can always try a pet training facility where new equipment is often purchased every year or every few years. You might be able to catch them at a time when they’re buying new equipment. Try to make a deal to buy their old equipment. Or, if they’re not buying new equipment right now, try to get on a waiting list where you can buy their used dog training equipment when it becomes available.

These are all great places to find used dog training equipment. However, equipment is only half of the battle. You must show your pet lots of love, patience and attention if you hope to train it correctly. But this is a great way to train your dog and save money at the same time.

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