3 Simple Steps For A Healthier Dog

We all want what is best for our pet. Yet sometimes because of your hectic schedules, we tend to put our dog’s care at the bottom of the list or it just becomes a habit of chores we perform every day without giving it much thought. We stumble out of bed in the morning, let the dog out, fill the water bowl, dump some food in the dish and go on with our daily routine. Let’s face it this can get very boring for you and especially for your dog.

In order to maintain your dog’s health there are really only three simple steps you need to follow:

1. A good diet
2. Plenty of fresh water
3. Exercise

A good diet is essential to your dog’s health. Be careful what you buy! Read the ingredients label not just the name of the dog food. An all natural dog food is what you should be looking for, not one that contains filler and by-products. Remember you get what you pay for. Although an all natural dog food may be more expensive, studies have shown that your dog will in almost all cases eat more of the “bargain brand” than the all natural, nutritious dog food. The “bargain brands” will pass through your dog more quickly because they do not contain as much of the daily nutrients your dog requires. This leads to your dog being hungrier more often and thereby eating more. Your dog will retain more of the nutrients contained in the all natural food which means they will be less hungry, have healthier coats, more energy and better overall health.

Give your dog plenty of fresh water. Change it as often as you can. A good rule to follow is that every time you get yourself something to drink, add new water to your dog’s bowl.

Exercise your dog daily. This is good for you also. Take long walks, throw a ball or stick around the backyard or park. Remember your dog’s cardiovascular system, heart and muscles need exercise just like yours.

About the Author
Jim De Fazio is the successful webmaster of http://www.natural-pet-supplies.com. A site that offers all natural food and supplies for your dog or cat.

17 Tips That'll Safeguard You and Your Family From Dog Bites

Did you know that more than one million north americans will be bitten by dogs this year, and about one million dog bites
will go unreported. Its sad but most of the victims will be children..These dog bites will come from animals known to them. Unleashed dogs will account for most of the bites inflicted.

What Makes Dogs Bite

Not being educated and pet owners not being committed on training their pet is what leads to most of these dog bites. We must realize that dogs don't normally become a part of our families already trained.

Why Then Do Dogs Bite?

1. They will bite if scared, angry, or threatened. Even a dog thats friendly will bite.
2. If he feels he's cornered or crowded.
3. They will protect what they think belongs to them. Like their food, toys.
4. Dogs will protect their space such as sleeping area, yard, porch, cars and home.
5. Dogs are predatory by nature and love to chase and attack.
6. A stray dog may feel upset being lost or hurt and bite with alot less provocation.
7. A dog being startled may lash out and bite.
8. Teaching young children to be careful around pets. Don't allow children to play rough or allow pupies to bite. Not even play biting.
9. Teach your children never get close to strange dogs.
10. Leave a dogs things alone like food, toys, bones, ect.
11. Most injuries are caused by getting too close to a dogs face with your own.
12. Refain from running past a dog. They love to chase. Avoid getting a dog excited or aggressive, by yelling and screaming.
13. You never want to pet a dog thats eating, sleeping or careing for its puppies.
14. Stay away from dogs that are tied up or in cars.
15. You should always ask permission from a pet owner to pet his dog. Even if he's present and the dog's on a leash.
16. Refrain from swinging your arms or things you have at a dog. It may think its an invitation to bite.
17. You should never pet stray dogs or ones running loose.

Its great to have a dog go on a hike or walk on a trail with you but we humans need to treat dogs with respect. Just remember to teach your children how act around dogs, it will keep them safe.

About the Author
Val and Robin Shortt are experienced campers and own three outdoor websites For more tips like these and to register for their Free newsletter visit:Good Night Camping Equipment

14 Tips for Crate Training Your New Puppy

Your new puppy is arriving and you have heard of crate-training, but are not sure how to make it work for you and your newest addition. From years of experience as a pet-owner, lover and specialist, I have learned some things about crate training that I’d like to share with you.

Crate training is wonderful part of an overall family training program if handled correctly. Your puppy will feel secure in his space if you make it a pleasurable experience from the very beginning by following these 14 tips.

1. Get a crate large enough to allow your pup space to turn around, stand up and lie down for a nap.
2. Put a soft blanket in the crate, preferably with his mother’s scent on it when you bring him home.
3. Make sure to put his toys for chewing and a treat or two in the space furthest from the ‘door.’
4. Put the crate in a corner of room where he can feel out of the way, yet have access to you.
5. Let your pup wander in and out of the crate to get a feel for it, the crate makes a nice ‘den’ for your puppy and he will likely take to it for comfort and solace when he is tired, over-excited or worried.
6. Remove your pet’s collar/s before closing the crate to avoid any choking;
7. Have a bottle of water with ice hooked to the crate if you will leave your puppy for more than an hour;
8. When it’s time to be crated, tell your puppy “Crate” or “Bed” and show him to the crate. You may put a treat in there if you have been training him with treats.
9. Don’t ever: scare him into the crate, put him in there as a punishment or otherwise encourage a negative connotation to the crate.
10. Practice this several times a day during his first few weeks home. Leaving him in the crate for short intervals while you leave the house. He will soon realize that you come back and let him out.
11. If your dog needs something to chew, make sure you give him a toy that he cannot shred, break or otherwise harm himself with. If he is an aggressive chewer, I recommend the Galileo Bone by Nylabone.
12. When you let your puppy out of the crate, immediately take him outside to relieve himself. For very young puppies, this will likely be every 4 hours. (on average a puppy needs a break in as many hours as he is months old – if your puppy is 4 months, please give him a potty break every four hours)
13. When you are leaving, or putting him in the crate, give him his command, “Crate,” praise him gently when he complies (but do not get effusive – you don’t want him to get all riled up!) and then leave without a commotion.
14. Upon returning, open the crate and let your puppy come out at his own pace. Don’t make a big fuss, simply praise him gently, put on his collar and leash and take him outside.

Crate training is a valuable asset to any training program for new puppies and can help enhance your relationship with your canine pal. A happy and comfortable puppy will mature into a well-mannered and loving companion.

About the Author
Pet-Care Expert, Peggie Arvidson-Dailey, is the author of “How to Maintain Your Love Affair With Your Pet” and the founder of Peggie's Pet Services. To learn more about maintaining YOUR love affair with your pet sign up for FREE how-to articles and FREE teleclasses, visit http://www.peggiespets.com

12 Golden rules for every Dog owner

Discipline and good behavior are not just for your Dog they apply to you, the pet-parent too. Buying a dog is not all "cochie coo” business -- it signals the beginning of a lifetime of commitment and responsibility.

1. Love your dog unquestioningly. Treat him like a friend. Never hurt, punish, beat or abandon him. Seek professional help if you are ever pushed against the wall – there are feasible solutions to everything.
2. Ensure good nutrition.
3. Take an informed decision about spaying/neutering.
4. Give him good veterinary care. Half yearly check ups, vaccinations, dental check ups, and more.
5. Ensure that all his papers are in order – get him an ID and license.
6. Training is a key to a long and fulfilled life.
7. Groom him everyday or as many times as necessary. Grooming is one way of bonding with your dog.
8. Socialize your dog from day one – this will help him be comfortable around other people and animals as well as in public places.
9. Devote at least 30 minutes everyday to play with your dog.
10. Ensure that you are a lawful dog owner-- obey all leash, vaccination, and noise pollution laws.
11. Always clean up after your dog – it prevents infections.
12. Exercise your dog for at least 30 minutes each day.

These golden rules will help you grant the boon of a good life to your dog and believe me a dog that leads a well balanced life hardly ever develops any behavioral problems. Whether you are a first time dog owner or a seasoned veteran, your learning never stops as far as it comes to training your dog. Each and every dog presents different training challenges, and the more equipped you are to handle these training issues the more likely you are to prevent any permanent and long term future behavioral problems. If you are serious about your dog, and want the very best for her/him, then you owe it to your best friend to get a copy of this FREE Dog Training Mini-Course. You can still get it from here: http://www.dogtrainingmastery.com/Free_Dog_Training/dog-obedience-training.htm

About the Author
Ray Coleiro is the author of the popular book "Dog Training Mastery - An Owner's Manual!" To learn more about his proven Dog Training methods and life's work, you can visit http://www.dogtrainingmastery.com/Dog_Training/dog-training.htm.

Insurance For Your Animals - Do You Need It?

There are millions of pet owners in America but the vast majority do not have pet insurance; though these same people would argue that they are part of the family. Most Americans are quick to arrange their own health insurance; if that is the case, our pets should be looked after as well. Considered by many as an unnecessary expense; that is until those pet owners face expensive vet bills when they are sick. The cost of taking an animal for treatment at the vets has become more expensive during the last ten years; to cater for this increase, pet insurance providers have increased they're premiums. Pet health cover costs, like many other types of insurance plans, are on the increase; this should really be enough to make you think twice about delaying but this isn't the only reason. The fact is, the more animals you own, there is an increased risk that one of them will be involved in an accident or become sick; the more you own, the greater the chance is, and if this does occur a couple of times a year, you will soon see your savings reduce. There may come a time when you have to consider the cost of medical treatment; Really, you should never have to think about how much it is going to cost.

A few years back, my vet told me treatment for our dog would cost more than a thousand dollars; the agony of making a decision like that is something I hope not to repeat. Especially when you know that even with the surgery and treatments, your pet could still die; operations on animals can go wrong sometimes. The financial aspect of looking after a pet is something that must be considered carefully; no-one wants this to cause them financial problems. Raising (sometimes) large sums of money can be prove to be financially embarrassing especially when you are have money problems; which could mean contacting a relative or friend for the money. You can guarantee if you have money worries then you won't pay for the proper treatment of your pet; this situation can be avoided if a pet insurance policy is set up. The choice is yours, large vet bills or a pet healthcare insurance policy; for around 40 dollars (or Less) per month cost of medical care is assured. You can choose from a range of pet healthcare services; this can even extend to offering multi-pet discounts. A loving pet owner should really be thinking about the level of healthcare in place for their pet; you may already be giving this subject some serious consideration.

Article Source: http://www.freeforallarticles.com