My Dog Wouldn’t Do That!
Author: Ed Williams
What’s the world comin’ to?

I know that’s not the typical opening to one of my columns, but this one is different because I’m having a real hard time writing it. I’m in pain. Real physical pain. There are two holes in the back left knee of my sweatpants, and I also have about a one inch scratch right on the back of that same knee that’s really stinging. And guess why? A &%*@ dog bit me!

That’s right, a dog just took a little chunk out of me. And ya’ll might be wondering just how it happened, at least I hope y‘all are.

I typically walk a couple of miles each day, and I do it on the roads that wind through our subdivision. It’s a pretty hilly walk, you get a nice view of some great houses, and I typically enjoy it.

Today, I was out walking and was working my way through one of our side streets. I’d just walked past this one house with an open garage, and when I did, I heard some barking. Didn’t pay much attention to it at first, but that changed when it became obvious that the barking was getting closer and closer to me. I turned, and found myself staring straight into the eyes of a chocolate brown lab.

This lab was a good sized dog, and he was growling like he meant business. I figured that the best thing to do was to just slowly walk away, which is exactly what I tried to do. I took a couple of steps, and then felt something nip up against the back of my left knee. When I turned around, the dog jumped back, tensed, and I thought it was gonna try and bite me again. Note that I said try and bite me again. I’m not ashamed to admit that that I was going to kick the living hell out of him had he gone for a second helping. Fortunately, he backed off and I got out of there as quickly as I could.

Know what cheeses me off the most about this whole situation? There are leash laws in our community, and those laws are in place for a reason. Suppose this dog had been bigger and had inflicted more damage? Suppose he’d charged out into the road after a ball and had gotten struck by a car? Suppose he’d bitten a small child? That’s why leash laws are on the books in the first place.

All that being said, let me be fair to this bloodthirsty pooch - he was not the only dog who was running around loose and unsupervised today. And I’ll bet my Elvis CDs that if you asked any of these dogs’ owners why they didn’t have them secured, they’d tell you one of the following:

1. My dog needs some freedom, we hate to chain him up in our backyard.

2. My dog is quite gentle and poses a threat to no one.

First, if a dog needs freedom, why is it being kept in a subdivision in the first place? Next, regarding the “dog who is quite gentle” baloney - folks, the chocolate lab I encountered was the third one that growled and got fairly close to me during today’s walk. So don‘t spit in the water and tell me it‘s tea, because the truth is that no one likes to say that there are ugly babies, but there are lots of ‘em, and no one wants to admit that their dogs are potential menaces, but the streets are full of ‘em. And that‘s me saying it level.

Folks, from here on out, here’s how it goes with me. I just bought a nice little container of pepper spray, and I’ll carry it with me whenever I take a walk in the future. If a dog leaves his yard and comes out into the street with me, I certainly won’t spray him/her. But if a dog leaves his yard, comes out into the street, gets real close to me and starts barking threateningly, well, he/she is going to receive a snout full of pepper spray. That’s a promise.

In closing, for any of you animal rights activists that I’ve offended out there, don‘t whine one tiny bit to me. I still believe that human rights come first, and that means the right to walk out on a public street that my taxes pay for without being threatened by some crazed animal. And if y’all still want to protest what I’ve said here today, email me and I’ll be glad to give you a street address that y’all can go stand in front of and protest all you want…

About the Author

Ed’s latest book, “Rough As A Cob,“ can be ordered by calling River City Publishing toll-free at: 877-408-7078. He’s also a popular after dinner speaker, and his column runs in a number of Southeastern publications. You can contact him via email at: ed3@ed-williams.com, or through his web site address at: www.ed-williams.com.

My Dog Died !
Author: Susanna Duffy

Pets provide an unconditional love that requires very little on the part of the human.

Animals are so special to those of us who love them. We miss them when they are no longer with us. We grieve for them in ways which are just the same as grieving for a human loved one.

Whether the end comes through old age, illness, sudden death, or euthanasia, the death of a pet can cause enormous feelings of sorrow, guilt, and loneliness for children and adults alike. Yet pet owners are often inhibited in their very real grief, even if the animal was considered a fully-fledged family member, a child’s favoured playmate, or an older person’s loyal and faithful companion.

Pet owners in grief are largely misunderstood and can even be ridiculed by friends and by society in general.

Some people don’t want a pet because they do die ! It’s understandable to be reluctant to expose yourself to death but, at the same time, we become immeasurably more human because our animals die. When we live with animals we’re more in tune with the rhythms of the planet from day to night and from season to season because our companions make us more aware of the changes around us. Our companion animals teach us about the simple gifts of a beautiful day, a good meal and a gentle touch.

The death of a pet can make us wrestle with our belief structure - a natural part of the grieving process. Whether grieving an animal or human, we question our beliefs and many people find their belief structure becomes stronger when they ask themselves hard questions. Others find an new way of acceptance.

We use some kind of visualisation during our grieving process, imagining our loved ones in a beautiful place of peace and tranquil beauty, filled with light and flowers. Many of us see out deceased animals in this same place. This can be helpful and can provide some peace for those who are grieving.

And we learn from our animals. Animals aren’t afraid to die, they show us that the end of life can be faced without fear. They can teach us to accept death as an opening for love and wonder.

Allow yourself to grieve in whatever way is appropriate for you. The loss of a pet is real grief and causes us to travel through the stages of grief - denial, anger, depression, guilt, and acceptance. These stages must be lived through for the mourning process to allow full healing.

Susanna Duffy is a Civil Celebrant, grief counsellor and mythologist. She creates ceremonies and Rites of Passage for individual and civic functions, and specialises in celebrations for women. http://celebrant.yarralink.com

Lyme Disease in Dogs
Author: Niall Kennedy

It is hard to get an early diagnosis of lyme disease in animals including your own dog. The first sign of lyme disease in humans is a rash, well; animals do not develop this rash. Lyme disease is also not one of the first illnesses that the veterinarian looks for when you take your dog in for a visit. Many other common illnesses can produce some of the same symptoms, so it can be hard to detect.

Lyme disease does affect each dog different as it does with humans. Many dogs that are affected with lyme disease seem to be in pain and many stop eating. They may even run very high fevers. Lyme disease affects the entire body and some dogs may become lame and then even if untreated the lameness can disappear but can reappear later on. Your dog may not even show any signs of an illness for a long period of time and in fact have lyme disease, and then the symptoms can show up a year later.

Diagnosis of lyme disease can be done with a blood test. But, if your dog has had the illness for a long time even confirming that it is, in fact lyme disease can be hard to prove. In many cases, the antibodies that are present when a dog has lyme disease may have already disappeared or have not been created yet.

So, of course, the best way to go to ensure that your dog does not contract lyme disease is in the prevention. Always groom your dog after they have been outdoors in and around where ticks live, high grass, thick brush, or even in the woods.

Niall Kennedy
http://www.pet-medication-supplies.net Pet Medication Supplies can help you get the best possible protection for your pet. Advantix, Arthramine, Cosequin, Frontline, Heartgard - find the best deals in pet medication for flea and tick control, arthritis and lyme disease. Upto 50% discount everyday on brand names.

Lessons from a Dying Friend
Author: C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot
Often, I’d asked the question as to how I would react when my ‘Max’ would pass away. He was our mainstay, our original family pet. Not only a dog, but one of my ’surrogate children’ as well. We’d brought him home 9 years ago and I still recall the small, white sack of wrinkles chasing my son’s shoe laces about the house. A guard dog to the end, he’d never permitted strangers from entering my domain and he was probably the most faithful dog I’d ever met.

There were times when my other ‘children’ would sneak out of our yard and there at the door, would be my Max tattle-taling on the others’ sneaky escapades. He was the Alpha dog of the pack and would quickly let the others know exactly that - when they had gotten out of line.

To me, Max gave the illusion of immorality. He wasn’t the poster dog of health, as he had always had seizures from the time he was a pup; but he was a survivor. And I guess seeing that he had never succumbed to the effects of this sometimes horrible condition, I wanted to believe that he could survive just about anything.

One of his negative sides was that he was a constant protector. Very territorial, he demanded utter respect of ‘intruders,’ and many times, we had to send him to my bedroom to keep his overzealous attitude from harming our guests. But he never complained. A matter of fact, he enjoyed his tranquil moments lounging on my bed away from the rest of the pack.

Sometimes, Max would lay across the room and admire me with his tiny, cherry eyes. Being the Sharpei he was, he never lacked gratitude or devotion to me.

His reprisal of water made him a funny candidate at bathtime or on wet, soggy days. He would literally tip-toe like a ballerina across the rain-soaked lawn in hopes of diminishing his contact with the wetness; and when bathtime came around, he would make himself as stiff as an ironing board as to avoid being carried to the ‘dreadful’ tub. But once he was lathered in soapy suds, Max would tolerate his wash like the humble soldier he was.

In retrospect, I wouldn’t have traded him for the world. Though he sometimes acted like a hyperactive child, his otherwise loving disposition conquered most thoughts of anxiety.

When I noticed Max having difficulty staying on his feet, I didn’t want to accept that he was deathly ill. It just couldn’t be. He had been healthy just a few days prior. We’d always made certain he had his routine vaccinations, heartworm preventatives, healthy dog food, and periodic checkups. Another sign of his sickness was that he would pull his face together in a grimace. I’d never seen Max pull a grimace, and then when he couldn’t lie down due to the pain in his rapidly swelling stomach, I knew it was time to take him to the vet.

In two-day’s time, my Max was inevitably dying. At first I tried to convince myself that he had a bad case of gastroenteritis or perhaps bloat, at worst. He couldn’t have cancer - though the thought had crossed my mind.

We entered the vet office and suddenly he perked up. He acted as if he had nothing wrong with him - but I knew better. Dogs, like humans, want to live.

Initially, the vet took extensive blood and stool samples. Waiting for the results was the hardest part. As we stood there with Max, I watched him grimace again and again, and I knew he was in terrible pain. After what seemed like eternity, the veterinarian returned with the heartbreaking results. Max had a massive cancerous growth on his liver, and it was shutting down completely. The prognosis was extremely negative and imminently terminal. There was no alternative treatment which we could give him.

As I stood there in forced disbelief, I began to cry and realized that I had to make one of the toughest decisions of my life. I could’ve taken Max home and allowed him to live a few more days, perhaps a week or two in agonizing pain. The other, realistic option was for me to give him his final dignity and allow him to be put to eternal rest.

As I signed the release form for Max’s final treatment, I looked into his cherry eyes and pulled his face close to mine. Kissing him gently on his forehead, I gave him a hug and told him that I loved him and that he would be going home soon.

He peered back at me as if he’d understood me. And I prayed that he did. His passing was very peaceful and dignified. And at that moment, and now too, I know I made the right decision.

My dying friend taught me that all life - humans, dogs, other animals, even trees - have an instinctive spirit to survive. Even at our worst, our will to live takes over the conditions or diseases that riddle our bodies. What I’d learned was that my Max had obviously lived with this cancer for months but never displayed the effects until the last two days before his passing. He was a fighter, a survivor, and a big piece of my heart. He also taught me that decisions have to be made in life - and we have to live with those decisions regardless how painful they may seem at the time. In his final moments, he taught me the most valuable lesson: that his spirit would be forever alive with mine, and that physical death was inevitable - and in order to live life to the fullest, we have to accept that fact. I can go forward now knowing that Max is no longer in pain, and he is probably guarding the rainbow bridge of heaven.

No matter what happens in our lifetime, the cycle of life and physical death continues. It is eternal and as I told a friend of mine, pacification comes with time, and time is the healer of all things great and small.

© Lessons from a Dying Friend
by C. Bailey-Lloyd
aka. Lady Camelot

About the Author

C. Bailey-Lloyd
aka. Lady Camelot is the
Public Relations Director
& Staff Writer for
www.HolisticJunction.com and
www.MediaPositiveRadio.com

Is your Dog Malnourished?
Author: A.M. Wilmot

Americans are more concerned about health than ever before, so we should also have an equal amount of concern for our pets … particularly with regard to the ingredients in their food. We would want the ingredients in our pets’ food to be acceptable for human consumption.

After all, If byproducts are not tolerated in our food, why should they be tolerated in our pets’ food? We’re also starting to realize that our dogs and cats need daily supplements the same way that we do, in order to take care of their bodies for the inevitable ravages of aging. In the span of an animal’s life, an early start at good health ensures less vulnerability to degenerative diseases, joints that are less likely to creak with pain and a healthier heart. Naturally we want our dogs and cats to live with us for as long as possible.

Renowned holistic veternarian Dr. Jane Bicks says that when looking at dog food, one should be be weary of dyes, chemicals and artificial preservatives as much as possible. For example, BHA … one of the most common synthetic antioxidant preservatives mainly used to prevent food discoloration and rancidity … has been found in scientific studies to cause stomach cancer in lab rats at certain doses. In lesser doses, the preservative doesn’t have a cancerous effect but there is no telling what BHA can do to the body in small doses over a long period of time.

Dr. Jane states that the maximum life span of dogs is estimated to be between 25 to 30 years, but the average dog often lives no longer than 13 to 14 years.

And she says that this difference is caused primarily by inadequate nourishment.

She also states that protein is a critical part of a dog’s natural development so pet owners should look for foods which have whole ingredients like meat, eggs, fish and dairy as opposed to byproducts.

Harder working or more energetic dogs require more protein and fat in their diet to maintain stamina and good body form. A dog food that is complete and balanced and includes at least 26 percent protein and 1650 kilocalories of metabolizable energy per pound is ideal. During the seasons when dogs are not working, their energy requirements decrease. Feed less of the high calorie food or change to a less nutrient-dense dog food.

Unbleached rice is one of the more digestible carbohydrates and supplies a wide array of energy for your dog. Corn and wheat, meanwhile, are considerably more difficult to digest. It is also a great idea to look for antioxidants. In recent years, we have become much more conscious of our antioxidant intake, so why shouldn’t we have that same attitude towards our pets?

Dr. Jane Bicks has been honored on many occasions by the veternary profession and is the author of several books inlcluding ‘Thirty days to a healthier, happier dog’ and ‘Dr. Jane’s Natural guide to a healthier, happier dog’. She has been involved in many advisory boards including Canine Companions for independence and has served as the President of the Veterinary Medical association of New York City. She formulates Life’s Abundance premium dog food as well several types of dog supplements. For more information about Life’s Abundance dog food and dog supplements go to http://www.dog-food-nutrition.info/

About The Author

A.M. Wilmot is an author and researcher in the fields of human and pet health. For more info. go to http://www.dog-food-nutrition.com/ or http://www.dog-food-nutrition.info/

Is Your Dog Fat?
Author: Bev Storer

Obesity is one of the greatest health concerns facing dogs. You can and should do something about it. Overweight dogs may live shorter and less healthy lives and your enjoyment of their unconditional love and companionship may be shortened because of it.

Extra pounds place an excess burden on bones and joints and can make arthritis problems worse. Overweight dogs are less able to exercise and play comfortably and their breathing may be labored. Their bodies may be less able to resist infections, and they may be at greater risk for problems during surgery and anesthesia.

Potential health problems include:

• Joint or Locomotion Difficulties. Extra pounds add stress to joints, bones, ligaments and muscles. Conditions such as arthritis, hip dysplasia, spinal disc disease and ruptures of joint ligaments may be caused or aggravated by obesity.

• Heart and Respiratory Disease. Excess fat tissue in the chest cavity and around the muscles of the heart can decrease the efficiency of the heart and lungs. Your dog’s heart and lungs have to work harder to provide adequate oxygen and circulation.

• Diabetes. Just as in humans, diabetes is much more common in obese dogs.

• Liver Disease. Obese dogs are prone to liver disease.

• Heat Intolerance. The insulating properties of excessive fat make it harder for obese dogs to tolerate heat and they feel uncomfortable.

• Skin Problems. Obese dogs may have trouble grooming because the rolls of skin built up by fat deposits can often harbor dirt, bacteria and other harmful organisms.

• Gastrointestinal Disorders. Inflammation of the pancreas is frequently found in obese dogs. It is painful and can be life threatening.

How Dogs Become Overweight?

Dogs most always become overweight from lack of good exercise and from eating more food than they require. Food calories, which aren’t burned during their daily activities, are stored as fat.

Overeating can result from greediness, boredom, or overfeeding. Feeding leftovers or giving frequent snacks or treats often contributes to excess weight problems.

Over-fed puppies tend to become overweight dogs. They also have a greater risk of developing orthopedic problems. Properly feed puppies will be less likely to suffer from weight problems later in life.

Occasionally, metabolic disorders can cause a dog to become overweight. But overfeeding and under exercising are much more common causes of excess weight. If your veterinarian suspects that a metabolic disorder is causing your dog to gain weight, he or she will test for that disorder and treat it accordingly.

How Can I Tell if My Dog is Overweight?

A quick check to determine whether your dog is overweight is to feel his ribs with the flat palm of your hand. If you have difficulty feeling his ribs, then your dog probably needs to lose weight.

Helping Your Dog Lose Weight.

Weight loss for most dogs involves increased exercise and eating food with fewer calories. It’s generally easier to feed normal amounts of a low-calorie dog food than to feed much smaller amounts of his/her regular dog food. In addition, your dog will not feel as hungry when fed a normal amount of food

Dieting for Dogs.

Your vet will help set a weight goal for your dog and will recommend how much food he should eat each day. A special diet may also be prescribed. The food choice should be designed to satisfy your dog’s appetite and provide him all the vitamins and minerals he needs while at the same time helping him to lose weight.

Your dog may need a gradual transition from the old to the new diet. So, you would feed him increasing amounts of the new diet while decreasing the amounts of the previous diet each day over several days until the transition is complete.

To help keep your dog from begging, feed him before your family eats, and keep him out of the room during your meal. It is also a good idea to feed overweight dogs at the same time as other pets to help prevent food stealing from their slimmer companions. Always provide plenty of clean, fresh drinking water.

Regular exercise, such as walks or runs, is good for most dogs because it increases the number of calories they burn. If your dog is old or in poor health, check with your vet before increasing exercise.

The time period your dog will require to lose weight depends upon how much weight he is required to lose. Your dog may need 8 to 14 weeks or longer to reach his target weight.

What Type of Dog Food is Good for Weight Control?

A dieting dog has special nutritional needs. His diet should be balanced with a proper ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrates. The diet should also provide a normal volume of food to satisfy his hunger and the food should also provide quality nutrients.

Weight loss plans don’t need to include high levels of fiber. Fiber is not necessary for weight loss in pets, and in large amounts, it may have side effects such as increased feces and lack of interest in the food because of its poor taste.

We recommend Canine Zone – a revolutionary weight loss dog food based on Dr. Barry Sears’ Zone Diet. Millions of people all over the world have improved their health and have lost weight on Dr. Barry Sears’ Zone Diet. Now you can get your dog in “The Zone”. Canine Zone is based on the Zone’s 30-30-40 ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrates. This revolutionary new dog food will help your dog achieve a balance so his or her body can operate at its maximum efficiency while shedding unwanted pounds.

Always consult with your vet before you start a weight loss program for your dog.

About The Author

Bev Storer is a writer and researcher in the field of nutrition and nutritional supplements. To learn more about Canine Zone, go to http://www.dog-food-zone.com or e-mail her directly at info@dog-food-zone.com.

Is Dog Obedience School for You?
Author: Tina Spriggs
Are you thinking about dog obedience school? Do you know what to expect out of it? Do you know what it costs or where to find a good school?

If not, let me help take out some of the mystery of finding one to make sure you and your dog get the best experience you can.

If you have searched the web in this topic, you probably found some sites that are basically search engines within search engines, no real information about dog obedience schools. Or you might have found some obedience schools that were on the other side of the country. Needless to say, neither one was of much use.

Chances are you have a dog obedience school of some sort in your town, unless you’ve got a population of less than 20,000. In that event, you might need to opt for dog training videos or books, and I will go over some good resources for that later.

The first thing I want you to do is look for someone with proven experience. You can start in the yellow pages and look under “Dog Training” as opposed to “dog obedience school.”

Ask a LOT of questions. These people are going to be molding the mind of your impressionable pup and you want to know that it’s a good fit.

Ask things like:

What will the dog be taught?
What is the success rate?
What happens if you’re not satisfied
Will you be taught how to continue with your dogs new training?
What are their methods of correction when the dog disobeys?
Visit the facility too. Check it out. Meet the trainers and see how they act with people and dogs.

Ask if you can watch a training session or a video of a session so you get an idea of what your dog will be subjected to.

Don’t make a final decision on a dog obedience school until your dog has met the trainers. Dogs are extremely good judges of character.

For the most part, someone in this line of work is going to be a good person and a dog lover. Some, however, will be doing it just to get a paycheck and may not have your pal’s best interest in mind.

If your dog doesn’t like them… take another route.

You might want to consider the local 4-H club. 4-H is where I learned how to train my own dog as a child. It isn’t a dog obedience school in the traditional sense. It teaches kids how to train their dogs, or a friend’s dog. It’s a youth education program and it provides many facets of education, one of which is often dog training.

Read more about dog training videos if you would like an alternative to dog obedience school.

About the Author

Tina Spriggs is an expert dog lover whose lifelong interest in canines provides the motivation for her site. To learn more about dogs or to find gifts and toys for them visit her site
http://Dog-Gifts-and-Toys-for-Dog-Lovers.com. Copyright 2004. All rights reserved.

Is a Boxer Dog The Right Pet For You?
Author: Amy Howells
Having a boxer dog as a pet, although low-maintenance, require your consistent attention, exercise, human interaction, consistent obedience training and lots of love. You cannot leave them to their own design for too long or they will get lonely, bored and into trouble.

Being a big and strong dog as well as a highly intelligent one, Boxers need both physical and mental stimulations to keep them even-tempered and dignified while still keeping their impish spirit and fearless courage in tact.

Their high prey drive (some owners called it play drive) needs proper outlets or they could get destructive as house pets, and tend to fight among themselves especially if the other family Boxers are of the same sex. The female, it seems, is often more aggressive than the male.

Keeping Boxers busy is the best way to keep them out of trouble! Tire them out with long walks, 3 times a day. Give them plenty of exercise, play with them, especially the inquisitive puppies or they would tear up your home out of boredom, pent up energy and frustration.
For all your love and caring, be prepared for wet slobbery drool and kisses and love in return.

What some proud owners say about their pet Boxers:

* “Having a Boxer is like having another human in a dog body with you. You can talk to Boxers and they would understand. They demonstrate feelings just like human does. If they are loved, they will love and protect you.”

* “Boxers are the most loyal companions. My Boxers bring me up when I am down. They are the canine clowns of the dog world. They are the only dogs for me.”

* “They are a gift! The two I have are always smiling and they cheer me up when I’m not too happy. They can be your friends for life!”

* “My Boxer can take up my moods or lay quietly by my feet for hours.”

* “Boxers are so intuitive, so easily bored and heartbroken. They are the definition of devotion and courage.”

* “If I treat my Boxer puppy as an intelligent animal and talk to him almost like he’s human, he is more responsive and better behaved, as though he’s picking up on my sentiments by the way I am speaking to him.”

* “Boxers can be very manipulative. They are a lot smarter than they look! Don’t get taken in by their innocent-looking face or let them walk all over you no matter how much their eyes make them look like they are truly sorry.”

* “Give up being house-proud and enjoy your “devil dog”. Don’t have potted plants because you’ll end up with empty pots! Don’t run to answer the phone because you’ll be rugby-tackled and end up flat on your face.”

* “Bringing a puppy or even an older dog into your home and your life is a major decision. It brings with it responsibility and commitment, but it also renders supreme joy, laughter, and sadly, but inevitably, tears. Not one of us who has ever shared his life with a Boxer would have it any other way.”

* “Boxer dogs think they are human. Treat them like one - love them, talk to them, cuddle them and value them and you will get your love back unconditionally 10,000 times.”

About the Author

For more information about boxer dogs visit: http://www.dog-owner.net

…

Introduction to Dog House Training
Author: Brett Fogle

One of the greatest things in the world is a loving relationship between a person and their dog. It’s no accident that dogs are known as ‘mans best friend.’ The relationship of a dog and his owner is a wonderful thing to be a part of and behold.

Choosing a dog is a very important decision. Not only does a dog have to be the breed that you find interesting or attractive, but also there are a few key qualities that you want to look for when choosing your dog such as size, temperament, and upkeep, with regard to food and grooming. All those are important factors to be considered. I will outline some of the more common breeds of dog within the recognized groups, being sure to cover the aforementioned characteristics.

Once you have picked the right dog for you, it’s time to start training. This will ensure that you will be happy with your dog, and he in turn will be happy (and psychologically healthy) by pleasing you, his master. In this comprehensive Dog Training Guide, we will start at the very beginning, and cover all the essential basics before starting any dog training routine.

Whether your pet is an old or a new companion you can guarantee an enjoyable life for the both of you by dealing with your needs and training your dog to your specifications.

Training your dog to be what you’ve always wanted him to be cannot only be done, but it can be fun for the both of you. In this ebook we will start at the beginning and move forward using our step-by-step comprehensive dog training techniques that will guide you and your pet through each training step.

===============================================
Brett Fogle is the author of Dog House Training Secrets
An Easy-To-Follow, No-Nonsense, Ebook about Dog Training.
Learn To Train Your Dog in 7 Days or Less — Guaranteed!
Click Here Now: http://www.dog-house-training-secrets.com
===============================================

Improve Your Dog’s Health With a Natural Diet
Author: Brigitte Smith

It goes without saying that your dog needs suitable nutrition to remain healthy. Vets and pet food manufacturers often have differing views on appropriate nutrition for your dog. Although commercial pet food manufacturers are motivated in large part by profits, commercially prepared foods are routinely recommended as part of an adequate, or good, diet for your dog. Sometimes your vet or dog breeder may approve of commercially prepared foods as your dog’s sole diet. Many experts, however, tend to prefer a largely natural diet which for dogs is invariably comprised of meat and bones. Raw is preferable to cooked, as some of the minerals are definitely lost in the cooking process.

The reason why the commercially prepared pet food is so often fed to our dogs, is because, apart from the convenience, it can (depending upon the quality) actually contain many of the nutrients which are essential to your dog’s wellbeing. The key word here is quality. There are in fact very, very few commercial manufacturers which produce nutrient-rich food. And they’re not the brands you find in your supermarket, or even in most pet stores or vetinarians.

Raw bones with a little dry food as well as occasional rice or pasta, and perhaps the odd quality food scrap from your table, will generally contain most of the nutrients which your dog needs.

All dogs must obtain reasonable nutrition from their food to maintain excellent health and performance. The main nutrients required by your dog are water, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. Vitamin or mineral deficiency in dogs fed a commercially manufactured diet today is not widely publicised. But then again, the slosh and dried formulae which are readily available from your vet or the local supermarket are not your dog’s natural diet. If your dog was left to fend for itself in the wild (assuming it could manage to adapt, that is), would choose raw meat. And one of the reasons why meat, and especially bones, are so good, is the chewing action and the teeth cleaning function which the bones perform. Of course, there are also commercially prepared substitutes which can also effectively clean your dog‘s teeth and satisfy his/her need to chew.

A lesser known fact is that to feed your dog only meat (with no bones and no cereals or other carbohydrate source) can cause severe deficiencies: your dog is likely to become lethargic, sick, and even death has been known to occur from an all meat diet. But what about dogs in the wild, I hear you ask? Isn’t meat a dog’s natural diet? Isn’t that what you just said, Brigitte? Well, yes and no: in the wild dogs eat the whole of their prey, not simply muscle meat - they thus obtain vegetable matter from the digestive tract of their prey, and calcium from the bones. As well, wild dogs occasionally, but routinely, add to their diet with plants, fruit and berries.

Most dogs relish some raw fruit and vegetables in their diet, so long as that’s what they’re used to. A dog who has been fed commercially prepared dog food all of its life won’t be used to the taste of fresh food, so may well turn up his/her nose if you introduce such healthy food later in life. But persevere - try hand feeding pieces of carrot or apple to begin with. And if your dog is still very young, all the better. Start as you mean to go on and feed him/her some raw fruit and vegetables from time to time. Your dog’s health will benefit!

(c) 2004, Brigitte Smith, Healthy Happy Dogs

Brigitte Smith is a dog lover with a special interest in natural health for dogs. For your free special report, as well as weekly tips, information, strategies and resources for a healthier happier dog, go to http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com and submit your name and email address. Take a look around the site - http://www.HealthyHappyDogs.com - while you’re there - you’ll find lots of useful information.