When wolves stuffed themselves with 40 pounds of meat, their bodies couldn’t actually process that much at once. So they would waddle away from the table, throw up a little bit, then eat it to get the nutrients.

Dogs are a lot smaller than wolves, and it doesn’t take 40 pounds of meat to turn their stomachs. That’s why the kibble you pour in the bowl occasionally gets deposited in the corner a few minutes later. This has nothing to do with physical health or social graces. Their brains and stomachs are telling them that dogs who waste not, want not, and so they follow orders.

Given a chance to raid the food bag, most dogs will instantly revert to their old habits. Even when they don’t eat a lot, they do eat fast, and eating fast means that what goes in is going to try to come out.

Here are a few ways to protect the floors and keep their stomachs calm.

1. Give them more time: Dogs learn from experience. If you always pick up the food bowl the minute they’re done, they’ll figure that they’d better eat faster just in case you pick it up early. Leaving the bowl on the floor for 10 to 15 minutes after it’s empty will help them understand that they don’t have to rush.

2. Wet the food: Most dogs like a little gravy with their meals, and moistening dry food with warm water makes it more appealing. More important, it makes it easier to digest. Dogs are less likely to toss up their food when it’s not in hard chunks.

3. Give them less food, more often: Even though dogs are designed to handle very large meals, it’s better for their digestion to eat smaller amounts, more often. Veterinarians often recommend feeding dogs at least twice a day. Some say it’s better to feed them three, four, or even five times a day. The total amount of food will be the same, but the leisurely pace will help ensure that it stays where it’s supposed to.

First of all, a healthy diet goes a long way! If your pet is being fed table scraps or dry food that is primarily composed of vegetable and grain, you may want to reconsider Fido’s diet. If your dog is often being fed “people” food from the dinner table, it can easily cause obesity. Dogs metabolisms and organs do not function just like humans do, dogs require special diets and food types to thrive…human food does not simply cut it. Also, dogs thrive on diets that consist of high protein and low vegetable and grain levels. Dogs are classified omnivores; that means they thrive on meat and vegetable diets. However, recent research strongly supports the theory that dog foods that are high in protein are more beneficial to pets. Talk to your local vet and they will help you find the best food choice for your dog.

Dogs also need exercise. Some dogs need more physical activity than others, depending on their breed. Be aware of your dog’s physical activity requirements and stick to them. If your dog’s breed needs a lot of exercise, give it to them! Keeping your pet healthy and happy should always be a top priority.

Next, dogs need vaccines and preventative treatments. Talk to your vet to find out what vaccines your dog needs (it sometimes varies on where you live or your dog’s breed), and make sure your pet gets vaccinated. Most dogs will also need heartworm treatments and flea and tick preventive treatments- several of these are applied topically between the shoulder blades.

Another important aspect of your dog’s health is simple grooming. Keep your dog clean; give him a bath regularly, brush his coat frequently and trim his nails. Many local pet supply stores offer grooming services, so you can shop while Fido is at the spa. Also, in many towns there are mobile pet grooming services that does home service and will ndrop by your home and groom your pet in their clean and safe mobile facility.

Finally, good dental health is always important not just for people! Buy your dog a doggie toothbrush and toothpaste (often sold at supply stores) and learn to brush your dog’s teeth. Dry dog food also aids in the reduction of plaque and tartar on the teeth and gums as well. There are also special chew toys that are designed to aid in keeping teeth clean as well.

As you adjust to your new dog or consider getting one, your pet’s health should always be a priority. A healthy pet makes for a happy pet!

Visit Dog-Training-Collars.org and Hunting Dog News for more great content.

Article Source: Dog Health Care – Master The Basics First

Believed to be one of the oldest herding dog in Scotland, the Bearded Collie was developed in 17^th and 18^th century England and Scotland. This breed was used for herding and cattle droving. His weather- resistant coat enables him to withstand harsh, wet climates.

Description:

The Bearded Collie stands 20 to 22 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 45 and 55 pounds. He has an athletic medium-size body and a long, flat, shaggy, shedding coat that mats easily and absorbs odors. Daily brushing and combing as well as regular bathing are essential for this breed. His coat can be kept in a shorter clip to reduce maintenance. His coat may be black or blue-gray with or without white, or it may be fawn or brown, both with or without white. The color may lighten or darken as the dog ages.

About the Bearded Collie:

A natural herder, this beautiful dog is a devoted pet who is friendly, playful and good with children. He is intelligent, active, easily trained, and makes a great show dog. The Bearded Collie is initially reserved with strangers but comes around quickly. This is a sensitive and mildly stubborn breed that responds well to consistent training if the technique is firm but not overbearing. The “Come” command can be the hardest to teach. The Bearded Collie, like most other herding breeds, has a tendency to chase moving objects such as cars, bikes, and joggers. Though reliable with children, he likes to chase them and nip at their heels. Children should not be allowed to play chase games with this breed. The Bearded Collie needs regular exercise. He can excel at competition obedience, agility work, and herding.

Feeding:

Recommended feeding for the Bearded Collie is 1 to 1 ½ cans (13.3oz) of a branded meaty product with biscuit added in the same amount or 3 cupfuls of a complete dry food.

Ideal home:

This breed needs plenty of exercise. A house with a fenced yard is essential. The owner of a Bearded Collie should be a consistent leader who wants an enthusiastic, friendly family dog that can excel in obedience work. Children are fine, provided no chasing or roughhousing is permitted. Spoilers and nervous owners may reduce the dog’s confidence and promote timidity and fear-biting. The elderly and the disabled may have trouble owning this active breed. Time to train, exercise, socialize, and groom the Bearded Collie is important.

Semi-moist foods are usually packaged in easy-open pouches or as “hamburger patties.” The semi-moist foods contain much less water than canned foods, but they are expensive and loaded with sugar, preservatives, and additives.

These materials can sometimes produce allergic reactions that commonly result in skin biting or scratching by the sensitive Labrador Retriever. Though there are some semi-moist foods that are more nutritious than others, it is best to limit their intake to no more than ¼  of the dog’s diet, with the remaining ¾  being a quality dry food.

The dry-food category spans a large spectrum of quality, mostly commercial and professional. Most of the popular brands that are seen in supermarkets fall into the first category. The main problem with these is the amount the dog needs to consume daily in order to attain proper nutrition. Often, it is just too much, and leads to excessive elimination.

Check the recommended feeding amounts on the bag and apply it to the weight of your Labrador Retriever. If the suggested amount turns out to be more than your dog can easily eat in one meal, choose another brand. A second drawback of this type of dry food is that the mixture of ingredients often varies from batch to batch, due to fluctuations in which crop such as soy, wheat, oats, etc. is available at what time.  Therefore, the nutritional value may differ somewhat from bag to bag.

The “professional” meat-meal blends offer some improvement. These are the high-quality dry foods that are sold primarily in pet shops, specialty stores, and online catalogs. They offer a nutritious, balanced diet in an easily digestible form. The makers retain a standard blending procedure from batch to batch to insure a uniform product.

The suggested feeding amounts are adequate to fill a dog up without overfeeding him. Although such products may cost a little more than the regular dry food, in the long run they are no more expensive than brands that require more to be eaten.

A quality meat-meal-based dry food has also been shown to aid in the housebreaking a Labrador Retriever because this type of mixture usually contains bran or fiber in amounts that help to produce firmer stools.

All Dalmatians are susceptible to forming life-threatening urinary tract “stones”  though these can be effectively managed with diet.  Although susceptibility to forming these “stones” is present in almost all Dalmatians, keep in mind that not all Dalmatians will necessarily form “stones” in their lifetime.

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Dog Food Secrets You Need To Know!

“In This Shocking FREE Video Report You Discover Why 87% of Dogs Die Too Early & 3 Easy Things You Can Do Today To Stop It Happening to Your Dog”

Dog Food Secrets

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Most dog foods are sold based on how to make a product appealing to owners instead of what would meet the needs of dogs, like a Dalmatian.  Some foods are marketed on the basis of their protein content, others based on a “special” ingredient and some are sold because they do not contain certain ingredients such as preservatives.  We want a dog food that specifically meets our dog’s needs, economical and causes few, if any, problems.

Most foods come in dry, semi-moist and canned forms, and some can now be purchased frozen.  The dry food is the most economical, contain the least fat and the most preservatives. The canned food is the most expensive, contain 75% water, usually contain the most fat, and have the least preservatives. Semi-moist foods are also expensive and high in sugar content.  In feeding the Dalmatian, the critical part of the diet is not the amount of protein but rather the type of protein.

Purines are a form of protein known to promote urinary “stones” in Dalmatians.  We need to provide our Dalmatian with a diet that is low in purine, not necessarily a low-protein diet.  Vegetable-based diets are not always satisfactory. While broccoli, kale, tomatoes, and carrots  are low in purines, asparagus, cauliflower, beans, peas, mushrooms, spinach and whole grains are high in purines. The same is true for meats and dairy. Cheese, milk and eggs are low in purines, but most fish such as herring, mackerel, or sardines, organ meats such as  liver, kidney, sweetbreads, poultry such as chicken, duck, or turkey,  and meats such as beef, lamb, pork, and veal, are high in purines.  The worst offenders are organ meats, and fish. In most commercial diets suitable for Dalmatians, poultry, lamb and eggs are usually the preferred sources for protein while rice is considered as the main source for carbohydrate.

There are commercial low purine diets available from veterinarians.  You can also select other diets by paying close attention to their ingredients.  In addition, it is also important to pay attention to treats that you give to your Dalmatian. The best treats for this breed includes fruits and cottage cheese.  Last but not least, Dalmatians should be encouraged to drink large amounts of fresh, clean water. This not only keeps a Dalmatian hydrated, but it helps flush out their urinary tracts to keep large “stones” from forming.

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Dog Food Secrets You Need To Know!

“In This Shocking FREE Video Report You Discover Why 87% of Dogs Die Too Early & 3 Easy Things You Can Do Today To Stop It Happening to Your Dog”

Dog Food Secrets

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Avoid supplements of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D because they can interfere with normal bone and cartilage development.  The fact is that calcium levels in the body are carefully regulated by hormones as well as vitamin D. Supplementation disturbs this normal regulation and can cause many problems. It has also been shown that calcium supplementation can interfere with the proper absorption of zinc from the intestines.

Diet cannot prevent bloat but changing feeding habits can make a difference.  Initially, the bloat occurs when the stomach becomes distended with swallowed air.  This air is swallowed as a consequence of gulping food or water, stress and exercising too close to mealtime. This is where dog owners can make a difference.  Divide meals and feed them three times daily rather than all at once.  Soak dry dog food in water before feeding to decrease the tendency to gulp the food.  If you want to feed dry food only, add some large clean chew toys to the feed bowl so that the dog has to “pick” to get at the food and cannot gulp it.  Putting the food bowl on a step-stool so that your Dalmatian does not have to stretch to get the food may also be helpful.  Finally, do not allow your Dalmatian any exercise for at least one hour before and after feeding.

Fat supplements are probably the most common supplements purchased from pet supply stores.  They frequently promise to add luster, gloss, and sheen to the coat, and consequently make dogs look healthy.  The only fatty acid that is essential for this purpose is cislinoleic acid, which is found in flaxseed oil, sunflower seed oil, and safflower oil.  Corn oil is a suitable but less effective alternative.  Most of the other oils found in retail supplements are high in saturated and monounsaturated fats and are not beneficial for shiny fur or healthy skin.  For a Dalmatian with allergies, arthritis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and some heart ailments, other fatty acids may be prescribed by a vet.

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Dog Food Secrets You Need To Know!

“In This Shocking FREE Video Report You Discover Why 87% of Dogs Die Too Early & 3 Easy Things You Can Do Today To Stop It Happening to Your Dog”

Dog Food Secrets

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Feeding The Poodle Pup: A pup’s nutritional requirements for growth and development are greater than those for an adult dog. If you opt to feed your Poodle pup a commercially prepared diet, feed one formulated especially for pups to ensure that your Poodle gets the nutrients he needs. A Poodle pup who eats a complete and balanced commercial puppy diet doesn’t need additional supplements. Adding supplements can cause nutritional imbalance. However, if you are supplying your dog with a home-cooked or fresh-diet meal plan, supplements may be necessary. Consult with a veterinary nutritionist.

Dry food can be moistened with warm water to encourage pups to eat. Milk can be used, too, but only in extremely small amounts. Cow’s milk causes digestive upset in some puppies and dogs. A tablespoon of canned food can be added to increase interest, as well. These are general guidelines for feeding your Poodle pup; consult with your veterinarian for more specific advice.

Feeding Adult Poodles: The adult Poodle is a mature dog, usually age one year or older. Healthy adult dogs who are not pregnant, nursing, or hardworking have somewhat low nutritional requirements. Feeding is fairly straightforward if you’re feeding commercially prepared kibble. Buy a complete and balanced diet made for the adult dog and give your dog the recommended amount once or twice a day. Add a tablespoon of canned food for taste if you wish. Adjust the amount according to the Poodle’s activity level and body condition.

Feeding Hardworking Poodles: Highly active Poodles use a lot of energy. The hard-working dog can require two to three time more kilocalories per pound of body weight than what is required for normal activity. To maintain good body condition and keep up his stamina, the hardworking Poodle must eat a high-energy diet.

Many veterinarians recommend commercially prepared “performance” diets for highly active dogs. Higher fat, higher-protein diets supply the working dog with needed calories. Because performance diets are higher in protein than maintenance diets, there s a misconception that the active dog just needs extra protein. However, all nutrients are required in greater amounts. Additionally, research indicates that moderately high-protein diets are unlikely to cause kidney damage – in spite of some breeders’ and owners’ beliefs that it does.

Feeding Your Elderly Poodle: Older Poodles (those who have reached the last 25 percent of their expected life span) are usually less active than adult dogs and pups. Thus, their energy requirements are reduced and they can gain weight easily if fed too much or fed a high-calorie diet. Some veterinarians recommend “senior” diets; foods high in nutrients but reduced in calories to keep a senior Poodle at a healthy weight.

According to the canine nutritional experts, a ninety pound adult German Shepherd can require up to seven cans of dog food per day. A sixty pound Collie can require five cans per day.

For the average household, this can become an expensive choice.

Dry dog foods, on the other hand, contain only about ten percent moisture – the other sixty five percent having been removed intentionally during the dehydration process.

The dog owner is expected to replace the moisture either by providing the dog with ample amounts of water alongside the feeding dish, or by adding it directly to the dry food. Feeding directions on labels of dry dog food are very explicit about this.

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Dog Food Secrets You Need To Know!

“In This Shocking FREE Video Report You Discover Why 87% of Dogs Die Too Early & 3 Easy Things You Can Do Today To Stop It Happening to Your Dog”

Dog Food Secrets

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The drawback in feeding dry dog food usually has been caused by the dog owner having allowed the family pooch to enjoy table scraps. Eating people-food accomplishes absolutely nothing for Sparky’s nutritional needs, and simply creates the problem of the finicky eater.

Under the mistaken belief that he’s doing the dog a favor, the dog owner is really robbing the animal of nutrients that are rightfully his – taking food right out of his mouth, so to speak.

In the middle of the scale are the “soft-moist” products which contain more moisture content than dry foods, but considerably less than the canned foods. They are the easiest of all three types to prepare, but are far and away the most expensive. Probably, they are economically most suitable for the small dog.

A compromise solution for the family with the finicky eater as well as the family with a limited dog food budget might be a combination of both canned and dry. Mixing two types – each balanced nutritionally – does nothing to upset the interrelationships of the nutrients.

It’s much easier to control the weight of the family dog when this combination is used. Rather than cut down on the volume intake of the obese dog, a decrease in the amount of dry food, with corresponding increase in canned food will accomplish this without having a constantly hungry dog begging for handouts.

On the other hand, increasing the amount of dry food, with a corresponding decrease in canned, may help to bring the weight up on the dog that has a tendency to be skinny.

The diet of today’s pet dog has come quite a long way from the old days of being fed whale blubber, potatoes and cornbread. Now if manufacturers would take just as much interest in human foods… but for now, if your dog’s choice between caviar or a commercially prepared, balanced dog food, he’d be wise to select the dog food.

Big cans, little cans, heavy bags and cute packs, soft foods, dry dog food, semi-moist, candies, biscuits, chewies, people-like crackers and gourmet bon-bons…

Today’s dog owner is confronted with a bewildering array of food for his pet.

Years ago, when such a variety of dog food wasn’t available, dogs were fed foods that were most plentiful in the region. In the arctic, dogs were fed mostly fish and whale blubber; in the southern United States, a dog’s diet consisted mainly of cornbread; in Europe, potatoes were the main fare.

These diets led to diseases such as black tongue (pelegra in humans), rickets, and other less commonly known ailments, many of them fatal.

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Dog Food Secrets You Need To Know!

“In This Shocking FREE Video Report You Discover Why 87% of Dogs Die Too Early & 3 Easy Things You Can Do Today To Stop It Happening to Your Dog”

Dog Food Secrets

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In the wild, the canine did not just restrict himself to eating just the meat of his prey. He ate the entire animal, including the contents of the stomach.

Wild dogs were known to kill each other while fighting over the stomach contents of their prey. Thus, nature provided the wild animal with a diet considered nutritionally complete.

Domesticated dogs were not allowed that luxury, and usually were fed table scraps for their dog food. These poor diets resulted in serious nutritional imbalances and severe nutritional deficiencies.

After years of study, it was determined that even though the canine is considered a carnivorous animal, he requires certain carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals to satisfy nutritional requirements just as humans do.

In 1953, the National Research Council compiled and published nutritional requirements for dogs. The NRC is a federally established scientific body whose basic function is gathering research data.

After World War II, the pet food industry in the United States began an enormous expansion. Already a highly competitive business, pet food manufacturers quickly found themselves in neck to neck competition for a piece of this multi-million dollar a year business.

In order to survive and successfully compete in the market, pet food manufacturers knew that they must provide a dog food which was:

A) Nutritionally complete; containing all 26 nutrients that the National Research Council said that does need.

B) Palatable so that the dog would enjoy eating the food.

C) Easy and convenient for the customer to handle.

D) Economically competitive in the market.

Pet food manufacturers have established laboratories and hired nutritionists and dog food technicians to select those ingredients, which, when combined, will provide the sufficient nutrition to meet NRC standards.

For Optimal Dog Health, Learn What The Labels Mean

Foods labeled “completely balanced” or “nutritionally complete” meet the nutritional requirements for either maintenance (adult dogs) or growth and reproduction (puppies and pregnant or lactating mothers), set aside by the Association of American Feed Control Officials.

The label must indicate the group for which it is intended.

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Dog Food Secrets You Need To Know!

“In This Shocking FREE Video Report You Discover Why 87% of Dogs Die Too Early & 3 Easy Things You Can Do Today To Stop It Happening to Your Dog”

Dog Food Secrets

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Dry food is the cheapest commercially available dog food. It’s bulky and takes longer to eat than other foods, so it’s more filling when eaten. And the crunchiness of non-moistened dry food helps keep a dog’s teeth healthy by reducing the accumulation of plaque. It also massages the gums.

You will find that canned foods cost more than dry foods, but if you own a small dog then this price difference should not be a major concern. However, when you are feeding a Rottweiler or Great Dane, then the difference could be phenomenal. Canned foods are a great choice for any canines that are underweight or those recovering from surgery or illness.

Then you have frozen pet food. Frozen foods have the same advantages of canned food products, however, frozen typically costs a bit more than the canned variety. What I like is that you can find both cooked and raw forms of frozen dog food.

Watch Out For Human Foods When Considering Dog Health

There are common foods that are in just about every household that can make your dog or puppy very sick, or worse, cause death. For your dog health, make sure they are stored where your pal can’t get to them.

1) Chocolate: Chocolate contains theobromine (a substance related to caffeine), which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, muscle tremors, seizures and abnormal heartbeat in dogs.

Different types of chocolate contain different amounts of theobromine.

2) Macadamia Nuts: While delicious to eat, these nuts can cause weakness in dogs, vomiting, depression, and other signs. The agent that causes it is unknown. Amounts as small as 2 teaspoons per pound of bodyweight have caused toxic signs.

3) Onions: Both raw or cooked onions contain a substance that causes rupture of the red blood cells, which can lead to severe anemia. Garlic can also produce similar signs, though not as severe.

A toxic dose is about 1 to 5 ounces of raw onions.

4) Raisins and Grapes: These foods can cause kidney failure in some dogs. The toxic agent has not been identified. According to the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center, toxicity has occurred following ingestion of amounts ranging from a single serving of raisins to more than a pound of grapes.

Dog health is very important and by taking a few precautions, you prevent veterinary bills, and even more important, the death of your dog.