Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

3 Ways To Keep Dogs From Throwing Up After They Eat

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The passion that dogs put into eating can be a little off-putting to the people who feed them – and who have to watch their terrible manners. There’s the drooling and whining. The unseemly snorting as they bury their faces in their food. And, worst of all, the regurgitation that may occur afterward. This, too, is part of nature’s plan.

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.

Dog Health – 3 Ways To Feed Your Puppy

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To meet the continual nutritional demand of your puppy’s growing body, he must have food available to him all day long sustaining proper dog health.

There are 3 common techniques to feed your new puppy that affect dog health.

These are: Meal feeding, portion-control feeding, and free feeding.

Meal Feeding For Optimal Dog Health

This method of feeding is usually done with mixing solid food and canned food and is ideal for puppies that are being trained to housebreak.

With this technique, your puppy gets his meals at different times during the day.

Many owners prefer for optimal dog health the three meal a day program while others are more comfortable with giving their puppies four meals a day.

Whether you’re feeding your puppy three or four meals per day, the important thing to remember is to divide the meals equally within a 24-hour period and without having to get up at night.

With three meals a day, you have to feed your puppy every eight hours.  Four meals a day, food is given to your puppy every six hours. Keep in mind, however, that you shouldn’t give your puppy two meals a day until he is at least five or six months old.

Portion Control Feeding Affects Dog Health

This method of feeding is probably the most common way puppies are fed today, especially for owners who work during the day and have to leave their puppies alone.

It is done by measuring the exact amount of food he requires (depending on his age and type of breed). This amount of food should be modified as a puppy gets older to ensure proper dog health.

The portion is then placed in his food bowl once a day, preferably the same time everyday.  This way your puppy will be able to nibble on his food throughout the day.

Most puppies ration out their meals throughout the day and eat only a small portion at a time, while some puppies will empty their bowl in one sitting.

Studies have shown that puppies that are brought up with this feeding method will not over eat when they turn into adult dogs.

However, if you are having a difficult time housebreaking your puppy, then this method of feeding will probably not work for you.

Dog Health And Free Feeding

With this feeding technique, you have to make sure that there is food in his bowl and let him nibble on it throughout the day. Although this is the simplest way to feed your puppy, this method is also the least recommended by most vets and breeders because of it’s possible affect on dog health..

Feeding your puppy will make it more difficult to house train him because you do not know exactly when he eats.

In addition, it is also difficult to know how much he eats on a daily basis, so becoming consciously aware of this will promote good dog health.

Dog Grooming – 3 Ways To Dry Their Coat

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There are three methods when dog grooming that can be applied to properly dry the coat, depending on the breed of dog you are working with.

These are: The fluff-dry method, the cage drying method, and the towel-dry method.

The first method and perhaps the most difficult to achieve is the fluff-dry method.  A high-speed floor dryer is used for this procedure.

This method of drying is a very important and crucial step in proper dog grooming for certain breeds such as the Poodle, Afghan, Old English Sheepdog, and Maltese.

In fluff drying, the hair is not only dried but should be straightened as well. The warm air from the dryer is directed at that portion of the coat which you are drying. The hair is brushed in an upward motion with quick, even strokes until the hair in that particular spot is dry and straight.

This dog grooming procedure is carried out over the entire coat until it is completely dry.  The results of a fluff dry can sometimes determine the overall appearance of the completed grooming job.

Therefore, it is important to learn to give a proper fluff dry.  Special attention should be given to the areas of the head, ears (long-haired ears), and legs.

The second method of drying is known as cage or kennel drying and is usually used on short-coated dogs or on dogs whose coat does not require a fluffed or straight appearance.

When using this method of drying, a cage dryer is attached to the cage and the dog is put into the cage on a towel until he is dry.  It is important to make sure the cage is properly ventilated on the top as well as on the sides.  Otherwise, the dog may suffocate.

If the dog is too large for the cage, he may be placed on a dog  grooming table and dried with a floor dryer.

Another method of drying that is commonly used in drying small breeds is the towel drying method.

Towel drying is usually used with small, short-haired breeds such as the Chihuahua, Miniature Pinscher, and Toy Manchester Terrier. The coat is rubbed briskly with the towel until it is dry.

This method is rarely used because many owners when dog grooming prefer the cage drying method, which is much faster.  However, if the special equipment is not available in the home, this method is sufficient.

However, a god dog grooming principle is – do not to take the dog out until you are sure  the coat and skin are thoroughly dried.

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