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.

Caring For Aged Canines

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Anybody owning an older dog knows just how special they are and how much we feel the need to care for them to make sure that we still enjoy one another’s company for a longer time.

There are various things that people can do to help a dog reach the full potential of a happy life.

1. Exercise. The basic one is getting your dog to take a walk each day. This is necessary for all canines since they enjoy it. Watching Scenes, smells other canines and new folks to pat them. Take them through new routes, they as well enjoy variety in their lives. If you have entry to the seashore or a lake is ideal, even aged canines feel like puppies once again when they scent the fresh air flow. Swimmind is one recommended exercise that dogs should take.

2. Diet plan. Just like you a dog needs a good diet to be healthy. Take your vets advice. Do not give dogs junk human food. It’s not really a treat for them it merely can make us feel great in some strange type of way to observe a dog consume human food. If you don’t desire your dog to have human complications such as diabetes and obesity do not feed it as if it were human. Unfortunately dogs commonly do not get to live as long as humans usually do and a dog in his 8th or 9th year may be called s senior even if he looks young. When your dog gets a little older, his nutritional requirements alter so you want to be certain to feed him a superior quality senior dog food. The older dog needs a well balanced diet plan that is lower in calories, fat, protein with high fiber content, it might be possible to continue on feeding your dog the food they are used to but scaled-down portions are advisable. In some instances a specially formulated senior diet plan might be necessary. The older dog has a higher danger of developing constipation, so a diet plan increased in fiber is far superior for the senior dog. Having him eat dry dog feeds helps to control tartar build up on his teeth and avoid diseases of the gums.

3. Maintenance and medicines. Older dogs can be arthritic. Consult the vet for proper maintenance or for confirmation of your dog’s condition. Examples of arthritis meds are aspirin for dogs and etodolac 400 mg.

4. Dogs get fat because we make them do so. This extra is a huge strain on their heart and their joints.

5. If you have a pickup, take care about your dog jumping out. The landing locations massive tension on their leg, hip and spinal joints. Look back on your teenage years. Running and jumping was easy, but in your late thirties and certainly for forties you became alot more cautious and wouldn’t jump down any longer to protect your knees.

There are various ways to take care of a pet dog from youth to older age. Study secrets to dog training review to know how to care for young dogs. For older dogs, what needs concentration are their health and basic needs.

Is Buying Fancy Dog Food Necessary?

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Dog-sports enthusiasts are often much more up on trends in nutrition than many veterinarians. That’s because they demand more of their dogs than do most of the clients a veterinarian will see. They want glossy coats on their show dogs, and energy to burn from their field, agility, or obedience dogs. They are always looking for an edge, and that makes them good people to talk to when it comes to choosing a food.

Another reason: They usually aren’t dealing with the conflict of interest many veterinarians have: Recommending a food sold in the veterinary hospital or clinic.

Bear in mind, however, that dog-sport competitors can be a little too trendy when it comes to food. They’re often big on supplementing, prepared formulas as well as vitamins, vegetables, raw meat, or herbal concoctions. And that’s just flat-out not necessary for the normal nutritional demands of a dog whose primary job is companion.

Some supplements may even be dangerous, depending on what’s being added. So here’s a little advice: If you don’t know what you’re doing, don’t do it. Buy a top-quality food and leave it at that. And if you have questions, ask your veterinarian.

Don’t Worry About Getting Too Fancy

Don’t think it’s too dull if your pet’s food is just plain brown: Fancy shapes and chunks of meat or cheese – or bits made to look like meat or cheese – are put there for your benefit. As long as it smells good, your dog doesn’t care what it looks like. (There’s even a saying, “looks like the dog’s dinner,” that pretty much sums up the fact that our idea of unappetizing is not the same as our dogs.)

There’s no evidence these people-pleasing touches will hurt your pet unless they’re too high in sugar, fat, or salt for your dog – but they’re nothing you need to seek out, and you certainly shouldn’t pay extra for them.

Some people just can’t believe a dog can be happy with plain kibble, even of a top-quality variety. If it makes you happy, add some canned food, maybe a little water and microwave it briefly. You’ll likely get the enthusiastic response you’re looking for. (Don’t forget to cover the leftover canned food and refrigerate.)

Before you start feeding this way, however, consider this: Should you ever want to travel with your dog, or need to leave him with your veterinarian, at a boarding kennel, or with a house-sitter or friend, he’ll do better if he’s used to eating kibble.

How To Keep Your Dog’s Feeding Area Mess-Free

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Unless you are cooking your dog’s meals instead of serving them from a bag, box, or can, after-meal cleanup should not be complicated. But let’s face it, some dogs, like some people, are just sloppy eaters.

Instead of trying to improve your dog’s mealtime manners, try some of these suggestions.

1. To make cleaning your dog’s food bowls easier, coat them with vegetable cooking spray to keep food from sticking on the bottom.

2. An alternative to using cooking spray on your dog’s bowls is to purchase nonstick bowls for him. Nonstick bowls are available in kitchen stores or housewares departments.

3. To keep food from flying onto the floor around your dog’s food dish, place the dish on a tray instead of a place mat.

4. Plastic salad bar containers with lid and bottom still connected can become food and water dishes or a tray on which to place your dog’s regular bowl to keep food and water from spilling.

5. If you are caring for a litter of puppies that have been weaned, competition for food may become intense. Instead of giving each one a separate dish, try feeding them from a muffin tin to keep cleanup chores to a minimum.

The Right Food For Your Dalmatian: Part 1

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Having the proper nutrition is one of the most important aspects of raising a healthy Dalmatian and yet it is often the source of controversy among breeders, veterinarians, pet owners and dog food manufacturers.

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.

Feeding Your Poodle (Part 2)

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There’s no exact answer on how much and how often to feed your Poodle because it depends on the size, age, and activity level of each individual Poodle. Feeding amount and schedule also depend on which diet you’re using and how cold it is outside. (Dogs who spend a lot of time outdoors in cold temperatures require more food.)

Begin by following the feeding instructions spelled out on the dog food package. Realize that these instructions are a starting point, and apply to all breeds of a certain weight. Your Poodle is an individual and every dog is different.

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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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Following that, observe your Poodle’s body condition:

Too Thin: An overly thin Poodle will have visible or easily felt ribs and hip bones may be visible. The waist and belly are obviously tucked up when viewed from the side. Increase food.

Just Right: The ribs should have just a little fat over them; you should be able to easily feel them with slight pressure. Your Poodle should have a waist when viewed from above, and the belly should be tucked up when viewed from the side.

Too Fat: If you can’t easily feel your Poodle s ribs and can easily see fat covering them, he is too heavy. His waist is absent or barely visible when viewed from above, or his belly may hang. Decrease food.

How often you feed your Poodle depends on how old he is and his (or your) personal preference. Pups must be fed several times a day, usually three..The average adult Poodle
can be fed once or twice a day, in the morning, evening, or both. Many owners like the idea of feeding twice a day, while others find it inconvenient and opt to feed once a day. Toy puppies have a very rapid metabolism and may require four to six meals a day to avoid hypoglycemia, a life-threatening drop in blood sugar levels. By six months of age, most Toy pups can cut back to three or four meals a day.

Dogs are creatures of habit, and seem to enjoy eating at the same time every day. Feeding your Poodle pup at the same time every day helps establish eating habits and makes housebreaking easier. Pups usually need to urinate or defecate after eating. If you feed him at the same time every day, you can predict when nature calls.

Note: Free-feeding, leaving food out for the Poodle at all times, is not recommended because it can lead to excess weight gain.

Feeding Your Poodle (Part 1)

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Poodle pups have special feeding requirements. A puppy’s stomach is not large enough to hold sufficient food in one feeding to provide his daily nutritional needs. When a puppy graduates from mother’s milk to solid food at about six weeks of age, he will require three to four meals a day, with the exception of Toys, who may need four to six meals. When he reaches about four to five months old, twice-a-day feedings may be sufficient. He can graduate to once-a-day meals at eight to nine months of age.

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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.

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