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.

Health Supplements for Your Dog are Important

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Lots of people have pets and love them. As a nation we spend billions of dollars every year on dog food, dog training, essential vaccines, and even clothing for them. The question that needs to be asked is if I take a multi-vitamin is there any reason my dog shouldn’t get one?

Of course yoru pet should get vitamins. Most pets would greatly benefit from having a multi-vitamin. While good pet foods have a lot of nutrients and vitamins, they are usually not enough. By giving your dogs a vitamin you can help keep them healthy and help them to live longer.

When purchasing a multi-vitamin for your dog look for supplements that contain vitamins A, C and D. Other important vitamins include B vitamins and minerals like magnesium, calcium, and zinc. Make sure you also consider whether your dog needs something special because large dogs like German Shepherds will need a larger dose.

Fish oil is also beneficial for dogs. As you probably know, omegas are good for people so it makes sense they are good for dogs. Recent studies have shown that omega 3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of kidney and heart disease in dogs.

If your dog is getting older look for vitamins or dog food that contains glucosamine and chondroitin. These supplements are taken by humans to help with arthritis and they can also help your dog. Glucosamine helps your body to create new cartilage while chondroitin neutralizes the enzymes that erode cartilage away.

Many dogs like to eat grass but unfortunately most of grass has been treated with chemicals to keep either weeds or insects away. A better source of nutrients to boost their immune system, reduce allergies, and increase energy would be healthy green foods. Foods that contain green foods like barely grass, spirulina, and any other naturally green food should be loaded with nutrients that most commercial dog food doesn’t have. Also a study done in China showed that giving your dog spirulina when it was undergoing cancer treatment protected the dog from damaged caused by the chemotherapy and radiation.

When you are buying health supplements and vitamins for your pet, sticking with name brands is usually best. The last thing you want to do is buy the cheapest thing. You can, however, look at online sources of vitamins to save money and still get high quality. Also make sure to follow the dosage instructions on the back of the bottle. As mentioned above, larger dogs may need larger doses. Giving your dog a multi-vitamin can not only add time to his life but also make that life more enjoyable.

Why Fully Training Your Pet German Shepherd Is Critical

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German Shepherds are large dogs that came from, naturally, in the country of Germany. German Shepherd history goes back to 1899 which makes them a relatively new dog breed. They are a very intelligent and obedient dog breed that originally was used for guarding and herding sheep. Today, because of their intelligence, size, and strength they are frequently used as military or police dogs. Their loyal and obedient nature also makes them ideal household pets and are one of the most popular dogs registered with the American Kennel Club.

Despite their loyalty and obedient nature, owning a German Shepherd can have a big potential downside. If they are not properly trained and controlled, their size and strength can make them dangerous. They may view other dogs or strangers as a threat to their home and family. When this situation happens, an untrained dog may bite or attack the other dog or person. While there are not concrete statistics on the how likely it is that a German Shepherd will bite, several reputable organizations state that they are more likely than other breeds to attack other dogs or people. This makes German Shepherd training critical for everybody who owns one.

There are a couple options when it comes to training a German Shepherd. Investing in a professional dog trainer is the first option. This could be a group training program at the local pet store or a private dog trainer. A personal trainer can be good because they give a dog more attention, but the group class can be good to get the dog used to being around other dogs and people. A do it yourself training program is the second option for dog training. There are several good programs available including some that you can download immediately on the internet.

If you spend a little time on training, German Shepherds can be fantastic pets. They can be cherished family members that are also a great protector for your home.

Dog Health Food – Your German Shepherd Could Be Suffering

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Your German Shepherd could be suffering from the side effects of commercial dog food, which is why so many owners are turning to dog health food. With so many potentially toxic ingredients being put into dog food these days, it can be hard to know whether you might be actually harming your best friend with every meal.

First you have to wonder how safe your dog food is from chemical contaminants that accidentally got into the food at some point in the production. Maybe basic ingredients were tainted overseas and nobody picked it up. Especially at the moment with companies all around the world looking to get more profit from less cost, we have to wonder if our dogs welfare is at risk.

How safe is your dog’s food really? It’s not uncommon for there to be chemical contaminants in human foods, which have much more strict controls.

In 2007 there was a widespread recall from over 100 dog food manufacturers after it was discovered that there was melamine (a type of plastic) in much of their dog food. It was eventually traced back to a factory in China which manufactured rice protein and wheat gluten (neither of which have any real nutritional value for a dog). So what that means is that it doesn’t matter what standards the US based company may have for their production plants if the ingredients coming into the plant are already contaminated!

Although this happened a couple of years ago, what has changed to ensure that it can’t happen again? Melamine was recently found in milk powder that was produced under human food standards. So what about the lower standards that pet foods are produced under? While it may a completely accidental, even the possibility of having toxic plastics ending up in dogs food is completely unacceptable.

I know I don’t want to pick up the paper and find out that my dog’s food has plastic in it. We are ultimately responsible for our dogs health, not just that they get the right nutrition, but to make sure that their food is free from harmful chemicals too.

Apart from the accidental chemical additives what else is your German Shepherd really eating? Commonly there’s a carcinogenic preservative called ethoxyquin in many factory made dog foods. This preservative has been banned for decades from human food due to it’s toxic side effects. Workers exposed to it exhibit a wide range of symptoms, not dissimilar to agent orange. But this toxic chemical is still being added to our dog’s food!

You won’t find it listed either, no matter how close you look. This is because fish meal when it is made gets treated with ethoxyquin, while it’s still on the boat. What this means is that fish meal might go into the food but the ingredients of the meal won’t be listed.

In some foods they promote the fact that there’s fish in there as a great source of protein and fatty acids, which is true. However if that fish is in the form of meal, then there’s a whole lot more going in than you bargained for. They could suffer from allergic reactions, cancer and liver failure. And this is something that supposed to be healthy!

For the sake of your German Shepherd it’s vital that you learn about dog health food. Commercially produced food is completely out of your control, you never really know what could be If you make your own then you can be absolutely sure that there’s no nasty chemicals and carcinogenic preservatives in your dog’s food. You can treat them to a variety of gourmet tastes and give them the very best nutrition possible.

Our dogs rely on us to provide them with the best possible food and care. To keep your best friend healthy and add years to their life, subscribe to our dog health food newsletter. You’ll find out exactly what goes into commercial dog food and how to make your own at home, cheaply and easily. Click here to subscribe http://www.dog-health-food.com

Article Source: Dog Health Food – Your German Shepherd Could Be Suffering

The Airedale

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Airedale History and origin:

Developed by crossing old English black and tan terrier with Otterhound bloodlines, the Airedale was first used in 19th century England for big game hunting, vermin killing, and police and military work. The breed is named after the valley of Aire in Yorkshire.

Description:

The tallest of the terriers, the Airedale stands 22 to 23 inches at the shoulder and weighing between 50 and 60 pounds. He has a strong, muscular, sturdy body and a wiry, non-shedding coat that requires daily grooming with a stiff brush and periodic clipping. Show dogs, however, need hand-stripping, a process that involves pulling dead hair out by hand to preserve the luster and hard texture of the coat. Color is normally black-and-tan, with some red and, less often, white markings.

About the Airedale:

This beautiful, strong, athletic breed exhibits all the tenacity and determination of a terrier, only in a larger package. The Airedale is stubborn and is often difficult to train. He learns slowly, so do not expect one to pick up on things as quickly as a German Shepherd or a Border Collie. The Airedale is active, sometimes flighty, and often sensitive to the demands of training. If an Airedale resists learning a certain command, the last thing you should do is get firmer with the dog. His resistance will only increase and could accelerate into panic. He should not be spoiled, either; a concise, incremental training technique needs to be implemented from puppy hood. Though affectionate with his owners, the Airedale tends to be suspicious of strangers and can show aggression toward people and dogs. He makes a great watchdog because of his territorial instinct. The Airedale cannot always discriminate between a friend and a stranger, however, and he may give your friends and your children’s friends a hard time. This breed is not recommended for families with young children. Early obedience training and lots of socialization with people and other dogs from an early age is mandatory.

Feeding Your Airedale

Recommended feeding for the Airedale is at least 1-1 ½ cans (13.3oz) of high-quality dog food or the fresh meat equivalent everyday with biscuit added.

Ideal home:

A house with a fenced yard is essential for this breed. The owner of an Airedale should be a strong, confident leader who combines firm discipline with patience and precision. Persons considering this breed should desire a dog that has an active, tenacious temperament and is reserved with strangers. Nervous persons will create a pushy, obnoxious dog that lacks confidence. Overbearing types may bring out fear-aggressive behavior. The Airedale needs daily exercise and makes a good jogging partner because of his athletic physique. If left alone for long periods, he might become destructive and noisy. This breed has a high prey drive, so be careful around small animals. He may not tolerate the hectic, unpredictable behavior of young children. Older children are okay, provided they can gain the animal’s respect by working him in obedience. The elderly and the disabled may have trouble controlling this energetic, driven Airedale.

Dog Food & Supplements: An In Depth Look At Nutrition For Your Pet (7)

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Dog Food & Supplements

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.

Dog Food & Supplements: An In Depth Look At Nutrition And Dog Health (7)

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According to the canine nutritional experts, a ninety pound adult German Shepherd can require up to seven cans of dog food per day for proper dog health.

A sixty pound Collie can require five cans per day. For the average household and overall dog health, 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 for better dog health  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.

————————————————————–

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

————————————————————–

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 or dog health 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 and improve the dog health 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. Pound for pound – and dollar for dollar – the dog and his owner would be way ahead.

Dog health is important so pay extra attention to what your dog hoovers.

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