2008 June | NaturalDogTreatRecipes

Jun 30

Brand New Choppers!

Six Ways yo Help Soothe your Puppy’s Teething

Teething is a natural process that occurs when your pet’s deciduous (baby) teeth are replaced by adult teeth. This process usually starts in puppies between the age of 3 and 6 months. All puppies go through teething because it helps them relieve the discomfort that is associated with the process. In addition, it may help the new tooth penetrate the gums. Teething is something that you should not prevent. Below are 6 tips to help your pet go through this experience with less discomfort and without having to sacrifice your favorite shoe and everything else in the house where he can sink his teeth into:

1. Do not leave anything that can be tempting for him to chew on where he can easily get into. Also, tape down all visible electrical wiring and keep all household chemicals outside of his reach. A curious teething puppy can be very clever at getting into things.

2. All puppies have the need to chew just as they have a need to eat and drink. Give your pet a few toys to satisfy this behavior. This is a good way for him to stop putting his attention to everything else that he is not supposed to chew on. A simple chew toy is enough to keep your puppy busy for hours and satisfy his craving. To make chew toys more enjoyable and tempting, soak them in broth or coat them with peanut butter. You can also rub the toy all over with your hands. Your puppy loves your scent and is more likely to put his attention and chew on something that smells like you.

3. If you catch your puppy teething on something he should not, give him a firm “No!” Replace it with the appropriate chew toy and say “Good boy” when he starts chewing on it.

4. If you happen to find bite marks on your favorite book, do not scold your pet unless you actually catch him in the act. Otherwise, he will not know why you are yelling at him.

5. Giving your puppy a mouth massage is a great way to ease the pain and discomfort of teething. Start by sitting slightly behind your pet. Support his chin with one hand while gently stroking the outside of his mouth until he is relaxed. Lift him up a bit and slowly circle your fingertips back and forth along his upper and lower gums using light to medium pressure. Doing this to your puppy for even just a few minutes does a lot in easing the pain.

6. Give your puppy more attention. By giving your puppy a lot of extra attention, he will less likely to do extra chewing. Exercise is also a great way to satisfy them and distract them from chewing.

You will definitely want to read Oh Them Pearly Whites for great tips and information.

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Jun 24

It’s My Paw-ty!

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Celebrating the Dog’s Birthday
Just as we as humans celebrate with cake and ice cream our special day, we are certain that our companion animals wish to celebrate their special day too. Even though we recognize that everyday with them is a special day.

Did you know that just over 70% of households that share their life with a dog, celebrate the birthday just as though they were planning a party for one of the two legged family members.

If you are among those who choose to "paw-take" in festivities for you dog on the anniversary of his or her birth, consider a few tips.

1. Purchase or make your own invitations that are theme related, such as a paw print or something specific that represents the personality of your beloved dog buddy. Be sure not to exclude any dog that you know will be compatible with the entire group.

2. Decorate with dog theme balloons, plates, cups, bowls, and snacks that are able to be enjoyed by the guests. You might consider having a few treats that both the dogs and their humans can enjoy together. Or offer little treat bags that your guests will be able to take home with them for later. Sometimes dogs won’t eat if they are excited and it’s always fun for guests to be able to take something home for later.

3. A birthday cake is an absolute essential ingredient for a "pawty", so check dog boutiques for options or be adventurous and make one that is completely dog friendly, without anything dangerous to the dogs.

4. Games are the final ingredient to the perfect celebration for your dog pal and his buddies. Try to find activities that are compatible with the personalities of the invited guests. Be safe and watchful of anything that might get the dogs into a bit of curious trouble!

Remember that dogs love to eat things that are not necessarily good or safe for them to eat. Watch the treats that you offer and the human foods that the canine guests might decide are really for them.

Bone Appetit and Happy Celebrating.

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Jun 15

Working Dog Diets

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Feeding Requirements for Guide Dogs And Dogs “On The Go”

Like hunting dogs, dogs that are on-the-go are consistently moving. These dogs come from the “round-tip” family as they were typically used to round up animals. Unlike hunting dogs, however, round-up dogs seldom get a chance to rest every couple of hours. They work continuously until they have recovered all the strays, brought in the last maverick, or are called off by their owners. As a consequence round-up dogs burn tremendous amounts of energy every day they are working. Many of them are performing at the upper limits of a dog’s capabilities and endurance.

Always leaving food out and having these dogs self-feed more desirable than portion control. By allowing the dog to establish its own daily intake it will do a far better job of determining how much it needs, in relation to how hard it is working, than you could ever do.

Dogs that are on ordinary herd duty can be fed any time that is convenient to the herdsman. Like all working dogs, they should be fed twice daily, if at all possible. For herd dogs, about half of the daily needs should be fed at each meal. Round-up dogs should be fed their morning meal at least an hour before they begin, if that’s possible, and should always be allowed to rest an hour or so at the end of the day before being fed their evening meal.

Consider offering this working dog a special diet that has been especially formulated to cater to the dietary needs of dogs that are expending excessive calories. They may require additional amounts of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates as well as additional vitamins and minerals. If you are in doubt about the necessary calories to sustain and maintain good general health of the dog, check with your veterinarian or breeder. These people are well versed in the dietary requirements for the breed with which you are dealing.

Guide Dogs

These are the dogs that act as a blind person’s eyes. Much of their expenditure of energy depends on the activity of their masters. Active persons will have active dogs. In addition, psychological stress and tension play a role in the requirements for energy in guide dogs. Consequently, even guide dogs with owners who are reasonably inactive have a greater need for energy than dogs of the same breed that live as house pets.

Most guide dogs, like any other dog, must have their food intake adjusted to maintain their individual body weight. The convenience of the food is almost as important as its quality where guide dogs are concerned. Elaborate mixing of ingredients, or even moderate combinations, become impossible tasks for people who cannot see to read a scale or level a tablespoon. A single-food diet is most desirable for guide dogs, and the foods of higher caloric density (1600 to 2000 calories per pound) give the least trouble for the greatest performance.

Feeding guide dogs is best done by using portion control. It poses the least problem for a blind owner to simply measure out a fixed amount of food at each meal and throw away any food remaining uneaten. By having a sighted person weigh his dog at regular intervals, a blind master can make a judgment as to whether or not his dog’s food should be increased or decreased for the next interval.

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Jun 06

Slow it Down and Cook up a Storm

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What’s Cookin’?

Well, the time has come for you to get an extra crock pot and save one for you and the family and the other one??? Definitely for a family member, but a four legged one.

With all of the uncertainty about the state of the pet food industry, many folks are discovering that just to be on the safe side, they would rather take a few extra minutes to cook for their furry friend.

You can find everything that you will need to know regarding the nutrient content at the USDA Nutrient Database. Locate the nutrient content of custom recipes that combine a number of individual ingredients at the Nutrition Data Nutrition Facts and Calorie Counter and there is a tremendous amount of great information at the site as well.

If you still need a bit of guidance, most veterinarians, especially natural health care professionals, offer the services of a veterinary nutritionist. You can start with your dog’s vet and go from there. Many times, they are in a network with others who provide services that they may not.

There is also a software program that calculates nutritional density and content of each of the ingredients in a recipe, so that it makes some of the guess work disappear.

Don’t forget to browse The Magic Cooking Pot for more ideas.

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Jun 02

It’s in the Can

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Dog Food: Commercially Canned Meats For Your Dog

Commercially available fresh or canned meats are usually lamb, poultry and beef. Lamb is the most easily digested meat, then poultry and beef. Whether fresh, frozen or canned, meat should always be fed lean, not fatty. There is a wide variety of commercially prepared canned meat on the market. The best products developed as complementary additions for biscuit are meat and meat by-products. The ingredients’ list will show little or no cereal content, and no food coloring additives.

Make certain that the fresh meat you feed is low in fat. Place the meat in a bowl, allowing it to stand until it reaches room temperature, then knead it as if mixing a meat loaf. Is the residue on your fingers only slightly oily or fatty, just enough to give your fingers a little "shine"? Or are there actual large globules of fat on and between your fingers? If the former is the case, you have a good quality meat. If you find your fingers encased with the latter condition, change your brand of dog meat.

Commercially canned and some fresh and fresh-frozen meat for pets contain additives. Usually charcoal, a natural ingredient aiding digestion, is found among these additives. Meat purchased directly from the butcher is normally meat alone, meat trimmings and, in less reputable establishments, floor sweepings. The meat you add to your dog’s diet should be a balanced product by itself. Even a mediocre canned dog food will contain a higher nutritional value than bad, fatty meat. Dogs living in very cold climates require additional fat in the diet to produce a high caloric output. Calories processed by the body produce heat.

Check the color and odor of your dog’s meat. Whatever type (fresh or defrosted frozen), it should be moderately bright in color. It should not appear darkened, black or crusty. Nor should the meat appear weakly colored, or look as though food coloring had been added, making it artificially red. Place the meat on a dish and check the "blood" collected at the bottom. The meat should be richly dark in color with an invitingly fresh scent, not rancid of odor. If the meat you feed does not meet these standards, find another brand.

Simply because a canned food is expensive does not necessarily mean it is good. Meat should be palatable and nutritious. Some readily available products have little nutritional value. Foods that look palatable to you, and that your dog relishes, are not always the best to feed. Some of these canned products list, for example, carrots, peas and corn, which unprocessed are completely not digestible.

Cooked or raw, these vegetables exit your dog’s system in the same recognizable form by which they entered. Also try to avoid those cans that have a high amount of cereal content, artificial food coloring and water. Some canned foods are approximately 70% water! This narrows your choice on your grocer’s shelf. Generally select the commercially prepared foods packaged by reputable companies which are available nationwide.

Don’t forget to take a look at Kibble: The Bits You Should know About.

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