Picking the Right Dog Chews and Treats for Your Pets

Author: Avrum Elmakis

With all of the options available for dog chews and treats both online and at your local pet store, it's hard to know which one is your best option. Which one will your dog not only enjoy, but will be healthy for them at the same time. It's not unlike picking out an afternoon snack for a small child. In light of the recent pet food recalls, many pet owners have turned to bully sticks as an all natural treat for their dogs. But not all bully sticks are created the same. Here are some things to keep in mind when picking out a bully stick for your dog.

There is a Difference in Quality

Bully sticks are made out of beef, and like all meat from cattle, there is a difference in the quality of the beef. The better the cattle are raised, the better the quality of the product from those cattle. Choosing bully sticks that come from quality, free-ranging cattle, like those raised in Brazil and other parts of South America, creates a superior bully stick than those produced in countries like India, China, and even the US.

Where They're Raised Matters

Cattle raised in countries like India, China, and the US are often raised in feedlots, where they are given antibiotics to stave off disease, and hormones to increase their growth at an unnatural rate. Cattle from these locations are also used to create bully sticks and other dog treats and chews. However, most of the cattle raised in Brazil and other parts of South America are free-ranging cattle, and the bully sticks created from them isn't subjected to the same hormones and antibiotics as those from the US, India, and China.

In addition to being the leading supplier of cattle raised in a free-ranging environment, Brazil and the rest of South America have been recognized as the world's number one source of "Green Cattle" for years. The bully sticks, and other all natural dog treats and chews, created from these cattle are much healthier for you dogs.

Recalls Are a Factor

When the pet recalls swept through the US, many people turned to bully sticks because they were lead to believe that there were no recalls associated with the treat. This is only half true. While bully sticks, and really all treats and chews for dogs, from those cattle that are raised free-range like those in South America were free from the sweeping pet recalls, those created from cattle raised in the US, India, and China were still subject to the same pet recalls that caused panic amongst pet owners.

Do the Research

The best advice for finding the perfect all natural dog treats and bully sticks for your dog is to do some research. If you're buying from a store, look at the label and see where it comes from. If you're buying from an online retailer read their product description to see if they list where their bully sticks come from. If they don't, contact the company and ask them. Don't settle for less when it comes to picking out a bully stick for your dogs.

About the Author

Avrum Elmakis is the president of Best Bully Sticks, a leading provider of bully sticks and all natural dog treats and chews. Best Bully Sticks offers all natural bully sticks and dog treats and can be found at: http://www.bestbullysticks.com .
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_246411_54.html

Preventing your Dog from Biting, Before is too Late

Author: mayra

Dogs are social animals. However, when challenged or threatened, they can prove very dangerous. Dog bites are harmful. People dread dogs because they tend to bite strangers.

How many times have you avoided visiting your friend just because he has a dog?

It is very necessary to understand that dogs don’t just bit anyone around them. However, if you are a dog owner, you need to take some steps to make sure that your dog doesn’t bite.

One of the most common types of dog biting includes ‘play biting’. Whenever dogs play together, they nip each other gently. This is a very common behavior among dogs. You don’t need to change this behavior or worry about it.

When your dog nips you while playing, is a cause of concern. Here, you need to stop him because this may lead to dog aggression. Once your dog gets aggressive, he can bite anyone including you, your family members, visitors and neighbors. Remember that biting is an unacceptable behavior and you need to stop this as soon as possible. The dog may not realize that he is hurting someone. However, you need to take some steps to curb this unacceptable behavior of your dog.

Here are some steps to follow to stop your dog from biting unnecessarily.
a) Training and socializing:
Proper training and socializing is very necessary for your dog. This will only prevent him from showing his aggressive side. You need to train your dog on how to sit, stay and run properly. Socialize your dog. Let him familiarize with people around you and become comfortable with strangers. Once your dog is comfortable meeting strangers and encountering new situations, he can easily curb his aggressive behavior. Also try to socialize your dog with other dogs. Spend a lot of time with him.
b) Good health:
Make sure that your dog is in the pink of health and good spirits. If your dog is healthy and happy, it will not bite. Vaccinate your dog against diseases and worm him regularly.
c) Don’t wake him up:
Don’t ever try to wake your dog from deep sleep. This will make him upset and angry. If necessary, call him from a distance. Make sure that his bed is away from noisy areas.
d) Don’t disturb while eating:
Make sure that you don’t disturb your dog while he is eating. This will minimize his aggressive behavior.
e) Meeting with strangers:
You should let your dog meet strangers. However, if he is meeting strangers for the first time, make sure that he does it in your presence. The person meeting your dog should extend the back of his hand and let the dog to sniff it prior to a pat. Make sure that strangers don’t pat your dog on the top of the head or shoulders.
f) Professional help:
If you find it difficult to curb your dog’s aggressive behavior, you should immediately seek professional help. This will be of great help.

All the above mentioned tips will help your dog eliminate his aggressive behavior.

This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_263589_54.html

Through Your Dogs Eyes.....

Author: Steve Cowan

Unless you were born blind you already know how valuable your eyes and vision are in coping with life. Helping us to process information on the world around us, our eyes constantly work to help us enjoy life and avoid danger.

Dogs also use their eyes in similar ways but with a few minor important differences. We see far and near fine detail in a wide range of colors and shades. Dogs however, even sight hounds which have good vision, have a poorer color range and they are much better at detecting movement rather than detail. This gives them an advantage with night vision but they are poorer at seeing fine or close detail. The main advantage dogs have is that they don't have to rely purely on vision for information on their world. An acute sense of smell and excellent hearing, along with good motion sensing vision, mean that dogs sense much more of their surrounds than mere humans. This extended sensory ability made them ideal companions to early man when danger lurked around every corner.

Dogs eyes even look remarkably similar to human eyes. Like us, dogs have a range of eye colors although their predominant color is brown. One important difference between us is that dogs have a third eyelid called a nictitating membrane. Although this membrane is not easily seen, certain diseases and eye irritation can make it stand out. The third eyelid sits in the inside corner of a dogs eye and helps to protect it from irritation by cleansing and lubricating the eye.

Most of the eye diseases and problems seen in dogs are the same as those found in humans. One of the most common problems seen in dogs is due to simple eye irritation. The same environmental irritants that afflict us afflict our dogs. Dust, smoke and chemical pollution are the commonest cause of watery irritable eyes in our favorite pets. Apart from seeing red, teary eyes which are often swollen, you will likely observe your dog rubbing or scratching at their eyes. Look carefully at whether both or only one eye is irritated. Symptoms occurring in only one eye usually mean a foreign body or injury in the eye involved.

Blocked tear ducts can also produce excessively watery eyes in dogs as well as humans. In some dog breeds, such as older Poodles and Shih Tzu's, you will often see damp matted fur around their eyes that signals tear duct blockages. An expert opinion from a vet is often needed to tell the difference between the different causes of watery eyes.

Another trait that elderly dogs share with elderly humans is the development of cataracts. Most long term dog owners have seen the cloudy milky haze that spreads in the centre of each pupil as the cataracts form. This milky haze is the lens inside your dogs eye becoming opaque and the dog slowly becomes blind. It's important to distinguish cataract from another change called Lenticular Sclerosis. Lenticular Sclerosis is a condition which looks similar to cataract but where the only the center of the dogs lens hardens and vision remains unaffected. Both problems are seen in elderly dogs.

One significant advantage that aging dogs have compared to humans is that eye damage and blindness does not incapacitate them to the same extent as human blindness. Good hearing and an acute sense of smell compensate well. There are many stories told of blind dogs managing wonderfully well in life and it's a pity we aging humans are unable to see through the "eyes" of our beloved dogs at times!
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_74852_54.html

Make Your Own Dog Food With Only All Natural Ingredients

Author: Darren Lintern

The demand for a entirely natural no preservatives and no additives dog food has increased over time as soon as the discovery that some well know brand name dog food can be perilous to our dog's health - causing the arrival of some diseases. Now the choice to make your own dog food is deemed to be preferable to forever being mistrustful about what your loving pet is putting into his stomach.

It is a wise move to make your own dog food taking into account all the benefits you can get from switching to a more personalized and healthy dog food. It may not be easy to begin with since your pet is already used to his favourite chow mix. By offering the new health food in small amounts to begin with, then steadily increasing the portions can do the job. Your pup will be consuming your healthy new meals in a short time and with much delight.

Putting your affectionate dog on a health diet plan is often easy - all it really needs is heart and some basic cookery skills. With all the home made dog food recipes using healthy ingredients, you will never run out of fresh meals that your pet can actually drool over. All you need to do now is come up with a diet plan for your dog after consulting with a veterinarian.

One of the most typical recipes for home made dog food combines grains, vegetables, and meat into a single delicious meal. One such meal specially for home made dog food recipes asks for such natural ingredients: 1 cup raw liver, 10 oz shrimp or lobster, 2 lbs hamburger, 1 boiled potato, � cup blueberries, 2 cups of rolled oats, � cup brewer's yeast, � cup brown rice, a tad of cinnamon and � cup wheat germ.

Combine boiled potato, shrimp or lobster, and beef and put all in a food processor. Squash the blueberries into a mushy fruity paste. Mix together all the ingredients and turn over until a ball shape is established. This is supposed to be offered raw and fresh. This home made dog treat recipe will have your pet begging for more and forgetting about dry bland dog food in a moment.

Once you make your own dog food from recipes like those hold in mind that when you are applying natural ingredients, the food can spoil easily so you need to just make enough to last several days � dependent on the life of all the natural ingredients.

All-natural ingredients in dog food are extremely beneficial in providing your pets with the ideal minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients that he needs. When you make your own dog food you're in control of your pet's diet, so you are positive that your pet is getting all that he needs.

If you're interested in getting a more detailed look at dog ownership (like how to make your own dog food), including a huge variety of detailed information on canine problem behaviors, dog psychology, and the most effective ways to train your dog, take a look at http://www.dogs-for-all.com/
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_253937_54.html

The electric dog fence keeps dogs safe

Author: Clint Jhonson

Dogs will always be men’s best friends and nowadays people do their best to keep their pets as comfortable as possible. However, besides making us feel safe and besides amusing us, sometimes dogs annoy our neighbours or even ourselves because they just don’t stop barking. Fortunately, this problem has a very efficient solution.

Dog owners who don’t know what to do in order to make sure that their pets are safe even when they are not at home are advised to resort to an electric dog fence. These fences are easy to use and to install and they can be shipped to your house right away. Moreover, most companies which supply such services also offer free shipping in a very short period of time. The electric dog fence is more than efficient since it stops your dog from escaping into the street, it stops other person’s pets from entering your property and it also stops your dog from ruining your garden or your property.

Due to the electric dog fence, your dog will have its own playground and your worries concerning the safety of your pet will be over. By means of an electric dog fence you can provide your dog a greater freedom and in the same time you can be sure that nothing will happen to it. These new dog fences are far more efficient than the traditional ones due to the fact that dogs cannot dig under them or jump them. Furthermore, the electric dog fence doesn’t have an ugly aspect and it doesn’t block your view in any way.

As much as we love our dogs, I think it is fair to admit that they sometimes drive us crazy with their barking. Fortunately, our loved dogs can stop barking if they are provided the proper training or if dog owners resort to collars which were designed especially for this purpose. Before taking any action in order to stop your dog from barking, you should determine if your dog barks just like any other dogs or if it has a barking problem. In case your dog doesn’t seem to stop barking, you can consult a specialist in canine behavior problems. He will tell you if your dog needs training or if a stop barking collar is useful in its case.

An experienced veterinary will also tell you that there are different types of collars that make the dogs stop barking and he will recommend the one that seems to be more suitable for your dog. Shock collars are the most expensive collars available on the market but they are also the least recommended since they run an electric current which hurts the dog. The citronella bark collar is considered the most efficient since it doesn’t hurt the dog in any way and it makes him stop barking. However, keep in mind that in order to treat your dog’s barking problem you need to identify the cause of the barking first.

Fortunately, nowadays dog owners can keep their dogs safe and happy, without having to spend too much money on doing this. Do not ignore your dog if you think he has a barking problem and offer him the proper treatment if necessary. Whether you are interested in an electric dog fence or in a stop barking collar, we advise you to resort professional companies.
We provide quality electric dog fence where your dog will have all the freedom he desires. We care about your dogs and their barking problems and we are here to offer you the best stop barking products.

This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_263127_54.html