Dog Food: Choice Is Important

- The size of your dog- The daily activity level of your dog- The life stage of your dog- Any health conditions that your dog may have.
If you don’t take into account all of the above, you can be setting your dog up for a major crash that you could surely avoid by being smart and attentive to your dogs needs.
Too many dog owners care little about the foods they supply. They buy the cheaper brands, which have little nutrition. They feed their dog table scraps, which are poisonous to their dogs and they just don’t seem to care, either.
When your dog is fed all of these substandard foods, they are set up for all kinds of sickness. Your dog can become lethargic and lack energy. They can be listless and stop being frisky. You might think your dog is tired, so resting more when in fact your dog could be sick. It is so important that you feed your dog right if you want your dog to be healthy.
The size of your dog will determine greatly the amount of food that you should feed him. For proper feeding regulations the bag will list approximate amounts, however if you are an experienced dog owner you will find that these recommended portions are not always appropriate for your specific dog. The label on the bag is just a guide, a little more, or a little less will not hurt based on your opinion. Trust your judgment when reading the label and do what you decide is best.
Your dog will have individual needs. No two dogs are exactly the same.
Certain breeds of dog have specific nutritional requirements that must be met in their diet for them to live an optimum lifestyle. Knowing this, dog food manufacturers have started to produce breed specific dog foods. Royal Canin is the leader in this regard and have a great line of breed specific dog and cat food products on the market.
A high energy dog will need a high energy diet. Calorie rich food will benefit a dog that is highly active, for example a working dog, needs a high calorie diet, due to their active days assisting their masters to perform important daily tasks.
Choosing a dog food according to your dog's stage of life is very important to your dog’s health. Your dog's nutritional needs will very depending on his stage of life and depending on your dog’s size. Puppies need a high protein, high calorie diet. Adults need a balanced blend of all of the necessary elements, and senior dogs have specific food products with extra additives to take care of their special needs some of which being but not limited to joint maintenance, immune boosters, and ostio strengthening.
Regardless of what your dog’s special needs are there is a dog food that fits. Your job is to find the food that is the best for your dog.About the AuthorFrans Nieuwenhuis is the author of this article. For more dog related articles and info about Dog Agility Training Equipment please visit www.petcarewatch.info

Your Dog’s Behavior – Why You Should Never Let Your Dog Beg For Food & Attention

What is wrong with a begging dog?
Everything! Begging is another form of demanding and it gives your dog an aspect of control within the family "pack". I describe a family as a pack because that is exactly how your dog sees it. While it may seem cute when Rex rolls over on his back expecting a belly rub every time you enter the room, or just sits all teary-eyed staring straight at your hero sandwich when you're eating during the Super Bowl game, this behavior has the possibility to gain momentum and become hostile.
Just how hostile can a dog actually become?
If you do not think that your dog could ever actually bite your hand because he expects you to give him a fun snack every time he begs, think again. For years a friend of mine would hand feed his dog pieces of food at any time of the day he was eating. If it were breakfast, his dog would get a two pieces of toast. At lunch time my friend would hand feed his dog a few bites of his Rueben sandwich. The same went for super.
Months later, his dog matured and grew larger, and my friend did not realize that he was reinforcing a dominant leadership role into his dog every time he gave in to begging. Once he decided to alter this behavior with his dog, he learned very fast just how dangerous the situation was. At one of his meals, my friend refused to feed his dog anything and the begging and crying turned into hostile barking. Then without suddenly his dog jumped up onto his plate and snapped at his cheeseburger, taking a little bit of my friend’s finger along with it.
Begging can be eliminated with proper training
The example of my friend may seem a bit extreme and you still probably could never imagine you're cute dog biting you in the attempt to get a meal that he was wanting. This can develop into a real problem and you must start early in your dog’s life with instilling the rules when it comes to begging.
During meal time, you need to train your dog to sit and stay in a separate area when the family is eating food. This may take some time but eventually he will remain in a sit position until after your dinner is over and then of course you should praise his actions by offering him up a delicious meal that he can eat in his “own” food bowl, and only after everybody else is finished eating their meal.About the AuthorWritten by Kelly Marshall of Oh My Dog Supplies - your source for luxury dog carriers online

Dog Nutrition Doesn't Just Mean Premium Dog Food

More and more, we have become aware of the premium dog foods that are available and the positive affect it can have on our pets’ health. What we are less aware of is the availability of premium dog treats. It does not make a lot of sense to give them high quality foods and then give them a doggie treat equivalent of junk food. The idea is to give them a healthy diet all the way around to make sure they are able to have the best quality life possible.
The idea of premium treats is to provide a healthy alternative to the typical treats you find in most stores. Premium treats should be loaded with vitamins, minerals and other health promoting ingredients. What they shouldn’t contain is fillers, binders, artificial ingredients and colors, chemical preservatives etc.
Rawhides are animal hides that are cured, pressed and molded into bone shapes and sold as inexpensive chew treats for dogs. Many manufacturers cure the hides with harsh chemicals; such as, an ash-lye solutions, lime and/or bleach. If the curing process is not enough to help you decide whether or not to feed your dog rawhide, consider the digestive problems of rawhides. Prolonged chewing can cause rawhides to become stringy or break off in small pieces, which can lead to a choking hazards or throat irritations. Rawhides are digested very slowly and can cause intestinal problems, even blockages. There are safe and healthy alternatives to rawhide that can give your dog hours of chewing pleasure.
Dental bones stimulate the teeth and gums to keep them clean and well massaged. This will promote all around, good dental hygiene for your dog. Dogs shouldn't be given any treat or bone that is not digestible and that doesn't break down well in the GI tract because it could cause problems. This is essential for the dogs' complete health and nutritional needs. They deserve nothing but the best from us and that means not only premium dog food, but premium treats as well . If we give them one and not the other, we short-change our pets.About the AuthorLori Matthews studies health, nutrition and wellness. She enjoys writing articles on health for both people and pets. Please visit premium dog food and treats by Lifes Abundance for more information.