Puppies are great creatures to have around because they are cute but they also are a good partner to fill your empty days. In order for them to have a nice and long live, you must understand that the food that they eat is almost vital. You probably wonder now what things are important for a proper nutrition. The answer will be given by your vet. That means that you have to avoid buying random food for your puppy because it is possible not to suit his need.

You have many options about the food of your dog. I will try to enumerate some of them. It is probably that you already heard about organic and natural food for puppies. My advice is that you should try them. Many puppy owners like to feed their gods with raw food. Other puppy owners choose kibble and it becomes a main part of their puppy’s diet. I will try to focus more on the last type of food that I talked about.

When you give your puppy food that is solid, you must keep in mind that it has to be good and high-quality also. Little kibble is ideal in a solid food. Your puppy food should contain all the proteins and vitamins in order to assure him a great and ideal growth and life. It is best that you feed your dog 3 or 4 times in a day.

If the puppy doesn’t eat solid food, you can try to add some water in order to make it softer. You should avoid adding milk because the milk is a natural laxative in puppy’s diets. The water will only create a softer food that will be easy to chew.

You can reduce the amount of water that you add in his food after he grows a little more. If you thought about feeding your dog with solid food, you must do that as early as you can because he will do from his diet a daily habit. Doing that faster, you will be able to achieve your purpose: giving your dog only dry and solid food. After your puppy is 6 weeks old, you should start to reduce the amount of water from added on his kibble.

You must give your puppy as many kibbles as he wants when he is little and he still grows up. You have to remember that the food is better to be given at fixed time intervals of time. After he grows a little more, you can reduce the number of the meals at 2 meals per day, and not 3 or 4. When you arrive at those points, you will know the amounts of food that your dog needs and you will be able to offer him a proper diet.

You can also consult a vet to give you some advices. Sometimes it is difficult to say if your puppy is too fact and you can also ask a vet about this matter.

This is not such a difficult task. You must only be careful and ask a vet whenever you are not sure about what are you doing. He will be able to provide you the advices to follow for your puppy. Choose the food that you puppy eats wisely and don’t buy cheap or bad one. The puppy’s health is depending about that.

If you are having a dog at home and want to receive some good health reasons for your pet, then its time to search for quality dog food. Dog food is the most important factor that is an essential factor for your dog. It’s the type of dog food that can bring some good health reasons for your dog.

These days, in the market you can avail different types of dog food. These dog foods are often pre processed ones that will offer a better taste, which your dog should love to have on a daily basis. There are several sorts of dog food available in the market but you need to look for the best one, that suits the body of your dog.

While selecting the dog food in the market you need to stay cautious. There are few manufacturers in the market that are simply offering dog food! Well, that exactly means these dog food are not loaded wit enough energy and protein levels that can keep your dog healthy for a long time. These dog foods are not the one you are looking for. These are the dog foods that are made of artificial resources and spending more on these dog foods will only take you’re money and nothing apart of that.
Picking the right dog food will enable your dog to get the desired amount of calorie it requires on a daily basis. If you are not sure about hoe to look for quality dog foods, then you need to opt for the Internet. It’s the platform where you will draw most of the information related to quality dog food. Here you will also know about some of the manufacturers of dog food that have been determined as the specialist one in this field. Buying dog foods from these leading manufacturers will surely offer your dog a great health.

More often than not, our dogs are victims of intestinal parasites, also referred as worms. Most of them develop immunity but at some point during stressful situations like pregnancy, illnesses and diseases, the immunity will break down. These worms then tend to multiply and later on produce symptoms of infection particularly in the intestines. Diarrhea, anemia, weight loss and presence of blood in the feces are the usual signs and symptoms for intestinal parasitism. On the other hand, some worms may cause few or no symptoms at all.

The most common parasites are roundworms and tapeworms which can be seen using you bare eyes, but other worms can’t easily be diagnosed. Sometimes eggs or larvae of Ascaris, hookworms and threadworms migrate in the tissues of the dog and activated only in stressful situations. If worms are suspected, a stool sample should be brought to the veterinarian at least once or twice a year for microscopic examination. Proper diagnosis is important so that the safest and the most effective medication will be prescribed. No particular drug is effective for all kinds of parasite, although some may be effective against more than one species.  It is not right to deworm the dog who suffers from unexplained illness without proper consultation and diagnosis.

DEWORMING A PUPPY

Ascaris and hookworms are most common to puppies. There is presence of other parasites but they are rare. It is recommended to let you veterinarian examine the stool first before giving any deworming agent. Some might need a much stronger and a broader-spectrum medication due to the severity of the case.

Usually, puppies are dewormed at 2 weeks of age before eggs of the Ascaris are eliminated in the feces, and once again in 4^th, 6^th and 8^th week after birth. Then, a monthly deworming is required until 6 months. With this schedule, there will be a higher chance of eliminating all the eggs of the Ascaris even though it is passed through pregnancy, lactation and ingestion. Pyrantel pamoate (suspension) is the drug-of-choice for this because it is safe for a 2 week old puppy. Heartworm prevention will then be given by the veterinarian to eliminate presence of roundworms and hookworms.

Deworming agents may be harmful to puppies, especially those who are suffering from respiratory problems, high body temperature and those who live in an unsanitary surrounding. These problems ought to be corrected before giving any deworming medication. Keep in mind not to deworm any puppy with diarrhea without any confirmation from the physician that this symptom is caused by worms.

DEWORMING A DOG

Veterinarians would usually recommend that dogs should be dewormed at least once a year or only when there is a reason to do so like persistent diarrhea because of the presence of intestinal parasites. If your pet lives in an unsanitary environment, it would be best to deworm them every 3 or 6 months depending on the recommendation of the veterinarian and the case of the dog. They can also take a yearlong preventive medication for heartworms which protects them from most worms.

PREVENTION

Treating and eradicating worms in the environment is vital before these infect other dogs, and human beings. One must remove dog’s feces in the lawn or in the backyard at least twice a week or every other day using appropriate equipment like gloves, masks and aprons. Have a stool sample for the bi-annual microscopic examination. During a walk with your dog in the park or in your neighborhood, remove the feces your dog left so that your dog doesn’t pass the worms or contaminate other dogs. Do not let your dog take any medication or dewormer unless prescribed by the physician in order not to develop resistance to these drugs.

Nevertheless, it’s always an excellent idea to maintain a worm-free dog so that if any stressful situation occurs, your dog will be spared from having a parasitic infection.

If you have a dog at your home then you know how important it is to take care of its health. The basic health care starts from the dog food your feed it.  Maintaining a good regular diet of your do by giving it the right healthy and good dog food at appropriate intervals of time in a day will in all ways help the dogs to grow better and faster. When you shop or prepare the dog food just remember that what you feed the dog is very important for its health.

A healthy hygienic and complete dog food will keep the dog full of energy all day long.
You can easily notice the change when you change the diet. When you feed the dog you need to remember one thing forever and that is that a timely diet will increase the appetite of the dog and that is good otherwise the dog will have improper bowl schedules. And in this way it will loose interest to take food and spoil its health further. A
complete dog food keeps its immune system very strong which in turn helps the dog to keep away from any kind of infections allergies and diseases. This saves from a lot of problems, as the dogs are concerned.  When the dog is born it is advised not to separate it from its mother.

This is because no man prepared dog food can give it the potion that its mother’s milk can. So until it is drinking mother’s milk it is advised not to feed it with any thing else. It is also said because at the preliminary months of the baby dog it will not be able to digest any other food other than its mother’s milk. So giving it any dog food by purchasing from the pet stores in the market can mess with its digestive system. Thus it is best to feed it after a certain period of time when it has completed its feeding period.

Dogs must be well socialized from a very early age if they are to accept humans, the domestic environment in which they live and other dogs and animals without any kinds of problem behaviour occurring.

Social contact

Dogs are social creatures. Different breeds of dog enjoy the company of people and other animals to different extents, but all like to live their lives in a pack with others, whether human or canine. If denied social contact, they can become badly behaved or depressed. An undersocialized   dog can be difficult to live with, handle and control, and should be properly socialized for the safety and contentment of all concerned.

Human contact

Dogs need to be taught to behave well around all humans. Examples of these include the following:

• Wheelchair users, people with walking sticks or crutches and the elderly.

• Babies, toddlers, timid people and people who are not comfortable around dogs.

• Energetic and noisy children and adults.

• Joggers, cyclists, rollerbladers, skate­boarders and people pushing prams.

• People with beards, unusual hairstyles, spectacles, headgear, uniformsor umbrellas.

Delivery people

Many dogs have a particular problem with delivery people, because of territorial aggression (a form of fear aggression).

Delivery people come to his territory, where he is most confident, and then, from the dog’s point of view, go as soon as they are barked at, so the barking has worked.

To prevent aggression towards delivery people, make a point of introducing your dog to them, and getting them to give him treats or even throwing a toy for him, so that he views them as rewarding and so welcomes them.

Different environments

Things that are normal to us in our everyday environment both inside and outside the home can be confusing, even frightening, to a dog if he has not been properly introduced to and socialized with them. Items such as a vacuum cleaner, slippery floors, stairs, traffic, hair-drier, the television and washing machine can all be sources of mental distress to a dog.

Get your dog used to such things gradually but persistently, using lots of treats and games so that he views them as rewarding experiences. If your dog has grown up in a busy household, then he is more likely to view household appliances with indifference, but an older dog unused to them needs careful introductions in short training sessions so as not to daunt him.

Today, dogs are one of the very well-liked pets. They became a part of the rescue agencies and law enforcement for their invaluable service and dedication to their best friend, the human beings.  Taking care of this so-called “best friends” is really important and vital because it involves big responsibility, accountability and commitment.  It also involves significant venture of both your time and your money. Here are some general tips that will help you take good care of your dogs:

FOOD

There is a need for you to provide nutritious food and water to meet the daily nutritional needs of your dog. On choosing the right food for your dog, you must pay much attention on the ingredients as well as the nutrients present on that dog food formula. Some inexpensive formula may seem to be light for your pocket but is not healthy for your dog and might precipitate illness due to its artificial ingredients. Many dogs are obese because of the high-corn and low-protein food formulas sold at many food stores.  Your veterinarian might recommend a dog food that is nutritious and the proper feeding schedule for your dogs. Usually, dogs are fed once or twice daily.
EXERCISE

Like human beings, regular exercise is important. Daily walks and other kinds of dog exercise provide numerous benefits for dog’s health like weight maintenance, behavioral issues, and muscle strength. It helps to promote loyalty, bonding and connection between the dog and the owner.

SAFE ENVIRONMENT

When owning a dog, it doesn’t mean that you should fence your backyard but it does help to maintain a safe environment for you dog.  They need a safe bathroom whether in a fenced yard or in a frequent leashed walks. They also need a safe porch or a dog house to go out to if the weather is fine. Proofing your house will help you minimize breakage of some breakable things and will also help prevent dogs be in a dangerous situation. Proper supervision is vital in owning a dog.

VETERINARY CARE

It is a must that you bring your dog for the routine veterinary care visits. This includes series of vaccinations plus booster doses and deworming. Most dogs, especially those who are pure breed have higher chance of developing serious health problems in their entire lifetime. It is important for you to bring your dog to a vet regularly for check-up. Owners might consider having a pet insurance to cover certain expensive medical procedures.

It is important to provide a proper dog care from the day your dog is born to the day you’ll part ways. There are many things that go with a proper dog care, but the plunder of a faithful and trustworthy family pet are vast.

Almost every six months, a female dog comes in heat. It is a part of female dog’s normal life cycle. At this time, her hormones are organizing and preparing her body to catch the attention of a male dog and get pregnant after mating. A dog that is in heat is impulsive and restless. If you want her to be pregnant and have some puppies, then this is the right time. If breeding is not a priority at this moment, this normal cycle would be a stressor for her and for you as well.

When dogs are in heat, their body is preparing her for mating. Usually, she will get a lot of attention from a male dog due to her distinct scent at that time and her unusual behavior. As pet owner, one must watch his dog closely because she needs help to ward off the advances from other dogs. Certainly, caring a dog that is in heat needs patience and dedication. Here are some ways you can care for your dog:

• Keep your windows, doors and gates close if you are not around. Your dogs might go out and look for a partner without your knowledge.
• Choose car rides rather than walking to any destinations.
• Continue daily walking but choose a well-contained area rather than an open area. Preferably, an area that doesn’t have dogs.
• Encourage and allow her to play and walk in your lawn or backyard but don’t leave hear unattended.
• Never let male dogs invade your house. Some male dogs may climb fences or jump wooden fence. They can even open screened doors.
• Do anything that you can do to sooth her and keep her calm most of the time. A dog that is in heat is very anxious. Avoid activities that will promote agitation on your dog and instruct children to treat her with respect and avoid rough play with them.

Throughout the entire first 14 days of being in heat, your female dog’s vulva might swell and she may also experience a brown spotting or even slight bleeding. This is usually the indication that your dog is in estrus. Having your dog wear a protective panty is a very nice idea during her first stage of cycle. Make sure that her bed comes with a cotton cloth or a washable covering to avoid staining the cloth.

If you’re not willing to give up most of your time and patience doing stuffs like this, you might consider spaying your dog to eliminate issues associated with heat cycles. It is usually performed before she experiences her first estrus. This may also decrease her risk of having cancer, mammary tumors and any stressful anxious behavior.

Contrary to its name, ringworms are not caused by worms but rather fungus called Dermatophytes which means “plants that live on skin”. Before, people thought that these round lesions are caused by worms hence, the term ringworm was given. It is actually a skin problem usually caused by a plant or skin contact to other dogs either direct or indirect contact. It can also be passed from dogs to cats and from cats to dogs and often from human beings to dogs and vise versa. The spore of the fungus usually lives in the environment for a long time. It can be found in carpets, clothes, beddings, etc and infects your dog when it comes into contact with their skin.

The fungus usually stays in hair follicles near the head, ears, tail and front paws which cause hair shafts to break off. This disease would appear as a circle on the dog’s skin with raised edges. It looks like the hair was removed with a pale spot at the center. Other symptoms would include itchiness, scaling and crusty skin with some redness. A patch that is irregular in shape would mean that two or more lesions joined together. It’s easier to see this disease to younger dogs than that of the adults.

The younger dogs and puppies are more susceptible for infection since their immune system has not fully developed yet. Healthy dogs typically develop resistance to ringworms. Some may be carriers but show no symptoms, then later on infect other animals or even human beings.

Treatment should be started as soon as ringworm is diagnosed through culture and microscopic studies. Usually the entire course of this disease is from two to four months but if left unattended it would later on spread and infect other body parts or even infect human beings.

Griseofulvin may be prescribed by the veterinarian for your dog. It is an anti-fungal drug that inhibits fungal reproduction. It is widely used and recommended by the vet because it is very effective and would also prevent reoccurance of the fungus. Keep in mind that this oral medication has side effects like abortion and birth defects if given to pregnant dogs, so be sure to consult a veterinarian first before giving the medication. Usually, topical medications are not advised because dogs will just lick them out before it takes effect.

Treatments don’t work over night. Veterinarian might also consider giving your dog a lime sulfur dip baths twice a week. It may be performed at home or at the clinic. Remember that this will stain clothing and jewelries and will cause temporary yellowing of the skin and of the coat of the dog. It is also advisable to bath your dog every other day using an anti-fungal shampoo. The lather of the shampoo should be left for at least 5 minutes to destroy and eliminate fungal spores.

Fungus spores might spread throughout the house by the infected dog which might cause reinfection to dogs and might infect humans that live in the home. In order to prevent this, it is important to clean the house with bleach mixed with water at 1:10 ratio on all surface exposed. Vacuum and steam cleaning would eliminate a large number of spores and don’t forget to clean beddings and couches as well. It is also advisable to confine and isolate the dog in one room or area during the entire treatment course.

BREEDING YOUR DOG

Is it that your kids want another baby pup to play with, or that you want to make some extra bucks selling puppies? Whatever your reasons are, try to clarify them before you attempt to breed your bitch.

Your bitch usually comes into heat about twice every year, and it is during this heat periods that you can attempt to mate her. Before the mating, she should be placed on special diets to flush her system and get her ready for the task ahead.

CHOOSING THE STUD

Getting the male dog (stud) that will mate your girl is an important task and it has to be carried out judiciously. You may have a friend or a neighbor with a stud that you think is suitable for the process, or there ay be a breeder who can get you one. However, breeding is not just about bringing together a male a female. There are several factors to be put into consideration if you are to get the desired results. They include:-

*  Ascertaining the pedigree of the dog – Do you want your bitch to produce purebred puppies? Then you must certainly mate her with a purebred stud (if she is also one).  You may want to check out his registration  details etc.

*  Check out poor performance results -does he have a past performance of repeated breeding, abortion etc. This may be due to the stud carrying a venereal disease, defective sperm abnormalities etc. you can very well know what to expect from scrutinizing past records.

*  Check out for conformation - Does the stud have all the unique posture and other characteristics features of it’s breed?

*  Be careful to mate your bitch with a stud or commensurate size. Do not mate your small -sized bitch with an over-sized, over- weight male. The results could be disastrous.

MATING

when your dogs come into a season, she remains on heat for about three weeks. During this time, there will be swelling of vulva  and discharges. When she is on heat (peak period), she welcomes all attempts by the male to mount her. She is usually fertile, releasing eggs during five days of the period.

It is usually advisable to take your bitch to the stud (not vice versa). This is because the stud is more comfortable within her own premises , and it is better able to carry out his own duty. The female may not be so submissive when the male is brought  into her territory.

The stud mounts the bitch and after ejaculation, remains in the bitch for a several minutes while her vaginal muscle still hold onto his penis. Sometimes the dog may climb off her back and turn 180^o facing the other  way. This act is referred to ‘a tie’ and is usually believed by the breeders to mean a successful mating..

Gestation period (pregnancy) in the dog usually ranges from sixty days to sixty six days, with sixty three days as the average. When the range is exceeded, you may need to call the attention of your veterinary doctor.

Note – your bitch should not just be mature in age, she also has to have developed enough physically before she is bred. This will help to foretell future reproductive (birth) complication.

knowing how to go about administering first aid to your pets, and having the items you need within your reach is an important aspect of health management. If an emergency situation arise, your knowledge of first aid would help to keep your pet going until you can get her to veterinary clinic.

Situation that may require first aid include:-

Bleeding – Bleeding may occur due to cuts from sharp objects e.g the dog may run into a sharp protrusion, or attempting to pass through a hole in a wire fence etc.

Treatment Apply pressure over the area until bleeding stops, deep wounds will require stitching and the vet’s attention will have to be called upon.

Sores – A dog may develop sores on its skin for several reasons. Some of which include flea bite, persistent itching, allergic reaction to an internal or external substance. Many times, sores are -inflicted due to the dog’s preoccupation with an itch.

Treatment : Eliminate cause. More often than not, flea are the cause of itching, and dog should be treated for fleas.

Bite wounds Dog fights often result into one or both of the dogs sustaining severe injuries.

Treatment :- Because most dog bite wounds are deep ( puncture wounds), they are prone to infection, and the animal will require antibiotics shots. Clean the wound with saline or clean water. Apply pressure to stop aby bleeding, and get the animal to the veterinary clinic.

*  Burns :- could be cause by electrical shocks, chemical substances or heat. Symptoms include blistering, exudation, redness and swelling of the skin.

Treatment :- flush the area with copious amounts of cold water. If available, aplly ice wrapped in a towel over the burnt area for some minutes. Get the animal to the vet.

Seizures :- seizures could be due to several reasons. Symptoms include violent muscle spasms, salivation, unconsciousness etc.

Treatment - place the animal in a safe area to prevent him from injury himself. Keep the area as quiet as possible to enable the animal remain calm, and call for the veterinary attention.

Vomiting :-could be the result of several factors including obstructions.

Treatment :- withhold food for 12-24 hours. Allow it to take water after the vomiting stops if it shows interest. Call for the veterinary attention.

Shock : your dog may go into shock after bien involved in an accident causing severe infury. Signs include irregular breathing and dilated pupils.

Treatment :- rinse lower body to allow blood flow to the brain, and keep animal quiet and warm. Call for immediate veterinary attention.

Fractures: fractures would occur when your pet is involved in an automobile or domestic accident. Signs include limb spread out in an awkward fashion, favoring of limb, pain etc.

Treatment : control any bleeding that may occur, and give support to the point of fractures to prevent further complications.

* Do not attempt to set or repair fracture. Get the dog to the vet immediately.

Heat stroke or exhaustion

Dog become prone to heat stroke during very hot weather, more so, when ventilation is poor e.g leaving them inside a hot room or car during summer without air conditioning.

Signs include labored breathing, panting, high body temperature. Etc

Treatment

A case of heat stroke should be approached as an emergency  and immediate resuscitation is required. Place animal in a bath tub containing cold water. Use your hand to work the water into its coat properly. Do not stop until the dog shows some sign of normal breathing.

Snake bite and insect bite: dogs may get bitten when they attempt to attack or ‘play’ with  snake e.g  when they are roaming in the garden. It is usually for you to know if you are not present.

Signs and symptoms include;-

- swelling up of the dog’s face

- Breathing problems e.g panting.

Treatment locate the bite wound and thoroughly wash, before ‘hurrying’ the dog the vet. Do not attempt to ‘suck out’ the venom yourself. Insects such as the bee and wasp ,ay also sting your dog. Apply soothing cream or ointment to the spot. You may seek for veterinary assistance if it swells up and seems out of control.

Choking

Dogs are always picking thing up to chew them e. g toys, bones, sticks etc. they sometimes get there materials stick up in their throat, leading to choking etc.

Signs include blue tongue, difficult breathing etc.

Treatment

Open the mouth to view and see if you can locate the foreign object. Try removing it with tweezers if it is not lodge too deep into the throat. If deeply lodged, you may have to get the dog to the veterinary clinic for sedation and removal.

Poisoning

Your dog may get poisoned by picking up and eating some stuffs in the house meant for your use. E.g medicines (e.g aspirin), paint, detergents, chemicals (e.g fertilizer), rat poison, cigarette ends etc.

Signs and symptoms include  vomiting, salivation, spasms or convulsion, weakness etc

Treatment ; obtain some samples of the ingested material if possible, and call on your vet immediately. The sample you go along with could assist the vet in knowing how exactly to treat your dog.

Content of a mini First Aid Box

1. Cotton wool
2. Bandage (both gauge and adhesive)
3. Scissors
4. Thermometer
5. Syringes
6. Antibiotics cream or ointment
7. Soothing cream
8. Forceps
9. Eye drops etc