Dogs need different diets at different ages

Dogs need different diets at different ages. Yes. This is true. For example, the puppy needs milk as the major food item while an adult dog may need beef or chicken in addition to the boiled egg and milk. So depending on the age factor, the diet schedule varies in reality for the dogs like any other species.

Puppies need greater amounts of protein, fat and carbohydrates than an adult dogs. Furthermore, puppies need more frequent feeding schedules in a day, unlike an adult dog. The movement based requirements of diet are more in the case of puppies, since they are often more active than the adult dogs.

Elder dogs need restricted protein but the protein needs to be easily digestible and easily assimilated in the body. The diet schedule should have ample supply of water for them. Feeding aged dogs too much protein may finally lead to over burden to the renal structures and ultimately, the dog may end up damaging filters in the kidney.

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| 0 | Nutrition

Is there a reason why a 10 month old Lab is eating his own feces sometimes …

The ingestion feces is called coprophagia and may have many different underlying motivations. In female dogs that have just had puppies, it is a behavior that serves to keep the nest area clean.
In some young dogs it may begin as play with the feces and proceeds to ingestion.

In other cases it is speculated that the dog smells some undigested protein in the feces that attracts them to the feces and results in ingestion. Some dogs that consume their own feces have been diagnosed with pancreatic insufficiency.

If all medical problems have been ruled out, walking the dog on a leash and then using a verbal command and food reward to move the dog away from the stool may help.

| 0 | General

Prepare Your Pets for Air Travel

Air Travel Tips

When you have to travel and take your pet with you, driving to your destination is not very worrisome because your best friend is always in your line of vision. If it’s a dog, it may joyously ride with its nose sticking out of the window while taking in all of the new sights and smells. A cat will be comfortably ensconced in its cage, uncaring about the views and sleeping peacefully instead.

Traveling by air with a pet is not as comforting. Your pets are stored in a different compartment and you are unable to help them if they are afraid or become ill during the flight. This makes having to let pets travel this way a source of worry for many pet owners.

Before you make your reservations and bring Fido on the plane with you its important to take certain steps. You first need to ascertain if the airline you are using will allow the type of pet that you have on board and what procedures must be followed that will allow your pet to travel on that particular airline. The rules can vary from airline to airline so don’t assume that since you traveled with your pet on one airline that the procedures are the same for a different one.

Before you head to the airport you will probably need to stop at the vet’s office. Many airlines required evidence that your pet is in good health and is properly vaccinated. This is for the safety of all the animals that will be on board with yours. You certainly wouldn’t want to put your healthy pet in the same area of a sick one that could share its disease so it’s only fair that you prove that your own pet is healthy.

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| 0 | Travel

Is Your Dog Anal? Four Reasons Dogs May Drag Their Bottoms

Reasons Dogs May Drag Their Bottoms

Many dogs scoot (drag) their bottoms across carpets, ground or other rough surfaces making it appear as though they are wiping their rear. The real causes can be much more serious and may warrant a trip to the veterinarian for an examination. Some of the most common reasons for this behavior are discussed below.

Anal Sac Disease is common in small dogs but rare in large dogs. It occurs when the anal sacs become impacted, infected, abscessed or neoplastic (abnormal tissue formation).

Impaction is when the anal gland fluids become too thick to be easily expressed.

Infections will result in the production of a yellow or bloody pus-like substance.

Abscess around the rectum area will become swollen and will be hot and tender to the touch. If the abscess erupts it will produce pus and blood.

The anal glands are two tiny sacs located inside the dog’s bottom. They are believed to be scent glands because they accumulate a fluid substance that, when released, produces a strong, foul odor.

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| 0 | Dog Care

Tips to Housebreak a Puppy

Puppy Housbreaking Tips

Perhaps the first and most important thing any puppy owner wants to do is to housebreak their new puppy. This cannot only be a very positive learning experience for the puppy, but also for the owner, particularly for first time dog owners.

When preparing to train your puppy to do what comes naturally outside, rather than inside, it’s very important to understand that dog’s are habit animals. Everything they do as they grow older is born from habit, the choice the dog owner has is whether the puppy is going to create it’s own habits or if the habits are going to be taught.

Another important factor to keep in mind that until after three months of age a puppy cannot physically control the muscles needed to keep from going, it just happens. To overcome this in the early months, take the puppy out often or confine your puppy to an area of the house where it’s easy to clean up any messes. Be sure to keep the area the puppy stays in clean; it can be very difficult to train a puppy to go outside if he or she can smell the scent of urine inside.

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| 0 | Puppy Care

The Early History of Dogs

Dog History

There is no incongruity in the idea that in the very earliest period of man’s habitation of this world he made a friend and companion of some sort of aboriginal representative of our modern four-legged friend, and that in return for its aid in protecting him from dangerous predators, and in guarding his sheep and goats, he gave it a share of his food, a place in his home, and grew to trust and care for it.

Probably the animal was originally little else than an unusually gentle jackal, or an ailing wolf driven by its companions in the wild marauding pack to seek shelter in alien surroundings. Another possibility is that certain packs of wild dogs or wolves were scavenging for food and happened upon some generous people. It’s also easy to picture early hunters bringing home wild puppies to be raised by the family.

Dogs introduced into the home as playthings for the children would grow to regard themselves, and be regarded, as members of the family.

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| 1 | General