Posts Tagged "dogs"

As home cooking for pets is increasing in popularity, we would like to share with you some basic information, tips, and a few recipes from our own pets’ diet.

Why Home Cooking

For many years pet owners have been advised that eating human food will upset a dog or cat’s stomach and that commercial foods are the surest way to a balanced diet. In recent years it has come to light through many books, publications, and epidemic poisoning cause by dog and cat food that commercial pets foods are actually terrible for the health of your pet. A few of the reasons are that these products are manufactured with ingredients that were deemed unfit for human consumption or cheap products such as cornmeal to which dogs and cats are actually allergic. Then the manufacturers add food coloring, salt, and unsafe chemicals to make the food look healthy and tasty. Dr. Martin Goldstein DVM even states in his book The Nature of Animal Healing that euthanized pets (collars, tags and all) and road-killed animals are sold to rendering plants as meat for pet foods.

Avoiding unnecessary ingestion of chemicals will reduce your pet’s risk of cancer, kidney disease and many other illnesses. When you say goodbye to commercial pet foods, you will at the same time say goodbye to doggy and kitty diarrhea. We also find that odor of dog poo is less offensive when our dogs eat fresh foods. [Read more →]

Tags: dog food, dogs, food, pet food, pet health

Here we offer a few tips and suggestions for your pet’s health and safety in relation to housekeeping practices.

• Baking soda
  Baking soda is useful for cleaning everything from teeth to ovens. Sprinkled in cat litter boxes and the corners of small animal cages, it can help reduce odor and bacteria. Use it to absorb wet messes such as urine and vomit, then sweep it into a dustpan. If you pet has kidney disease or conditions affected by sodium, avoid situations where he may ingest significant amounts (the fishy taste may attract him) or lick the baking soda from his paws.
• Choosing the location of your trash can
  If your pet scrounges or tips your kitchen trash, it is not only unpleasant for you but potentially dangerous for your pet. He can get sick from spoiled food, plastic wrap, aluminum foil, twist ties, and things you would never have thought of. Keep trash cans under the sink, in a small bucket on the counter, or hanging from the wall.
• Carpet Cleaners
  We have used Heavy Traffic Woolite carpet foam for years with great results. It is convenient for spot cleaning and can handle big dog diarrhea. Simply remove solid waste, spray a generous dose of Woolite on the area, work it in with a sponge mop, let dry, and vacuum. A few repetitions may be necessary in bad cases. A steam cleaner is also good for cleaning entire rooms. You can buy formulas especially for pet stains. Go over problem spots repeatedly from several directions. As with all chemicals, keep pets away from area until fully dry.
• Caution with bleach
  Bleach comes with a warning against mixing with products containing ammonia as the combination produces a toxic gas. Be aware that ammonia is also present in urine and cat urine is especially concentrated. If your pet has a good sized puddle accident, choose another cleaner or you may suffer stinging eyes, coughing, or worse.
• Keep dogs away from cat litter boxes
  Eating poo (coprophagia) is a natural behavior in dogs, but it is not sanitary if he licks your face and hands after servicing the litter box for you. He might even carry the contents onto your bed, rug, or sofa to savor slowly. This behavior increases the chance of parasites spreading amongst your pets. Place a dog barrier in the doorway or install a cat door to your kitty’s bathroom. There are also litter box concealers designed to keep dogs out.
• Preventive Grooming
  It is much easier to remove loose hair from a pet than to remove the same amount of hair from the entire house. Pet hair will stick to carpets, clog air conditioner filters, tangle in vacuum cleaners, and settle in your tea. Brushing your pet before baths will reduce the amount of hair clogging your drain. Your pet’s hair can be saved and sent to artists to be spun into yarn and woven or knitted into clothing and keepsakes for you.
• Your dog should wipe his feet
  Have a large doormat at your door. Whenever your dog comes from outside, command him to “Wipe your paws” and encourage him to tramp on the doormat—lead him in circles with your hand, leash, or a treat. Praise him when he has done it long enough. After your dog has grasped the command and performs it regularly, you might say it with a mildly scolding tone to communicate that he should be wiping his feet without being told. Many dogs however, will always need to be reminded, or else he may wipe his feet only when you are looking. You can also place a mat where your dog has his paper or pee pad and teach him not to track urine out of the bathroom.
• Wash your pet’s laundry twice
  When you launder your pet’s bedding or toys, run a second wash cycle without detergent to reduce the amount of chemicals your pet will ingest when he handles them with his mouth. Or at the least do an extra rinse cycle. For the same reason, do not use dryer sheets for your pet’s items.
• Common household poisons
  Many cleaning agents are actually dangerous poisons which are harmful to pets, children and even some adults. Whenever possible, choose natural alternatives such as vinegar or baking soda or use milder products such as dish detergent or hand soap. Bacause pets can learn to open doors and cabinets, keep really dangerous substances as drain openers in the garage (unless they are heat sensitive, explosive substances).
  • Discourage pets from eating treats on floors cleaned with disinfectants, polish, or carpet cleaners. Daily contact with small amounts of toxins may not be immediately fatal, but will cause long term damage to organs—lungs, kidney, liver, etc.
  • Try to use natural alternatives to clean floors and keep your pet from walking on floors before cleaning agents are fully removed or dried to prevent ingestion of chemicals while grooming themselves, which they will probably do immediately after walking on the stuff.
  • Devices that disperse perfume and scents in the air can harm your pets. Cats are especially vulnerable to poisoning by essential oils and airborne substances because they absorb these products through the skin. If you need to cover up pet and litter box odor, purchase similar products from a pet supply catalog.

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Tags: dogs, Pet Care Articles, pet health, pet safety

There are some who consider the practice of dressing up dogs frivolous and unnatural. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, and here we share ours on the subject, starting first with a practical view of dog clothing.

Dog Clothing as Protection

Just because [most] dogs are born with a coat of fur, it does not exempt them from feeling cold, perhaps with the exception of long haired breeds originating from areas with cold climates. Today, many people own dogs of breeds which originated in distant lands where the natural climate is vastly different from the dogs’ current area of residence. Just as long-haired dogs can feel hot in summer, short haired dogs can feel cold in winter. Small dogs especially tend to be cold even in moderate temperatures, and it would be cruel to say that they should just be allowed to shiver and catch cold because that must be how Nature intended it. While dogs may seem tougher and more resilient than we are, pet dogs have been living in domestication for centuries and they are no longer as tough as their wild ancestors and relatives.

As long as the clothing is not uncomfortable and the dog likes or does not mind it, we don’t see why this shouldn’t be done. We know a Maltese who tends to have a short temper and often dislikes wearing clothes, but when the weather turns cold, not only does he not mind an extra layer, he welcomes it.

[Read more →]

Tags: christmas dog clothes, christmas dog dress, Dog Clothes, dog costume, dog dress, dogs, Pet Care Articles

Moving can be a traumatic experience for many pets, especially if it is their first time. From our own experiences in many moves—short distance, long distance, overseas—we have compiled the following tips as well as this Pet Owner Relocation Checklist to help you make your move easier one your pet.

1. Get your pet comfortable with his mode of transportation before the move. Leave crates and carriers open in a room you and your pet use every day. Feed him meals and treats inside the carrier. Confine him inside the carrier a few minutes at a time to begin with. Gradually lengthen the time until he is comfortable spending an entire night in his carrier.
2. If your move requires long-distance driving, take your pet for short rides in the car the weeks before the move. If your car will be packed full of things, let your pets ride in crates so they do not get hit, squished, or poked by shifting objects.
3. If you must travel by plane with an anxious or aggressive pet, your vet may provide you with tranquilizer pills to give him before checking in.
4. Tape a spare leash and collar to the top of the crate in case your pet needs to be removed from the crate during the flight.
5. Confine your pets while your things are being packed up and loaded. Bathrooms are a good place for this. Pets can become frightened by movers, get trodden on, or lost during the confusion of moving. Cats may even slip inside shipping containers or moving trucks and get carried off without your knowlege.
6. Lock up your pets the night before the move. You do not want to risk not being able to find them when it is time to leave.
7. Make sure ID tags are updated with your new contact information. If you do not have new ID tags yet, type or neatly print your information and tape it onto the old ID tags with clear packing tape over the entire tag before departing for your new home.
8. Be sure to take your pet’s personal items to your new home. Your pet will feel much better in a strange place if he sees his crate, bed, dishes and toys all set up in one area.
9. Show your pet where his new potty is shortly after arrival to reduce accidents. He may still forget in the beginning and you should correct him firmly and show him his potty again to prevent developing a bad habit. Do not express anger as anxiety is likely to be part of the problem.
10. Check your new house and yard for hazards, loose electrical wiring, poisonous baits and traps left by previous residents, loose fencing, gaps around gates, poisonous plants, neighbors’ pets, strays and wild animals. Before letting your cat or small dog outside, make sure it is not in danger of loose dogs.
11. Do not let your cat out of the house until he is settled in and happy. Some cats only need a few days, others should be kept in for several weeks. Cats may wander off in a strange place or even walk back to their old home (they have a way of knowing how to do this) even if it is 30 or 100 miles away.
12. Spend extra time with your pet in your new home. Let him sleep where he can see you (if he is not allowed on your bed).
13. Follow familiar routines, play familiar games, and spend a lot of time just hanging out together while watching TV or reading.
14. Don’t forget to visit your new City Hall or local animal shelter to obtain a new license for you pet.
15. Feel free to print our Pet Owner Relocation Checklist to help you and your pet in your move.

Tags: cats, dogs, Pet Care Articles, pet safety

Here is a list of common foods that are generally safe to feed your dog. Just remember that any kind of food in large amounts is not healthy for dogs or humans.

Starches

• Rice
• Pasta
• Oatmeal (good for sensitive stomachs)
• Potato (green parts, eyes, and sprouts removed)
• Wheat Flour

Meats

• Chicken
• Turkey
• Pork
• Beef*

*It’s up to you to determine the chances for E Coli. and/or Mad Cow Disease. Ground meat is more likely to contain parts carrying Mad Cow. Our cats and dogs have only eaten free-range New Zealand Beef.

Vegetables

• Green beans
• Cabbage
• Green Peas
• Spinach
• Celery
• Carrots (best if cooked)
• Lettuce

Fruits [Read more →]

Tags: cats, dog food, dog treats, dogs, fruits, homemade dog food, Pet Care Articles, pet health, pet safety, vegetables

We are often horrified by the vast amount of misinformation concerning toxic foods passed around on internet pet website forums. For instance, we once read a post by a cat owner telling everyone that she fed her cat grapes all the time, when in fact grapes can be fatal to pets, causing acute kidney failure. We’ve seen many similar posts where pet owners tell others that their pet just loves a certain type of fruit or vegetable and that it is absolutely safe for other owners to feed it to their pets.

So here we have compiled a basic list of common foods that are toxic to house pets. Some of these foods may jsut make them ill while others are very poisonous and are downright fatal. Please note that this is not a complete list but just some of the more common items; just because something is not on this list does not mean it is not dangerous to your pet. We recommend visiting the ASPCA Poison Control Center and veterinary websites for more information. We have found that different sites offer different information, and below are the most common items found.

Tip: While many foods are not dangerous, it is a good idea to avoid feeding large amounts of any one food item.

[Read more →]

Tags: dogs, food, Pet Care Articles, pet food, pet health, pet safety

Your dog may be hot even at temperatures that are comfortable for you. Help him stay cool with cold snacks and meals. After exercising or outdoor activity, wait for your pet to cool down a bit before offering cold water or food. If your dog is very hot, spritzing him in the mouth with a spray bottle is healthier than gulping down water.

• Frozen peeled bananas
• Refrigerated sliced apples with cores and seeds removed
• Hard boiled eggs (chilled)
• String cheese – Skim milk mozzarella
• Cold salad with a tiny drizzle of oil (keep to the basics – lettuce, tomato, cabbage – no onions)
• Peanut butter sandwich
• Jello— Not the colorful sugary kind, make your own with natural flavoring and Knox gelatin

[Read more →]

Tags: dog food, dog treats, dogs, food, fruits, Pet Care Articles, pet health, summer, vegetables

Because of their furry coats, dogs feel the heat sooner than we do, and muscular dogs are probably even warmer as muscle mass produces heat. If you feel hot, your dog is probably even more uncomfortable. Heat stroke is very dangerous and can cause brain damage, so keep a close eye on your dog during warm weather. Dogs do not sweat but rather pant to eliminate body heat, so if your dog is panting, try to help him cool off by doing some or all of the following:

• Let dogs in stay in the house whenever possible.
• Tie a wet bandanna around your dog’s neck to help keep cool.
• Make sure there is plenty of fresh water available at all times.
• Drop an ice cube or two in his water to help cool him down.
• Freeze large chunks of ice in plastic containers and give it to your dog to lick during the hot hours of the day.
• Feed chilled food and snacks. Check out our suggestions for Good Hot Weather Snacks for Your Dog and feel free to try some of our Favorites Recipes.
• If you dog has very long hair, you might consider clipping at least a little during the summer.
• Try to keep your dog calm during hot hours. Save playtime for later in the afternoon or evening when the temperature has decreased.
• If your dog is restless, give him a toy or treat such as a stuffed Kong Dog Toy to keep him occupied and relatively still.
• Vomiting is a sign of heat stroke. Call or see your veterinarian if your dog is vomiting or even panting excessively.

Tags: dogs, Pet Care Articles, summer