Home » Archive by category "Dog Health" (Page 6)

Reasons to Spay or Neuter Your Dog

Photo: Douglas Aanimal Shelter After purchasing or adopting a new dog, you may be given the decision whether to spay or neuter. Most reputable breeders or dog rescues will require the dog be sterilized, but if given the option, there are many reasons why the small investment is the right decision. I really suggest you read my article named “Do Your Truly Want That Puppy? Be Prepared for What They Don’t Tell You!”, this subject is one of the reasons New Dog Owners was created! Contrary to popular belief, raising puppies is not “fun” Many pet owners decide not to spay or neuter their dogs because they feel that having at least one litter of puppies would be an enjoyable experience for the entire family. However, owners do not consider that puppies require round-the-clock care for the first 8 – 10 weeks of their lives. The mother, no matter how...
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Benefits of Group Dog Walking

Dogs, just like humans, require daily exercise in order to remain happy, healthy, and free from boredom. Important benefits of regular activity include improved circulation, disease prevention, reduced risk of obesity, socialization, bonding, and improved behavior. According to a 2014 study led by Purdue University, about 40% of Americans walk their dogs regularly. For these 40%, and the remaining 60% who do not make it outside for a daily walk, finding a group to walk with can help break up routines or provide necessary motivation. Dog walking groups can be found in nearly every city or town across the country. Breed enthusiasts, dog training facilities, local pet stores, and even animal rescue organizations organize daily, weekly, or monthly meet ups. Groups typically embark on hour-long walks along trails or bike paths, allowing dogs and humans to explore new areas of town and interact with new dogs and humans. The benefits...
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4 Ways to Exercise High-Energy Dogs While Keeping You Active

Having a high-energy dog can sometimes feel like a full-time job. Without proper exercise, socialization, and mental stimulation, your house can quickly look like a tornado. For some breeds, such as Siberian Huskies, German Shepherds, or Border Collies, pet owners feel as though they need to be marathoner runners just to keep their dogs tired and calm. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to keep a high-energy dog exercised, and not every method requires a high level of athleticism from the owner. Listed below are only a handful of examples. Running Running can tire out a dog in approximately half the amount of time it may take when walking. For someone who is an avid runner, this option seems like a no-brainer; however, for pet owners who are not interested in going for a run, there are a number of alternatives. For one, nearly every dog can be trained to run...
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Stop the Stink! Getting Rid of That ‘Doggie Smell’

Paws up, mutt lovers – would someone be able to tell if a dog lived in your home, simply by smell alone? We all may love our best doggie friends, but sometimes we don’t realize just how smelly they can be, and although we’re used to a hair or two (or maybe more), most of us would prefer that ‘scent of wet dog’ isn’t the first thing that visitors smell when they walk through our door. In spite of our best efforts and the use of air fresheners, though, sometimes that distinctive odor just won’t leave. What next? Let’s look at a few ways that you can decrease that unappealing ‘unseen presence’. To start with, you want to be quick about cleaning up any messes right away. Young puppies and senior dogs are going to be the biggest culprits when it comes to accidents, so stockpile supplies like old towels,...
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Feeding Your Dog

If dogs are your best friends, then you definitely need to feed your best friend the right and safe food. Usually, new dog owners are clueless when it comes to knowing which food suits your pet dog the best way. Indeed, like any other living creature, dogs demand certain essential ingredients to keep them active and healthy. Therefore, as a dog owner, you should be aware what to feed and what not to! Real Food: Chicken, turkey, beef, and vegetables: no, these are not exclusively ‘people food’. In recent times, it has been suggested by the vets and other experts that dogs require these nutritional food items which allows them to develop their physical strength and senses. Therefore, feed them with the necessary food components! Meat is the Real Deal: Recent studies have revealed that real meat is the best food for your dog; nothing else even comes close! But...
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Dealing With Dog Diseases

Dogs are likely to catch certain dangerous diseases, and these if not treated immediately, may cause further health problems. The key is that owners take responsibility of addressing the disease in time so that necessary steps can be taken to eradicate the disease as soon as possible. Admittedly, a disease-free dog is one which is healthy and active! Canine distemper is caused by an extremely contagious virus through tiny particles present in the air or respiratory secretions of infected dogs. Such infected dogs usually develop watery eyes, fever, runny nose, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea etc. Such a disease, if not attended to within the timeline, may even become fatal. However, there is an effective vaccine available now to protect your dog from this deadly disease, which is considered a “core” vaccine and thus applicable to every dog! Canine influenza is another common disease found in dogs, and is caused through respiratory...
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Ready, Set, Play! Five FAQs about Dog Sports

Most of us love to play games with our dogs – fetch, ‘find the treat’, and hide and seek can be phenomenally fun things to do together. What about getting involved in a sport or activity with your furry friend, however? If your dog could speak, they’d probably be delighted to spend more time with you while being able to fully use the instincts and abilities they inherited from their canine ancestors. Dog sports are a fantastic way to keep your pup physically fit, but they also keep boredom at bay and can really help to enhance the bond that you share too. What if I don’t have a ‘sporty’ dog like a Border Collie? The great thing about dog sports is that there’s something for every breed and size of dog! Canine agility, flyball, and Rally obedience are all activities that allow dogs from Chihuahua size and up to...
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Tooth Troubles: Does Your Dog Have Dental Disease?

Confession time, dog lovers – how many of you brush your dog’s teeth every day? We bet that many of you out there don’t do it all that often, in fact; veterinary statistics show that most dog owners underestimate the importance of regular dental care for their dogs, while some may not even realize that their dog is experiencing serious tooth troubles. Why is this? We have no problem taking care of our own teeth; brushing, flossing, and visits to the dentist are all part of our own regular health care routines, so what prevents us from doing the same for our dogs? Well, the answer isn’t simple, of course. To begin with, not many of our furry friends are thrilled about having their mouths invaded in the first place, so it can be easier to simply give up on dental care instead of wrestling your pup to get a...
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The ‘Ouch’ Years: Tips for Improving Your Senior Dog’s Mobility

There’s more than a few more grey hairs on his muzzle, and he sleeps twice the hours in the day that he used to do; it’s safe to say that your dog is definitely entering his golden years. Although our canine companions still have the same enthusiasm for life, there comes a point in every dog’s life when their body says ‘not now’ when they want to chase that ball or sprint after a squirrel. It’s pretty common for our dog’s joints to develop arthritic changes as they age, and along with a trend towards muscle wasting as they become less active, many dog lovers notice that their pooches lose a significant amount of mobility and flexibility too. Because our dogs can’t actually tell us how they’re feeling, their behavior speaks for them. Pain may be obviously apparent; maybe it hurts to bend down to the floor to their bowl,...
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3 Free Activities You Can Do With Your Dog

If you are all out of rainy day money to take your pup on vacation or want something that you can just get up and do right now with no special equipment, transportation or money then you will want to keep on reading! Many free activities exist that can occupy your dog’s time, mind and use up any excess energy he may have. Take A Walk The good, old fashion walk around the block can do so much for you and your dog. Just put his lead on and go! Walking does more than just give you two exercise, it also provides mental stimulation for your pet as he is able to sniff and interact with other things he normally wouldn’t, including other people, dogs or even simply sniffing the roses! Play Fetch with Anything! While typical dog toys, tennis balls or rope toys make up the majority of things...
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