The following ten dog care tips are vital to your dog’s health and well being from puppy-hood to aging dog care needs. There are so many things that dog owners can do to optimize their dog’s health and prevent problems as their best friend ages. It’s important to act upon your dog’s health as early as possible. What I mean is, not to wait until your dog becomes ill to take notice of his health and nutritional needs.
The sooner, the better! Whether you get your dog as a pup or you adopt an older dog; whatever the age, start your dog on a routine to good health using the following dog care tips:
Dogs thrive on a variety of healthy foods including and especially quality protein. While there are now some excellent brands of higher end kibble, there are also some excellent brands of dehydrated dog foods. I feel dehydrated diets are just as convenient for dog owners and for dogs that eat there meals right away. These foods are a wonderful choice for dog owners who have a busy schedule, but want to feed their dog a nice meal. These all natural foods bridge the gap between feeding raw and home cooked. They are an excellent choice for any dog owner. You simply add warm water and you can serve your dog a nice plate of meat, veggies and fruit.
Regardless of what dog food you feed or what type of food you feed whether kibble, dehydrated, raw or home cooked; make sure it’s completely all natural. Kibble must be the highest of quality and there are only a few of those around.
6. Feed A Well Rounded Supplement
Provide a quality supplement to maintain good health in already healthy dogs and/or for pets with an illness. Always check with your Veterinarian if your dog is on any other medication or supplements before adding another. One of my favorite holistic Vets, Dr. Shawn Messonier recommends a product called Vim and Vigor which has a money back guarantee.
Like people, overweight dogs end up with so many health problems including heart and joint conditions. For some reason dog owners feel inclined to give their dog everything that they eat – - avoid doing this. One way to keep your dog happy and make you feel good about sharing people food is to develop a daily routine where he get’s his regular doggie dinner as well as a small portion (based upon size) of healthy table scraps after he eats his dinner.
This is what we do with our own dogs and have done for years. They eat their dinner and look forward to this additional small portion. Again, watch what you feed and avoid gravies, sauces and salty foods. Here’s an example: We have two large dogs, a doberman and a yellow lab – if we have spaghetti for dinner, I may give them a quarter cup each after they eat their own dinner. I limit the spaghetti sauce to a tiny amount.
NEVER vaccinate a sick pet, period. Trusted holistic veterinarians will use a blood antibody test called a titer test to determine what vaccines a pet may need. This test is easy and inexpensive, but unfortunately many vets don’t use it. It is believed that vaccines are linked to many serious diseases in pets, including autoimmune disease, thyroid disease and cancer.
Remember our dog care tips and the less immunizations the healthier our pets will be!
I was never comfortable with any of these products simply because, they’re POISON. This year I decided to start testing some of the all natural flea/tick control products on the market, so I could share it as part of my 10 Essential Dog Care Tips. So far, I’ve had great success and I’m happy to report that I will no longer use any of the traditional flea and tick treatments.
The sooner, the better! Whether you get your dog as a pup or you adopt an older dog; whatever the age, start your dog on a routine to good health using the following dog care tips:
1. Food and Nutrition
The first of my dog care tips is to feed your dog the best dog food you can afford. Don’t skimp with the quality of his food. There are many different ways of feeding a dog, unfortunately most dog owners rely on Kibble as their dog’s main source of nutrition. Kibble is a convenient way for pet owners to feed their pets, but not always the best for our dogs.Dogs thrive on a variety of healthy foods including and especially quality protein. While there are now some excellent brands of higher end kibble, there are also some excellent brands of dehydrated dog foods. I feel dehydrated diets are just as convenient for dog owners and for dogs that eat there meals right away. These foods are a wonderful choice for dog owners who have a busy schedule, but want to feed their dog a nice meal. These all natural foods bridge the gap between feeding raw and home cooked. They are an excellent choice for any dog owner. You simply add warm water and you can serve your dog a nice plate of meat, veggies and fruit.
Regardless of what dog food you feed or what type of food you feed whether kibble, dehydrated, raw or home cooked; make sure it’s completely all natural. Kibble must be the highest of quality and there are only a few of those around.
2. Routine
Dogs love routine and they rely on it. Dogs with a steady routine are typically calmer and more secure. Although life can often get in the way, try and feed, walk, play and let your dog out at the same time every day.3. Walking and Physical Exercise
This is one of the dog care tips that many dog owners ignore. They believe that since they have a nice fenced in yard, that’s enough. The truth is that dogs are social and they do best when given the opportunity to sniff their way around the neighborhood. This sniffing tells them who’s been there (male or female, dominant or docile, etc.). The actual walking and exercise is vital for any dog, as well as doggie owner. A daily walk is bonding time with the pack and “yep, you’re the pack”!4. Play/Interact
Spend time with your dog. Provide a little fun time by throwing his ball a couple of times or just including a little hands on playing. I always say, “an active dog is a young dog”.5. Grooming and Cleanliness
Keep your dog clean! Did you know that this is one way to cut down on your dog’s allergy issues. Dogs with allergies and yeast issues MUST be kept clean. Keep his bedding clean as well. The following two dog care tips MUST also be done routinely: clean his ears weekly and use an oral spray (or brush his teeth) regularly. Don’t ignore either of these dog care tips.6. Feed A Well Rounded Supplement
Provide a quality supplement to maintain good health in already healthy dogs and/or for pets with an illness. Always check with your Veterinarian if your dog is on any other medication or supplements before adding another. One of my favorite holistic Vets, Dr. Shawn Messonier recommends a product called Vim and Vigor which has a money back guarantee.
7. Weight Control
Dog care tips #7 is critical. Maintain your dog’s weight at all times. If you want your dog to be healthy, don’t over feed treats and left overs. While it’s o.k. for Fido to have his favorite cookie and a little table scraps; be diligent with how many treats your dog gets daily and by spreading out the the table scraps over a few days or so. Never share people foods such as chips, candy and bread.Like people, overweight dogs end up with so many health problems including heart and joint conditions. For some reason dog owners feel inclined to give their dog everything that they eat – - avoid doing this. One way to keep your dog happy and make you feel good about sharing people food is to develop a daily routine where he get’s his regular doggie dinner as well as a small portion (based upon size) of healthy table scraps after he eats his dinner.
This is what we do with our own dogs and have done for years. They eat their dinner and look forward to this additional small portion. Again, watch what you feed and avoid gravies, sauces and salty foods. Here’s an example: We have two large dogs, a doberman and a yellow lab – if we have spaghetti for dinner, I may give them a quarter cup each after they eat their own dinner. I limit the spaghetti sauce to a tiny amount.
8. Vaccinations – Yes or No?
Currently in the United States, the only vaccinations dog owners are required by law to get for their dog(s) are rabies vaccinations. All others are not required by law. Depending where you live in the U.S., the rabies vaccine is either required yearly or every three years. However, your Vet probably won’t tell you, but the rabies vaccine is the same whether it’s labeled one year or three year. This means that ALL pets are being over vaccinated! Insist that your Vet use a vaccination with a three year label for rabies.NEVER vaccinate a sick pet, period. Trusted holistic veterinarians will use a blood antibody test called a titer test to determine what vaccines a pet may need. This test is easy and inexpensive, but unfortunately many vets don’t use it. It is believed that vaccines are linked to many serious diseases in pets, including autoimmune disease, thyroid disease and cancer.
Remember our dog care tips and the less immunizations the healthier our pets will be!
9. Parasite Control
Like most pet owners, for years I used the typical chemical induced products like Frontline to control flea and tick problems on my dogs. I noticed that each month my doberman would squirm when I placed the product between her shoulder blades and she remained sensitive in that area for days. My yellow lab would itch for several days as well.I was never comfortable with any of these products simply because, they’re POISON. This year I decided to start testing some of the all natural flea/tick control products on the market, so I could share it as part of my 10 Essential Dog Care Tips. So far, I’ve had great success and I’m happy to report that I will no longer use any of the traditional flea and tick treatments.
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