3 Dog Nutrition Myths

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If you are thinking about adding a pet to your family or you have recently done so, one thing you need to get right is nutrition. After all, a healthy diet is important for all of us! However, the trouble is that there is a lot of misinformation out there today regarding what you should feed a dog. So, with that being said, in this blog post, we decided to put some of the most common myths to bed. Let’s take a look at these myths in further detail…

A dog’s age doesn't matter when choosing a diet - Feeding your dog a diet that is designed for a certain stage in their life is the preferred option. This will ensure that nutrition-related health risks that are unique to a particular breed or lifestyle are minimized. Life-stage nutrition is the term used to describe the process of feeding your dog a diet that is designed to meet its nutritional needs based on the dog’s physiologic state or specific age. This will ensure your dog has optimal nutritional benefits.

Dogs can only be healthy if fed a raw diet - This is another myth that a lot of people tend to believe today. However, there has been no scientific evidence to prove that raw diets are superior in a nutritional sense for dogs when compared to commercial diets and homemade food. An animal is only healthy if it consumes all of the essential nutrients it needs in the correct proportion.

Dogs should not be fed table scraps - Last but not least, there are lots of different articles online that state you should never feed your dog table scraps. However, table scraps don’t always mean unhealthy food. Of course, you shouldn’t simply throw your last slice of pizza into your dog’s bowl. However, some food scraps are healthy, for example, lightly steamed vegetables, rice, and pasta. 

There are a number of foods that can be given alongside nutritious veterinary supplies. Nevertheless, you do need to educate yourself, as there are also a number of vegetables and fruits that should never be given to dogs because they can cause a range of medical problems. This includes the likes of tomatoes and lemons, as well as other highly acidic fruits, and garlic, onions, avocados, grapes, and raisins.

As you can see, there are a number of myths about dog nutrition, and those mentioned in this blog post are only a mere handful. Hopefully, though, they have helped to give you a better understanding regarding what you should and should not feed your dog. If you are unsure, it is always best to talk to your vet. After all, your dog’s diet will be impacted by a number of different factors, including breed.

Weather Plays a Role in Training Dogs for Detection Work

Bloodhound- Wrinkledpups Daisy Mayham photo by A. Higgins

Weather plays an important role in training dogs, so let's talk a little bit about training your dog in the foul weather conditions. 

When working a search dog one has to work in all weather conditions and all possible situations in order to expose the dog to different environments and scenarios so that the dog and handler is familiar with each event or condition they may encounter in a real incident. This also teaches the dog and handler how to problem solve and work those situations better. 

This is also true with time of day and day of the week. 

People get lost in all types of weather, any time or day and many times the weather is why they are missing, such in floods or tornadoes. Disasters are often weather related so it makes sense to train with your dog in all types of weather plus most dogs do not mind the weather like we do but some do.

I have met many dogs that prefer to stay indoors in bad weather. I had a bloodhound named Yeti who even as a young pup refused to step into the rain. I would open the back door to let her in and she would be against the door standing four feet planted on the door frame. I could never figure out how she did that with four feet and fit in the door when she was grown up she would fall into the house from leaning on the door ! But pull out a harness and leash then out the door she would go to track anything down, rain, snow or hail. 

What matters is how fun we make training or work for the dog because they will go along for the fun of it, especially if they find it interesting.

All weather conditions affect the search scene and how the search will be handled by the dog and handler because of environmental changes that happen to the scent particles  when exposed to different variables. These variables can be temperature, moisture, humidity,wind, terrain  just to name a few. There is a whole science behind scent and weather.  

Keep in mind, you and your dog constantly learn from each incident or training because each incident is different in one way or another, no two are the same.  With scent dogs, no location is the same tomorrow as it was today because scents constantly change and move which is why it is important to work in all weather. 

Amber

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Safety Measures While Keeping Your Pooch Active In Winter

Keeping active in winter is tricky for everyone. For new pet owners, however, keeping their dogs active and fit during the cold season can feel like an impossible challenge if you lack experience. Indeed, despite their natural coat, dogs can feel the cold too. If you’re planning on enjoying the great outdoors, you need to make sure that you can play safely with your dog during wintertime without putting your pet at risk of hypothermia or other cold-related issues. 

What are the precautions you need to take to keep your dog healthy? 

You need to understand that there is a variety of different cold weathers and a variety of dogs, all different in size, coat, strength, and health. Your role as an owner is to find the right balance to keep your pooch active in winter.

Should your let your pooch play in the snow?

Your dog needs exercise no matter what

First of all, dogs need to stay exercised to maintain both their mood and their health. Thankfully, your dog’s needs are simple so that going for a walk can act as an exciting exercise for your pet. 

Regardless of the season, you should walk your dog at least twice a day, morning and evening. You can alternate routes and pace to entertain your dog and keep the walk enjoyable. Ultimately, even if you can’t do anything else in winter, going for a walk can be plenty of fun and exercise even in winter.

Be mindful of rain and deep puddles

However, the winter weather can force you to consider safer and more accessible paths to avoid puddles and cold water. Indeed, your dog can suffer from hypothermia if they jump in freezing water. 

You want to make sure that you keep young and excited pooches on a tight leash in winter to stop them from jumping into cold lakes and rivers during your daily walks. It’s a good idea to invest in a waterproof leash to maintain your grip even under the rain! If your dog jumps and swims into the water despite your best efforts, always try to dry her coat as soon as possible.

Protect your pooch

While some dogs have a thick coat such as Siberian Huskies, others tend to have a thin coat and suffer more in the cold, such as Greyhounds. Dogs who are used to cold temperatures and have double-layered coats handle the winter weather much better than others. You can help your dog make the most of your daily walks by investing in a pet-jacket or coat to protect her. You can also prep the paws using balms and sticking to proper grooming techniques. Cleanse your dog’s paws after a walk to remove all the toxic salt and de-icer. You can also use little boots to keep her feet healthy.

Should you adjust the diet?

Last, but not least, there’s no denying that body fat is designed to keep us warm. That being said, it doesn’t mean you can allow your pooch to put on weight in winter. However, you can focus on a vitamin-rich and nutritious diet that provides all the elements your dog needs to maintain her weight during the cold months. Be careful not to overfeed her!

Keeping your dog active in winter is not about the amount of exercise you prepare for her, but how you ensure that the outdoors time remains safe and healthy. From keeping your dog away from cold bodies of water to protecting her paws, beware of the risks of winter!

Pamper Your Pooch With These Seven Suggestions

We humans are biologically built to be selfish. We make a conscious choice to be selfless with our time and our love, but when it comes down to it, we do what we can for survival. Dogs? Dogs will put themselves at risk to save our lives - and sometimes, we don’t deserve it. 

Dogs are the animals in our lives that will do everything to make us happy, from the moment we walk in through the door after work to the moment they beg for a walk, all dogs do is try to make us happy and stay loyal. Dogs are so much more than just pets, too. 

They are hunters, they are protectors, they are intuitive beasts that can sense more than we know, which is why there are dogs out there that can sniff out illness, drugs and even rescue people from harrowing situations. For all their loyalty and their love, dogs need to be pampered.

Pampering your pooch is so much more than just chucking them a treat every now and then. Our pets get the best attention and loyalty from us, and we have to put the effort in to make our dogs feel as loved as they make us feel. And the best thing is that our dogs love to be pampered as much as we love it. 

They love to know that they’re loved, as they show us every single day just how loved we are. With all of that in mind, here are seven ways that you can spoil your dog and make them happy, enhance their lives and making them feel loved.

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Make Your Treats Homemade.

There’s nothing wrong with the shop bought treats; they’re convenient and they’re sold as products designed for dogs. However, homemade treats? So. Much. Better. You would rather a home cooked roast dinner over a microwaved meal, right? Your dog will agree, too. Baking dog treats at home with these recipes can be so much better nutritionally for your pet. Not only can you make high-quality treats, you can make them as natural as possible. Homemade treats really go down well and you can really see their happiness at your effort.

 

Doggy Spa Day, Anyone?

Good grooming, that’s all. Dogs are the ones that look forward to a pet, a bath and a brush, and positive grooming experiences can leave your dog feeling amazing. Take your dog to the groomers for a bath, brush and a cut if necessary. You can also hire people to come and make your dog feel relaxed and calm as part of the experience with doggy massage. Pooch spa days are very popular, and you can have your dog feeling secure and reinvigorated whenever you book them in.

Plan A Pooch Vacation.

We love to take our dogs away from home for a while and go for hikes in the forests, wanders in the woodlands and gambols in the green. No one likes to put their dog into boarding if they can avoid it, but there are special dog boarders that is almost like a luxury dog vacation! Pet resorts are a thing, and they get walked group play and one to one time with a professional puppy person. You don’t have to board your pet if you don't want to, because luxury dog carers who live in their own home or who can come to yours exist!

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Pay For Doggy Day Care

You’re at work all day, and that’s not always fair for your dog. If you spend a lot of time away from your dog, you’re going to have to consider how much interaction they’re getting. Doggy day care can give your pet a chance to get out, run around, train and feel secure and loved while you aren’t there. The socialization is great for them and the constant running around can make them happy and tired for being ready to be at home again. You can even find daycare facilities that will collect and drop off your dog!

Vets, Ahoy!

The dog doesn't like going to the vet. You don't like taking your dog to the vet. However, it’s one of those things that we have to do even when we don’t want to. A part of pampering your dog is to ensure that they are healthy from teeth to toes, and it’s one of the ways that you can spoil your dog. His health is important, as is yours, and you can really help your dog to feel calm and happy purely by making sure that their vet appointments were attended each time.

Backyard Heaven

You have the space, and your dog needs the exercise. If you create a backyard heaven for your dog with a fence to keep them secure, shelter from the elements and a self-filling water dish that your dog can drink from when they want to. You can even add in a little zone where they can dig down and get muddy without ruining the rest of your garden. If you have a cat, and they’d be okay with it, install a doggy door to the house so yours can come and go as he pleases.

Sleeping Time

Your dog is likely to want to sleep on the sofa or up on the bed where you sleep. However, that’s not always okay! You can buy your dog a stylish bed or area to sleep piled with lots of blankets and pillows to make their space comfortable. Older pets with arthritis will always feel appreciative of a heated bed with tons of pillows that’s easy to get in and out of.

Your dog needs to be pampered and all your pet wants is your time and to know he’s loved. Take the time to pamper your pooch and let him know that you care about his well being. Dogs pick up on a lot more than we think, and we should do what we can to show them as much loyalty as possible.