Dogs - Pet Food and Pet Supplies

Choosing Your Dog

When selecting a dog, get one based on your lifestyle. This is one of the most important factor when adopting a puppy. There are some dogs more suitable for the indoors and for apartments and small spaces, and there are others which are more suitable for the outdoors. Just like people, different dog breeds have different personalities, temperament, character and size, all of which should be taken into consideration. There is a wide variety of dogs with all the diverse qualities to choose from. Some thoughts and a little bit of research will help greatly when making this decision.

Before bringing a puppy into your family it is critical to know how to deal with it. You have to accommodate its needs, both physical and emotional. This means providing nutritious food and clean drinking water. It will have to be sheltered and protected from harsh weather which includes rain and snow and summer's heat and winter's cold.It is also important that the dog be kept happy by allowing sufficient play time and activity. Dogs are very social creatures. They love to be with people. They also go through emotional ups and downs just like humans, and attention has to be paid to their mood and body language.

Food For Your Dog

Although it may cost more, it is recommended to find high-quality commercial dog food rich in protein and fortified with the necessary vitamins and minerals in natural preservatives. These foods are formulated by professional nutritionists for a healthier and longer life of your dog. They will also provide for a more healthy and shiny coat, and your dog will suffer less from teeth and gum problems. The quality of food also affects their mood. They will be more happy and frisky with good quality food. Always look for dog food with meat listed as the first two ingredients. Avoid foods with meat byproducts and fillers such as corn, soya and excessive carbohydrates. Some of these may induce allergies in dogs. It is recommended that you feed your dog twice a day preferably before you eat your own meal. This will prevent them from begging at the dinner table. Avoid giving them excessive amounts of dog treats or people foods which can lead to weight gains and health problems. Do not give your dog any food items that may be hazardous to its health such as chocolate, bread, sweets, fruits and other people food.

Providing access to clean drinking water at all times is just as important as food. Remember, dogs do not sweat to maintain temperature control of their body. Instead, they pant to exhale hot air and pant to inhale cooler air to maintain temperature balance. In this process, they lose a good amount of body water. In the summer months, this is very pronounced. Attention must be paid to their hydration at all times.

With regards to vitamins and minerals, certain dog treats are specially formulated dog snacks that provide beneficial nutrients not found in most dog foods. You can start your dog's day off with a tasty way to help support his immune system and cardiovascular health.

Younger dogs and pups may require more of a high protein diet than older dogs. It is a good idea to consult with your veterinarian who may be able to recommend the right kind of food whether it is dry dog food or wet dog food and how often and how much to feed your dog for good health, good looks, good mood, enjoyment and the prevention of sickness and obesity.

Grooming And Caring For Your Dog

The hair on your dog and its appearance is a window to its health and happiness. Grooming is very important for your dog's good looks and its good health. When animals are born, their mothers groom them constantly to keep them clean. When they live in a group or a pack, they groom themselves and each other. When they live alone and as they get older, they need help. By owing a dog, you automatically become a surrogate mother, and your dog will depend on you for most of its grooming.

Attention has to be paid to its coat and hair, its ear, its nails and paws, and its teeth. Starting with its coat, a bath should be given every couple of months using pet shampoo which is milder than human shampoo. Its coat should be combed or brushed just as frequently. This will allow you to discover any cuts, scrapes or abrasions to its skin. You will also find out if there are ticks or any other parasites. In addition to keeping its coat clean, brushing will also help to reduce shedding and knotting. The recesses of a dog's ears are inaccessible for the dog to do anything about. It is one area where dust, dirt and wax can accumulate, and forms an ideal area for mites and fleas to live. This can make a dog very irritable and uncomfortable, and can lead to ear infection. Cleaning a dog's ears is not as simple and as easy as giving a bath. This is a specialized job which can be best done by your veterinarian. It is essential for the ears to be cleaned on a regular schedule. Get your dog grooming kit now!

A dog's nails will grow just like those of humans. However, when the nails get too long and project on the surface on which they walk, this can become more than an inconvenience. It can impede their walking and make it painful. It can also impact their posture. Sometimes, there are ingrown nails which can also cause discomfort and pain. If hair grows between their paws, then grooming is necessary to prevent the accumulation of dirt. From time to time, their paws have to be groomed and their nails have to be clipped. This could be challenging. However, if proper care is taken and if a treat is given after trimming, then the dog may cooperate without too much fuss. Only the dead part of the nail should be cut away, otherwise, it could be painful. When the nails are kept trimmed, the dog will maintain a better posture, walk more comfortably and be in less pain

Dental disease is very prevalent in pets. It is important to brush your dog's teeth regularly. Your pet will trust you more than anyone else to brush its teeth. Before embarking on this, practice to control its head and move it around. The dog will allow you if you are firm and gentle. While holding your dog's head firmly, use a suitable toothbrush with dog toothpaste which is a special blend and not detergent-based. Brushing regularly will prevent tooth decay and gum disease which can lead to secondary diseases from bacteria in the gum. Bacteria from this source can infect your dog's heart, kidneys and liver, and eventually destroy its health.

By grooming your dog and interacting at such a personal level, you will develop a very strong bond of love, trust and kinship with your pet. It will make your relationship very healthy and special.

Your Dog's Welfare

Make sure you have access to a good veterinarian who can answer all your questions and provide check-ups when needed. He can vaccinate your dog against all the common disease in the area and maintain a schedule for doing that. Treatments should be done regularly to prevent parasites such as roundworms, heartworms, fleas and ticks.

Every pet including your dog should be fitted with an ID chip which will help to locate it if it gets lost or is stolen. It is also a good idea to get pet insurance to cover unexpected health care costs that may arise from time to time. With pet insurance, you will feel more ready and confident to attend to your dog's health at the first sign og injury or sickness.

We must always think about the welfare of our dogs. In addition to their food and comfortable living conditions, dog attire is just as important. We all live in different climatic zones, and as such we are subjected to varying weather and temperature changes. Unlike many other domestic pets, dogs have to go outdoors to get their business done. In the warmer, southern climes, this is not as much of an issue as in the colder, northern climes. Remember, they feel cold just like we do. The smaller the dog, the worse it is. It is a good idea to get dog coats and dog boots for those windy and wintry days when they have to go outside and it is very cold and there are icy conditions.

To make your dog feel confident and happy while indoors, provide a dog bed in an area reserved just for him. This will set in its mind the sense of belonging and not as a sporadic intruder. He will always head to this area and not feel unsettled by roaming around in the house. He will have more peace of mind and suffer from less anxiety from being constantly on the look out to be shouted into a corner. A good dog bed should have an elevated portion for the dog to rest its head for it to feel more comfortable while relaxing or sleeping.

Exercising, Playing And Socializing With Our Dogs

Just like a young kid in a home, dogs are overflowing with a high level of energy and they need to let out some of that energy on a regular basis so as to remain calm. As such, the right type of exercise and the correct amount must be provided to fulfil this side of their lives. Dog toys can be provided as an interim measure to some types of dogs. However, by their nature, they need physical activities especially in the outdoors. Some need more than others. Basic walking once or twice per day is sufficient for most breeds. If you have a secured yard with high enough fence, you dog can be left unattended to roam and play on its own.

For anyone in colder climes, before proceeding outdoors, proper attiring must be provided to prevent frostbite. Alternatively, various types of indoor activities can be arranged including supervised treadmill activity.

Dogs are like little kids always looking forward to go on an excursion trip. Getting out of the house or apartment will perk them up. They get fresh air, physical activity, change of scenery, different smells, different sounds and a bounty of other excitements. This makes them happy. It boosts their good mood while at the same time lower their pent up energy and calm them down. Some dogs love to follow smell trails of other creatures. If you are not sure as to what type of exercise is good for your dog, it is always good to talk to a professional.

Training Your Dog

Dogs need mental stimulation to lead a happy life. This stimulation can be in the form of obedience training. It is important to teach your dog to sit, stay and come when called. Most dogs enjoy the one-to-one attention of a training session and these sessions help the dog to bond with you.

If you use reward-based dog training, in which only correct behavior is rewarded and no punishment is used, the experience of training will be a very happy and positive one for your pup. Train for around 10-20 minutes twice a day, depending on the concentration span of your dog. Always try to end each session on a positive note. Give a dog treat as a reward each time it obeys your command. You can use small treats. You can simply shower the dog with love when it does something correctly.

The choice of reward depends on what motivates your specific dog. Dogs don't understand our verbal conversation as much as they read us at a much more fundamental level of energy and emotional state They instictively know when you are projecting negative energy because you are feeling down or upset and they respond accordingly.

Services Dogs Provide To Us

Over the course of most of human history, dogs have always been our steadfast companions. They serve us in many varied capacities from protection, to policing, to hunting, to rescue services, to being a farmhand in rounding up our sheep and cattle on the farm, and to be our eyes and ears when we lose ours. In World War One, they were trained to find wounded and dying soldiers in the battlefield. In the Arctic, they are used as sled dogs. Border patrol uses them to detect drugs. Some fire departments use them for rescue purposes. Hunters used them to retrieve birds, ducks and wild fowls during their hunt. In the medical field, they are used as hearing dogs or for seizure and diabetic alerting purposes. Some police departments use them to capture criminals. Some dogs are designated as working dogs where they are trained to do simple tasks to assist their human companions. Many dogs are used on the farm and in rural areas to protect livestock from predators.

Above all, dogs have served to be our best friends and constant companions, and their therapeutic value in our lives is immeasurable. Your dog considers you as part of his family. Dogs by nature are pack animals and they automatically form strong bonds with their pack or family, and as such they provide emotional support by being loyal and affectionate companions especially when you are down.

The presence of a dog has a calming effect, and if you touch or stroke it, your mood will be improved if your are depressed. Dogs can produce psylogocial and health benefits very quickly and very easily to their human companions. In some cases, it is much faster than drugs. Petting a dog has an almost immediate effect in reducing stress. Many studies have been done indicating that people who have pets suffer from less stress and depression, and this is more pronounced for the elderly. Whether you are young or old, a dog or any other pet will have an enormous therapeutic value in your mood and adding to level of happiness in your life.

Owing a dog may lower your blood pressure. It offers you a loyal companion, walking buddy and lifelong friend, but there are proven health benefits to your heart health too. Dog owners enjoy not only decreased blood pressure readings but also a reduced risk of heart disease and fewer doctor visits.

Our Relationship With Our Dog

Our dogs are not only our best friends, sometimes they are our only friends. As Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36th President of the United States, once said "If you want a true friend, get yourself a dog." President Johnson kept his dog, Freckles, in the White House until she died in 1964 after swallowing a stone. In fact, every President, from down the line - since George Washington's American staghound called Sweetlips, Abraham Lincoln's Jip, Theodore Rooselvt' Blackjack, Herbert Hoover's King Tut, Franklin D. Roosevelt's Fala, John F. Kennedy's Charlie, Lyndon B. Johnson's Freckles, Richard Nixon's Checkers, Gerald Ford's Liberty, Jimmy Carter's Grits, Ronald Reagan's Rex, George H.W. Bush's Ranger, Bill Clinton's Socks, George W. Bush's Barney, to Barack Obama's Bo - has had a dog in the White House. The office of the Presidency of the United States is the most burdensome and loneliest job in the world. Whenever they are lonely, down and depressed, the Presidents have always turned to their dogs for cheer and comfort.

Whether it is the President of the United States or it is any any ordinary person on the planet, we all go through difficulties and challenges in life on a daily basis. Dogs, with their unreserved love and excitement to be with us, help us forget all of our problems, and they give us that mental detour when we need it the most. We are not complete without a dog in our lives. Each of us needs one. Always remember, our dogs love us unconditionally. They are always looking into our eyes to gauge our emotions and feelings, and they are always on the ready to make us happy and to do whatever we wish.

Dogs grow old as we do and they suffer from aches and pains as we do. They have similar emotions and feelings like us. Our modern day 'dog whisperer', Caesar Millan has gotten a good mastery of dog psychology, and we have all learned from watching his dog show. Our dogs do not ask for much. Our best return to them is to treat them well, provide comfortable living conditions, let them enjoy plenty of outdoor activities, provide them with healthy and nutritious dog food, and most importantly love them back with all our heart as much as they love us.

Shop Here For All Your Dog Food And Other Supplies

Food - healthy dog food will not only sustain your dog's life and protect its body but will also provide all the essential vitamins and minerals required for good health and all the many bodily functions. The first two ingredients should be meat and the food should also contain other ingredients such as salmon and flax seed oils to support healthy skin and coat. Cheap supermarket pet food are often composed of ground-up animal parts that are deemed unfit for human consumption. Choose high protein dog food fortified with vitamins and minerals.

Treats - these are a very important tool in positive reinforcement of good behaviour when training a dog. Treats should be used between main meals when your dog is in a calm state. You must be patient to wait for the right moment after your dog has done what you expected before rewarding with the treat. Keep in mind to always give a treat that is liked.

Toys - these are a very important part of your dog's life. They help to make your dog exercise so as to stay healthy, trim and happy. Your dog will be less bored and more energetic when playing with toys. Make sure you select toys that they like to play with, and make sure that they are safe.

Crates - occasionally, you will need to take your dog from one place to another. It is advisable to choose a kennel that is spacious enough to make your dog feel comfortable. It is good to keep in mind that dogs are outdoor creatures, and they always want to be free. The more spacious the kennel is and the less time your dog spends in it, the happier it would be. Choose your kennel thoughtfully if you need one.

Here, at Fuzzy Wuzzy Pet Store, you have a wide variety of high-quality dog food and dog products to select from. If you need any type of dog food or any other items for your dog, which is not on our displays, then enter it in the Search Box below, using 'key' words starting with 'dog', and describe it as best as you can. You will find plenty of choices for your dog. Please tell your friends and family about this site, and bookmark it for your next visit. We appreciate your visit. Thank you very much for shopping at Fuzzy Wuzzy Pet Store.

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