Obesity is one of the most prevalent disease affecting dogs today. The frequency of obesity has increased greatly in recent years, due primarily to overeating and lack of exercise. Dogs are not much different than people in this respect. But how do we know if our dog is overweight? A check-up with your veterinarian is always best, especially since he has your dogs records from his last exam and can compare weight as well as any other clinical indicators. However, you can p...

Dogs need different diets at different ages. Yes. This is true. For example, the puppy needs milk as the major food item while an adult dog may need beef or chicken in addition to the boiled egg and milk. So depending on the age factor, the diet schedule varies in reality for the dogs like any other species. This makes perfect sense if you think about it. We as humans have different dietary requirements as we grow older as well. Aging may require the increased intake of ce...

For most dogs, puppy hood lasts for about the first year of life. During this time, the puppy needs higher levels of minerals like calcium and phosphorus, protein, vitamins, and energy (Calories) than it will as an adult. Foods fed to young, growing dogs should contain these higher levels of nutrients. Pet foods in this group will usually be labeled as ?puppy food? or ?canine growth? to distinguish them from foods designed for more senior dogs. However, you should always k...

Behavior problems are at the top of the list of unhappy dog owners. Each year dogs are abandoned, put out of their adapted homes, or put to sleep because of bad behavior. Destructiveness, excessive vocalization, and house soiling are the most common signs of separation anxiety. These bad habits occur when the dog is separated from its owner. Dogs are considered pack animals, so they prefer to be part of a group, and have a ?pack leader? to follow and look up to. The dog?s ...

Dog training collars can be really helpful for many dog owners. There are various different styles to choose from and they are all there to help you to control your dog. The Main Features of a Dog Training Collar As mentioned, each different dog-training collar is different from the next. There are some that are designed to fit around the dog?s noses, which control the direction of the dog. They are generally attached to the lead and every time the dog is pulling or you...

There are not many situations in life where two passions meet, and in some rare cases they even compliment each other in such a way that it almost seems natural that they are combined. The passion for pets and especially birds is very unique, although many people enjoy having pets, the bird owner can be a very different character than the average pet lover. Birds are creatures of delicate beauty, they are also capable of the one thing humans wish for the most and can not h...

Preventing your dog from becoming overweight is much easier than loosing the weight once it is there. Dogs, like people can put on the pounds if they consume too many calories. Age and activity level are the two most important values in determining how much we should feed our dogs. The calorie requirements change for all dogs during their life. Younger dogs and puppies require the greatest amount of calories, proteins, and minerals due to their growth and almost unlimited ...

The Working Dog group includes most of the guard dog breeds such as the Rottweiler and Doberman Pinscher as well as the northern sled dogs such as the Alaskan Malamute and the Siberian Husky. Most of these dogs need lots of exercise and a fair amount of living space. Many of these dogs have thick double coats and can be heavy shedders. The heavy shedding breeds include the: Akita, Alaskan Malamute, Great Pyrenees, Newfoundland, Saint Bernard, Samoyed and Siberian Husky. The t...

The Toy Group includes most of the very small and miniature lap dogs and apartment-sized companion dog breeds. Toy dogs play a critical role in the lives of people that live alone and their presence can have beneficial effects on the health of the sick, the elderly and the housebound. Toys are popular companion dogs for people living in cities and adapt well to apartment life. Many Toys distrust strangers and make great watchdogs and don't need a lot of exercise beyond what t...

The best possible leash to get is one of flat leather or nylon webbing, preferably half inch wide or more. You may have to shop around to get, for pet stores and department stores go in heavily for fancy and useless plastic leashes, thin leather ones and even chains. Avoid all of these. Any very thin leash of any material will cut into your hands if you have to use any force on it (and sooner or later you will). Make sure it is of good leather or solid webbing, with a loop...