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Should I provide my new puppy with supplements?

In order to ensure the optimal health of your puppy a quality premium diet is essential. However, there are times when your puppy’s diet alone cannot provide the essential ingredients or proper absorption necessary to support their daily maintenance, as well as their vigorous growth. A daily multi-vitamin such as Excel Daily Multi-Vitamins for puppies can help to ensure that your growing puppy get’s all the vitamins they will need for healthy tissues, strong bones, and overall good health.

Should I provide my adult dog with supplements?

In addition to feeding a quality premium diet to your adult dog it is important to remember that just like humans, dogs can benefit from the use of vitamin and mineral supplements. A daily multi-vitamin such as Missing Link provide your dog with the essential vitamins and minerals that their diet may be missing, while providing your dog with fatty acids to improve both skin and coat! Also, Missing Link is specifically formulated with foods, so “over-supplementation” should not be a concern.

Should I give my senior dog supplements?

Older dogs have more specific nutritional needs. Often, even if fed a quality premium diet, your senior dog’s body will not absorb all the essential vitamins and minerals needed to combat the effects of aging. Supplements such as Inhancer Joint Protection correctly balance the joint saving nutrients necessary for older pets to maintain their hip and joint health. Also, products such as Acidophilus For Digestion provide your older dog with the proper nutrients to aid in the reduction of constipation and other bowel related problems, which often occur in older dogs.

It is important to remember, that healthy diets, as well as supplementation are only a couple of pieces to your dogs health. Make sure to discuss these options with your veterinarian and peers. Especially today, there is a renewed interest in treating our pets, as well as ourselves naturally. Because of this, there is a wealth of products available to you, many times with little or no “real” information about them. At Dog.com, we pride ourselves on choosing some of the best, most noted products available today for your pets overall health and well being. We’ve done this since 1969, so that when it comes to your dog’s health, you know you can trust us, and that you can trust the products purchased from us!

Mike Steele

http://www.dog.com/

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Does your dog destroy most store bought chews, spending mere minutes gnawing away at the expensive treat you just bought for them? Dog.coms product experts have compiled a list of products they feel will keep your aggressive chewer happy, while saving you money!

Below are a few suggestions:

Thick N Chewy Rolls - Our product testers loved the thickness of these rolls and they lasted a long time! High in protein and low in fat these also have no knots to break off, making these treats safe, satisfying, as well as long lasting.

Compressed Rawhide - Does your dog love to just chew and chew and chew? These compressed rawhide bones are just what you need! Made from layers of beef hide formed under extreme pressure to create an extremely dense bone, Compressed Rawhide bones are ideal for very aggressive chewers.

Plaque Attackers - Super-chewers unite! Toys and treats such as Hercules Bones, Nylabone, Dingos and Chew and Brush Dental Bones feature raised bumps to massage gums and help remove dental plaque from teeth. Made from sturdy plastics, rawhide, or cornstarch, these treats last for hours while freshening your dogs breathe too!

Is your dog an aggressive chewer?

Aggressive chewers come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny little terriers, to large powerful Rotties! What’s most important is to know your dog, choosing the appropriate treats for both their size and temperament.

Treats can prove invaluable in rewarding positive behavior and in reinforcing behavior learned during training. They’re also a fun, inexpensive way to show your dog you love him. When choosing a treat, be sure to consider:

Intended use - if you plan to use treats during training, smaller treats are a good choice. They’re quickly consumed and provide minimal distraction from training tasks.

Frequency - if you plan to treat your dog often, consider smaller, lower-calorie treats which will help him stay slim.

Age & Health - puppies often prefer smaller treats, and seniors with sensitive teeth often prefer soft treats. Dogs with food sensitivities/allergies can benefit from hypoallergenic treats.

Pooches preferences - treats are available in several different shapes, sizes, and flavors sure to fit your dog’s unique tastes.

Mike Steele

http://www.dog.com/

Tags: dog, dog supplies, dog treat, dog treatsdog, dog supplies, dog treat, dog treats

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Aggressive Behavior

Dog owners must be aware of aggressive behaviors. A biting dog is a liability, and owners must treat this condition seriously. There are various causes of aggressive behavior, and in order to treat the condition, the source of the aggression must be identified and corrected.

Sometimes dogs bite as a defense mechanism, and are actually responding to underlying fears. Identifying the fear-provoking stimulus and reprogramming the dog to overcome his fears is critical in treating the problem. Corrections; especially harsh, physical corrections will intensify the fears and cause further “aggressive” behaviors.

However, aggression is not always associated with fear. Dogs can exhibit aggression for various reasons. Overly dominant dogs may aggressively respond to the presence of new dogs. Territoriality may underlie aggression. Dogs may act aggressive to dogs of the same sex; or they may exhibit aggression toward people. Some dogs are taught (either consciously or subconsciously) to exhibit aggression. Many of these dogs can be reconditioned.

Aggressive acts can be the first sign of underlying (and treatable) medical problems. Dogs who suddenly exhibit aggressive behaviors could be responding to pain associated with orthopedic abnormalities, gastro-intestinal discomfort or serious illnesses, such as cancer or tyroid imbalane. Diagnosis and treatment of physical illness is necessary to resolve associated behavior problems.

How should you respond if your dog bares his teeth or snaps at you? Take the action seriously, before the behavior escalates to more serious acts. Seek professional help immediately. Ask your veterinarian to recommend someone qualified in dealing with behavior problems. Not all dog trainers are equipped to handle aggression, but good professional help is available. Many trainers/behaviorists work in conjunction with veterinarians to treat aggression; occasionally using pharmacological approaches to treating aggressive tendencies.

Don’t rely on yellow page ads for direction in finding a behaviorist; a personal recommendation is critical in identifying qualified help. Consider consultation with a veterinarian who specializes in treating behavior problems. Aggression from dogs is intolerable, but often treatable.

For more information:

Aggressive Behavior
Helpful Dog Information

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