Archive for September 26th, 2009
What is Canine Separation Anxiety?
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Most dogs develop a deep and loving bond with their owners, so it makes sense that they would miss you when you’re gone, however there is a difference between this natural and healthy emotion and a much deeper problem. If your dog tries to dig out of your house when you are gone or is exhibiting severe issues about you not being around, he may be suffering from separation anxiety.
Dogs can become stressed out when their owners leave, much the same as a young child can become upset when their parents are away. Dogs exhibit these feelings in many ways, such as through destruction of things like furniture or by urinating/defecating on the floor. Read on for a few scenarios that are common among pets suffering from separation anxiety.
A year ago, Roscoe was an abandoned puppy—scared and lonely—when his owner found him. He now lives a happy life with a very caring and loving owner. One would think that Roscoe’s story is one with a simple, happy ending…until Roscoe’s owner leaves the house. Suddenly, the neighbors are complaining that Roscoe barks too much, and his owner often comes home to find furniture chewed, trash bins overturned, and scratch-marks on the door.
This is a very common case with animals with a past that includes abandonment. Although a rescued dog can live a happy life and be a great pet, they can still retain issues of feeling as though they will be abandoned again every time their owner leaves the house.
Max is usually a very good dog and rarely creates a fuss. He became a member of the family when his “mom” was pregnant. He was used to “dad” being gone at work most of the day, but was content to man the fort until dad got home to play. This had been the routine for about a year now. Then suddenly, mom starts disappearing during the day as well, and Max is scared and stressed at being left by himself all day.
Life changes can have a huge affect on a pet. This can be a number of things, such as the death of another pet or family member, changes in your work schedule (or the amount of time you’re with your pet decreases), or moving frequently.
There are ways to treat this, but nothing will work instantaneously. These are psychological issues that take time to overcome. For tips on handling doggy separation anxiety, read the Dog Food for Life eBook. You can also read their free Confidential Dog Food Report, which explains the harmful ingredients that are found in many name-brand dog foods, as well as the brands of food you should avoid or pursue.
Easily Build Cheap Chicken Coops
If you’re looking to build cheap chicken coop, there are some important tips that you should keep in mind that will effectively reduce your costs by hundreds of dollars. Many people wind up spending much more than they have to on their chicken coopss, so by making use of some smart strategies you can really save big.
Here Are Some Tips on Building Cheap Chicken Coops
Use A Mix Of Building Supplies
While you may want to error on the side of caution of using all cheap building materials since this might impact the structural integrity of the chicken coop over time, leading to you having to put forth a great deal of money to fix it up, if you combine some inexpensive materials with some that are of slightly better quality, you’ll be able to keep the coops strong enough while still reducing costs.
Knowing which materials you should purchase that are higher quality and which are okay to purchase lower quality though will be vital.
Choose Your Land Area Wisely
Subsequently, you’ll in addition poverty to put together bound to be you’re choosing the seat someplace you’ll build your chicken coops wisely. Since landscaping is quite expensive to work out, try if you can to absolutely achieve a well brought-up portion of realm to build the cheap chicken coops on.
True, this land may not be where you originally wanted to build the coops, but if it saves you hundreds of dollars in the process, isn’t it worth it?
The important thing here though is knowing what to look for in a piece of land. That will help you determine which is the best area to build your chicken coops.
Plan Your Windows Carefully
Finally, the last thing you should do to help save on costs for your chicken coops is to plan your windows carefully. Chickens require a great deal of natural light otherwise they are not going to lay their eggs effectively.
Used for this argue, you need to put together bound to be you’re keeping the place light as much as necessary and the top way to work out this is through natural light approaching in the sphere of from the windows. Unfortunately many folks work out not position as much as necessary windows in the sphere of their chicken coops, which in that case requires them to bring in the sphere of an electrical source of light, which can take place steep to obtain in the sphere of near and in that case in addition cost quite a smidgen to take care of.
Instead, put more thought into where you are placing your windows and how large they are and you’ll find that you will not need electrical light at all.
So, keep these points in mind. It is very possible to save hundreds of dollars on your chicken coops if you have the right place. Building a cheap chicken coop is not only a smart way to get fresh eggs everyday, but it’s a great long-term investment to have.
Could Your Dog’s Food Be Causing Poor Health?
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If your dog hasn’t been in the pinnacle of health lately, you might consider taking a look at his diet. Have you switched dog food brands lately? You might be surprised to learn that many commercial dog food brands are not supplying the nutrients that your dog needs to function in top health.
The first step in re-evaluating your pet’s diet is to understand which ingredients are necessary to promote good health, and which ingredients can be destructive to your dog’s health. We’re going to discuss the nutrients that your pet food should contain, as well as ingredients that are unhealthy or even harmful for your dog.
The most common nutrients your dog needs are protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins and minerals, as well as water. These nutrients have to be supplied in the right amounts so that they are properly digested and absorbed by the body. Remember that your dog, or any dog for that matter, is a carnivore, meaning his body mainly uses meat. Many dog foods on the market today contain large amounts of grains or vegetables, which are not nearly as beneficial to your dog as the protein found in meat. Any dog food you purchase (or make yourself) should contain, at the very least, forty percent meat. However, there are other sources, aside from meats, that dog food companies can derive the necessary protein from, such as plants and grains like corn, wheat, and soy.
The Dog Food for Life eBook contains tons of great DIY recipes for treats, everyday food, and even desserts for your dog!
Many dog food brands—even the top competitors—contain items that are not only inefficient as a source of nutrients, but down-right dangerous for your dog. If your dog’s food simply states that it contains “meat,” you might need to brace yourself for what you’re about to read next. The term “meat,” as it pertains to the dog food market could mean anything from euthanized animals from vets/shelters to road-kill. Other things to watch out for are unidentified fats, BHA and BHT, artificial colors, Menadione Sodium Bisulfate, Propylene Glycol, Brewers Rice, Cellulose, Ethoxyquin, Propyl Gallate, and Gluten.
To get a good grasp on which items make up the bulk of your dog’s food, remember that ingredients are always listed from largest percentage to smallest . If your dog’s food is primarily made up of chicken and lamb, those ingredients will be listed first, followed by the next item of significant quantity, and so on.
Now that you know what your dog’s food should consist of, take a look at the package to determine whether your dog’s diet is in need of change. If you are afraid your pet may be in poor health due to his/her diet, consult with a veterinarian immediately.
If you would like to learn more about dog food ingredients and which brands to avoid/pursue, go to Dog Food for Life.
How to Help Your Dog Lose Weight
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Have you begun to notice that your dog has become overweight? Or maybe your vet has mentioned recently that your pooch could stand to lose a few pounds. Either way, it can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint the source of your dog’s weight problem and create an effective (and safe!) form of weight loss. Read on to learn about the top cause of canine obesity and how you can help your dog drop that extra weight.
One of the main reasons for canine obesity is that dog owners feed their pet human food. It can be extremely difficult for us to resist the temptation to feed our dog leftovers to save it from going to waste, or for treating our dog with bits of human food. But in all honesty, we are seriously harming our dogs’ health.
While most people are aware that feeding a dog chocolate can be threatening to the animal’s health, there are other foods people do not realize can be harmful to a dog. Here are just a few of the “human foods” which can cause severe harm and even death to your dog: onions, coffee, apple seeds, peach pits, cherry pits, and plum pits, as well as macadamia nuts. Even though you may have fed these items to your dog before without resulting harm, you should be aware that continuing to feed your dog these foods could result in a medical issue that grows over time into a serious illness, possibly even death. You can obtain a much larger list of “bad-for-dog” foods at the Dog Food for Life website.
You may be asking yourself, “What if I don’t feed my dog human food? How can he still be overweight?” There are plenty of reasons why a dog may put on some extra weight. It could be anything from leaving his food dish filled so he can eat all day (usually an issue if you have an automatic dry food feeder) to an inactive lifestyle. Remember that pets adapt to the lifestyle of their owners…so if you aren’t getting enough exercise, chances are that your pooch isn’t either.
A great trick you can use to ensure that your dog feels full longer is the Green Bean Dog Diet. This diet requires that you mix green beans into your dog’s normal food. Green beans are very low in calories and have a good amount of fiber, which makes your dog feel full without causing him to gain weight. This is a great way to help him lose weight without having to put up with the incessant “I’m hungry!” whining.
If your dog is suffering from a lack of exercise, the obvious solution is to increase his outdoor activity. Although taking him out for a nice long walk is a great choice, it’s not the only one. If you aren’t able to walk, try getting a ball, Frisbee, or one of your dog’s favorite toys, then grab a chair to sit in and play a good ole’ game of fetch with him. On days when the weather is particularly nice, you could also take him for a dip in the lake. Swimming is an excellent exercise and will be a blast for your dog!
For other tips on doggy weight loss, visit Dog Food for Life.
Learn to Make Your Own Dog Food & Treats!
You may or may not be aware, but in February 2007, there was a dog food recall that included many of the top brands of dog food. These foods had been laced with melamine, an industrial chemical used to make low-quality wheat gluten and rice concentrate appear more nutritious. More than 5,300 pet food products were taken off the shelves after pets began dying all over the country.
You should be aware that there are other ingredients in dog food that are not entirely nutritious for your pet. While they will satisfy your dog’s basic needs—barely—they do not provide a nutritional and healthy diet. You can obtain a complete list by going to the Dog Food for Life Website.
If you want to be 100% positive that you are feeding your dog the most wholesome dog food, you can always make it yourself! Don’t freak out—this isn’t as tough as it sounds. Dogs require natural ingredients, mainly meat because they have need of larger amounts of protein. We’re going to list a few easy but completely nutritious recipes that are a cinch to follow. If you find you have a knack for making your own dog food, have a look at the Dog Food for Life eBook, which contains a great deal of excellent recipes for meals, treats, and desserts for your dog.
The first set of recipes provide nutritionally balanced meals that your dog is sure to enjoy!
Meat and Potato Meal
12 ½ cups of potatoes, chunked
3 pounds beef heart, cut into chunks
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 cup zucchini, squash, carrots or peas
6 tablespoons dog powder
4 teaspoons bone meal (Check the label, it should have 1300-1500 mg of calcium per tablespoon. If it doesn’t, adjust the amount you use accordingly.)
In a large pot, boil the potatoes until they become soft. If you choose to cook the meat, pour out half the water and add the beef heart chunks. Then simmer until they are no longer pink. Add the remaining ingredients. If you are feeding raw, pour off all of the water after you cook the potatoes, and just add the beef heart with the remaining ingredients.
Servings: Toy dogs: 1-2 cups, Small dogs: 3-4 cups, Medium dogs: 6-7 cups, Large dogs: 8-9 cups per day, Giant dogs: 9 cups per day
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Beefy Rice
2 ½ cups brown rice
3 pounds ground chuck (80% lean)
¼ cup dog oil supplement
1 cup zucchini, peas, pumpkin or wheatgrass sprouts (switch them out from time to time)
6 tablespoons dog powder
4 teaspoons bone meal (Check the label; it should have 1300-1500 mg of calcium per tablespoon. If it doesn’t, adjust the amount you use accordingly.)
Heat 5 cups of water in a large pot until it comes to a boil. Add the rice, turn the pot down to a simmer, and cover it. If you choose to cook the meat, add it now and cook it with the rice. Once the rice is cooked, add the remaining ingredients. If you are feeding raw, you’ll add your meat at this time as well.
Servings: Toy dogs: 1-2 cups, Small dogs: 3-4 cups, Medium dogs: 6-7 cups, Large dogs: 8-9 cups per day, Giant dogs: 9 cups per day
The next couple of recipes make great treats for your dog!
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Barking Barley Brownies
1 ¼ pounds beef liver or chicken liver
2 cups wheat germ
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 cup cooked barley
2 whole eggs
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt – optional
Pre heat oven to 350. Liquefy liver and garlic clove in a blender; when it’s smooth, add eggs and peanut butter. Blend till smooth. In separate mixing bowl, combine wheat germ, whole wheat flour, and cooked barley. Add processed liver mixture, olive oil and salt. Mix well.
Spread mixture in a greased 9×9 baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes or until done. When cool, cut into pieces that accommodate your dog’s size. Store in refrigerator. or freezer.
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Yogurt Pups
16 ounces plain non-fat yogurt
¾ cup water
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
Dissolve bouillon in water, Combine water and yogurt in blender and blend thoroughly, Pour into small containers for freezing, cover and freeze.
