Secrets of Dog Training , Health And Food by Sara Adam , Madonna John - HTML preview

eeds, we have to look at how wild dogs survive and

what they eat .

In the wild, dogs live on rabbits, rodents, berries, and by scavenging. They only eat once a day on average, sometimes two to three days between meals. Domestic dogs' systems

are built on this same pattern of eating.

If we feed our dogs every day, they will store fat for lean times. However, if there is no lean time, they will only get fatter and fatter. Hence, fee

ding them two to three times a

day will lead to obesity.

An adult dog needs only one average size meal per day, and ideally should completely abstain from food one day per week to help burn excess fat. Canines should not be given sweets as these will only

increase their risk of obesity.

Grown dogs should not be given cow s

' milk, as it is far too rich and can cause gastric

issues. However, if you would still like to give your dog some milk, go for the special brands of dog milk, which can be bought at supermarkets. If your pet is overweight, be aware of how much you give him.

Several folks believe that desexing causes obesity in dogs. This is not completely true, since it is only the animal s

' interest in food that increases after desexing. Owners of

desexed canines should keep their pet s

' food intake the same as before. Instead, you can

offer raw bones, which will satisfy even the hungriest dog without adding any fat.

Various brands of diet dog food, which can help your pooch lose weight, are also

available. Bear in mind that dogs that are the right weight tend to live longer and have a more active and enjoyable life.

5 Different Ways To Exercise Your Dog :

Is your dog overweight? Are you overweight? Do you and your dog need some good

exercise? Well here are five different ways that you can help your dog exercise and at the same time help you as well. Exercise is something that is required for man and beast so why not do it together.

1. Are you a swimmer, what about your dog? Swimming is an excellent way for both of

you to get exercise without any trauma to the joints. If you don't have your own

swimming pool of course there's always the local river or lake where you can both enjoy a splash and get some exercise at the same time.

2. The most common way for people get exercise for themselves and their dog is by

going for a walk. You can walk through the neighborhood with your dog however some

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people feel that's a little boring. If you're one of those people you might try going for a hike. Simply throw the dog in the car and go to a local park that may have some great hiking trails. Be sure and take plenty of water for you and your dog as well.

3. Are you a jogger? In fact maybe you're preparing for the upcoming 5K. Well there

simply isn't a better jogging partner than your dog. However remember you may have to condition him the same way you conditioned yourself to get to the 5K level. Once he's able to do that distance I think you'll have a happy dog and will see some great results from the jogging.

4. Biking is another exercise that could include your dog. You may want to consider one of the attachments that actually attaches to your bike and keep your dog in the proper position on your ride. Just like with the running or jogging be sure to condition your dog to prepare for this type of exercise.

5. Last but not least if your dog enjoys chasing a ball, go out and throw that ball for your dog. In fact you can sit under the shade tree sipping on your Ice-T while your dog

retrieves and gets plenty of exercise. Of course if you have a dog that enjoys the Frisbee you can do the same thing with the Frisbee as well.

Keep in mind while exercising your dog to consider his overall physical condition don't try to do too much too fast which can cause problems. Also remember that a puppy

should not be doing as much running, jumping, etc. as an adult dog because we don't

want to do anything that could damage joints and bon

Chapter 3 : Dog Food

How Much Food Should I Give My Dog?

You would think that feeding your dog would be the easiest part of your responsibilities as a dog owner. Wrong again! You'll need to make some decisions and that means you

may have to do some homework.

First of all are we talking about a puppy or and adult dog? That will make a difference as to the amount of dog food required. When thinking in terms of food, puppies are typically considered adults at the age of 1 year at which time you would switch to adult food. If there's any doubt or concern about this, or if you just want to be safe, consult your Vet. Your Vet is a fabulous resource for any questions you may have and it's always a great idea to consult with him/her on anything concerning your precious pet.

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For obvious reasons, the proper feeding of your dog is extremely important. Over feed and you put your pet at risk for obesity and serious health issues. Under feed and you end up causing a problem dog that chews on toys, books, etc. and steals food off the counter or table and is constantly into the garbage.

How o

ften should you feed yo

ur dog?

Next decision... regular scheduled feeding or free feeding. Free feeding means that you keep food in the puppies bowl all the time and he/she eats whenever their hungry.

There are different schools of thought regarding free feeding. Some Veterinarians feel this is the best option for your puppy because they're growing quickly and may require more food one day than another. Others suggest feeding your puppy about 4 times each day.

My personal vote goes with the later. Here's why... Free feeding your dog can be difficult if you have other pets (trying to keep the other pets away from it). Then, when your puppy becomes an adult, one short year later, you'll need to retrain your dog to eat only once or twice each day. If you continue to free feed your dog throughout adulthood, you are setting the stage for an overweight dog and likely serious health issues.

Having said all of this, my recommendation would be to feed your puppy 4-6 times each day. They're little and have lots of energy. They need to eat often

to fuel their little

bodies and mature properly. Maintain a regular time schedule for feeding, and leave the food available f

-

or 15 20 minutes. Then take it away. If your puppy is hungry he'll eat, if

not he'll have another opportunity in a few hours. Upon adulthood reduce the feedings

-

to 1 2 times each day.

You'll notice that there are no absolute answers to the number of times each day to feed your dog. That's because there are so many variables involved in determining the

answer; age, size, breed, how much exercise does your dog get, is your dog underweight now or overweight, how many treats does he/she get each day. Each of these points

need to be considered before deciding how often to feed your pet. I absolutely

recommend that you consult with... guess who? Say it with me... your Veterinarian!

He/she can help you set up the perfect schedule for your pet.

What about that People food thing? Okay? Or not so okay?

The answer is... not so okay. Truth be told, in moderation, some people food is harmless.

However there are some foods that can be very harmful to your pet. For instance it isn't a good idea to trim the fat off your meat and feed it to your dog. This kind of fat overload can give your dog pancreatitis which causes chronic abdominal pains.

Ham & bacon are too salty and contain too much fat. This can cause your pet to have pancreatitis and, in some breeds, could ultimately result in bloat. Bloat is a potentially li -

fe threatening condition arising from your dog drinking too much water from the salty food.

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Large amounts of liver can cause vitamin A toxicity. This is serious because it affects the muscles and can cause deformed bones. Because vitamin A also has an impact on the

metabolism, severe weight loss and anorexia is also a concern.

Any dairy products like butter, cheese, and milk are harmful to your dog. They weren't designed to eat these types of food so their bodies can't digest them properly. The

consumption of these products could cause bloating and diarrhea in your pet.

ones

B

, particularly small bones from chicken and fish can get lodged in your pets' throat which can cause choking. Bones can also cause splinter and tear a dog's internal organs.

Cat food is much higher in fats and protein than dog food. Just like baby food, dog and cat food is designed with the specific needs of each animal in mind. The extra fat is not healthy for your dog and eating cat food instead of dog food means that your pet is

missing essential nutrients for his/her health. That's why it's called D

og Food and Cat

Food, not Pet Food.

Chocolate and caffeine are toxic to dogs and negatively affects their heart and nervous system. Chocolate can cause seizures, coma and ultimately death. One 1 ounce of baking chocolate can poison

-

a 10 pound dog. There are different kinds of chocolate some not as

toxic as others. But let's face it... does it matter? None of them are good for your pooch, so a BIG no on this treat.

Of course there's the obvious... drugs and alcohol are absolute no no's. You might find it comical to watch a tipsy dog, but I'm sure that you will not see the humour in knowing that the alcohol you gave him put your precious pet into a coma and possibly resulted in his death.

There are many other people foods that can cause serious health issues for your dog.

There is enough evidence that many foods are harmful for your pooch that the simplest solution is to just NOT feed your dog people food at all. Another bonus to this solution is that you will not have a dog that begs for food while y

ou eat at the table. There are so

many treats that have been designed especially for your pet that it really just makes sense to stick to those. What should you feed your dog?

Which is the best for your dog, dry food or canned food? That's the great debate. There are pros and cons to both, so... let's make a list:

Dry Dog Food Pros :

Helps keep dogs teeth clean from tartar

More nutritious

Dogs have better breath

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Easier to store

Easier to handle

More cost effective

Less likely to spoil

et

W Dog Food Pros :

More proteins included

Contains fewer preservatives

Contains less grain and more moisture keeps a dog hydrated and benefits the urinary

trac t

Is very flavourful, often the preferred taste for dogs

May be better if your dog has c

ertain health issues

Dry Dog Food Cons :

Not all dry foods are quality foods

Usually has more preservatives

Wet Dog Food Cons :

Sticks on dogs teeth causing tooth problems

Requires more dental treatments

Gives dogs bad breath

More expensive

Less healthy because it contains a higher fat content and more water

Once opened canned food can spoil quickly

Now that we've gone over the list of pros and cons, let me say that absolutely nothing is carved in stone. Your dog may have a health issue that requires him to eat canned

instead of dry. For example, dogs that have lost their chewing teeth or have dental

disease may not be able to chew dry dog food, and may only be able to eat canned food. I fostered a dog once that would only eat her dry dog food with 2 tablespoons of canned food mixed in.

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You will find that some experts promote canned food for puppies and switch to dry food for adult dogs. The obstacle with this is that it's difficult to make the switch.

You may have a dog that is a really picky eater or one that gulps his food with the speed of light and then throws up. These dogs need your help. Work out a plan with your Vet.

This article was not meant to have all the answers. It was intended to give you some things to think about. It's not as simple as "grab a bag of dog food from the store" and we're good to go. As a responsible pet parent, you've got some things to think about.

Now, talk to your Vet, ask your questions (be sure to ask for the rationale behind the thought), and together build your strategy. Wa

nt to discover the dog food secrets

download this eBook now from HERE .

Above all else, remember to hug your pet today.

Whi

ch Protein Is Best For Your Dog?

It's an age old question when it comes to dog food. Should I feed a chicken, beef, lamb or vegetarian based dog food? In fact today there is even a bunch more proteins to choose from when selecting your dog's food.

Personally I think I have gravitated to chicken based products over the years but I did that without really making a conscious decision to do so. It just happened that way.

One thing that I have found is that if we have a dog that develops allergies the first thing I do is switch foods. Yes if your dog is eating a beef based food and develops an allergy switch to chicken. If you are feeding chicken then try feeding lamb. I have found that the biggest percentage of times the allergy or even ear infection is caused by what you are feeding and a quick change can make all the difference in the world for your dog.

Over the years as my dogs have matured and become senior citizens I have seen some

dogs that never had an allergy develop a food allergy in their older years. Usually when this happens with a senior dog I switch to a hypoallergenic dog food such as venison. I even had one dog that had to go to a vegetarian food to keep from having ear infections.

I have also seen a couple of kennel and training facilities that were feeding a fished based product but they actually needed to cook beef and vegetables to add to the food in order to give adequate protein to the food. My question was why are you feeding this product if it doesn't have the needed nutrition for the dogs. The owner told me that the fish based product actually kept down the odor of feces in the kennel.

I don't know about you but for me having to cook for 60 dogs each and every meal is

more work that I want to do.

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The final thing I would like to talk about is raw food. There are those dog lovers out there that feel raw is the only way to go. They actually will purchase raw food that includes the guts and organs from cows from rendering plants. I have never fed raw

food but I do know many people who do and swear by it. They feel that this raw material is the best possible food for their dogs.

Dog Food: What's in a Label?

When you pick up a bag of dog food, there are three different places you can look for information about the ingredients: the front label, the guaranteed analysis, and the ingredient list. Understanding what the bag is trying to tell you though, is not as simple as you might think.

Decoding the Label

The FDA has put certain regulations into effect to control how dog food is labeled. This can make determining the general meat content of your dog food easier, but the

differences are subtle:

 Naming the meat specifically (e.g. Beef for Dogs) translates to at least 95% meat.

 Using phrases such as "Dinner," "Formula," "Platter," etc (e.g. Beef Dinner for Dogs) translates to between 25% to 95% meat.

 Using "with" (e.g. Dog Food with Beef) translates to at least 3.0% meat.

 Using "Flavor" (e.g. Beef Flavored Dog Food) has no set % of meat. It just needs to be a measurable amount.

There are also a myriad of words such as Gourmet, Premium, Holistic, and Human

Grade, which have no legal definition when applied to dog food marketing. This means dog food companies can use these terms whether their products are truly superior or

not.

De-Emphazising the Guaranteed Analysis

The guaranteed analysis provides the minimum or maximum percentages of at least

four vital nutrients:

1. Crude Protein (minimum): Necessary for all aspects of growth and development as

well as for maintaining the immune system.

2. Crude Fat (minimum): Necessary for the absorption, storage, and transportation of fat soluble vitamins as well as providing vital fatty acids.

3. Crude Fiber (maximum): Improves colon health and helps stabilize blood sugar

levels.

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4. Moisture (maximum): To accurately compare nutrient percentages between dog

foods, they must have the same moisture level. This means you'll need to do some

math before comparing protein levels between wet and dry foods.

The problem with the guaranteed analysis is that the categories are all very broad. For instance, the crude protein percentage includes all protein regardless of quality, type or digestibility. It could be derived from either bison meat, chicken bones, or corn. This is significant because a lower percentage of protein is acceptable if it's derived from a quality source, such as lamb meat.

According to one study, if you blended together a pair of old leather boots (protein), some motor oil (fat), and a scoop of sawdust (fiber) you would receive the following food analysis: Protein: 32%, Fat: 18%, Fiber: 3%. The numbers are great, but no one in their right mind would want to eat it!

So, how do you determine the quality of the protein listed in the guaranteed analysis?

You look at the ingredients of course.

Deciphering the Ingredient List

The ingredient list is the best source of information about the quality of your dog food, but there's also a trick to reading it.

Items are listed in order of weight prior to being added to the formula. This includes their inherent water content, so an item such as meat, which is approximately 75%

water, can be placed deceptively high on the ingredient list. The water is removed

during the kibbling process so the actual physical presence of meat in the kibble is significantly lower. This is why it's so important meat be the first ingredient of the food.

Be careful though, some companies will list meat as their first ingredient and then follow it up with three different kinds of corn (whole grain corn, corn meal, corn bran, etc). In this situation, the corn content is actually higher than the meat content.

In Summary...

Pay attention to the phrasing on the label, but ignore the gimmicky words and pretty pictures. The guaranteed analysis is a useful tool, but not necessarily an accurate

representation of nutritional value. The best indicator of a dog foods quality is the ingredient list, so be sure to read it carefully.

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Dog Food: Meat vs Meat Meal :

When it comes to meat in kibbled dog foods, there are two options: meat or meat meal.

They sound deceptively similar, but the discrepancy in quality between the two can be extreme.

So what's the difference?

Let's look at how the AAFCO defines these ingredients:

 Meat: "clean flesh of slaughtered mammals and is limited to... the striate muscle...

with or without the accompanying and overlying fat and the portions of the skin,

sinew, nerve and blood vessels which normally accompany the flesh."

 Meat meal: "the rendered product from mammal tissues, exclusive of any added blood, hair, horn, hide trimmings, manure, stomach and rumen contents."

The definition of meat is rather straightforward, but that of meat meal requires a bit more explanation. There are two terms which are particularly important: rendered and mammal tissue.

Rendering refers to a process where tissue is cooked, removing all moisture, and then ground into a fine high-protein powder which is later baked. It is essentially a way of recycling amino acids from waste products. During rendering all bacteria, viruses, and parasites present in the source material are killed which allows meal producers to use 4D (dead, dying, diseased, or disabled) animals as meal ingredients. The possibility of this inclusion is why meat meal is never considered fit for human consumption.

Mammal tissue is a broad concept which can include bone, organs, glands, and cartilage.

In and of themselves, these ingredients are not bad. The meal quality depends on the raw materials initially used: some are created from high-grade meats and organs while others are created from the garbage tissues of diseased animals.

It is interesting to note the large human food companies are often the major providers of pet food. For instance:

 M&M Mars/Proctor & Gamble own Iams, Eukanuba, Evo, Innova, Pedigree, and

Royal Canin

 Nestle owns Purina and Alpo

 Colgate-Palmolive owns Hills Science Diet

 Del Monte owns Kibbles N Bits, Pup-peroni, and Natural Recipes.

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Why? Because it allows them to render the waste products from the human food

industries and utilize the resulting meal in dog food. They make money on product they would otherwise throw away.

The question now becomes: how can you tell if your dog food has high quality meat meal in it or if the meal was made from spoiled supermarket meats and chicken feet?

Unfortunately, when we pick up a bag of dog food, we have no way to determine the

quality of the included meat meal.

While we can't know exactly which products to avoid, there are some red flags:

 Avoid meat meals that do not specify the source animal (i.e. poultry meal vs

chicken meal; animal meal vs lamb meal)

 Avoid meals that include the term 'by-product' (i.e. chicken by-product meal)

In Summary ...

Look for a dog food that lists a specific meat as the first ingredient and meat meal somewhere farther down the list, if at all. Meat meal is not inherently bad, but its quality is always suspect.

Dog Food: The Corn Controversy :

Corn made its debut in dog foods during the 1950's when the kibbling process was first developed by the Ralston Purina Company. They borrowed an extruder from their Chex

cereal facility, put it to use making dog food, and gave rise to new era in pet food.

The kibbling process they developed requires the dough to contain a large quantity of starch, otherwise the mixture wont gelanitize. The starchy carbohydrates (potatoes,

corn, and other grains) were prime candidates. Corn received first billing in kibble because it was relative cheap and there was a lot of it to be had.

Today, most of the cheaper dog foods and many of the more expensive ones feature corn as an ingredient--a fact that has caused innumerable debates between dog food

companies, dog trainers/breeders, and veterinarians.

The Controversy

The lines are clearly drawn. The pro-corn side of this controversy will tell you corn is a wonderful ingredient with a low glycemic index, oodles of wonderful minerals and

vitamins, and also serves as an exceptional source of protein. The anti-corn side argues corn is a cheap and useless filler that causes multitudes of health and behavior issues.

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