Cattle

Archive for September 17th, 2010

Do you feel guilty eating a snack in front of your dog? If so, you’re not alone. After all, we wouldn’t do that to one of our kids, and our beloved pet is just as much a part of the family. Nevertheless, there are some foods you need to make sure your dog does not eat.

When you think about the wide range of things your pets might nibble on – from dirty socks to kitty litter – it’s easy to believe there’s very little that will make them sick. However, your seemingly indestructible pet can be experiencing many internal issues that don’t show up on the outside for quite a while. Some issues only become noticeable when the problem has become extremely serious.

Here are some foods that will make them sick and can cause permanent harm, so avoid these at all cost.

First – CHOCOLATE
This is one of the worst foods for your dog because their systems are unable to digest it. Those yummy brownies or a bit of your pick-me-up candy bar will make them sick and can cause major health issues.

If you absolutely can’t resist giving your dog a chocolate treat, white chocolate is the least harmful, while dark baking chocolate is the most dangerous.

Second – GRAPES and RAISINS
Once while dieting, I convinced myself that grapes and raisins are candy, so I still eat a lot of them. As a human they’re very good for you, and although they may seem like something that would be harmless to your dog, they’re not.

Consuming grapes or raisins can cause your beloved pet several issues, including kidney failure. At the very least, this seemingly harmless food could result in an emergency trip to the vet to have your dog’s stomach pumped.

Third – ONIONS
In most cases dogs don’t really like onions, but if they get hold of one (even in another food) make sure you call your vet right away. This root vegetable will cause your dog to have major digestive issues.

Although these are the most dangerous things for your dog to eat, these are by no means the only items to avoid.

Here are a few other items that should be kept away from your pet:

*Avocado (including the fruit, skin, seed, leaves and stem)
*Macadamia nuts
*Garlic
*Leaves and stems of potatoes, tomatoes and rhubarb
These foods are toxic to your dog’s gastrointestinal system and will
cause severe digestive problems and potentially kidney failure.

These items can cause your pet to have labored breathing:

*Caffeine
*Eggplant
*Moldy foods (why do they eat those things??)
*Tobacco products

In general, be aware of what your dog is eating at all times. Just as you would for a child, the best way to keep them safe and healthy is to make sure they don’t have access to foods, garbage, chemicals or any objects that could be harmful to their digestion.

It’s ok to give your dog a treat once in a while as long as you know what ingredients are used. Look for all natural products to give your pet the best, and at the same time avoid any health issues.

Crate Training Your Dog

Crate training your dog is not, and should never be seen as, a way to punish your dog.  

Crate training is appropriate for most dogs.  Crate training a dog is a wonderful way to give your furry friend a safe place to go when he is tired, when you cannot be with him, and will save your carpet and your house for many year.  Crates, kennels, cages have become the modern age answer to the doghouse.  Crate training can be fun for the puppy if you make it a POSITIVE experience.  Crate training can be an efficient and effective way to house train your dog.  Crate training also helps teach your dog to have bladder and bowel control. Crate training your dog provides them with a profound sense of security.  Crates come in every size, shape, material, and color.

Den DNA

Dogs have a very strong “den” instinct.  Dogs are by nature den creatures. The dog crate, properly introduced, becomes your puppy den.  The Den is an integral part of the wild dog upbringing and safety zone.  The crate helps to satisfy the den instinct inherited from his den-dwelling ancestors and relatives. If a crate is properly introduced to a dog (or puppy) the dog will grow to think of the crate as a safe haven. Most puppies will not soil their “den.  Your dog can enjoy the security and privacy of den of his own to which he can retreat when tired or stressed.  Your dog will grow up a little more confident if they know that they have a safe place to go to when the world becomes too much for them to handle.  Ultimately, a crate is to serve to replicate the sense of a den.

Have patience and faith. Crate training your dog is the right decision.  The peace of mind and the enhanced dog safety that crate training your dog will provide is priceless.  We all know that the reasons to coach your dog are countless and crate training your dog is crucial among them.

Doggie Elimination and Potty Training

Dogs do not like to soil their sleeping quarters if given adequate opportunity to eliminate elsewhere.  Short term confinement to a crate is intended to inhibit your dog from eliminating when confined so that she will want to eliminate when released and taken outside with you. Keep in mind also that your puppy does not know what is expected and must be shown the proper place to eliminate and when.
Reminder: During housebreaking DO NOT allow the pup outside to eliminate alone or let them loose in the yard.  The key to house training is to establish a routine that increases the chances that your dog will eliminate in the right place in your presence so that he or she can be praised and rewarded. This decreases the chances that your dog will eliminate in the wrong place so that he or she will not develop bad habits.

If you are considering crate training your dog and are looking for a the right crate then do your homework. Most wire crates have an adjustable divider so you can adjust the divider as the dog grows. There are many types of crates available. I recommend a simple wire crate which will serve you well for a couple of years depending on the breed of dog you have.  Have patience and faith, crate training your dog is the right decision.  The peace of mind and the enhanced dog safety that crate training your dog will provide is priceless.  We all know that the reasons to coach your dog are countless and Crate Training Your Dog is crucial one among them.

Remember;

“She is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are her life, her love, her leader. She will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of her heart. You owe it to her to be worthy of such devotion.”  ~~Unknown