Take the Lead

In all public places it’s not only common sense but your responsibility as a dog owner to keep your pet under close supervision. On a public right of way you’re not obliged to keep your dog on a lead, but you must have them under control so he doesn’t bother other animals and people. If your dog has a tendency to bolt off at the first sight of anything interesting or has poor recall, you should keep them on a lead.

Under the Countryside Rights of Way Act, a dog must be kept on a short lead (up to 2 metres) on Open Access land between 1 March and 31 July in order to help protect ground nesting birds, and at all other times when near farm animals. A farmer can legally shoot a dog that is attacking or chasing livestock. In fact, you would be the one who is breaking the law by allowing your dog to do so in the first place.

Scoop the Poop

It’s clearly good manners to pick up and dispose of your dog’s waste. Additionally, if you don’t you may be committing an offence and could face a hefty fine. You can buy bags specially designed for the job, but many people find scented nappy sacks do the job just as well.

Make sure that once you pick up the waste that you bin it in a designated ‘poop bin’, or take it with you until you can dispose of it somewhere appropriate. Some irresponsible owners give other dog walkers a bad name by leaving mess on the ground for other people to potentially tread in, and you certainly don’t want to be one of them.

Be a Newshound

You should keep abreast of any other issues that come up around the subject of dog walking. You may have seen stories of ash dieback disease in the news recently. Dog owners are being urged to wash their dogs after woodland trips to help prevent the spread of this deadly tree killer. Owners are also being warned about a mystery illness known as Seasonal Canine Illness (SCI) which is so far believed to be centred in several woodland hotspots.

Walking your dog can help them live a healthier life but accidents and illnesses still happen. The Co-operative dog insurance can help when things do go astray. Get a quote on their website today.

Dog Walking Tips – Things to Remember When Walking Your Pooch is a post from: My Dog Your Dog

How clean is your house?

Cleanliness is essential for an allergy free home. A home that is regularly vacuumed and cleaned will have drastically reduced levels of allergens in the air. Start by doing a top-to-bottom clean, making sure that all rooms are properly aired for a few hours.

The main sources of allergens in the household are dust mites, animal dander, mould and pollen.

Dust can collect everywhere, from picture frames to spaces behind appliances. Reducing clutter in the home will dramatically reduce the level of allergens in the air, as well as making your cleaning chores easier.

Wash bedding regularly

Bedding is a prime spot for dust mites, one of the most common causes of allergies in the home. To combat this area, regular washing of bedding is advised. If you have old mattresses, it is highly recommended that you have them professionally heat-treated to kill the dust mites that may be living inside them.

HEPA vacuum cleaners

Vacuuming can be partly responsible for the spreading of allergens in the home, since they take allergens and dust from the ground and spread them into the air. Buying a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter will ensure that the air released from your vacuum is clean and allergen free.

Carpets hold in a lot of dust and dirt that can be particularly agitating for people who have strong allergies. Using a Vax carpet washer will ensure that all dirt, grime and dust will be removed.

Steam cleaners

Many home cleaning products contain a number of chemicals which may cause allergies. Instead of using these products to clean your home, consider using a steam cleaner. Steam cleaners produce hot steam that can kill dust mites, as well as handle all types of dirt around the home.

Animals

Animal dander – skin flakes in fur or hair – is one of the most common causes of allergies. If you suffer from allergies, making sure that your pet doesn’t have access to areas such as the bedroom is the best thing you can do. To help reduce levels of allergens, you should regularly wash your pet (once every 2 weeks minimum) and consider keeping them outside if possible.

Making Your Home an Allergy Free Zone is a post from: My Dog Your Dog

Premium pet foods all promise to do one thing: Provide our pets with the best ingredients to make sure that they live the best life. These ingredients are generally the same across the board, and can include things like fresh chicken, rice, and ocean fish. However, the companies themselves all offer an important stand on not only what their ingredients are, but where they are sourced and how they are handled.

 Value brands are made solely for one purpose: to supply customers with a cheaper alternative to leading brand pet food, such as Eukanuba and Royal Canin. However, the reason that these brands are so cheap is because the product inside the cans and the bags is made mainly of leftover meats and, for the majority, meat substitutes. These can be bought and processed cheaply, ultimately resulting in a lower price for their customers. You don’t really want to spend your life eating low-grade meat and meat substitutes, so why should you subject your pet to such a lifestyle?

 The higher-quality brands, however, don’t compromise when it comes to ingredients. They understand that we treat our pets as members of the family, and, like we would treat an elderly relative, we won’t settle for feeding them the bare-cost substitutes and cereal based brands. We insist on feeding our pets the highest-quality brands because we care about what they eat, and, at the end of the day, it’s substantially better for them then bits of intestines.

 The people at Arden Grange advertise the motto “nutrition without compromise” for a reason. They, like all the other premium pet food brands, they believe that cost should be no issue when it comes to providing your pet with their daily meals. The prices for better quality may be higher, but sciences has proven time and time again that better pet food is more easily absorbed and converted into energy, meaning that the time between meals extends and the amount of food needed in a day lessens. Meaning, ultimately, that you’ll be paying much less than you thought.

 Better ethics and understanding make for the best pet foods on the shelves, and provide a healthier alternative to the nasty value brands.

Have You Tried Premium Pet Foods? is a post from: My Dog Your Dog

When we get older our bodies tend to become weaker and, as a result, we develop joint and muscle pains. It is a similar story for animals and if you own a dog it will be upsetting to see the effects of old age on your dog’s agility and health. However, there are many medicines and treatments that you can use to reduce pain and even build back muscle and joint strength.

 Metacam is a flavoured liquid medicine that can be put into your dog’s food and is very effective against arthritis and other muscular or skeletal problems. You will need a prescription from your vet to purchase Metacam and although this may be costly, it is certainly worth the expense. Metacam comes highly recommended by both its users and vets. Care should be taken, for instance, if your dog is prone to dehydration your vet will let you know if this is a problem or not.

 Cosequin is an alternative to Metacam but it is possible to use them together. Whereas Metacam works to instantly target inflammatory pain, Cosequin works over a longer period of time to build up cartilage and maintain joint strength. Cosequin does not require a prescription and can be bought online in the UK via Viovet or other websites. Cosequin is a supplement (available as chewable tablets or sprinkle capsules) that should be introduced into your dog’s diet at full dose for up to 6 weeks and then reduced to a half dose then on.

An even longer term solution to preventing future joint pains is to keep your dog’s weight at a decent level. Overweight dogs will struggle to be mobile meaning weaker, under-worked muscles and overworked joints. You should definitely consider moving onto a premium food if you aren’t already and perhaps buying a weight-specific brand. Royal Canin Dog Food Mobility Support and Obesity Management are excellent choices. They are specifically designed to keep your dog’s weight down and contain the correct balance of nutrients to maintain healthy bones and muscles.

Three Ways to Combat Mobility Problems in Dogs is a post from: My Dog Your Dog

Prevention is better than cure and one of the best ways to protect your beloved pet dog is to give him or her small amounts of coconut oil every day. Coconut oil has a number of health benefits for a dog that this post will explore.

The health benefits of coconut oil are now becoming well documented on the internet. Sports stars, nutritionists and academics such as Mary Enig have championed the cause of coconut oil. Many of the health benefits that humans derive from coconut oil dogs do too.

Coconut oil contains medium chain fatty acids that are easily metabolized by a dog and helps energize the dog. Coconut oil is thus good to help dogs lose weight. At the same time coconut oil contains lauric acid that is antimicrobial that protects the canine from virus attacks.

Much research has been done into hyperthyroidism and coconut oil. The oil helps to increase the activity of the thyroid gland and boost the immune system. It also helps to stop lipid disorders, and lab results show it inhibits the formation of cancer.

Moreover, coconut oil detoxifies the stomach and also to bring a shine to a dog’s fur. It can also be massaged into a dog’s skin to moisturize.

You can buy virgin coconut oil for dogs. CocoTherapy do a popular coconut oil for dogs. It is very much the same as virgin organic coconut oil for humans. It is advisable to start a dog off with just half a tea spoon a day and slowly increase the dosage up to 2 teaspoons a day. The coconut oil can be feed directly to the dog or mixed in with the food.

Giving your dog coconut oil every day is an effective and totally natural way to keep your dog happy and healthy. And the great thing is that dogs love the taste too.

The Health Benefits of Coconut Oil for Dogs is a post from: My Dog Your Dog

When you want to choose a pet, a guard dog specifically, making sure that you choose the best one is important. Time, research and dedication before the actual acquisition of the dog shows that your serious about finding the right pet for you. Generally, the happier the dog owner, the more time they spent preparing to get a dog. Going out and buying a pet in impulse is not smart, this article is designed to give you some help on the research portion of your guard dog acquisition.

Trainability
It’s important to know that the specific guard dog you are choosing is trainable. Choosing a dog simply for it’s size and strength is not the best way to choose a watchdog. Trainability means looking at the breed’s intelligence, their desire to please and their ability to bond and be loyal to one person or a group of people. Not all guard dogs need to make a great companion but choosing a pet that fits into your lifestyle is important.

Aggressiveness
Making sure that the dog is courageous enough to act aggressive in necessary situations is key. Many dogs have a fierce front or simply a loud bark but may fold under the pressure of a confident intruder. Choose a guard dog that will act and obey your orders no matter what. Many of the best guard dogs will be able to turn the aggressive and hostile side on only when ordered to or if the situation calls for it.

Breed
Choosing a proper guard dog breed can take some time. Not all breeds are effective at completing guard dog training or even normal dog obedience training for that matter. Different dog breeds have different temperaments and choosing one that fits your situation and requirement is essential to a healthy relationship. Many dogs that make excellent family guard dogs are not used by the police force because the dog’s skills are not a good match. There are hundreds upon hundreds of breeds and sub-breeds to choose from, do the research and pick the dog that is right for you.

There are of course other traits and characteristics that make an effective guard dog, but these are three of the most important ones. Knowing a dog’s lifespan, intelligence level and risk of disease or injury is also important. The true key however is to match the type of dog to the type of job you need it for.

Traits that Make a Good Guard Dog is a post from: My Dog Your Dog

If you are trying to train your dog yourself, there’s a good chance that you are making some mistakes that will seriously hamper your dog’s progress. There are 5 very common dog training myths which are commonly believed by many dog owners.

Are you making any of these common mistakes?

More than likely you are and you don’t even know it! Not to worry because we’re giving away “5 Dog Training Tips” which is a very detailed 26 page report.

You can download it right now, all you have to do is click the FaceBook Like button and it’s yours FREE!

Free Dog Training Guide is a post from: My Dog Your Dog

It’s common nowadays to think that dogs can only live up to 10 or 15 years, but they actually have the genetic potential to live more than 20 years. Proper nutrition makes all the difference, and it’s not common knowledge that most commercial brands are full of harmful ingredients. Most of the time they are the cause for dog food allergies. In this article we will reveal what you should avoid when shopping for pet food.

Corn, wheat and soy

This is a common ingredient, because what pet food companies are looking for is to increase the percentage of protein in their product at the lowest cost. These ingredients are basically fillers, and your dog cannot digest them properly, which ultimately strains his kidneys, resulting in premature aging. They’re also known allergens, in fact corn is the third top ingredient known to cause dog food allergies.

Companies will often rename these ingredients, so the end consumer doesn’t know for sure what it is. Common terms used are ground yellow corn, ground whole wheat, whole grain corn, etc. Protein should come from meat, which they use, but not the quality you would think. This is what by-products are.

By-products, meat and bone meal

By-products are the lowest quality of animal protein, such as fish heads, chicken heads, pork feet, intestines. In general, things that would otherwise go to waste because they are not fit to be consumed by humans. The animals from which these parts come from sometimes have diseases, or the meat is contaminated. This is the main ingredient for many commercial dog foods.

Meat and bone meal can include dead pets from veterinary offices, roadkill animals, which are grounded and used as part of pet food. Same as by-products, these animals have died from diseases or euthanized.

Chemicals preservatives

Companies that produce in mass quantities will use preservatives because they will store their product for long periods (up to 18 months) before they are even sold. The main chemicals used are BHA, BHT (known carcinogens that cause liver and kidney malfunction) and Ethoxyquin (used as rubber stabilizer), so you should avoid these at all costs. Besides these preservatives, dog food can include artificial coloring, artificial flavors, corn syrup, among other ingredients that are the opposite of healthy for your pet.

Some pet food companies will go at great lengths to produce mass quantities of food at the cheapest cost. Using questionable ingredients seems to be a common practice among most commercial pet foods, so what can you do? With the information in this article you can now look at pet food label and know if you should purchase that food or not. You can prepare your dog’s meal yourself, doing proper research, or you can search online for healthy dog food that is sure to extend the life of your pet.

Ingredients in Commercial Dog Food That You Should Avoid is a post from: My Dog Your Dog

Not all dogs know how to swim, contrary to peoples believes. Only a certain type of breed can swim. It is because of this that it is a wise decision to get your dog a dog life jacket before letting it go near a large body of water, although drawing is not the only thing that can happen to your dog when it is in the water.

When planning to go to the beach with your dog or when in a boat, you have to know the condition of the water. That is whether the waves will be tall if there is a possibility of rip tides. If taking your dog with you to a river, you should also consider the strength of the water currents, the presence of wild animals that may cause harm to your pet and any other thing that may increase the possibility of your pet falling in to the water body and not being able to come out. In such situations it is wise to have a dog life jacket on your dog to prevent it from going under.

Dogs do not all have the same swimming ability. Some may be well adapted to the water while others may not. If your dog is a lover of water, it may still require a dog life jacket as its swimming ability may be affected when it ages, gains weight or becomes unwell. Some larger dogs could also develop complications with their hip joint and thus have some difficulty moving in water. It is very crucial to have you dog in a dog life jacket whenever on a boat, even if your not planning to let it in to the water. This is because a sudden fall in to the water may shock you dog and make it anxious preventing it from knowing what to do.  A device that may be helpful in confining you dog to a restricted area away from danger is the wireless dog fence that can be carried along for the trip.

Good judgment should also guide you whenever you put you do in a life jacket. Some of the things you should do are: make sure when you buy a dog life jacket for you dog that it is the right size so as provide the appropriate buoyancy required; learn how to put a dog life jacket on your dog properly and lastly, always be aware of where you dog is and what it is doing when in its life jacket as it may try to chew it off and instead ends up entangled.

Does My Dog Need a Dog Life Jacket? is a post from: My Dog Your Dog

There are few things more irritating than talking a walk with your dog (or without your dog for that matter), and to be harassed or even attacked by another dog. Our goal in this short article is to talk about why to train your dog, not how to do it. You want your trained dog to be the envy of people you meet.

It all boils down to training. That could be something as simple as bark collars for dogs (where the collar emits an electrical impulse whenever the dog barks – not dangerous, just uncomfortable), and as sophisticated as professionally guided dog aggression training. There are many methods to training, and many books (TV shows!) on the subject that go in to great detail. We’d encourage you to seek them out. But before you do that, it might be of some value to know the why of training, rather than the how.

• Structure and authority – Dogs crave structure and a clear hierarchy. This comes from their roots as animals that lived in packs. Here the structure and authority was a matter of life and death. This is an integral, genetic part of who your dog is.
• Alpha – This is probably part of the first item here, but it deserves its own space. The dog needs to understand who the “alpha” is in the relationship. It should always be the owner, not the dog.
• Understanding – It’s important that the dog understand what you want it to do in just about every situation. And it’s important that you trust what the dog will do in every situation.
• Consistency – The dog needs you to treat him the same way in the same situation every time. Otherwise, he will get confused and not know just what you want.
• Control – Training will teach you to be in control of the dog all the time. Maybe that’s the most important part of training.

Training your dog to do tricks is great, but showing others that your dog actually behaves responsibly and responds to simple commands is really where it’s at.

The “Why” in Training Your Dog is a post from: My Dog Your Dog