How Can You Tell If Your Dog Is Sick?

In order to determine if your dog is sick it is vitally important that you recognise any symptoms that he might have. How can you do this? By knowing how your dog behaves when he is healthy. If you spend a lot of time playing and being with your dog you will be able to recognise any abnormal behaviours. You can save money, time and get your dog any necessary help sooner the faster you are able to detect any signs of sicknesses.

One hundred and two degrees F is a healthy temperature for a dog. A dog gum’s will be a nice pink color and Read more

Bathing A Dog

All dogs need to have baths. Some more than others. Most dogs do not need to be washed more than once every couple of weeks because bathing a dog to often will dry out his skin. Every breed is different, so it is important to find out how often your particular breed should be bathed.  But there always is that extra bath, the ‘what did you roll in bath‘.

As an owner you want to make the whole process of taking a bath as easy and as painless as possible for both of you. Bath time should be, if not a happy time, at least not a total war zone. Read more

Is My Dog Pregnant? How to Tell if Your Dog is Pregnant.

The sooner that you are able to discover whether or not your dog is pregnant the better. And, the sooner you will be able to get her any pre-natal care that she may require. If you have been attempting to breed the dog, you are almost certainly going to know when conception took place. About three weeks after an attempt at conceiving your pet’s doctor should be able to tell you if the attempt was successful.If it is an unexpected pregnancy, then it will probably be at least six weeks before you will be able to tell.  Read more

How to Clean a Dog’s Ears

Despite the fact that ear infections in dogs are preventable, it is still one of the most common reasons for a visit to the veterinarian among dog owners. In order to save your dog (and pocketbook) some grief, make sure you devote a little time each week looking at your dog’s ears.

The sense of hearing is very important to dogs and therefore when you clean your dog’s ears, you need to make certain you are doing it the proper way. Both the inner and outer parts of your dog’s ears are very sensitive, so it is crucial that you abide by proper cleansing procedures. The following tips will assist you in keeping your dog’s ears clean without doing harm: Read more

Best Way To Remove a Tick From Your Dog

If you have discovered a tick on your dog, yourself or worse yet, your youngster, I’m sure you know that you simply cannot disregard it. It might be an objectionable experience, but unless you want to risk a case of Lyme disease, the tick had better be addressed. Lyme disease is a disease stimulated by a bacterial infection; the bacterium is channelled by certain varieties of ticks in several parts of the country, including but not limited to New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Rhode Island, California and Minnesota.

If this Is not the first time that you’ve had an experience with ticks, you may have been originally introduced to either the “smoldering” or “smothering” technique for getting rid of these bothersome brutes. The smoldering process requires bearing a lit match up to the tick, in hopes that the tick will be responsive to Read more

How to Give Your Dog Medicine

The easiest way to give any medication to your dog is orally. If you are really lucky you can hide the medication in a piece of cheese or a scoop of peanut butter. If not, you are going to have to make your dog open his mouth and take his medicine.

If you are giving the animal a liquid you need to get the medicine into the buccal pouch. This is the space between the lips and teeth, sort of a loose pocket. Use one hand to apply gentle pressure to both sides of the dog’s mouth. You want to press the dog’s cheeks against his teeth just enough so that the dog will start to open his mouth. With your other hand pour the liquid slowly into the dog’s buccal pouch. Do not tip the animal’s head to far back. You want him to swallow voluntarily.
This method also works with pills. Make sure you get the pill as far back into the dog’s mouth as you can or he will spit it back out.

With any medicine make sure that the animal has swallowed and does drop it when you are not looking.

Taking your Dog out in the Car

Unless you are lucky enough to live out in the countryside with lots of private grounds you will have to travel to get your dog to a space open enough to give it a good run. Of course if you are in walking distance of a dog friendly park you can simply pop on a lead and go, but for many dog owners living in a busy town centre or city, a daily car journey is a necessity.

It is important that your dog is safe and comfortable during any length of car journey. This is a list of dog car accessories

Dog Safety

Dog travel crates or cages specially adapted for cars not only makes your car journey safer for you but also for your dog, it also helps the dog feel more secure. Think how frightened your dog might be looking through the window of a moving car with everything whizzing past!

It could be there is no room for a travel cage or that maybe your dog is taken out in more than one car, in which case a dog harness with seat belt adaptor is a good alternative. This is a great multi purpose travel accessory for your dog!

Word of advice: In case you are thinking these aren’t necessary, imagine you are involved in a car accident. If unsecured, your frightened dog could easily jump out of a car and run right onto a busy road.

Dog Comfort

A car boot isn’t designed to be comfortable so if your dog has to travel in the car a dog bed is much nicer to lie down on.

If you are planning a long journey in the colder months a dog blanket would be a good idea too. (remember to also keep a blanket for yourself in case of break downs!)

Food and Water

Your dog will get hungry and thirsty during a long car journey and will certainly need to quench his or her thirst after a long run. Keeping water and a suitable bowl is essential and you should consider getting a material dog travel bowl that folds up when not in use instead of the standard bulky plastic bowl.

Tip: Your car engine might need water too! The larger empty milk cartons are ideal for keeping a supply of water handy for both dog and car during the hotter months. If you are out in the country you can re-fill at a fresh water river or stream.

Shade from the sun

Drivers and human passengers have visors to protect them from the glare of the sun so don’t forget your dog and fit a car window shade where appropriate.

Top Tip: The car window shades you use for babies and children are ideal for pets too!

Dog Ramps

A dog car ramp can be a godsend! You might be able to lift your small poodle into your car but older dogs will struggle climbing in? You can choose from a number of dog car ramps that will fold away neatly when not in use.

Pet First Aid

As exciting as running in the countryside can be for your dog, there can also hazards including barbed wire, broken glass and sharp sticks. When you are out in the middle of nowhere and your dog gets a nasty cut the first aid you are able to provide can be vital in its recovery. Pet travel first aid kits often come complete with gauzes, wipes and bandages and fit in most glove compartments.

Swellpets.co.uk has many more great products for dogs. Give it a whirl.co.uk

Choosing a Dried Dog Food

There are so many types of dried dog food you can buy today that it is difficult to know which one to choose. First we should discuss what dried food is and how it compares to other dog foods.

Dried dog food has been cooked or baked into hard small biscuit pieces. It provides a great source of nutrition and can help keep teeth and gums in good condition as the crunching and chewing of the dried food acts like an abrasive against the teeth, removing plaque and stimulating the gums. Complete dried dog food doesn’t tend to have the same smell as the canned, wet food. It is also easy enough to serve as you simply pour the required amount directly into the dog’s bowl, no mixing required.

Most leading dog food brands such as Eukanuba Dog Food develop differnet ranges depending on whether the dog is a puppy, adult, senior, certain breed or has sensitive digestion. But which food is the best for your puppy or adult dog?

If you have a puppy up to the age of around 18 months look at the brands of puppy dog food. These are not usually breed specific because food developed for puppies tends to contain different levels and types of ingredients. Like human babies, ALL puppies need more of certain nutrients and less of others. Puppy food can also be split by size of the breed i.e. small (e.g. Shih Tzu), medium (e.g. Border Collie) and large (e.g. Bull Mastiff). So by now you should at least be able to narrow the choice down by the age and size of the breed of your puppy.

Choosing dog food for adult dogs may be easier because most of the dog food brands have ranges split by specific breed and size. Assuming there are no health considerations you may decide to choose by the dogs breed size which then just leaves the price, personal preference and flavours available when selecting the brand. Sample packs are great for finding out which flavour your dog likes best!). Or opt for ranges specifically developed for breeds such as boxer dog food.

Other things to consider when choosing a dog food includes your own personal preference. Brands such as Arden Grange are animal friendly i.e. animals were not used during the development of the product in what some animal rights organisations consider to be cruel conditions. Price is also an important factor; it is far better for your puppy or adult dog to be fed the same brand and not to switch too often because it can cause an upset stomach or your dog to go on ‘hunger strike’. So do make sure you will be able to keep up the costs of the dog food on a regular and ongoing basis.

Handy tip: If there is more than one dog living with you it might help to get them all eating the same brand of dog food.

Pamper Your Pet With Orthopaedic Dog Beds

Is your dog elderly and finding it difficult to get comfortable when it lies down? He has always settled down quite happily outside your bedroom door, or in the hall or perhaps even by the side of your bed, and has always just had an old blanket to sleep on. But now he keeps getting up and moving round before lying down again. Then it is time to think about buying an orthopaedic dog bed.

Dogs will sleep on anything, and generally will not complain. They will often curl up on old sweaters (perhaps even your favourite new one) or on old newspapers, but as a dog grows older, arthritis can creep in (just like humans), their legs start to ache as does their back, and at this stage, it is time to think of a more comfortable bed. This is where orthopaedic dog beds come in.

Orthopaedic dog beds are usually made from memory foam, some use whole memory foam and some use crumbled foam, most have a waterproof breathable lining. This can be incredibly useful if your dog has a weak bladder or is given to drooling. If your dog has bad health then you should always take advice from your vetinary surgeon, and especially if he shows any signs of having back, leg or any other joint pain.

A comfortable orthopaedic dog bed will greatly aid recovery for those dogs that have recently had medical treatment, or surgery, much as it is of benefit to older dogs with joint pains. It will stop sores developing on joints, and for those dogs that have already got these sores, it will help them recover.

The orthopaedic dog bed can be placed in the position that your dog usually sleeps on his current blanket, and will be much more comfortable on a properly designed bed. But always try to keep him out of drafts. Give him an orthopaedic dog bed and see the difference it makes.

A Dog Litter Box?

A dog is a man’s best friend and the most faithful friend who keeps foes at bay. Current lifestyle patterns often affect pet dogs since proper care is not taken of them. Busy lifestyle and long working hours don’t allow you to take your dogs out for long walks on which it can eliminate. As your dog wants to relieve himself at least three times a day, a dog litter box is a great alternative.

Do you desire something which will allow your dog use an indoor dog litter box?

Your quest is concluded as you are able to train your dog to eliminate in a dog litter box. They can be used indoors as well as in a place like your balcony. Dogs of all sizes can be trained to use this system which is convenient for you if you stay in an apartment and there is lack of time.

Potty training a dog using an Astroturf litter box is also a viable option for dogs.Puppies as well as fully grown dogs can be trained to use litter in customised litter boxes. Potty training can be conveyed to both pups in addition to adult dogs.

A litter box is very easy to use and keeps your dog’s feet clean. It is an easy technique of training a dog or a puppy to use litter boxes.

The Ugo dog litter boxes are made to hold a lot of weight and thereby making potty training really simple for your dog. It is hassle free and very simple to use. Dogs and even the small puppies are speedy learners so it won’t take long to train your dog to use a litter box.

Purina has come up with a customized dog liter box especially to keep your dog clean from dog litter. Many brands are manufacturing dog potty systems to help your dog to potty train indoors. Domestic dog litter boxes are great for urban families who don’t have adequate time but still are passionate about their pets. Dog litter boxes are easily useable and can be used for dog potty training.