First Dog Vet Visits: How To Avoid A Nightmare

Article Title: First Dog Vet Visits: How To Avoid A Nightmare
Author: Kelly Marshall

Taking your dog or puppy to the vet doesn't have to be
traumatic provided that it is handled and managed well right
from the very first encounter. Most puppies will already have
been to the vet at least once, about a the six to ten week
stage to get their first set of vaccinations and to have a
quick physical examination. However, some breeders may do their
own vaccinations depending on local regulations and laws
regarding the sale of some of the vaccinations.

Even if the puppy has been to the vet with the breeder it is
still important to start your puppy or dog's relationship with
your vet as positively as possible. This can be done by
following a few simple steps and avoiding any trauma or
stressful conditions while in or at the veterinarian's office.

To prepare your puppy for the vet visit first:

·Take your puppy or dog for a good long walk prior to going to
the veterinarian's office. If you are concerned about worms,
and with a puppy this is definitely a concern, try to bring a
fresh stool sample in a small zip lock plastic bag. The vet
needs the sample to check for microscopic worms, eggs or larva
in the stool. Just a small amount is required but it will speed
up the process and prevent you from having to make another trip
on at a later date.

·If your puppy or dog is used to a crate be sure to put them in
the crate both for the ride over as well as to go into the vet's
office.

·If the puppy or dog is not crate trained or is too large for a
crate be sure to have them on a lead or a leash. Even well
trained dogs may become frightened and run, or may become
aggressive with other animals in the vet's waiting room.

·If you know that your dog is aggressive towards other pets
leave them in the car, notify the staff that you are there, and
then wait to bring the dog in until the vet is ready.

·Stay with the dog in the examination room and pet and talk to
the puppy or dog in comforting tones.

·Bring a few treats and let the vet give the treats to the dog
or puppy. Most vets will have their own "healthy" dog snacks
and this is a great way for the dog or puppy to enjoy a trip to
the vets.

Be aware that the vet will weight the dog or puppy, take a
rectal temperature reading, check the dogs ears, eyes and skin,
check the genital areas, palpitate the abdomen and listen to the
dog's heart and lungs with a stethoscope. In addition the vet
will check the dogs teeth and gums and may also take samples of
skin cells, blood or other body fluids if they are concerned
with issues such as mites, heartworm or other parasites.

These examinations do not cause the dog any pain, and even the
vaccinations are just a slight needle prick, not anything
painful. By making the first visit positive and enjoyable for
the dog or puppy you are establishing a great relationship
between the dog and the vet that will be ongoing. Always make a
big fuss and give lots of praise to the dog for a good trip to
the vets. On the way home consider a stop at the park for an
extra bit of exercise or play as a great way to wind up the
trip.

About The Author: If your puppy behaves nicely at that first
trip to the vet, reward him with a cool looking dog bed or dog
feeder from Oh My Dog Supplies! Visit
http://www.ohmydogsupplies.com/dog-supplies/dog-beds today!

Take Five: Five tips to track down your canine soul mate

Title: Take Five: Five tips to track down your canine soul mate
Author: Emma Snow

There is a right and a wrong way to pick a pooch. The
process is a little like dating. The few who find
fulfillment in love are those who use their hearts and
their heads. There is a special kind of nirvana when a
person connects with their canine soul mate. They weren't
fooling when they called dog "man's best friend." But such
unions don't happen by mistake. A little careful
preparation will go a long way. And to simplify your
search, we have five suggestions. we've borrowed a little
Hollywood lingo to make the tips more memorable.

TAKE ONE! That is, take stock: This is the time to look
around you, before you even start thinking of bringing home
Buddy. Let's consider your life from a dog's eye view. Who
lives in your house? Are there members of the household
under twelve or over seventy? What about other pets?
Analyze the chemistry of your household for a moment. What
words describe your family? Are you fast-paced and active,
or low-key and friendly? In case you didn't know, getting a
dog is a little like adopting a child. They have their own
personalities. Think about what personality would jibe best
with your bunch.

Next evaluate your living space. Dog owners exist as
apartment dwellers or cattle ranchers. While the size of
your pad shouldn't ultimately determine whether you're
canine-compatible, it should at least be a consideration.
Take Phoebe for example, a spoiled golden retriever who
lives comfortably in a tiny Brooklyn brownstone. The
arrangement works because her owner is an active walker and
doesn't mind taking three or four spins around the dog park
every day. And don't think that just you have a huge
backyard means you're best fitted for a border collie. Even
hyper-active dogs will mope around waiting for someone to
play with. Whatever your accommodations, if you rent or
belong to an HOA, you may need to check the pet policy
before entertaining the notion of getting a dog. (Many
renters allow dogs, but limit size or breed.) While looking
at your house, consider your neighborhood. What is the
noise level on your street, and how close are your
neighbors? Your dog won't be living in a bubble. Social by
nature, dogs react to the environment all about them.

Now that you've inspected your digs, how much time do you
spend there? Is there someone home all the time? In this
day and age that's highly unlikely. Look at work and school
schedules, and don't forget holidays! How often do you
vacate the property? Do you plan on taking the dog with
you, or do you need to check out the local kennels?

Before you move on to take two, it would be prudent to
anticipate future lifestyle changes. How likely are you to
move? To get married? To break up? To have children? Dogs
don't disappear when your life takes a turn. You don't want
to end up leaving Poopsie at the pound just because you
didn't think that far in advance. Dogs live ten to fifteen
years or more. While it's impossible to know for sure, it's
wise to consider where you think you might be.

TAKE TWO! Take advantage: There has never been a better
time to learn about dogs! The world is at your fingertips.
A thousand on-line quizzes can quickly narrow the field and
recommend breeds that would fit your particular lifestyle
and limitations. Your search just got a thousand times
easier. Jot down the top ten, and do some research. First,
look at pictures. What do you think? Is that a face you can
love? Physical attraction, after all, does factor into
finding a soul mate. Read as much as you can about the
breeds you feel drawn to. Don't stop at the internet. The
library and the pet store have an endless variety of books,
magazines, and videos to assist you in your search. Even
better, talk to other dog owners. Ask them what they like
(and don't like) about their dogs. Go to a dog show, sit in
on an obedience class, or call a local breeder. Take
advantage of every resource you can to learn more about the
breed.

TAKE THREE! Take interest: Get involved in the dog
community. Make it a family affair. Volunteer at a local
shelter. This gives the kids a chance to experience the
responsibility of a dog. You may even consider fostering a
dog looking for a home. Attend adoption days; ask the
neighbor if you can play Frisbee with her whippet. All this
interaction with dogs will allow you to see quirks that may
not have been so apparent in your reading. Hidden expenses
should also begin to be evident. What kind of equipment is
needed to keep this kind of dog happy? Make sure to ask
about health and grooming-related costs. Different breeds
have different needs.

TAKE FOUR! Take your time: Now is not the time to rush into
a relationship, but you are getting closer to a commitment.
Start putting out feelers. If you plan to get a pup from a
breeder, find out when the next litter is due. If you have
your heart set on a particular breed, but want a mature
dog, you may want to look into breed rescue groups. They
have some great animals that already have some training,
and are a fraction of the price. And don't forget that
sometimes those mixed mutts lead the pack! Spend some
quality time in the kennels. Many shelters allow a few days
or a week adjustment period before tying the knot.

TAKE FIVE! Take cover: You think you've found the one?
Hurray! Just remember that every relationship takes time
and effort. Sign up for obedience classes and arm yourself
with a little more patience than normal. Take it easy on
yourself, knowing that if you've taken our advice, you'll
be just fine!

----------------------------------------------------
Emma Snow, an animal lover, works in marketing for Dog
Pound http://www.dog-pound.net and Horse Stall
http://www.horse-stall.net leading portals for pet
management.

The HOME PET, Our New "Minor Children'' in the American Family! The Law, the Implications For Pets

Title: The HOME PET, Our New "Minor Children'' in the American Family! The
Law, the Implications For Pets
Author: Benjamin Anosike

What? A "Pet trust"? Pets as our "children"? We are
supposed to consider including our pet animals - dogs,
cats, birds, etc - as "family members" and "loved ones" who
should be covered in our testamentary trust or will and our
estate planning? Aren't these just mere "animals"?

Well, not quite so any more these days!

Americans own a huge number of pets, including about 68
million dogs and 73 million cats, according to a 2000
estimate by the American Pet Products Manufacturers
Association. What is even particularly fundamental,
however, from the sociological standpoint and the
transformation of the American society, is this: That for a
great many Americans, and a growing number of them, their
home pets are now considered a bona fide "member of the
family," and not just "animals" any more.

An October 1999 survey by the USA Today newspaper, for
example, found that more than 66% of American pet owners
said they consider their pets "a member of the family." In
a more recent survey by the American Animal Hospital
Association, a whopping 84% of American pet owners were
reported to think of their animal companions as being their
kids.

In deed, a more telling indices of the dramatic evolution
of the pet from mere 'animals' towards the highly exulted
status of a 'family member' in the American society, is the
general attitude of the pet owners towards their pets and
simply the way they treat, regard and relate with their
pets. For example, according to surveys, some 79% of pet
owners allow their pets to sleep in their beds with them,
while 3% of them even count pets in the number of IRS
withholdings they claim for tax purposes. The evidence is
simply astounding: 50% of American pet owners talk "baby
talk" to their pets; 37% of them carry a picture of their
pets in their wallets; 27% of them include their pets in
their testamentary trusts or wills; while 8% buy health
insurance for their pets. There's more. Nowadays, the
"custody fights" over pets among divorcing couples who own
pets, are among the most hotly contested issues in divorce
proceedings; pet owners now throw lavish wedding and
birthday parties for dogs, cats, and other pet animals,
more adults today have pets than children, and so on and on.

Summed up simply, just about all those kinds of special
rights, privileges and actions that have traditionally been
reserved for and directed towards protecting and caring for
human children, are, today, now used to protect and care
for pets, as well. In other words, gradually but surely,
there is now in the American society a new and increasingly
significant kind of "family members" and "children." It's
called the NON-human or pet animal family members and
children!

And that brings us to this major question: how has the
American law evolved in response to this developing new
sociological reality in the American society? In terms of
providing our new-found pet animal "infant children" the
essential legal rights, care and protections as would be
fitting for our human "infant children"? Suffice it simply
to say, that a new specialized area of law has developed in
the American jurisprudence pertaining to this issue. One
significant aspect of it is what is known as the "pet
trust" law. In point of fact, the American pet owners have
for centuries expressed concerns and interest in
establishing an estate plan for their animals in the same
manner as people plan for their spouses and children, but
that general impulse had for so long been resisted by the
State legislatures and the Courts based on one legal
rationale or the other. However, beginning in the 1990s,
under the guidelines established by the National Conference
of Commissioners of Uniform State Laws, State legislatures
(at least 40 of them as of 2006) and the courts have
adopted laws which address precisely those concerns and now
permit the creation of trusts specifically for the custody
and care of designated pets and their offspring in times of
the incapacity or death of their owner.

Basically, with a legally valid 'pet trust,' you (the pet
owner) can make specific provisions as to the care of your
pets in the event of your disability or death, and provide
for a reliable caretaker and funding arrangement for the
pet all of which will be legally enforceable by the
courts. Thus, with the "pet trust," a relatively recent
estate planning tool applicable for pet animals, you can
assure that in the event of any such emergency, your pets
will not likely wind up in the shelter or pound somewhere
awaiting euthanasia, but will be taken into a safe home and
will be properly cared for by a responsible, caring
caretaker.

----------------------------------------------------
Benjamin Anosike holds a Ph.D in Jurisprudence, national
authority on self-help law techniques (author, 2 dozen
books on various topics of American law), estate planning
expert, author four texts on estate planning, his latest
book is "Pet Trusts & Wills: How to Legally Guarantee that
Your Pet Will Be Protected & Cared For If You're
Incapacitated or Gone." For more on the topic, the book or
author, visit:http://www.EstatePlanAndTrustForPets.Com

Don't Kill Your Dog: Understand The Dog Food Ingredients He's Eating

Article Title: Don't Kill Your Dog: Understand The Dog Food
Ingredients He's Eating
Author: Kelly Marshall

It is often confusing when you go to buy dog food to try to
identify what is important on the label and why some foods are
priced so much higher or so much lower than the rest. It is
important to buy a good quality food that meets your dog's
needs, but the quality of the food is not always guaranteed by
the price. Many of the very high priced dog foods or "gourmet"
foods are no more nutritionally balanced than the premium foods
offered by large or small dog food companies. Typically the very
low priced dog foods should be avoided as they are largely made
up of filler type ingredients and little protein and very
little nutritional value.

What's On The Label?

The ingredient portion of the label must list all the food
items and additives that are contained in the food. In most
developed countries the items in dog food are controlled by a
federal agency to ensure they are appropriate for consumption
and are not a danger to the animals. The substances in dog food
must by generally recognized as safe, or GRAS. No diseased meat,
improperly processed meat or vegetable material or other items
may be used in the food.

The items listed on the ingredient portion are listed by
natural weight at time of processing, starting with the
heaviest item and working down. That means that the meat is
weighed in its moist, natural state just like the soy meal or
ground wheat will be listed in their natural dry state on the
ingredient list. Since processing removes most of the water,
especially in dry food, the first ingredient on the list may
not be the predominant ingredient in the final dry kibble. In
reality most dry foods will list beef, chicken or meat as the
first ingredient but on full analysis of the final dry
ingredient there will be far more of the wheat fillers in each
kibble. Avoid dog foods that list animal or meat by-products as
the main ingredients as these have almost no nutritional value
for the dog.

Since there is almost no way to know how much of the original
ingredient is in the final result the information on the
ingredient label is not as useful as it may seem. The better
information that is provided on the label is the actual
analysis of the feed, which is based on the final product and
its actual breakdown.

The analysis will list the crude protein, carbohydrates, fat,
vitamins and minerals. Generally a dog should have between 21
and 26% protein in the diet depending on their age and level of
activity. The more active a dog is the more protein they will
need to sustain energy levels. Puppies and senior dogs should
not be fed high protein diets as it can cause problems in
puppies with bone growth and may cause excessive weight gain in
older, more sedate dogs.

How much to feed?

If you are feeding a good quality premium dry dog food it is
important to follow the feeding recommendations. Poor quality
foods will have you feed more and will lead to increased mess
to clean up. Premium dry foods usually are fed by current body
weight of the dog as well as the growth stage of the dog. Be
sure to feed the correct food for the correct growth stage to
optimize the benefits to the dog.

If you are in doubt about the correct feeding amounts or are
concerned that your dog may be gaining or losing weight due to
the food immediately seek the advice of your vet. Often rapid
weight loss or gain has nothing to do with the food but may be
a serious health concern or even a genetic condition.

About The Author: Vets also recommend feeding your dog from an
elevated dog feeder to reduce the amount of air ingested when
eating. Find stylish feeders at
http://www.ohmydogsupplies.com/dog-supplies/elevated-dog-feeders

How To Train Your Dog To Stop Chewing

Article Title: How To Train Your Dog To Stop Chewing
Author: Jay Schaefer

Chewing is a very natural dog behavior that often starts in
puppyhood when a dog starts to teethe. However, without the
proper discipline and training, the behavior can become a
problem when your dog gets older. Training your dog to stop
chewing can save you a lot of time, money, and frustration as
your dog grows up.

Whether you have a puppy or a grown dog, you can train your dog
to stop chewing. It is usually easier to build new habits when
a dog is young and impressionable, but it is not impossible to
train the adult dog to stop the habit of chewing on
inappropriate items.

Still, it is important for you to understand that chewing is
natural. Yes, it was said before, but it bears repetition,
because you will be embracing the normal behavior and just
changing the object of desire. So, if you think any chewing is
inappropriate, then you probably want to reconsider having a
dog. Dogs chew out of frustration, loneliness, boredom, and
anxiety, so addressing those issues and changing your dog's
focus will help stop the destruction of your household items.

The idea of redirection is important, because it also involves
no punishment. Punishing your dog will not stop the behavior,
it will just stop the dog from chewing when you are around.
Punishment interferes with your relationship, and it only
creates a dog that is afraid of you. It is more important to
address the underlying issues for the chewing behavior so that
your dog starts behaving appropriately. Your praise and
appreciation for good behavior will go a long way with your
dog.

Redirection is the best way to train your dog to stop chewing.
When you see your dog knawing on something that he or she should
not be touching, that is the time to turn his or her attention
away from that item and toward an appropriate chew toy. There
are great tools out there like Kongs you can fill with tasty
treats, bones, Greenies, rawhide, and more that dogs really
like. When your dog is chewing on the right toy, make sure you
give him or her a lot of praise.

If your dog is chewing on things when you are not around, it
can be frustrating to come home to the destruction. You can
begin to train your dog to stop chewing by keeping a lot of
"chewable" items around. Having several of these toys will
often keep your dog busy enough that he or she will forget the
inappropriate items. Also, use active toys like puzzle games
that require them to move the toy around to get food.
Stimulating toys will keep your dog from getting bored.

However, if your dog is still chewing, you can then try another
form of redirection. As your dog greets you at the door, hold
off on your greeting until your dog finds the appropriate toy.
At first you can help him or her to find the toy, but after a
while, do not give your dog a greeting until that toy is there
in his or her mouth. If you are consistent, your dog will
learn to search out the toy to greet you at the door and the
chewing will stop.

It will take time and effort to train your dog to stop chewing,
but if you are patient and consistent, you will find that your
things will not be chewed up - making both you and your dog
happier.

About The Author: For more helpful and Free Dog Training Tips
you can visit our site
http://www.free-consumer-guides.com/pets/

Jay Schaefer is a
staff writer at Free Consumer Guides.