Good dog owners are always bothered with this tricky question – what is the best dog food? Choosing the right one is exhausting task, because shelves of supermarkets and pet stores are full of pet food. But the truth is that canned, dry or semi-moist products aren’t the best dog food. Don’t fall for the commercials; such food will cause health problems to your friend, sooner or later. But what is considered the best dog food then?

It is quite simple – fresh food that you buy for yourself (fresh meat, fish, vegetables, eggs, cotton cheese and etc) IS the best choice for your dog as well. Think about it – dogs never eaten any canned or processed food till 1930s, and they were domesticated almost for 150 centuries already. And the fact is – dogs lived for 16-18 years, because they had a great diet.

But why today’s processed kibble and canned products can’t be considered best dog food? Ingredients are absolutely horrible. Did you know that meat used for “best dog food” can’t pass USDA inspection? Big companies use meat from livestock that is diseased, disabled or already dead when it arrives at the slaughterhouse. Did you know that? And we are not mentioning growth hormones and antibiotics which were injected in the poor livestock to make it grow faster…

Other bad ingredient is the grain. Grains and cereals should not be eaten by dogs, simply because their digestive tracts are not designed for this. Dogs have short and straight digestive tracts that are designed to digest meat. So that’s why even naturally grown corn, soy and wheat aren’t the best dog food, by any means. On top of that, grains used for dog food are unfit for human consumption.

Also pet food companies spray greasy fat on all their products. Without such spray their production would not be considered food by your dog. It’s the smell that encourages him.

And another problem with commercial dog food is preservatives. All three preservatives that are used for “best dog food” are considered toxic, and marked as poison by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). And all 3 are banned in Europe, but not in the US. How about that? Do you still want to feed your beloved dog with poison, on daily basis?!

So we came to the conclusion – you shouldn’t feed your dog with processed food. But what foods are healthy? Here is a short list of best dog food – chicken, beef, turkey, venison, fish, eggs, cottage cheese, vegetables (all kind of, try different to see what your dog likes most), liver, heart, kidney, oatmeal (sometimes) and a lot of other products. Food must be natural, and other than there is not much limitations. You can use a bit of whole grains too, for mineralsvitamins, but you need to pulverize and cook them before serving, for optimal digestion. Also don’t forget about special vitamin/mineral supplements, they are quite important.

Now you know the basics, and understand why it is important to feed your dog only with natural products. But if you want to take this further and make best dog food yourself, at home, go and research this topic in depth.

What if you just can’t keep your dog healthy enough?

I know how hard it can be to drive to veterinarians frequently.
But if you want to really make your dog well and healthy, you’ll need to learn a single method that works amazingly well.

This method is simple to pick up and it doesn’t take much practice, you can read how to do it in my free report here: Dog Training Courses
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Do you know that dog skin is more sensitive compared to human skin? So, scratching on your dog skin can cause serious health problems to your dog health. Scratching my be due to different problem which normally includes, fatigue, stress or change in life style and if not treated it leads to more complication such as far loss. If proper care is not taken, complications such as hot spots may appear. These are patches of skin that are infected by bacteria. Treatment will be more complicated which causes sever pain to your dog along with costly veterinary bills.

There may be different reasons of dog scratching, most frequent include parasitic attack such as fungal infection, dry skin problem and allergies.

Parasites are eventually one of the majority widespread reasons of scratched skin, and finally, dog scratching problem. The most widespread problems include Fleas, knits, and ticks. The majority of these bloodsuckers do their unclean actions by biting the dog and sucking the blood from the nibble. The itching is not due to biting but due to enzymes present in the saliva of these parasites. Fleas can be easily spotted, however there are further kinds of bloodsuckers that can stay deeper in the hair roots.

Fungal illnesses linked with extreme scratching are further complicated and can be tougher to identify and treat. They be able to pass on a disease to a dog’s whole body and can extend to human beings. The major warning signs are skin cracking, scaling, irritation and disease. Fungal illnesses are usually more frequent during moist seasons as your dog is get in touch with with humid, moist circumstances that are perfect for bacterial augmentation. If left uncured, it will be a severe danger to you and your dog health.

Strong dog shampoo can increase this problem as dog skin is more sensitive. So, the use of incorrect kind of shampoo can cause problems such as dryness of skin, infection and most commonly rashes on your dog skin. The majority of pet shampoos are a combination of water, cleansers, colorings and chemical preservatives which might reason your dog uneasiness if dog is receptive to such agents.

One other common dog itching and scratching causes is dry skin. Identical to on humans, while skin is deficient in necessary fatty acids, itching problem occurs. High-quality cleaning products assist in refilling natural components in your dog’s skin.

Allergens are able to reason some of the most complicated effects in dogs. Detergents and chemicals cause dry skin and annoyance. As detergents can causes rashes in dry human skin as well.

Keep in mind similar to humans, dogs can also be affected different infections. Do not bath your dog frequently as it removed the essential oils from dog skin. User health dog products to prevent your dog skin from rashes and other skin infections.

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A body builder takes more protein or a runner eats more calcium rich foods. Animals and pets must also use pet supplements or pet vitamins in order to have a long active life. Especially dogs, with their slightly different metabolisms use dog nutrition supplements from birth to old age. Dog nutrition must have appropriate support depending on the activities of the dog. Calcium is one of the most essential dog supplements for puppies especially if they will grow up to be K9 athletes. Calcium rich dog health supplements would make their bones stronger and more resilient to excessive activity when grown up.

Iron is another important component found in canine nutritional supplements. As the activity of the animal increases, the need of its body for iron also increases. Therefore iron is one of the most essential supplements for dogs. However before using iron rich canine supplements, you must have a blood test to determine the exact amount of iron your dog needs because excessive iron may cause health problems like heart disease and colon problems.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant. It can be found in vitamin complexes sold as dog vitamins or k9
vitamins. Active dogs when not supported with Vitamin-E may have oxidative damage in their muscle tissues. This causes soreness and fatigue decreasing the activity levels of the dogs. A race dog may start to slow down and its running urges may become atrophied.

There are other important minerals for the performance and health of dogs. Magnesium, potassium, zinc and selenium are some of them. Magnesium helps muscle relaxation while potassium helps stabilize muscle contractions. Selenium is known as a free radical and it supports the immune system. Zinc is also important for the immune system. Other functions of zinc are increasing endurance and decreasing fatigue. Amino acids like glutamine and protein must also be supplemented in more active dogs like racing or hunting hounds.

K9 athletes or dogs trained for competitions have more nutritional needs than their inactive fellows. If they are supplemented with adequate nutrients they can recover more quickly, have stronger immune systems, don’t get tired easily and have better performance.

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The origin of Shih Tzu lacks clear delineation. There are different theories about its origin. The most popular among them is that the breed was introduced from Tibet to China; and imported to England and Norway in the 30s. A Shih Tzu carries himself proudly with happy mood; always sweet in nature he is less yappy.

How to Choose a Puppy

Planning to buy a Shih Tzu puppy? It will cost you something big. Considering the cost, choose one which is not younger than 8 weeks. Shih Tzu puppies have high mortality rates in their early days of life. Choose a friendly puppy, you can tell immediately if one is aggressive. It is advisable to have it checked by a veterinarian to make sure it is free from health problems.

Shih Tzu puppy training should start so that they will learn how to socialize. Even if the puppy is already 10 weeks old, socialization with other dogs and people is the first thing before the actual training begins to avoid aggressive Shih Tzu behavior.

The Training Process

Shih Tzu dog training should start with basic house training as soon as the puppy is old enough. The crate training is highly recommended to confine your dog when you are not around to look after him. The puppy will get used to his house and learn to like it. The crate prevents accidents caused by the dog moving and playing around the house.

After the basics, the puppy must learn that he is in a place where there is a master and you must be the leader who dominate and not the other way around. The puppy will learn not to bite using toys and creating a crying face and sound to show him that biting hurts. Keep him from climbing on the sofa and do not allow him to sleep along with you at your bed. The cage is the appropriate for the puppy to rest and use it as far as possible.

The Shih Tzu dog training obedience period follows when the puppy is among 3 and 6 months of age. The basic commands during this training phase are:

1. Sitting
2. Staying
3. Laying
4. Focusing on you
5. Waiting indoors
6. Coming when called
7. Walking without pulling the leash

A Shih Tzu puppy may not want to abide by your command; it’s natural because of its lively aspect, but it’s clever enough to get your cues and at last follow.

Training Shih Tzu Puppies is Giving Them Protection

By nature a Shih Tzu is good, friendly and curious and definitely wants explore a lot of things and areas. But this doesn’t mean one is not an aggressive Shih Tzu.

1. They can learn not to follow vehicles.
2. To pause on street curves.
3. By no means disappear from you in public and also not to go far away from sight.

If and only if you’re certain how much your dog listens when called to come back, indeed, this will only time you can lift off its leash. A Shih Tzu is care free and also has chances of running away if let loose.

Buying a new little Shih Tzu is exciting but training it’s a really arduous job. After your Shih Tzu puppy training he’ll grow well; you’ll be getting the loyal and attentive friend among all that always stays at your side continue along with your command. That is only possible after you set the rules at the beginning of puppyhood, and also be consistent in applying them all of your Shih Tzu’s life.

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Since dogs are active animals, they could sustain injuries while playing, running or due to stepping on house hold implements. It is important to treat them before they become more severe dog health problems. As the dogs get injured with their paws most often, it is not easy to see the injury and if you try to look at it the dog tries to shy away. As an injury in a dog will get infected very quickly, you need to take care of them early.

If your dog limps for more than a couple of days or it has a limp that comes and goes, take care of it as it may lead to dog health problems that need more attention. If your dog’s injury is detected earlier, you could take it to the veterinarian and treat it before the injury is aggravated. Dog health problems that involve injuries are easy to look after but they also become serious if not treated on time. The difficulty with some big breeds of dogs is that they get very scared when the injury is going to be treated. However, you must treat the injuries of a dog no matter what type of resistance it offers against treatment.

Sometimes dogs get their tails injured getting caught in closing doors and such other accidents. Though these are not such serous dog health problems, you need to take care of them immediately before things go out of hand. If you are not familiar with dog injuries to take charge of the situation, you need to take your inured canine friend to the vet.

When you encounter any dog health problems involving injuries the most important thing is to keep calm. If you get excited your pet too will go upset and you will face more dog health problems due to the injury. Nothing is more difficult to manage than an excited dog owner and a gravely injured dog. You must remember that keeping calm is the key to solve any dog health problems no matter whether it is injury or a more serious condition.

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It is nice to have a pet around your house. When it is a dog, it is still better as dog is a pet that always wants to give you love and not to ask for it like cats. Dogs will do everything for you and you need to give it a little food and a place to sleep in return. The next most important thing is to look after dog health problems. The pleasure of having a dog at home could be enjoyed only when you attend to this vital need of a dog.

When your pet shows signs of dog health problems it is much better to take it to the veterinarian at the first instance. The simple reason is that unless you are a seasoned dog owner differentiating real dog health problems from normal behavior of a do is not easy. Therefore, the easy way to prevent a serious illness is to take your dog for treatment at the first signs of abnormal behavior. This is the easiest way to handle dog health problems.

In case your dog has no health issues, the veterinarian will not give any treatment but will advise you on what action to take when you face similar situations in the future. On the contrary if you don’t take it to the veterinarian and instead, if you go to work, by the time you come home your dog’s condition might get worsened requiring you to hospitalize it. Due to this reason, even minor dog health problems should be taken seriously. When you do so, it will be easier for you.

When you take your pooch to the veterinarian suspecting dog health problems if it is really ill the veterinarian will give you some medicine along with instructions. It is a must to follow those instructions carefully and give the drugs exactly as the vet instructs. This is very important because dog health problems could become serious quicker than you think. As such, it is extremely difficult to assess the condition of a sick dog. Only a veterinarian is able to do a correct assessment on a dog’s illness.

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If you own a dog, you must give it the same health care you give yourself in order to have a healthy pet dog. Dogs suffer from many of the diseases that we contact such as fever, arthritis and cancer. In addition to that, they suffer from diseases that are specific to dogs also. Therefore, you must be prepared to handle dog health problems if you are a dog owner.

Prevention is better than cure even with dogs. Therefore, you must do everything possible to avoid facing dog health problems with your canine friend. The most important thing with a dog is to give it a balanced diet. Choose a good brand of dog food and stay with it. A cup of yoghurt once in a way is a good way to avoid dog health problems

Exercise for your dog is as important as it is for you if not more. Due to this reason, large breeds such as Dalmatian and German shepherd should not be had if you are not able to provide it sufficient space for exercise. If you give your pet the exercise it needs, you will be able to avoid a lot of dog health problems.

Another very important issue with dogs is that they love the company of their master. Therefore, you must spend some quality time with it. If you have a pet dog, you cannot avoid this due to your busy schedule. If you do not find time, your pet will develop anxiety which will lead to serious dog health problems.

Proper care and grooming is essential for your dog for its health as well as your health. As dogs could harbor a multitude of bacteria and viruses you must clean it frequently and comb its hair. Also you need to take care of its teeth in order to avoid dog health problems. Most dog lovers brush the teeth of their pets as the dog trainers suggest. In addition to these basic issues, you need to keep records of any dog health problems your dog faced and you need to give the right vaccinations on time in order to have a healthy pet.

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When a dog suffers from any ailment, it is not easy to detect it early. Since there is no way for your dog to tell you that it is suffering, most dog owners learn of dog health problems only when the dog’s condition is aggravated. The most important thing in tackling dog health problems is to detect the problem early and to take your canine friend to its veterinarian at your earliest.

Early detection of dog health problems will not only make it easier for the dog to recover but also does good to your pocket. When any problems with your dog are detected earlier, the treatment will be only a few tablets of antibiotics. When you take the dog to the veterinarian after waiting until its condition is serious, the dog has to be admitted, given intravenous fluids and injections which will make heavy expenditure for you.

The way to avoid the complication of dog health problems is to keep watch on your dog’s behavior. Slightest change in its ways should be detected by the owner in order to go for early treatment. In case you are unable to detect the symptoms early, your dog’s chances of recovery become slimmer by the day. When dog health problems are aggravated, they develop complications very quickly.

One of the first symptoms of a dog not being well is that it will refuse to eat. Also it will not be happy to play. Finally its nose will go dry. If you see any of these symptoms or all of them, take your dog to the veterinarian. This is very important to avoid dog health problems.

Some dog health problems are involved with coats of dogs. They will not show any symptoms when a dog has a problem with its coat. When you bathe your dog, look for any blisters or unevenness with the skin. If you find any, take your dog to the veterinarian. He will give you medication to apply on your dog’s skin and oral drugs in addition to injections. Give these with meticulous care and your dog will recover soon. If you neglect, your dog is going to suffer.

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Every dog owner wants his dog to be healthy. In order to have a healthy dog, you need to know about dog health problems especially, you need to know when your dog is suffering from an illness. For this reason, it is necessary for you to have some idea of the symptoms of various illnesses with which the dogs normally get affected. Some of these symptoms are easy to identify while there are others that are difficult to tell.

The first symptom of dog health problems is the loss of appetite. This is not an easy symptom to identify because your pet habitually doesn’t eat sometimes. This is seen often with dogs that are not exercised much. When you give food, it will not eat at once but will eat later. The best way to see if your dog has lost its appetite due to dog health problems is to give its favorite food. If it refuses that also, then it is time to see the vet.

Diarrhea and vomiting are serious symptoms of dogs but if your dog looks healthy and playing still vomits its food, you need not worry. It could be relating to another reason and it is not due to one of the dog health problems. But if your dog goes on vomiting or having diarrhea, then it is a serious situation. When these two symptoms appear, you must not lose any time as they pose serious dog health problems.

Bad breath is also one of the symptoms to tell you that your dog is not in perfect health but it is minor one as it could be remedied with proper care to its teeth. Itching is not a mild symptom and also not a serious one as diarrhea. Therefore, if your dog has symptoms like itching and cough, you need to treat them as dog health problems. Therefore, seeing a veterinarian is the better thing when this type of dog health problems is encountered. If you are able to understand the symptoms of illness of your dog, you could be most certain that your dog is going to have a healthy life.

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Parvovirus is a disease that dogs contact very easily if not vaccinated against it. Pups are the most vulnerable for this disease that has created one of the most severe dog health problems. The disease is brought about by a virus that is considered a mutation of the distemper virus. However, the drug companies have been able to develop a vaccine against it.
There is no way that you can save an animal from this type of dog health problems as the virus is everywhere. The only way to save a dog from contacting this disease is to vaccinate it. Pups are the most vulnerable of the dogs to this serious disease of dogs. Once a pup contacts this disease, its chance to survival is only 10%. Due to this reason, Parvovirus is treated as one of the most important dog health problems.
When a dog is affected by Parvovirus, it will get one of the two types of sickness. It could be intestinal parvovirus disease or cardiac parvovirus disease. In case of intestinal parvovirus, the dog will develop diarrhea and with many dogs it could be mixed with blood. In case of cardiac parvovirus there could be cardiac problems and respiratory problems. The basic dog health problems brought about by this disease are the fever, vomiting and weakness due to loss of electrolytes. In addition to this, the dogs develop diarrhea and dehydration. The final result of these symptoms will be the death.
As parvovirus is one of the most dangerous dog health problems, you need to vaccinate your pet at the earliest possible instance. The vaccine is so effective that a vaccinated dog contacting the disease is never heard. Any veterinarian is able to give the vaccine and it is one of the first few vaccines a pup gets in its life. As this is more serious than any other dog health problems, you need to give priority to vaccinating your dog against parvovirus. The booster doses are given after the first vaccine. When you take your dog for these vaccinations, make sure that it doesn’t have any other dog health problems because you cannot vaccinate a sick pup or a dog.

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